Video: How this Ferrari 250 GTE became Rome’s most famous police car

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Videos, Ferrari, Police/Emergency, Luxury

We’re used to seeing fancy cars gifted to or bought by certain international police forces today, but the story of this 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE goes well beyond a gift. Because Rome’s anti-organized-crime unit, Squadra Mobile, was doing a terrific job in the early ’60s, the Italian president asked what they wanted as a token of appreciation. The answer, meant as a joke, was “A Ferrari.” The president, in all seriousness, got them two.

One was almost immediately destroyed during testing, the other remains in the care of Alberto Capelli today, whose father began attending military and government auctions just after World War II. Petrolicious visited Capelli to hear the 51-year-old tale of the most precious cop car you’re going to see for a while, and it involves outlaws, a French gangster in a Citroën, a policeman who was offered a spot on the Ferrari factory team by Enzo himself, and more. It’s a fantastic yarn, and you can watch the whole story below.

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How this Ferrari 250 GTE became Rome’s most famous police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pebble Beach to celebrate 50th anniversary of Ferrari 250 GTO with historic gathering

Filed under: Classics, Ferrari

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO

Ferrari 250 GTO – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 250 GTO has long been considered the most desirable Ferrari of all time, and up until last year was regarded as the most valuable car in the world. The 250 GTO’s rarity (just 39 were produced including a single prototype), its success in international racing in the 1960s, and the beautiful shape designed by Bizzarrini are an unmatched combination.

The 50th anniversary of the 250 GTO is just around the corner, and to celebrate, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has decided to hold a gathering of as many of the cars as possible. An invite has been sent out to each of the owners, and more than half have already committed to attend. If it’s anything like the Jaguar XK-SS reunion held at Pebble Beach last year, then the sight should be nothing less than epic. Hit the jump for the official PR from Pebble Beach, or peruse through our collection of Ferrari 250 GTO photos in the gallery below.

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Pebble Beach to celebrate 50th anniversary of Ferrari 250 GTO with historic gathering originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 May 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW ActiveE leasing priced at $499 a month, $2,250 down payment

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, BMW, Electric

BMW Active E

BMW Active E – Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW has released official pricing for its latest foray into the world of electric vehicles, and compared to the rest of your EV options, the Active E is a screaming deal.

Lease pricing for the 1 Series-based Active E is set at $499 a month for 24 months, with a downpayment of $2,250 due at signing. BMW isn’t citing exact output figures yet (we’re hearing something around 190 hp), but it’s quoting a 0-60 time of under nine seconds and a range of 100 miles with its specially developed, liquid-cooled lithium ion battery pack. Reservations will begin this summer and you can get in on the action at BMWActivateTheFuture.com. Full details in the press blast after the jump.

Gallery: BMW ActiveE: Geneva 2011

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BMW ActiveE leasing priced at $499 a month, $2,250 down payment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Audi A7 to start at $59,250,* configurator live

Filed under: Hatchback, Audi, Luxury

2012 Audi A7 website configurator snapshot

2012 Audi A7 – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2012 A7 five-door is drop-dead gorgeous and headed to an Audi dealer near you in the next month. Interested? You’re going to have to shell out $59,250 (*$60,125 including $875 in destination charges) if you want to pick up the base Premium model. That puts the A7 right in the middle pricing-wise between the $45,200 A6 and the $78,050 A8.

Spending $60k on the coupe-like sedan will net you Audi’s 310-horsepower, 3.0L TFSI V6 mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Also standard is Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system with a rear-biased 40/60 power split. Jump up to the Premium Plus model and you’re looking at a base price of $62,810 ($63,685 with destination). The Plus variant adds Audi Connect plus MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch controls.

The top-of-the-line Prestige model starts at $65,580 ($66,455 with destination), which adds four-zone climate control, full-time LED headlamps, 12-way power front seats with ventilation and a Bose sound system. The A7 configurator, which is live on Audi’s sales site, shows that the A7 can be optioned out to $80,000 or more with options like a $5,900 Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System, $1,500 20-inch Sport package and $5,800 innovation package that includes adaptive cruise control, night vision and blind spot protection. All models feature the supercharged 3.0-liter V6.

Hit the jump to read over the Audi press release, and head over to the Audi USA website to configure your own A7. How do you say “we want one” in German? Thanks to all for the tips!

Gallery: Audi A7

[Source: Audi]

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2012 Audi A7 to start at $59,250,* configurator live originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD

Filed under: Sedan, Lexus, Reviews, Luxury

A Vanilla Sport Sedan In Need Of Some More Sprinkles

2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD

2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD – Click above for high-res image gallery

Your available options in the entry-level luxury sedan segment rival the variety found at your local Baskin-Robbins. Interested in all-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive? Nearly every automaker has you covered. Want to row your own gears, or sit back and let the silicon chippery do the work? The car of your dreams awaits. There’s an option for all of us, and if you prefer a good vanilla to rocky road, then you’re going to love the 2011 Lexus IS250 AWD.

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Gallery: 2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD: Review

2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD

Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeff Glucker / AOL

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Review: 2011 Lexus IS 250 AWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler recalls nearly 250,000 minivans and crossovers over ignition key woes

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Chrysler, Dodge

2010 Dodge Grand Caravan

2010 Dodge Grand Caravan (top) and 2010 Dodge Journey (below) – Click either image for high-res image gallery

2010 Dodge Journey Chrysler and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced that the Auburn Hills automaker is recalling 248,437 vehicles due to potentially faulty ignition systems. According to the company, certain 2010 Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Grand Caravan and Dodge Journey vehicles were built with ignitions that could accidently switch from the “run” position to “accessory,” thereby causing the engine to shut off.

Both the company and NHTSA are concerned that the issue could cause an accident. As such, Chrysler will replace the ignition modules free of charge beginning in April of this year.

The recall includes vehicles manufactured between August 3, 2009 and June 17, 2010, and owners can contact Chrysler for more information. Click past the jump for the full recall notice.

Gallery: 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan

Gallery: 2010 Dodge Journey

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

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Chrysler recalls nearly 250,000 minivans and crossovers over ignition key woes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man hits 1M miles in Ford F-250… in four years

Filed under: Truck, Videos, Ford

Million-mile Ford F-250Every now and again, we come across news that a vehicle has eclipsed the one million mile mark. The vehicles are typically very old, and they’re often pickup trucks. That’s only partly true for Phil Marsella, who uses his relatively new four year-old Ford F-250 to deliver greyhound dogs to racetracks and families across America. Marsella reportedly drives his gas F-250, “Betsy,” between 7,000 and 10,000 miles per week, or more miles than many drivers log in an entire year. And it appears as though Ford never expected the F-250 would surpass one million road miles, as the digital odometer stopped working once the milestone was reached. Marsella says that he’s tracking the miles, though, with another 12,000 miles or so since one million.

All those miles must make for a pretty big maintenance bill, as trucks typically need an oil change in fewer than 10,000 miles, and tires and brakes usually don’t last for more than 60,000 to 70,000 miles, though obviously with that much highway mileage, the binders should hold on a bit longer than that. That’s two or three oil changes a year and a brake or tire job every few years for most of us, but Maresella hits those milestones in no time flat. The career driver claims his four-year maintenance bill is a cool $67,000. If Marsella continues at this pace, and his beloved truck remains road-worthy, in the next six years he could challenge the all-time record of 2.8 million miles in a single vehicle; a record that required 40 years of driving.

Click on the link below to watch a local NBC affiliate’s news coverage of the million-mile hound hauler.

[Source: NBC Miami]

Man hits 1M miles in Ford F-250… in four years originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1959 Ferrari 250 California – If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up

Filed under: Car Buying, Classics, Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Ferrari, Luxury

1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder

eBay Find of the Day: 1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder – Click above for high-res image gallery

One of our favorite cars on the planet, and perhaps in the known galaxy, is the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder. This love affair is easily traced back to one Mr. Ferris Bueller and his Most Excellent Day Off. Sure, the car used in that movie was a Ford V8-powered kit car (oh, the delicious irony of that!) but the looks were there and they seared a lasting impression on our retinas and in our hearts. If one were to pop up on eBay, we would surely be ready to buy it – wait, scratch that because one IS on eBay with a current bid of $600,000 and an unmet reserve. This one’s a little rich for our blood but a steal for anyone out there…with the means.

This particular example is not your standard one-of-50-or-so-produced classic Ferrari 250 GT dream machines. This happens to be one of the nine aluminum-bodied competition cars. It also features the Tipo 508 D frame, which was an improvement over the less-stiff Tipo 508 C. The car has an interesting history as well. The son of the second owner was driving it home from a fishing trip in Florida when he was run off the road and landed between two bridge abutments. The body of the car was lightly damaged and some side body panels were fixed using steel instead of the original alloy material.

Since the car is not a perfect specimen, it just might be ripe for the picking. It certainly looks amazing, is original with the exception of the repaired panels and it represents an amazing period in the Ferrari timeline. The mileage is listed at 52,000 and we would love to help someone put a few more on the clock. We’ll even bring our copy of “Beat City” by The Flowerpot Men. Check out the auction for yourself over at eBay Motors and then a look through the gallery below. Finally, don’t forget to take a peek after the jump for a clip of some Ferris Bueller Ferrari action highlights.

PS: anyone who posts video of the car being destroyed will be banned (no, not really) – it’s been years since we watched that scene but our hearts simply cannot take another viewing.

Gallery: 1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder

1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder1959 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder

[Source: eBay Motors, Motorator]

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: 1959 Ferrari 250 California – If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up

eBay Find of the Day: 1959 Ferrari 250 California – If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Ferrari 250 GT SWB lovefest at Pebble

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Coupe, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari

Ferrari 250 GT Scaglietti SWB Gathering at Pebble Beach – Click above for high-res image gallery

Although most Ferrari modelsare highly coveted, the 250 GT Short Wheelbase Berlinetta is one of those cars that sportscar enthusiasts dream of even catching a glimpse of someday. Well, “someday” was Sunday at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for those who attended. And not only did they get the chance to see a 250 GT SWB up close and personal, but there were eight of them on hand so everyone could share. How clever.

As the historians among you will know, Ferrari had been building street and race cars since 1947, and through the ’50s they also made some of the most exquisite dual-purpose cars of all time as well – cars that could be driven to track then raced there. In the late ’50s, the best known of these was Ferrari’s 250 GT Long Wheelbase Berlinetta – a.k.a. the “Tour de France.” At the Paris Auto Show in 1959, its replacement was shown for the first time – the 250 GT Passo Corto, or Short Wheelbase Berlinetta. As its name suggested, it rode on a shorter wheelbase than the TdF, but also had other significant changes.

The engine was a classic 3.0-liter Ferrari V-12, producing between 240 and 280 horsepower. Less than 160 SWBs were built from 1959-1962, no two exactly alike. There were “Lusso” versions with a steel body, a full interior, door panels, sound deadening materials and wind-up windows. There were also light alloy cars with smaller diameter tube frames, no sound deadening, sliding Plexiglas windows and race-ready high-compression engines. These were for people who definitely wanted to track their car,s and although faster than the Lusso editions, they didn’t quite match the ultimate SWBs – the Comp/61 or “SEFAC Hot Rods.”

The SEFAC cars had the alloy body but also some subtle changes like a more laid-back windshield. They also used the highest spec, with almost 300 horsepower. So-equipped, they could run 0-60 mph in five seconds and had a top speed over 150 mph. Ferrari only built 21 of these Comp/61s and four of them were in the mix at Pebble this year. What a treat.

Although ruggedly handsome, with an aggressive stance and tight proportions, the appeal of the SWB goes further. The SWB is forever coupled with that time in racing history when the Italians started to feel the pressure from a new foe – The Americans…and one particular Texas chicken rancher/racer who was helping Ford take down the Maranello firm. The threat posed by the Shelby Cobra was countered by another evolution of the dual-purpose Ferrari sports racer – the legendary 250 GTO.

Gallery: Ferrari 250 GT Scaglietti SWB Gathering at Pebble Beach

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips, Frank Filipponio / AOL

Monterey 2010: Ferrari 250 GT SWB lovefest at Pebble originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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