In Brief
A motorist in Fort Myers, Florida, thought he’d spotted a rare Ferrari F50, but Reddit enthusiasts quickly identified the vehicle as a likely replica. The photos reveal telltale clues, such as a kit-car front end and unusual proportions. The baselines commonly used for this kind of conversion include the Pontiac Fiero, the Mitsubishi 3000GT, or the Acura NSX. The genuine Ferrari F50, extremely scarce and expensive, would be unlikely to appear on a public street. The car seen, more than likely, hides a far more ordinary mechanical under its fiberglass skin.
On a Fort Myers thoroughfare in Florida, a driver looks up, spots a red silhouette with a gigantic rear wing, and signals to pull over. For him, there’s no doubt in the moment: he has just crossed paths with a Ferrari F50. A legendary supercar that’s typically seen on podiums and rarely on a busy road.
The driver stops, pulls out his phone, takes several photos, and shares his find on Reddit, in the section devoted to Ferrari. Within hours, this supposed fake Ferrari F50 in Florida goes viral across the thread. Enthusiasts zoom in on every detail, and the comments begin to openly spell out what some had already suspected.
The Fort Myers viral moment: a Ferrari F50 that isn’t one
The original post, published on the r/Ferrari forum, opens with a simple line: “I just spotted this in downtown Fort Myers, Florida. I had to stop.” The author accompanies the message with three city shots, which tell their own little story of investigation.
The first image, shot from the rear, shows a car that looks a lot like a Ferrari F50. A fixed wing, round taillights, central exhausts. On the early shots, the illusion is nearly perfect. The second shot, from the front, changes everything and reveals a rather crude kit car front end. In the third side view, certain proportional details catch the eye. They hint that it’s a modified base, not a supercar straight from Maranello.
Why this Florida F50 is almost certainly a kit car
To gauge the odds of stumbling upon a genuine F50 in downtown traffic, you only need to look at the car’s identity. The Ferrari F50 was produced from 1995 to 1997 in a run of just 349 examples. It sports a 4.7-liter naturally aspirated V12 that draws from Formula One tech. The car rockets from 0 to 60 mph (about 96 km/h) in roughly 3.8 seconds. Its top speed hovers near 194 mph, approximately 312 km/h. Each unit commands around $2 million, roughly €1.8 million. In this context, as noted by Supercar Blondie, most owners rarely drive their F50. That makes an accidental sighting on a Florida street even more unlikely.
When confronted with the photos, commenters piled on with theories about the base. “Maybe a Corvette C6, perhaps a Mitsubishi 3000GT,” wrote one Redditor, as cited by Supercar Blondie. “Could be an Acura NSX,” offered another. A third even quipped: “The NSX deserves better.” For many enthusiasts, turning an Acura NSX into a fake Ferrari feels like spoiling a prized classic. Similar projects have left a mark on the internet.
Reddit’s crowd also points to other bases that are commonly used. Pontiac Fiero or Mitsubishi 3000GT are frequent starting points for these conversions. On these more modest chassis, craftsmen fit a fiberglass body that imitates the F50’s lines, often leaving the original drivetrain in place, or nearly so. A recent Motor1 feature highlighted a yellow F50 built atop a Pontiac Fiero GT chassis. The car was powered by a 2.8-liter V6 of around 140 hp, paired with a three-speed automatic. The owner claimed to have spent more than $80,000 on the conversion. He later listed the car for about $20,000. For an attentive eye, several telltale signs help spot a replica like the Fort Myers car in seconds.
- Proportions: a genuine F50 is wide and low, with wheels that fill the wheel arches.
- Wheels and tires: on some replicas, the rims appear too small and set too far inward in the body.
- Finish details: visible rivets, misalignments, and a modern backup camera often betray a kit car.
- Engine sound: a Ferrari V12 howls, while a Fiero V6 or NSX engine sounds far more muted.
- Context: an F50 alone on a boulevard, near $2 million in value, is a surprising sight.
In Fort Myers, the story ends without an official reveal of the exact mechanical base behind this pseudo-F50. But the combination of several clues points in the same direction. The extreme rarity of the original model and the enthusiasts’ commentary all align. As with many replicas already seen, there’s a strong likelihood this Fort Myers F50 hides a far more ordinary powertrain beneath its fiberglass shell.
Comparison Table
| Model | Engine | Production | 0–60 mph | Top speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrari F50 | 4.7L naturally aspirated V12 | 349 units (1995–1997) | 3.8 s | 194 mph (312 km/h) | ~$2 million (≈€1.8 million) |
| Pontiac Fiero GT “F50 replica” | 2.8L V6 | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified | Costs: $80,000 (≈€73,000); Resale: $20,000 (≈€18,000) |
Key Takeaways
- A driver thought he spotted a Ferrari F50 in Fort Myers, Florida, but the sighting was likely a replica.
- Details captured in the photos, such as the crude front end and the proportions, betrayed a kit car.
- Common bases for these copies include the Pontiac Fiero, Mitsubishi 3000GT, or Acura NSX.
- The Ferrari F50 is exceedingly rare: only 349 units produced between 1995 and 1997.
- Conversions of this kind can be costly, but resale value remains well below the original.
- Several cues (finish, wheels, engine sound) help distinguish the impostor from the authentic supercar.
FAQ
How can you tell a real Ferrari F50 from a replica?
Real F50s are wide and low, with properly fitted wheels, refined finishes, and a distinctive V12 howl. Replicas often show inferior finish details and different proportions.
What bases are commonly used for fake Ferrari F50s?
Models like the Pontiac Fiero, Mitsubishi 3000GT, or Acura NSX are frequently used as the starting point for these F50 lookalikes.
What’s the price of a real Ferrari F50?
A Ferrari F50 trades for around $2 million, about €1.8 million.
How many Ferrari F50s were produced?
Only 349 examples were produced between 1995 and 1997.
How much can a replica F50 conversion cost?
Creating a replica can exceed $80,000, but resale typically sits around $20,000.
