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Ferrari’s Montezemolo blasts “pathetic” four-cylinder engine formula?

Filed under: Motorsports, Technology, Ferrari

Ferrari's Luca di Montezemolo

Cylinders have been dropping off Formula One engines like limbs off the leprous over the past several years. Where twelve cylinders once ran soon became ten, then eight for the current formula and plans are now set to switch to just four by 2013. And Luca di Montezemolo, for one, is not happy.

The Ferrari chief, whose company builds twelve- and eight-cylinder engines for its road car division, has emerged as a leading figure in opposition to the new regulations. And while he reportedly initially said his disappointment would not turn to interference, the powerful former founding president of the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) has now said he’s looking for allies among other team leaders and engine suppliers to push back the implementation of the new turbo four regulations.

He may, according to reports, find an ally in Norbert Haug. The Mercedes-Benz motorsports chief notes that the current V8 engines are relatively low in cost as it is, not to mention the fact that starting a new engine design from scratch – no matter how cost-effective it might be in isolation – will still cost more than continuing with the same engines already in place.

Are Luca and Norbert right? Is the FIA throwing the baby out with the proverbial bathwater in implementing the new regulations? Or will turbo fours bring only good things to the world’s grand prix circuits? Share your thoughts in Comments.

[Source: ESPN | Image: Giuseppe Carace/AFP/Getty]

Ferrari’s Montezemolo blasts “pathetic” four-cylinder engine formula? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Online Find of the Day: 2000 Ferrari Enzo mule

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Ferrari

Ferrari Enzo mule – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s not every day that a Ferrari mule comes up for sale, but that day, ladies and gentlemen, has arrived. What you see here may look like an old 348, maybe with some 355 components retrofitted. But what you’re actually looking at is one of the mules that gave rise to the all-conquering Enzo supercar.

The car may wear modified 348 bodywork – disguising evaluation testers with existing sheetmetal is common practice in Maranello – but like so many things, it’s what’s inside that counts. And in this case, it’s a 670-horsepower V12 derived from the Scuderia’s Formula One racing program, but adapted for roadcar use and mated to a six-speed paddle-shift transmission.

Enamored of the Enzo’s performance, but less so of its styling? This could be your once-in-a-lifetime chance. Think of it the same way as the 288 GTO was to the F40, only one-of-a-kind, and suddenly the Langenfeld, Germany dealer’s 750,000 Euro (a cool $1M at today’s rates) asking price doesn’t seem quite so extravagant, though it’s not much cheaper than a full-on factory Enzo. Have a closer look in the high-res image gallery below and then be sure to take a look at Modena Motorsport’s website. Thanks for the tip, Juan Pablo!

Gallery: 2000 Ferrari Enzo Prototype

[Source: Modena Motorsport]

Online Find of the Day: 2000 Ferrari Enzo mule originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari supercars from Benny Caiola collection headline Gooding Scottsdale

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Auctions, Ferrari, Racing

2006 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione

Ferrari FXX Evoluzione from the Caiola Collection – Click above for high-resolution image gallery

Picture your dream garage, and we have a sneaking suspicion that a fair few of the vehicles contained therein would be Ferrari supercars. But which ones? An F40? The F50 roadster that followed? Would you skip the Enzo and go right to its track-focused cousins, the FXX and the Maserati MC12? Benny Caiola had all of these and then some, but now his collection’s going up on the auction block.

The enviable stable of the late enthusiast and noted collector included an F40, F50, FXX Evoluzione (the even more advanced version of the Enzo-based customer prototype), an MC12, 333 SP (the last Le Mans Prototype Ferrari ever made), both a 430 Scuderia and an F430 Challenge racer, a 599 GTB Fiorano with the HGTE package and a ’73 Dino, plus a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 and a McLaren Mercedes SLR Roadster thrown in for good measure.

This lustworthy collection is all on the docket for Gooding & Company’s auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, for January 21-22. Most of the New York real estate mogul’s vehicles are estimated in the six-figure range, but several of them – notably the three V12 track monsters – are anticipated to fetch north of the million-dollar mark. Follow the jump for the full details in the press release and don’t forget to click through the 52-image high-resolution mega gallery below for a closer look at each of the supercars on the roster.

Gallery: The Caiola Collection

[Source: Gooding & Company]

Continue reading Ferrari supercars from Benny Caiola collection headline Gooding Scottsdale

Ferrari supercars from Benny Caiola collection headline Gooding Scottsdale originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ferrari’s personalization program gives the 458 Italia endless options

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari

Ferrari 458 Configurator

Ferrari Personalisation Programme for the 458 Italia – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Given the extraordinary waiting lists, most Ferrari buyers are probably taking possession of whatever vehicle in whatever specifications they can get their hands on. But if you find someone who ordered theirs directly from the factory and waited the months it took for delivery, ask them how much they paid. Not the list price, but all-in with all the extra bits and pieces. Because anyone who’s been through the process will likely tell you that the sticker price is just the starting point.

Beyond the basic options list, Ferrari offers a Personalisation Programme (that’s “personalization program” in American) that gives buyers nearly infinite control over every minute detail. And the new 458 Italia is no exception. As you’ll see from the video after the jump, there’s a whole new range of options – on top of the usual seat belt and brake caliper color choices – that includes unique touches like two-tone paint schemes (for that 599 GTO-style look) and carbon fiber everything, made in the same kilns that bake the components for the Scuderia’s F1 racers. Just don’t expect them to throw in the extra bits for free.

Gallery: Ferrari 458 Italia

[Source: Ferrari via World Car Fans]

Continue reading Video: Ferrari’s personalization program gives the 458 Italia endless options

Video: Ferrari’s personalization program gives the 458 Italia endless options originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Montezemolo hints at a “very different new Ferrari” for Geneva

Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari, Rumormill, Luxury

Looking for a heads up on what’s coming down the pipe from Maranello? All you have to do is listen carefully to what Luca di Montezemolo has to say. The affable Ferrari chief has a penchant for leaking information on upcoming models before they arrive. This time, he is promising “a very different new Ferrari.”

Different how? In speaking with French sports publication L’Equipe, Montezemolo declared, “You will discover at the Geneva Motor Show a very different new Ferrari that proves that we adapt as the world changes.” Interesting. And while we won’t know for certain what form that proof will take, the Marquis seems to be hinting at something with a reduced environmental impact.

At the Paris Motor Show earlier this year, Ferrari unveiled a California with the HELE system – incorporating stop-start ignition, intelligent engine cooling, variable air-con and adaptive shift algorithms – and it showed the 599 HY-KERS hybrid prototype in Geneva last March. Will the next Swiss salon hold another green showcar for us, or will the Prancing Horse marque gallop its environmental obligations into something for production?

[Source: L’Equipe via autosblog.fr]

Report: Montezemolo hints at a “very different new Ferrari” for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta up for grabs from RM Auctions in Arizona

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Ferrari

1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta chassis # 0024 M – Click above for high-res image gallery

As far as Ferraris go, it doesn’t get more authentic than this. What you’re looking at is a 1949 Ferrari 166 MM – the first model made by Enzo Ferrari after setting up shop under his own name – with custom Barchetta coachwork by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan. And it’s going up for auction.

Chassis number 0024 M – the 10th of only 25 examples made – was originally displayed at the 1949 Paris Motor Show in Argentina’s official racing colors, yellow and blue, before being sent off to South America to win the 1950 Mar del Plata. True to its name, it was also campaigned in the 1951 Mille Miglia rally, and has since undergone a thorough restoration – including the red paint job you see here.

This authentic piece of Ferrari history is set to cross the block at RM Auctions’ event in Arizona on January 20th, where it is expected to fetch upwards of $2 million. Details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta – chassis # 0024 M

[Source: RM Auctions | Image: Hugh Hamilton/RM Auctions]

Continue reading 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta up for grabs from RM Auctions in Arizona

1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta up for grabs from RM Auctions in Arizona originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari lets the new 458 GTC stretch its legs in the snow

Filed under: Coupe, Ferrari, Racing

Ferrari 458 GTC undergoes winter testing at Fiorano – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s no point, to paraphrase the old adage, in closing the door after the horses have already left the stable. The same could be said of Prancing Horses – the red variety that hail from Maranello, specifically. So after the first image of Ferrari’s latest sports racer leaked out a few days ago, the Italian automaker and racing team have now released a quartet of additional shots.

The successor to the F430 GT2, the new 458 GTC will take on all comers in sports and endurance racing series around the world – most of them with the name “Le Mans” in the title. The new challenger is currently undergoing track testing at the hands of former FIA GT class champion and two-time Le Mans class winner Jaime Melo over the course of the winter in advance of its scheduled debut at the Sebring 12 Hours race in the American Le Mans Series. So stay tuned, and in the meantime, check out the images in the gallery below and the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Ferrari 458 GTC shakedown at Fiorano

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari lets the new 458 GTC stretch its legs in the snow

Ferrari lets the new 458 GTC stretch its legs in the snow originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ferrari 458 Challenge in its natural environment

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari, Racing

Ferrari 458 Challenge

Ferrari 458 Challenge gets hustled around the Circuit of Valencia – Click above to watch video after the jump

“Faster than the 430 Challenge… yet easier to drive at the limit,” are the words of Ferrari 458 Challenge Test Driver Raffaele De Simone. “Now, the shifting time is like zero…” states De Simone’s counterpart, Maurizio Mediani. The two recently got the change to spend some time behind the wheel of Ferrari’s latest track-focused weapon. The drivers, along with a few other Ferrari speed merchants, and the 458 Challenge took a few laps around the Circuit of Valencia.

Most of the clip, which is available after the jump, is spent praising every aspect of the new Ferrari 458 Challenge, however, there are also some great shots (and sounds) of the car in action.

Gallery: Ferrari 458 Challenge makes its world debut at the Bologna Motor Show

Ferrari 458 Challenge makes its world debut at the Bologna Motor Show

[Source: FerrariWorld via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Ferrari 458 Challenge in its natural environment

Video: Ferrari 458 Challenge in its natural environment originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari 458 GT2 looks ready to swallow the competition whole

Filed under: Motorsports, Spy Photos, Coupe, Ferrari, Racing

Ferrari 458 GT2

Ferrari 458 GT2 – Click above for high-res image

As impressive as it may be in its own right, when Ferrari introduces a new V8 supercar, you know there’s more to come. A Spider version. A Challenge racer. Probably a CS/Scuderia-style hardcore street version somewhere down the line. And yes, a GT2 racing version. That appears to be what we’re looking at right here.

Once a top-tier Le Mans contender, Ferrari’s sportscar racing program is largely limited these days to the GT2 category, leaving the likes of Peugeot and Audi to compete for top honors in the LMP1 category and its own sister-company Maserati to fight for GT1 victory.

Itself a replacement for the 360 GTC that came before, the F430 GT2 has been a wildly successful racer, winning its class in both the American Le Mans Series and the FIA GT Championship. But its days are numbered as Maranello has been working on its replacement based on the new 458 Italia. And this is our first proper look at it.

As it stands now, the 458 GT2 has a face that looks something like a jack-o-lantern, but some simple black trim around the maw will surely go great lengths towards rectifying that. And besides, if this machine proves to be as giant a leap forward over the one it replaces as the 458 Italia street car is over the F430, its rivals will only be seeing the back end of it, anyway. Top tip, Alex!

[Source: Axis of Oversteer]

Ferrari 458 GT2 looks ready to swallow the competition whole originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari 458 Challenge debuts at 2010 Bologna Motor Show

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Racing

Ferrari 458 Challenge makes its world debut

Ferrari 458 Challenge makes its world debut at the Bologna Motor Show – Click above for high-res image gallery

Everyone loves a special-edition, track-focused Ferrari and the time has come for the 458 to get a taste of the Maranello magic. At this week’s 2010 Bologna Motor Show, Ferrari has devoted its stand to serve as storyboard showcasing the automaker’s racing heritage. The newest piece of that history takes the form of the Ferrari 458 Challenge, which is finally making its world debut.

The 458 Challenge is the fifth model to get placed into a single-series racing program. The standard 458 Italia is already such a potent beast that the Challenge keeps the changes away from the engine bay leaving it with the same 570 horsepower as the standard 458 Italia. That said, the gear ratios and calibration of the dual-clutch transmission have been adjusted so that the Challenge generates more torque at lower revs.

Stiffer springs and a lower ride height help keep the body planted around the large Pirelli tires. That rubber hugs 19-inch forged alloys with a central locking nut. The brakes are upgraded to the newest setup that Brembo offers, and the system is paired with the ABS that debuted on the wild-child Ferrari 599XX.

Ferrari 458 Challenge Both the suspension and braking get a helping hand from something that has been reduced: weight. Ferrari has focused on reducing the thickness of the body panels, as well as introducing materials such as carbon fiber and Lexan.

All of the upgrades found on the Ferrari 458 Challenge result in a potent, track-ready machine that is faster than the 458 Italia it’s based on. The 458 Challenge hit Ferrari’s home Fiorano race track for numerous test sessions, and during the course of development, it was able to post lap times two seconds faster than the Italia. During testing, the 458 Challenge also pulled lateral grip numbers in the neighborhood of 1.6 g’s. Giggity.

Gallery: Ferrari 458 Challenge makes its world debut at the Bologna Motor Show

Ferrari 458 Challenge makes its world debut at the Bologna Motor Show

[Source: Ferrari]

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Ferrari 458 Challenge debuts at 2010 Bologna Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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