Ferrari Blog
Final three World Car of the Year finalists announcedFiled under: New York Auto Show, Hybrid, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Chevrolet, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen, Ferrari, Diesel  The votes from 59 international journalists have been counted and the finalists for World Car of the Year have been named. The Detroit News is reporting that the Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Polo and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class have made the final cut, and the three vehicles will go toe-to-toe on April 1st (no foolin') at the start of the New York Auto Show, which is where the World COTY award is announced.
On the performance vehicle front, the Audi R8 V10, Porsche 911 GT3 and Ferrari California are jockeying for the big prize. We feel sorry for the judges who have to choose from among these three junkers, but we're sure they'll somehow make it fun for themselves.
Design finalists are the Citroen C3 Picasso, Kia Soul and Chevrolet Camaro, and from the green category we have the previously mentioned Prius, the Honda Insight and Volkswagen's BlueMotion diesel offerings. Check back on these pages to see the winners of the individual categories when they are announced in New York on April Fool's Day.
[Source: The Detroit News]Final three World Car of the Year finalists announced originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSuper Car Sunday features Ferrari as honored marque *UPDATEFiled under: Etc., Porsche, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari 
Maddox parks Enzo number three at Super Car Sunday in Woodland Hills - Click above for high-res gallery
Now that they've found a new home for Super Car Sunday at the Westfield Promenade in Woodland Hills, CA, the guys and gals behind the show have made a few changes - all for the better. The show is more official now, with local Ferrari dealer The Auto Gallery actually covering rent for the event, which is held in the mall parking lot every Sunday from 7-10 am. There are also signs all around that list the rules so there is no confusion when someone gets kicked out for bad behavior. Another big change is that they are now honoring a different marque on the last Sunday of each month.
For February the marquee marque was Ferrari. Drawing owners from as much as 100 miles away, the Ferrari corral featured well over 100 examples of Enzo's handiwork. While just about every other make and model was represented in the main part of the lot, the Ferrari selection was rather eclectic as well. Anyone who might have thought that Ferraris only came in red were treated to quite a surprise as there were samples of Maranello's finest in white, silver, gray, blue, yellow and even flat black, among others. One of the gray cars was the very same 512 BB we featured parked in its award-winning garage with the bridge driveway that might have to come down.
There's a huge gallery below with photos of just a small sampling of the Prancing Horses that made it out to the show, with a Dino, Daytona, Drago-bodied GT and a couple others representing the old guard and two-and-a-half Enzos (above), an F40, 16Ms, Californias, Scuderias, F430s, Challenge Stradales, 599s, and a spiffy two-tone 612 kickin' it new school. In between there were enough 308, 328, 348, 355, 360, 456, 550/575 and Testarossa/512 models to keep the carparazzi busy for hours.
It wasn't all Ferraris though. A rare red Porsche Carrera GT, Rust Rocket rat rod, Grand Sport Corvette replica and Ultima showed the diversity, while a few cars caught our eyes for all the wrong reasons. All in all a very cool show and a great turnout for Ferrari fans. Hopefully we'll be able to make this a regular Sunday stop from now on.
*UPDATE: Video from our friends at SpeedAndMotion.com pasted after the jump.
Photos copyright (C)2010 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading Super Car Sunday features Ferrari as honored marque *UPDATE Super Car Sunday features Ferrari as honored marque *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGeneva 2010: Ferrari 599 HY-KERS is green in more ways than oneFiled under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari
Ferrari 599 HY-KERS - Click above for high-res image gallery
Onlookers green with envy. Waiting twitchingly for the traffic light to turn green. A briefcase full of greenbacks. Even British Racing Green, if you're talking about a GT. You could find a few ways to associate Ferrari with the color green, but the environmental sense would be a bit of a stretch - historically speaking, at least. But the times, as one Mr. Zimmerman wrote, they are a-changing. Now even Maranello has been forced to get on board the "Heal the World" train. And this is the result.
Called the HY-KERS, what you're looking at is a rolling test bed. It's a hybrid, sure, but if you thought this was a haphazard application of a plug-and-play hybrid system, think again. The HY-KERS incorporates a roadgoing derivative of Ferrari's Kinetic Energy Recovery System - fancy-talk for regenerative braking - from last year's Formula One program.
Ferrari has worked diligently to optimize the benefits of the system to the 599's performance. The entire system weighs a modest 40 kilograms, partially offset by the obviation of the starter motor and conventional battery. Integrated into the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and mounted below the car's center of gravity, the system returns over 100 horsepower, supplementing the V12 engine under hard acceleration and it can even operate under full electric power when puttering around town. Of course, a Ferrari never putters around anything, save for when it takes its owner for a round of golf at the local country club.
Take a closer look in the gallery of live shots of the lime-green show car - complete with 599XX-style matte-black roof and mirrored floor - from the Geneva Motor Show floor below, and brush up on the details on the latest from the Italian technological powerhouse after the jump.
Live Photos: Noah Joseph / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading Geneva 2010: Ferrari 599 HY-KERS is green in more ways than one Geneva 2010: Ferrari 599 HY-KERS is green in more ways than one originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGeneva Leakage: Ferrari 599 Hybrid caught on stage *UPDATEFiled under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari, Luxury UPDATE: We've removed the pics at the request of Ferrari, who say that the images were not authorized for release. No worries, the 599 Hybrid should officially debut in a couple days at the Geneva Motor Show.
With just a few days separating us from the Geneva Motor Show, the list of surprises continues to dwindle. The latest victim is the much-anticipated Ferrari 599 Hybrid which the automaker has confirmed will appear in Switzerland next week.
The shots appear to have been taken from the show stand, so there's no hard information to go off of yet. What we do know is that Ferrari will employ a version of its Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) that originally debuted during the 2009 Formula 1 season on the 599. The system captures energy normally lost to the flywheel under braking, sending a boost of energy to the wheels when the driver hits a steering wheel-mounted button. Judging by the size of the battery pack, it's doubtful that the 599 will be able to operate on electric power alone. We'll find out soon enough, but until then, check out Ferrari's green beastie in the gallery below. Top tip John.Geneva Leakage: Ferrari 599 Hybrid caught on stage *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGeneva Preview: Ferrari 599-based Novitec Rosso 848 RACEFiled under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari 
Novitec Rosso 848 RACE - Click above for high-res image gallery
Novitec Rosso always goes big at the Geneva Motor Show, and this year won't be any different with the introduction of the 848 RACE, a twin-supercharged version of the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.
As its name would imply, those two blowers, combined with a set of water-to-air intercoolers, a new exhaust and an ECU tune, are good for 848 horsepower at 7,900 rpm and 621 pound-feet of torque at 6,300 rpm, allowing the matte white and grey supercoupe to run to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, hit 186 mph in 23.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 214 mph flat out.
In addition to the new 20-inch wheels in front and 21-inch hoops in the rear, upgraded Brembo brakes and an adjustable sports suspension that can lift the front of the 599 by 40 mm, aluminum and carbon fiber accents swath the inside, along with an upgraded flat-bottom steering wheel with a switch that opens an additional baffle in the exhaust. Novitec hasn't released full pricing on the upgrades, but for this kind of custom kit, we'd expect the 848 RACE to command a $200k premium over the base 599. Make the jump for the full details.
Continue reading Geneva Preview: Ferrari 599-based Novitec Rosso 848 RACE Geneva Preview: Ferrari 599-based Novitec Rosso 848 RACE originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsSpy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTO, is that you again?Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Luxury  The Ferrari 599 Gran Turismo Omologato - or something that everyone has given that moniker to - has been snapped in varicolored glory outside the Ferrari factory in Maranello. Taking turns in red-and-black, blue and black the car is disguised in the same way as the previous surreptitiously-caught 599 that everyone wants to be a GTO.
A keen spotter on Teamspeed even pointed out the fact that the tape over the rear bumper appears to be hiding vents as on the original GTO. Otherwise, save for the black roof and diffuser, things don't look like they'll change much if this is anything close to the final version. Of course, a 700-horsepower engine could be all the change anyone needs...
[Source: Teamspeed via Daily Derbi]Spy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTO, is that you again? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsEA releases new Ferrari Racing Pack for Need For Speed SHIFT on Xbox 360Filed under: Ferrari
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano on Need For Speed SHIFT - Click above for image gallery
Just a couple of weeks ago, we had the chance to review the latest driving game from the venerable Need For Speed franchise, and found NFS Shift to be a worthy rival to the likes of Forza 3 and the upcoming Gran Turismo 5. The one thing it was missing? Ferraris. But a new downloadable content pack on Xbox Live aims to fix that shortcoming.
Available for download on February 16, the Ferrari Racing Pack features 10 absolutely drool-worthy Prancing Horses. Included in the package are the FXX, F50 GT, 599 GTB Fiorano, California, 575 Superamerica and five variants of the F430: Spider, Scuderia, 16M Scuderia Spider, Challenge and GTC.
The gamesmiths at Electronic Art have also devised an array of challenges designed specifically for these ten Maranello monsters, including hot laps, eliminators, endurance races and a world tour. The 46 challenges are included as well in the download pack, which costs $10 or 800 Microsoft Points. You're also going to need a copy of the game, an Xbox 360 console and an Xbox Live account to make it happen. Full details are available in the press release after the jump, with a batch of screen shots in the gallery below.
[Source: EA via rpmgo.com]Continue reading EA releases new Ferrari Racing Pack for Need For Speed SHIFT on Xbox 360 EA releases new Ferrari Racing Pack for Need For Speed SHIFT on Xbox 360 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsFerrari chief reportedly admits V6 a possibilityFiled under: Performance, Ferrari 
Purists who've given up hope with Porsche amidst their sedan and SUV shenanigans aren't going to like this one bit. After all but completely phasing out even the option of a manual transmission in Ferrari road cars (in favor of robotized sequentials and dual-clutch gearboxes), Ferrari's management says it can't rule out the possibility of a V6 in the near future.
The quote comes from Ferrari's chief executive Amadeo Felisa, who said that while the prospect would have been entirely dismissed as recently as a year ago, today's climate - in terms of the environment and customer conscience - precludes its being ruled out now. The last time Ferrari built a V6 (also used in Fiats and Lancias) was with the Dino 246 (pictured above) that went out of production in over a quarter century ago. The Dino is, however, fondly remembered as a classic, despite its relatively small engine.
Felisa did, however, rule out the possibility of taking future Ferraris electric-only. The Maranello-based exotic automaker is presently working on a hybrid system.
[Source: Autocar]Ferrari chief reportedly admits V6 a possibility originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFerrari F1 veterans Fisichella and Alesi team up to contest LMS GT2Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari 
Jean Alesi at Fiorano testing an AF Corse Ferrari F430 GTC - Click above for high-res image gallery
There are plenty of racing series around the world that attract big names from Formula One. Le Mans endurance sportscar racing ranks high among them, but the former F1 pilots usually go to the top-tier LMP1 class. Sometimes the GT1 class draws some big names, but this year it's the GT2 category that's drawing two drivers familiar to F1 fans: Giancarlo Fisichella and Jean Alesi.
After 14 years on the grid with six different teams, Fisichella was called up to Ferrari to fill in for Felipe Massa last season. He's been kept on as a test and reserve driver for the Scuderia this year, and though had hoped to secure a race seat (with Ferrari's blessing) for another F1 team this season, none proved anxious to sign an aging driver who could be called back to Maranello at a moment's notice. Instead, he'll be contesting the full Le Mans Series calendar in Europe behind the wheel of a Ferrari F430 GTC for AF Corse, a team which shares close relations with both Ferrari and Maserati. After a career devoted to formula racing (with a couple of seasons in touring cars), the foray into sportscar racing will be a novelty for Fisico.
Joining him in the cockpit will be none other than Jean Alesi, who tested for AF Corse back in October. The former grand prix winner was always a favorite among the tifosi, and since retiring from Formula One has tried his hand at stock cars in Asia and touring cars in Germany.
Alesi and Fisichella will be supported by Toni Vilander, the Finnish driver who took the FIA GT2 titles in 2007 and 2008. AF Corse will field two additional F430 GTCs in the Le Mans Series, one driven by Gianmaria Bruni (another former F1 driver, GP2 race winner and Le Mans class winner) and FIA GT2 class winner Jaime Melo, and another by the returning race-winning Argentine pairing of Luis Perez Companc and Matias Russo. Details in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Ferrari]Continue reading Ferrari F1 veterans Fisichella and Alesi team up to contest LMS GT2 Ferrari F1 veterans Fisichella and Alesi team up to contest LMS GT2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsSpy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTO, is that you?Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari  Few letters hold the same lore for Ferrari fans as G-T-O. Pontiac muscle-cars aside, the letters were first used on the iconic '60s-era 250 GTO. The 288 GTO followed two decades later and laid the ground for the F40, the first in the modern age of Ferrari supercars. Now the name is set to come back again on an extreme version of the 599 GTB
Bridging the gap between the roadgoing 599 GTB Fiorano and the track-bound experimental 599XX - and filling the hole left by the Enzo - the 599 GTO promises epic levels of performance (and extreme exclusivity) worthy of the GTO moniker. The prospect first broke cover back in November when internal documents referred to a "599 GTO Limited Edition," and was followed up with more speculative details - including a 700-horsepower output figure - early last month. Now an intrepid observer in Maranello with a camera handy appears to have snapped a camouflaged prototype out in the wild.
Aside from the yards of white vinyl and black tape telling you something's up, this 599 test mule is wearing big black alloys, a blacked-out roof (like that of the 599XX, albeit sans the extra winglets), a monster rear diffuser and Prova-style factory plates. Beyond that there's little to tell, but this is the first evidence we have beyond rumors and conjecture as to what Maranello is up to next.
[Source: alVolante.it]Spy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTO, is that you? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Award-winning garage may lose its drivewayFiled under: Performance, Etc., Government/Legal, Ferrari 
Holger Schubert's award-winning garage -- Click above for high-res image gallery
Last summer, Maserati held a competition to identify the best garages in the world. There were two categories: Concept and Existing. While the concept winner was pretty spectacular, the existing garage was breathtaking. Remember the glass-walled garage in Ferris Bueller's Day Off? The one that Cameron launched his father's vintage Ferrari California Spider through? That was a pretty amazing garage and similar to Holger Schubert's Maserati competition winner. The difference is that Schubert took that concept one step further and simply built a 10-foot concrete bridge to his glass-walled living room.
The ultra-modern room won the Maserati contest, which was actually done in conjunction with Architectural Digest magazine. It's decorated with "stylish furniture, a built-in bookcase and a flat-screen TV that slides on tracks past walls of glass that frame an ocean view." Oh, there's also that immaculate Ferrari 512 BBi sitting front-and-center.
The living room garage is part of a $1.5 million remodel that product designer Schubert has undertaken on his Brentwood home. Although initially granted permission by the city to build the bridge so he could better comply with off-street parking regulations, Los Angeles officials are now asking him to tear it down. Neighbors have apparently complained about the bridge and see it as a safety risk as well as a bad precedent for homes in the area. Schubert thinks they're just pissed that his remodeling project is taking so long. It's been about five years so far. We think they're just jealous of the gorgeous grigio Boxer.
It's not over for Schubert. There's still a slim chance he might be able to save the award-winning garage by getting a zoning variance or winning a court reprieve. We wouldn't hold our breath if we were him.
[Source: Los Angeles Times]Report: Award-winning garage may lose its driveway originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsFerrari Driving Academy already yielding resultsFiled under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari 
Jules Bianchi tests for Scuderia Ferrari - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ferrari got seriously caught with its pants down last year in Formula One. When Felipe Massa was sidelined with a head injury halfway through the season, the Scuderia found itself without a viable replacement after Michael Schumacher proved unfit to take his place, veteran test driver Luca Badoer failed to rise to the challenge and Giancarlo Fisichella didn't manage to score a single point. But the venerable F1 team is learning from its mistakes with the launch of the Ferrari Driving Academy.
Similar to the programs run by Red Bull and Renault, the Ferrari Driving Academy was established to foster young talent along the ladder to Formula One, starting way down in karting. The program is run by Luca Baldisserri, the strategist who replaced Ross Brawn during his sabbatical and who currently serves as the team's track manager.
The first pupil selected for the program is Jules Bianchi. The young French driver, managed by former Ferrari CEO Jean Todt's son Nicholas, is the scion of a successful racing family: his grandfather Mauro Biachi won the FIA GT Championship three times, and his great uncle won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and competed in nineteen grands prix. Jules himself won the French Formula Renault 2.0 title in 2007 and the F3 Euroseries in 2009, and following his test for Ferrari in December, has scored a podium finish in his debut in the GP2 Asia series. Not a bad start, so we'd better keep our eyes open for Bianchi and future Ferrari Driver Academy pupils making their way up the ladder. Press releases after the jump.
[Source: Ferrari | Image: Mark Thompson/Getty]Continue reading Ferrari Driving Academy already yielding results Ferrari Driving Academy already yielding results originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsUltra-rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO up for sale by RM Auctions... will it set a record?Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Auctions, Ferrari 
1963 Ferrari 250 GTO #4675GT - Click above for high-res image gallery
Very rarely does a Ferrari 250 GTO come up for sale, and if it does, you'll probably never hear about it. Most sales are done behind closed doors, and the amount of said transactions are almost never disclosed to the public. That's just part of the mystique behind the world's most valuable car, and it's partially why the cars are so coveted. Just 36 examples were built between 1962 and 1963, each still in existence and easily carrying an eight-figure price tag. A few years ago, a 250 GTO supposedly changed hands for nearly $30 million, but no one can completely confirm the rumor.
We will, however, have more details about the next sale of a 250 GTO. RM Auctions have announced that they will be doing a "private treaty sale" of 1963 250 GTO chassis #4675GT. The car has been in possession of its current Japanese owner, Yoshiho Matsuda, since 1996 (a low point for the value of the car compared to the high prices of the late 1980s), and it has an extensive racing history.
We saw the car at the Pebble Beach Concour d'Elegance back in 2004, and while its Series II bodywork isn't quite as stunning as earlier models, it's still an extraordinarily beautiful car. If you've got millions of dollars just sitting around, now is the time to break out the checkbook and buy your very own rolling piece of V12-powered Italian artwork. Hit the jump for the official press release from RM or click the high-res gallery below for a beautiful studio shot plus several of our photographs from our 2004 encounter with the car.
Non-Studio Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: RM Auctions]Continue reading Ultra-rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO up for sale by RM Auctions... will it set a record? Ultra-rare 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO up for sale by RM Auctions... will it set a record? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsPics Aplenty: Alonso, Massa dominate Valencia testing in new Ferrari F10Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing 
Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso lap Valencia in the 2010 Scuderia Ferrari F10 - Click above for high-res image gallery
We know, we know. The pace set on track tests doesn't necessarily indicate how a given team, car or driver will perform in an actual race, let alone across a whole season. But it's hard not to read too much into it when we've been waiting for a sign since the end of last season, when the winningest team in all of motorsports - which has been working on this car since the middle of a dismal last season - with its veteran driver recovered from injury, and with a two-time World Champion taking the helm for the first time, when all these elements come together and the team absolutely dominates.
Half of the F1 teams that'll be competing for honors this season descended on Valencia for three days of official testing. And when all was said and done, Ferrari had dominated the time sheets on each of the three days. The first two days saw Felipe Massa run the new car, setting the fastest times on both days. Then Alonso took his turn on Day 3, beating Massa's time and everyone else's in the process - including returning seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher in the new Mercedes and reigning champion Jenson Button in the new McLaren.
For his part, Alonso was quick to quell speculation. Reliability, fuel loads, yadda yadda yadda. But when this is the first and only indication we have of how the season is shaping up, we can't help but sit back and stroke our five o'clock shadows in contemplation. We invite you to do the same while viewing the mega gallery of on-track images below.
[Source: Ferrari]Pics Aplenty: Alonso, Massa dominate Valencia testing in new Ferrari F10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: St. Louis exotic dealership employee nailed for 150 mph test drives on YouTubeFiled under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, Lamborghini, Ferrari 
St. Louis Motorsports high-speed test drive - Click above to watch the video after the jump
People... people! How many times do we have to tell you not to brag about your illegal activities on the Internet? The latest to run afoul of this bit of common-sense is an employee at St. Louis Motorsports, an exotic car dealership. The offense? Driving dealer-owned Lamborghini and Ferrari models at speeds of up to 150 mph on public roads. In the slow lane. As you can already predict, the local Chesterfield police didn't pull over the Italian exotic-driving dealer employee - he incriminated himself by recording his high-speed escapades and posting them on YouTube. Genius.
Equally predictably, the city's local Fox affiliate went to St. Louis Motorsports owner Jim Mills to ask him if he knew that his driver had been speeding. His explanation? He says that the offending driver was a rogue employee and that he has since been reprimanded. Mills also said he was not aware that the driver was driving at a high rate of speed - even though the dealership was aware of the videos. Sounds a bit like horse dung to us. We're not altogether sure what Mills means by "reprimanded," but if it was one of our employees caught driving one of our $200,000 vehicles, they'd be kicked to the curb with a quickness. If that employee's actions later led to a visit from the Fox affiliate, well, we'd fire them twice. Hit the jump to watch the Fox 2 News footage.
[Source: Fox 2]Continue reading Video: St. Louis exotic dealership employee nailed for 150 mph test drives on YouTube Video: St. Louis exotic dealership employee nailed for 150 mph test drives on YouTube originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFerrari offers 24-month Certified Pre-Owned warrantyFiled under: Car Buying, Performance, Ferrari 
A couple of years back, Ferrari was widely rumored to be working on an "entry-level" model to slot in below the F430 (since replaced by the 458 Italia). The result was the California. And all the while they were working on it - with test mules lapping Fiorano like an F1 driver recovering from a head injury - company spokesmen declared that the true entry level for new Ferrari owners was a pre-owned Ferrari. Now the famed automaker from Maranello is putting its money where its mouth is with the new "Power Warranty".
In order to entice prospective owners and counteract the notorious unreliability of older Prancing Horses - its part of their character, say the faithful - Ferrari has launched a 24-month warranty on a wide range of certified pre-owned models in the 360, F430, 550/575, 599 and 612 ranges, including all variants: coupes, roadsters and lightweight models, no more than eight years old and with no more than 90,000 kilometers on the odometer.
The warranty is optional, includes roadside assistance, and can be purchased by current owners to extend their existing warranties. Details in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Ferrari]Continue reading Ferrari offers 24-month Certified Pre-Owned warranty Ferrari offers 24-month Certified Pre-Owned warranty originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFerrari 599XX makes track debut at Valencia with Massa at the wheel [w/ video]Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Ferrari, Racing 
Ferrari 599XX at Valencia - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's been almost a year since the Ferrari 599XX made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, and we've seen the factory-fettled racer quite a few times since. Each of those times has been either in a dealership or on a show floor, though, and the 599XX has yet to be seen running in anger. Until now.
Just ahead of Ferrari's test of their new Formula 1 car at the Ricardo Tormo circuit outside of Valencia, the 599XX turned its first wheel on-track with none other than Felipe Massa behind the wheel. Massa led a group of seven cars around the circuit, the others piloted by the lucky members of Ferrari's Corse Clienti program. Fortunately, we might just get to see the 599XX here in the States, as Ferrari has planned various events in America, Europe and Asia for their most special customers. We've included a video of the proceedings after the jump, along with Ferrari's brief press release, and you can check out photos from the 599XX's debut in the gallery below.
[Source: Ferrari]Continue reading Ferrari 599XX makes track debut at Valencia with Massa at the wheel [w/ video] Ferrari 599XX makes track debut at Valencia with Massa at the wheel [w/ video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsSauber launches a sober C29 for the 2010 F1 seasonFiled under: Motorsports, BMW, Ferrari, Racing 
2010 BMW Sauber C29 - Click above for high-res image gallery
There's no easy way to design and build a new F1 car, but the road to Valencia has been longer for the Sauber team than its competition. The team quite nearly missed the chance to race this year after BMW withdrew its support and a subsequent deal to sell the team fell through. But team founder and namesake Peter Sauber managed to get the funds together to buy his team back, and after narrowly acquiring a spot on the 2010 grid, this is the first fruit: the Sauber C29.
Technically, the team still bears the BMW Sauber moniker, but it's not the Bavarian automaker's engine under the cowling: it's Ferrari's. The name game is simply a formality. Having run Maranello's engines for years in the pre-BMW era under the Petronas brand, both Ferrari and Sauber are used to the arrangement.
Petronas is also gone, migrating to the rival Mercedes GP team (and not, as might have been assumed, to the Malaysian-backed Lotus team). As you can see, the C29 - the third car to make its debut during the Valencia test session - was unveiled with no sponsor branding whatsoever. Rumor has it that both drivers - 38-year-old veteran McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa and 23-year-old rookie Kamui Kobayashi (who impressed in his debut for Toyota last season) - have brought sponsorship along with them, Kobayashi in particular linked to Panasonic, which sponsored Toyota's cars until the Japanese automaker's withdrawal last season.
With BMW or without, Sauber's made the grid, but the team still has a long way to go. Have a look at the high-resolution images in the gallery below and the press release after the jump.
[Source: BMW Sauber]Continue reading Sauber launches a sober C29 for the 2010 F1 season Sauber launches a sober C29 for the 2010 F1 season originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsToro Rosso launches its "first" F1 car: the 2010 STR5Filed under: Motorsports, Ferrari, Racing
2010 Toro Rosso STR5 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Big deal, you say? Another F1 car, you say? Well it's a big deal in Faenza, where Scuderia Toro Rosso is based. That's because, in accordance with new regulations, this is the first car designed and built entirely in house since Red Bull acquired the team in 2005.
The STR5, then, might as well be called the STR1, because its predecessors were all designed by its sister team Red Bull Racing. Now STR's on its own, and this is the sword it will wield for the 2010 Formula One World Championship. Like other teams, Toro Rosso designed its car around the double diffuser which it adopted after a clarification to the rules mid-season last year. Also like its competitors, the STR5 abandons the KERS regenerative braking system, but takes on a bigger fuel tank in light of the new ban on mid-race refueling.
Although Volkswagen has joined STR as a nominal sponsor, "the other Scuderia" sticks with Ferrari power for 2010. With Toyota and BMW gone, the entire grid is being powered by only four engine suppliers: Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Cosworth. The STR5 will be piloted once again by Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, who - due to the mid-season test ban - is now in Valenica where the car was launched, undertaking his first F1 test session despite having raced last season. Click on the thumbnails below to jump to the mega-gallery of high-resolution images.
[Source: Scuderia Toro Rosso]Toro Rosso launches its "first" F1 car: the 2010 STR5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: MotoGP racer Valentino Rossi takes on Formula One, impressesFiled under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari, Motorcycle, Racing 
MotoGP racing star Valentino Rossi has ventured from two wheels to four a few times in the past, and he's always come away smiling when given the chance to strut his stuff on a Formula One track. This latest testing session, though, has left many highly impressed and others understandably worried.
Various reports have put Yamaha's star rider into the Ducati paddock come 2011 or so, but after registering times around the Mugello circuit in an F2008 racer that were just two-tenths of a second behind Kimi Raikkonen's outright lap record of 1:21.67 (set in the same car, for what it's worth), Yamaha team manager Davide Brivio said, "The greatest danger is Ferrari... I have to be worried about these excellent times because Valentino really could get the desire to change sport."
For its part, Ferrari seems very pleased with Rossi's excellent performance, and the Italian supercar manufacturer saw fit to send out a nice press release on the matter that you'll find after the break. Kudos, Valentino... and good luck!
[Sources: Autocar, The New York Times]Continue reading Report: MotoGP racer Valentino Rossi takes on Formula One, impresses Report: MotoGP racer Valentino Rossi takes on Formula One, impresses originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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