In what can only be considered a win for the Formula One Teams Association in its contentious stand-off with F1's governing body, the FIA president Max Mosley has agreed to not run for a fifth term this fall.
It was Mosley who pushed budget caps for the 2010 season, which were wildly unpopular with established teams such as Ferrari, Toyota, McLaren and Renault. There will apparently be no spending cap for next season, although the sport's commercial boss, Bernie Ecclestone has said that he expects costs will be brought in line with spending levels from the early-90s in two years. No specific details of the agreement have been released.
Eight teams, including most of the biggest, most competitive, threatened to start a rival series, taking the big-name drivers and big budgets with them.The teams have agreed to stay in Formula One reportedly to 2012 to get the deal done.
The plight of the Ferrari Enzo has become almost mythical ever since some unknown Swedish dude split one in half on PCH. This is the latest casualty, a rare Canadian car that caught fire somewhere in British Columbia. According to WreckedExotics, this is the 16th Enzo involved in a serious accident.
If you have never driven on a race track, you should. If your skills are weak, track time will make them better. And if you think you're an undiscovered Tony Stewart, well then, get out there and prove it. The list that follows after the jump gives some ideas where you might try your luck both on the road and in the dirt.
Not surprisingly, it's one of four Ferrari's that made the list. Other entries include a Talbot-Lago, a Duesenberg and a couple of Bugatti's. Nice stuff if you've got the scratch.
In the same Maranello, Italy, auction that included the last production Ferrari F430, a much, much, much more valuable car, a 1957 Ferrari 250 TR, went for 9,020,000 Euros. Recession... what recession? This is apparently a new world record for most expensive car sold at auction.
Of course, there's more to this 250 Testa Rossa than the obvious fact that it's a really old car and an incredibly beautiful one at that (thanks, Scaglietti). Like most of the 22 Ferrari 250 TRs built in 1957 and 1958, this one, chassis number 0714TR, had an active racing career in its prime. Notably, it finished in the 1958 1000km Buenos Aires endurance race, though it didn't win -- that honor went to 250 0704TR.
Ferrari announced this week that the last production Ferrari F430 would be part of the lots at all-Ferrari RM auction this Saturday. The proceeds will benefit Italy's Abruzzo region, east of Rome, which was heavily damaged by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake on April 6.
The two-tone livery on this F430 is meant to recall the traditional colors of L'Aquila, Italy, the medieval town at the epicenter of the quake. Ferrari will invite the eventual owner to Maranello to finalize specifications on the F430, though the transmission is already decided: It's the automated F1 gearbox.
The F430 auction follows a week-long apparel auction at Ferrari's online store during which time you could bid on racing suits autographed by Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen.
Ferrari made it official today. If the new two-tier Formula 1 rules system stays, Ferrari goes.
According to a statement released today, "The Board considers that if this is the regulatory framework for Formula 1 in the future, then the reasons underlying Ferrari's uninterrupted participation in the World Championship over the last 60 years - the only constructor to have taken part ever since its inception in 1950 - would come to a close."
Sounds like the FIA might want to reconsider those new rules.
F1 star Kimi Raikkonen walked out of a Ferrari dealer on Thursday to find a parking ticket on his Ferrari 612, and the video cameras were there to capture the drama. Only there was none. The Ferrari factory driver climbed into his high dollar ride without a word and drove off.
And so the question is, which would you rather: Kimi's 612 or that awesome old school California?
An amateur shooter caught the on-set crash of a Ferrari during the filming of an upcoming Nicolas Cage movie in New York City. Two people were hurt in the incident, but the damage was fairly limited given how out of shape the car was when it hit a storefront. Video after the jump.
U.S. Attorneys have charged the owners of a New York Bentley and Aston Martin dealership with corporate espionage after discovering they had tapped into the email network of a rival Ferrari and Maserati dealership.
According to Bloomberg, Giacomo Ciaccia and Leka Vuksanaj, the co-owners of Universal Autosports LLC,were former employees of the Ferrari dealership. A third man, Michael Lussos, listed as the Creative Director of Universal Autosports, helped to set up the email system for the Ferrari dealership.
Investigators discovered that the Ferrari dealership's email were being forwarded to an outside account. In some instances, Universal Auto sport attempted to use the information to thwart potential sales by contacting customers directly. The three men each face up to five years in jail and a fine of $250,000.
Remember the Ferrari 599GTB that D-list celebrity Fabio smashed up over the weekend. Well, it turns out that the owners of the car, World Class Driving, were not too happy with Mr. Fabio's assertion that the car's "brakes gave out" causing the crash.
It has now issued an official statement, "After preliminary investigation, World Class Driving found the car was in excellent working condition prior to the incident and that brake failure was not an issue. The car in question also has computer data logging that is in the process of being checked to determine what caused the incident."
Checking the black box? We predict healthy amounts of throttle and steering input prior to the crash.
Looks like Fabio's driving skills are as keenly honed as his taste in hairstyles. According to TMZ, he put this Ferrari 599 into a guardrail on Mulholland Highway, just above the Rock Store judging by the photo.
Luckily for Mr. Fabio, the car wasn't his. He was just borrowing it from World Class Driving, an exotic car club that rents out supercars by the day. A representative for World Class Driving told TMZ, "We are not very proud of the fact that Fabio wrecked our car." If it were Tom Cruise would they be "proud"?
Looks like Earnhardt Sr. finally got the Ferrari he always wanted.
Actually, the Ferrari 599XX is a real racecar, but instead of pro like Dale at the wheel, Ferrari will offer it to owners as a factory-built track car.
It features a 700-horsepower version of the standard 599 engine along with a revised suspension, slick tires and new bodywork that adds up to 617 pounds of downforce at 124mph. No pricing was mentioned, naturally. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
As promised, Ferrari displayed a 599 GTB with its newly available Handling Gran Turismo Evoluzione (HGTE) package. That would be in addition to the roughly $300,000 base price of Ferrari's already capable GT.
Spending the extra cash will get you a stiffer rear antiroll bar, a lower ride height and revised calibrations when the magnetorheological dampers are set to their firmest settings. Stickier tires are also part of the package, along with a less restrictive exhaust.
There are a few electronic changes as well. Ferrari claims quicker shifts from the transmission and improved throttle response.
To make sure everybody around you knows that you didn't cheap out on a base model, the HGTE package also includes new 20-inch split-rim wheels, a matte-black rear diffuser and chrome exhaust tips. Interior upgrades are limited to carbon-fiber trim and Alcantara seat inserts. And like, say, a Corvette Z06, the seats are emblazoned with "Handling GTE" stitching. Nice. -- Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor, Inside Line
Ferrari will use the 2009 Geneva Auto Show to unveil two new variations of its 599 GTB. The first is called the 599 Handling GT Evoluzione (HGTE), an upgrade package that's expected to add larger wheels and tires, retuned suspension components and a revised exhaust.
Also on display for the first time will be the 599XX, a developmental version of the 599 that blends the company's latest technology with customer input. The program is similar to the FXX program that used modified Ferrari Enzos.
In the coming days you will be hearing much -- possibly too much -- about the Fiat Group's lineup of cars. The alliance between Chrysler and Fiat Group should open the American market to a flood of new small cars, both branded as Chryslers and Dodges but also, one would hope, Fiats, Alfa-Romeos and a couple of others.
We'll spare you the dissertation on the global implications of the Punto -- at least for now. No, now is the time where we provide our wish list of Fiat Group products. What follows is based on no particular market reality nor any other form of reality, other than the one projected from our heads.
First a note: The Fiat Group includes Ferrari and Maserati in its holdings. Those brands already have a presence in the American market. You can safely assume the cars from those two rate high on our wish list under any circumstances.
Join us, will you, after the jump for a few more we'd like to see on our highways.
The 2009 Formula One season kicks off in a scant 73 days. Already teams are showing their new racers, complete with slick tires and tiny rear wings. To tide you over until the season begins on March 29th with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, we've grabbed two videos, one from a perennial F1 front-runner and one from a, let's say, less successful entrant. We're not telling you which is which.
Toyota released this video of the construction of one of its TF109. Turns out, building one takes only a minute which could explain certain aspects of the car's performance.
Ferrari one-ups Toyota in the video battle, with a helmet-cam shot of 2008 driver's championship bridesmaid Felipe Massa putting the new F60 through its paces.
Denying that there's any sort of financial crisis, Ferrari will eliminate up to 300 workers this week. Production has dropped from close to 600 cars per month, to just 92 in November.
According to Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo, this downturn allows Ferrari to respond quickly to markets that might have otherwise waited years for cars.
"Of course the economic problems are being considered. It depends how long this crisis goes on, if this is close to the end or not. Because we will see a different world out the other side."
With Porsche, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, Nissan and Infiniti being no-shows at the NAIAS, that gives the Chinese automakers a better chance to display their products. Formally these vehicles have been delegated to pretty much second-class floor space in the basement of Cobo Hall, better known as Michigan Hall.
Not anymore, as there is now some prime real estate now available up on the main floor. Two Chinese brands moving up to the "show" are BYD Auto and Brilliance.
Do you really need to have a press conference to introduce a car that's already sold out for the next two years? Not really, but Ferrari had one anyway for its new California convertible. I mean, how could it not have a reveal for the California in...well, yeah.
We mentioned that GM had canceled any and all announcements at the LA auto show. Porsche has passed on the Detroit show, as will Suzuki. Now word is out that Ferrari, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce have backed out of the Detroit show. Wow...
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo showed his (Ferarri's) true color--red--as he smashed a television set after seeing McLaren's Lewis Hamilton win Formula One world title, beating Felipe Massa in last weekend's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.
"I broke the television, I must tell the truth," Montezemolo told a news conference at a Ferrari event in Mugello on Sunday.
Whether the look of the new 2009 Ferrari California turns you on or makes you want to dig out your eyes with a dull paring knife (I'm still on the fence), you've got to give the car demerits for its exhaust pipes. Not only are they stacked, an unusual look we've chided the Lexus IS-F for, but those chrome tips aren't actually part of the exhaust system.
That's right. Just as they are on the Lexus, those shiny tips are part of the bumper cover and don't actually have any contact with the car's exhaust system. They're just eye candy. I'm not a fan. This is a Ferrari. A mechanical beast and everything about it should express that.
If this trend keeps up, automakers will begin faking everything. Next thing you know, phony hood scoops that don't actually feed air into the engine will be everywhere. Oh, wait a minute, that already happened. -- Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
Today we sat in on a roundtable discussion with Fiat Chairman and Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo. Here are a few of the super-suave chairman's most informative and/or entertaining comments:
In response to the inevitable question about whether Ferrari might be interested in producing a four-door model. (The four-door Lamborghini Estoque concept was unveiled earlier at the show):
"I say, 'Good luck, to them.' We will never do a four-door. If I am chairman for 20 more years and I hope I will be, we will never."
To a journalist who'd fallen asleep in the front row during Montezemolo's talk:
"[to his Ferrari handlers] Could we get our friend here a strong coffee -- an espresso. With sugar. No milk."
To a question regarding potential Ferrari measures to increase fuel economy:
"Seven-thousand people in the world. It won't make much of a difference."
Other items of interest: The dual-clutch transmission that will be used first in the new California model will be used throughout the Ferrari range, first with the 612 and then, later in the 430 and 599.
Ferrari is also expanding its personalization program which it recently launched for the 612 to the 599 and, eventually, to other models. According to Montezemolo, the program will allow buyers to change virtually everything on the car except the body and the engine. -- Daniel Pund, Senior Editor, Detroit
My first reaction--whaaa? Then, after taking a deep breath, I thought--why not? Several carmakers have recently expressing interest in bikes, so why not Ferrari too?
So, Israeli designer Amir Glinik, who designed this wild concept, took the Ferrari Enzo's V12 engine, deleted eight cylinders and modified to drive for bike usage.
American automotive racing great Phil Hill has passed away. Hill was 81 year old, and had suffered from Parkinson's disease for a number of years. His last public appearance was at the recent Pebble Beech Concours d"Elegance.
The following statement is from Ferrari North America.
Appreciation
Maranello, August 28, 2008 - As soon as he got word of Phil Hill's passing, Ferrari's president Luca di Montezemolo declared:
I, as well as all employees of Ferrari are extremely saddened by the news of the passing of Phil Hill, a man and a champion who gave so much to Ferrari and who has always greatly represented the company's values inside and outside the racing track.
Phil Hill raced and won many competitions both with prototype cars, like the 24 hour of Le Mans, as well as with production race cars. With our car, Phil won the Formula One Championship title in 1961 as the first American-born to reach this result.
Phil and I have always kept in touch throughout the years and I know I will miss his passion and love for Ferrari very much.
My deepest sympathies are with his wife Alma and son Derek in this sad moment.
For all you gearheads sitting by the pool (with your laptop of course), by the lake, by the beach, at the park, or wherever, here's a few automotive related items to get you through until Monday, when we start all over again:
The Parajet Skycar: Britain's zero-carbon flying dune buggy aims for Timbouctou.
In 1958, Ferrari began production of a race-inspired convertible named after its best-selling market - the Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California. Only 105 "Cal Spyders" were manufactured overall. In addition to the prototype, there were six variants--long and short wheelbase models with differing headline treatments and competition versions.
Six of these now iconic roadsters will be displayed among the world's elite vehicles at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on August 17 (here).
"The Spyder California exemplifies Ferrari's unrivaled racing heritage and matchless individuality," said Sandra Kasky Button, chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, "This is the first time that six variations, including the prototype, will appear together in one place. Once again automotive history will be made at Pebble Beach."
According to Ed Gilbertson, Chief Judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and a Ferrari expert, "The Spyder California was a factory-built road car that you could drive to the track and race. We're bringing together examples from around the world - from people who don't often show their cars - to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime display of Ferrari legends."
A 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spyder that was once owned by actor James Coburn went for a record setting $10,894,900 at the Ferrari: Leggenda e Passione RM Auction. The exquisite car has a 2953cc V12 puts out 280 horsepower that is fed by three carburettors. The 250GT was designed by Pininfarina, and has long been considered one of the finest Ferraris ever offered to the public.
Images and info on the 2009 Ferrari California are now available. Here are details from the press release: _______________
The new Ferrari California will satisfy even the most demanding of owners in term of its superb vehicle dynamics and driving pleasure. The new model will be available exclusively as a convertible with a folding hard top. Both chassis and bodywork are aluminium, in line with the rest of the current range...
If the government gets it way, cars like Porsche, Ferrari and even Subaru could be in a heap of trouble down the road. You see what the govenment want to do is to classify vehicles by their "footprint," or the amount of square feet they occupy.
In doing so a Toyota Camry would be classified along with cars like the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. That means both cars (mid-size by this new standard) would have to achieve 30 mpg, which wouldn't be that tough for the Camry, but much so difficult for the Ferrari...
Latest word on the replacement for the NSX is that it's going to target Ferrari and Lamborghini, likely the F430 and Gallardo. So we're talking somewhere well north of $150K.
The car will have a V10 and Acura's SH-AWD. 4WS was also considered, but that idea appears to have been shelved...
Beginning next year F1 will be phasing in the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), resulting in hybrid race cars; and by 2013, all F1 racers will be hybrids.
The KERS works by storing energy expelled under braking, which can then be used via a "push-to-pass"-style button mounted on the steering wheel that drivers can employ for an extra power boost.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Ferrari 365 GTB4, or Daytona as it is more commonly known. To celebrate the occasion, Ferrari is displaying this black example alongside the new 612 Scaglietti.
Like fake Rolexes, etc., there are those out there who build fake cars. And as such, are subject to getting caught—which is exactly what happened here. In this case we're talking about Ferraris—yep, fake Ferraris.
Italian cops confiscated 21 cars, 14 of which had already been sold, and seven in production in Sicilian garages...
The Ferrari Millechili Concept may well look like an Enzo, but rest assured, it's not. What it is—is a look into Ferrari's future. The Millechili is really sort of a 7/8-scale Enzo, in that it weighs 200 pounds less than a Miata!
In fact the word "Millechili" is Italian for "one thousand kilos." Compared to the Enzo, its has a shorter wheelbase (93.69 inches, vs the Enzo's 104.33) and a reduced overhang at the front (43.3 inches from the bumper to the top of the windshield vs the Enzo's 49.1).
So, will we actually see this car hit the streets?..
Galleria Ferrari awards day at the works and on the race track to 200,000th visitor in 2007
Record-breaking year for the Galleria Ferrari in Maranello: two million visitors since the Galleria opened its gates in the year 1990 and 200,000 visitors in 2007.
To celebrate this important result the Galleria Ferrari offers to the visitor, who’ll buy ticket number 200,000 a really special prize: a whole day at the works in Maranello, lunch at the Ristorante Cavallino and some lap on the Fiorano circuit with one of the test drivers.*
Part of the Galleria’s success are also the extraordinary results of the company in the year 2007, celebrated at the Galleria Ferrari in Maranello: 60 years of history and success. A whole exposition has been dedicated to the 60 years’ celebration of the House with the Prancing Horse, with numerous cars from the Granturismo, Sport e F1 sections, production cars and Scuderia, with the contribution of many collectors and museums from all over the world.
The 260 models produced by Ferrari – from the 1947 125 S to today’s 430 Scuderia – are represented by Sante Lusuardi’s paintings...
We wouldn't be surprised if the crowd that was circling the Ferrari stand had been following the 2008 430 Scuderia since it made its worldwide debut at the Frankfurt auto show. It's just that kind of car.
At 2,975 pounds, the 430 Scuderia cranks 503 horsepower from its 4.3-liter V8.
During the press conference, Maurizio Parlato, president and CEO of Ferrari North America, boasted that Ferrari's production volume is now at a whopping 6,000 cars per year worldwide, with many thanks going to the wealthy auto aficionados in the Far and Middle East...
Fortunately Fiat's CEO Sergio Marchionne, nor the driver of the Renault that caused the accident, were not hurt. Regardless, it's always painful to see such a gorgeous vehicle wrecked.
It came down to the last race of the season. Three men battling for the title.
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen will forever be known as World Champion after winning the Brazilian Grand Prix. He finished the season with 110 driver points...
Does it get any better than this? Driving a 503-horsepower, track-ready 2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia at the Ferrari factory in Italy on narrow country lanes and the fast Fiorano test track.
Here's an ambitious undertaking to tempt Ferrari fanatics: a new video game from developer System 3 that aims to present the entire Ferrari product line since 1947.
Ferrari Challenge will ship with 30 car models and offer the rest of the Ferrari catalog and other upgrades through microtransactions -- a couple extra dollars here for Ferris Bueller's 1958 Ferrari 250 Spyder, a couple extra dollars there for a new track.
The game will feature 13 tracks at the outset, with Monaco available for download shortly after its retail launch. Cars will suffer damage -- rare in a licensed title -- but it will be cosmetic only, and won't affect their performance on the track...
In almost a decade of covering motorshows, only once before has an unveil created such a stampede of attention. And that had more to do with the appearance of Australian pop sensation Kylie Minogue, than precious metal. This time, the uncivilized stampede was caused by two things -- the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and seven-time F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, who was joined on stage by Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo.
The chisel-jawed German was in Frankfurt to unveil a car in which he has had considerable personal input...
Ferrari reveals its clean-air, fuel-efficient strategy for the next decade. The FXX Mille-Chili, still in plastic-and-cardboard mockup stage, will strive for energy efficiency while maintaining its racing roots.
Ferrari has released photos of the stunning F430 Scuderia. Unlike the "basic" F430, the "Scuderia" F430 puts out 510 horsepower instead of the mere 483 horsepower of the base model. The car will officially be introduced at the Frankfurt show in September.
AutoExpress is reporting that the Lexus LF-A coupe may get a V10 engine. The genesis of this engine was the Toyota's F1 effort, which developed the V10. The production version could well have over 500 horsepower.
The front-engined, rear-wheel-drive car appears to be aimed directly at the Aston Martin DB9, as well as the Ferrari F430, Mercedes SL65 AMG, and the Porsche 911 turbo...
Eugenio Molinari established two new world water speed records on Lake Como, navigating a boat, fitted with an engine of a Ferrari F430. The two records were set in the categories Endurance Group B class S1 and S2, which are dedicated to Granturismo boats with a minimum weight (including commander and fuel) of 1,100 kg and 1,450 kg (with ballast) with an average speed of 123,288 km/h and 122,035 km/h on the running kilometre.
The winning Ferrari driven by Phil Hill in the 1962 Le Mans race is to be auctioned off. The 4.0L Testa Rossa Spyder, the last ever built, could raise perhaps as much as 7.5 million euros ($10.1 million) according to joint organizers RM Auctions Inc. and Sotheby's, which will occur May 20 in Maranello, Italy.
"The winning cars of Le Mans, especially an elegant one like the '62 Testa Rossa, are almost priceless, and deservedly so," said Leo Hindery Jr., managing partner of New York-based buyout firm InterMedia Partners LLC, who won the race's GT2 category in 2005...
Alex Baldwin and Kim Basinger have nothing on Ford and Navistar when it comes to getting nasty.
Thought that Super Duty Powerstroke brouhaha was done and finished? No way, as Navistar just slapped Ford with a $2 billion lawsuit. This is in response to the earlier lawsuit Ford filed against Navistar over excessive warranty claims...
We've seen the Ferrari F430 Challenge Stradale before, but never in these conditions. Caught testing on a dirt road somewhere in southern Europe, these prototypes were getting subjected to the worst possible conditions to see just how much they could take. Cosmetic changes are limited to a relocated exhaust, different wheels and tires and a slightly revised front fascia. Earlier photos showed a stripped down interior which should help shave weight while the engine is expected to get a slight bump in horsepower...
Ferrari has been voted Best Place to Work in Europe 2007 by the Great Place to Work Institute, having already won the Italian title.
This award is a powerful endorsement of the enormous organizational and financial commitment made by the company in recent years to providing its employees with the best possible working conditions and to encouraging personal and professional growth.
Over a thousand companies throughout Europe participated in the survey which measures the degree of satisfaction of employees with their place of work and picks out the best working environments. This alone makes Ferrari’s achievement particularly impressive...
German tuner and Ferrari specialist Novitec has upgraded its earlier 636hp twin-supercharged F430 to “Evoluzione” spec. That means power is up by an additional 20hp, giving it 656hp. By comparison the standard F430 has only a mere 490hp. 0-100km/h happens in just 3.7 seconds, while the top speed remains at 348km/h...
The current debate raging here at Inside Line is whether the new film Redline is the worst car movie ever or just the worst car movie since 2001's Driven.
Detroit (USA), January 8th, 2007 – Ferrari is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2007 with a major event from June 21st to June 24th in Maranello, Italy. Maranello will be the finish line in a “relay race” across five continents where participants will carry a baton embossed with symbols of the 60 greatest moments in the company’s history. The relay represents an extraordinary, collective sign of enthusiasm that will bring together Ferrari clients and their cars representing every model and era.
The “Ferrari 60 Relay” will kick off on January 28th in Abu Dhabi, site of the future Ferrari theme park, and conclude in Maranello on June 24th, after traversing about 50 countries in 148 days...
Sad to report that former Ferrari and Williams F1 driver; Clay Regazzoni, age 67; was killed in a traffic accident in Italy. Regazzoni's car collided with a truck near Parma Italy.
Such a shame; it reminds me of when Mike Hailwood was killed years back.
LONDON—British art student Lauren Porter made quite a noise at her degree show when she displayed a Ferrari made entirely out of knitted squares. Some 12 miles of red yarn and 10 months of her life went into creating the replica of a bright-red sports car.
The Ananova news service helpfully notes that the 22-year-old student's work is 250 squares of garter stitch for the body, a V-shaped stocking stitch for the windows, and crocheted details with an embroidered prancing-horse badge. Porter made and welded her own steel frame on which she stretched the knitwork...
Oh Lordy, Lordy! A Ferrari with a smiley-face grille!
Other than that, this looks like another sweet ride from the folks in Maranello. This latest Dino is reportedly going to be ready by 2010, and will be powered with a 4.2L V8, mounted up front.
As the horde of press migrating through the LA Auto Show listened to the American debut of the Ferrari 599 Fiorano, we slipped away and checked out the rest of the Ferrari display. Here's what we found.
Hidden in the back of the Ferrari display is this beautiful Fly Yellow 1967 275 GTB. Notice the barrage of monitors above the car...
Over the last few months there have been several Ferrari Enzo crashes, and this is the latest.
Billionaire Russian parliamentarian. Suleyman Kerimov, 40, a far rightwing member of the State Duma from Dagestan, lost control of his sportscar in the rain along the Riviera's Promenade des Anglais. As you can see by the picture, the car broke in two and burst into flames...
Is this a prototype for the long rumored Ferrari Dino? It's hard to tell for sure, but our spy photographers think this is in fact a test mule for an upcoming "entry level" Ferrari that will slot below the F430 in the lineup. They noted the mule's wider front wheel arches and some visible changes around the gearbox as evidence this is no ordinary F430 as the rest of the bodywork suggests. The presence of an Aston Martin V8 Vantage and a BMW M6 around the factory hints at two of the Dino's possible competitors. If this is in fact the Ferrari Dino in disguise, expect to see the finished product appear in roughly two years time.
You know that AWD has arrived when you hear that Ferrari is developing an AWD system of their own called "Insertable 4x4." This is a driver-controlled unit, as he/she can decide when to use it or not. According to a source at Ferrari this AWD offers the benefits of 4WD without the drawbacks, and can work on both RWD-based cars as well as mid-engined cars.
Okay, we'll see. I'm not convinced that the driver knows what is best for any given driving situation...
Okay, Frenchman Pierre Scerri truly redefines the phrase: "You've got way too much time on your hands."
This guy has spent over 20,000 hours building an exact replica of the famous Ferrari 312—at a one-third scale! Mind you, this model replicates EVERYTHING on the 312—EXACTLY as found on the original!
Okay, let's put some perspective on this: There are 8,760 hours in one year. So he worked the equivalent of 2.3 years without any sleep, eating or bathroom breaks...
Wow! A rare Ferrari sells for $5.61 million at the Monterey Classic Car weekend, and yet the sellers are disappointed... They hoped it would sell between $7 million and $9 million.
Snippet: The sale places the Ferrari fourth among the most-expensive cars sold at auction in North America, according to Portland, Oregon-based Sports Car Market magazine, which keeps tracks of automobile auctions around the world...
The Ferrari P 4/5, which was designed by Pininfarina for auto collector James Glickenhaus, will be shown at this year's Pebble Beach Concours. The starting point for this vehicle was the Ferrari Enzo. There has been no word yet as to whether this vehicle will be put into limited production, or if it will remain a one-off collector's edition model.
Snippet: The car has been designed, engineered and built entirely by Pininfarina, bringing to life something that, just a few months earlier, was just a dream and creating a sort of symbiosis between the customer and Pininfarina along the path leading to definition of this astonishing model...
Rumor has it that Ferrari have offered seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher a whopping $86.6 million dollars to stay with Ferrari's Formula 1 team through 2008.
Michael is already the highest paid sportsman on the planet. Well, you can't argue with seven world championships in a sport that has over 580 million television viewers worldwide.
A Ferrari Enzo sawed in half by a telephone pole makes for a good story all by itself, but yesterday's yard sale on PCH had another strange twist. Turns out the driver of the million-dollar exotic fled into the hills after the accident, evading search and rescue teams and a sheriff's helicopter. While such a feat kept him out of jail, it didn't keep him out of the news as Jalopnik uncovered his identity and even found a photo of the fugitive. Turns out he's an executive who lives in Bel Air and used to run with the "Swedish mafia" before getting arrested for counterfeiting...
Disappointed that your favorite new model didn't show up at either the Detroit or L.A auto shows? Well fear not, as we still have the Chicago auto show (Feb.) and the the New York auto show (late March). These two shows are also big shows for the automakers, so you can expect some major announcements. Plan on seeing the new Toyota Tundra, Lexus LS460 hybrid, and the Wrangler 4-door...
Ferrari also calls the FXX a prototype, but it's a production car by definition because the company is selling it for about $1.8 million.
It's also a modified version of Ferrari's last supercar, the Enzo, with almost 500 pounds of curb weight stripped out of it and a larger 6.2-liter version of the Enzo's 6.0-liter V12. Power is up from the Enzo's mere 660 hp and 485 lb-ft to 800 hp and 508 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, the F1 transmission shifts almost twice as quick, and the FXX has a new aerodynamics system that supplies 40-percent more downforce than the Enzo's bodywork...
Here's the first hot ticket from the Detroit show: Check out Monday's Inside
Line news for an auto-show fresh piece of Ferrari meat. Here's a hint: You've
never seen these photos before.
My job is to drive new cars. This week alone I've driven a Nissan Frontier, a Ford Fusion, a Land Rover LR3 and a Hyundai Sonata. Last week it as a Toyota Tacoma, a Chevy Trailblazer SS and a Cadillac STS-V. Yeah, it's a good job, but the more I drive new cars the more I lust after old ones...
