How to use your
Ferrari F50

Step on the brake, then press the red Engine Start button on the steering-wheel — left spoke. The car beeps, the cluster flashes, and the V8/V12 fires. On PHEV models (296/SF90), the start button engages eDrive silently; you must press 'eManettino → Performance' to wake the ICE.

Ferrari uses steering-wheel-mounted carbon paddles plus center-console buttons labeled R, Auto, M, and Launch — there is no traditional stick. Press the brake, then tap 'Auto' to engage drive or pull the right paddle to manually grab 1st. If you ordered the manual, the gate is dog-leg first-down on most performance variants — read the shift-knob diagram before you pull away cold.

There are no selectable drive modes. Throttle response, steering effort, brake feel, and damping are mechanical rather than software-configurable.

Analog gauge cluster centered on tachometer and speedometer; warning lights handle the rest. No reconfigurable digital layouts, no head-up display, no thumb-wheel menus.

Factory audio is AM/FM/cassette (CD changer on late-90s flagships). No touchscreen, no nav, no Bluetooth — connectivity features did not exist on the original car.

Electronic driver assistance is either absent or extremely limited by modern standards. Do not expect adaptive cruise, lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, surround cameras, or stability-control intervention; leave extra space and warm the tires before driving quickly.

Premium unleaded (91 or 93 octane) is required on Ferrari performance models — the engine timing is set for it and lower octane causes audible knock and reduced power. Fuel-cap release is a button on the driver door panel; the cap is capless (just push the nozzle in).

Cut metal key with immobilizer chip on most post-1993 cars. No remote-app access, no shareable digital keys, no wallet credentials.

A few things every new owner tells us they wish they'd known on day one:

• Always use the front-axle lift before driveways and speed bumps — it stores the lift point in GPS so the car raises automatically next time.
• Warm tires and oil for at least 8–10 minutes before using Race / Track mode; cold rubber on this much power is the #1 cause of off-throttle spins.
• Download the brand app (Ferrari Connect) and pair it with your VIN before your first long trip — remote climate, charging/fuel-level checks, and remote lock-status save you walking back to the garage in winter.