Friday, October 31, 2008

Farrari 360


The Ferrari 360 was all-new in 1999 and offered in Modena coupe and Spider convertible body styles. They were powered by a mid-mounted 3.6-liter V8 that pumped out a raucous 400 horsepower at 8,500 rpm. Low-end power wasn't as plentiful with a "mere" 275 pound-feet at 4,750 rpm. The all-important 0-60-mph sprint was accomplished in a few ticks north of 4 seconds.

The standard transmission was a six-speed manual tied to a classic Italian gated shifter complete with chrome ball knob. Many Modenas and Spiders were ordered with the rather pricey F1 automated clutch manual gearbox that shifted via column-mounted shift paddles in a lightning-quick 150 milliseconds. Although we'd probably stick with the stick, the F1's adept ability at rev-matching downshifts and its automatic mode (admittedly not the smoothest system in the world) make it a good choice for both aggressive driving and commuting.

What makes a Ferrari a Ferrari is so much more than simply a go-fast engine and a logo imprinted with a startled horse. The 360 sported an aluminum space-frame chassis, adjustable aluminum double-wishbone suspension and a sleek body by Pininfarina constructed of -- you guessed it -- aluminum, which resulted in super-low weight for ideal performance and handling. Of course, the latter was also made possible by a wide-track body and suspension that reduced body roll to a theoretical concept, while the steering stayed Ginsu knife-sharp right up to triple-digit speeds. (The 360 maxed out at 175 mph.) But again, if you need us to tell you the Ferrari 360 is a blast to drive, perhaps enrolling in Exotic Cars 101 is in order.

Unlike some past Ferraris, the 360 had an interior worthy of the car's price tag. Supple leather, high-quality materials and straightforward ergonomics struck an excellent balance between luxury and driving-focused simplicity. The snug seats offered plenty of lateral support, with a comfortable reach to the divine steering wheel. Besides contributing to superb road-holding, the 360's wide body also provided lots of elbow room and enough space for a set of golf clubs behind the two seats. And really, what's the point of a country club if you can't show off your Ferrari? One of the rare downsides to the 360 was rear visibility -- particularly in the Spider convertible with its high rear deck, thick roll hoops and plastic rear window.

For those who wanted an even more capable Ferrari 360 (or a more exclusive one), the Challenge Stradale was introduced in 2004. This stripped-down club racing version of the coupe had, according to Ferrari, everything eliminated that did not contribute to increased performance or safety (or apparently a chilled interior, as air-conditioning remained). The result was a car 242 pounds lighter than a regular Modena, that also sported 25 additional horses. Along with a 20-percent stiffer suspension and aerodynamic changes that produced 50 percent more downforce, the Challenge Stradale was the closest thing one could get to Schumacher's F1 ride -- at least until the Enzo came along.

Ferrari Enzo 2003


The name Ferrari brings many images to mind: a Formula One racer darting through the turns at Monte Carlo; vice cops chasing drug smugglers through the streets of Miami; ultra-rich drivers cruising winding roads in their six-figure trophy cars; the prancing stallion on a yellow background. The company itself is all about heritage and prestige. The Ferrari company has been involved with racing for more than 50 years, and has been producing road cars almost as long.

Every few years, the two facets of Ferrari combine, taking the high-tech, high-performance designs of Formula One (F1) and putting them into the ultimate dream car. The results have always been exotic, incredibly fast, and incredibly expensive. The latest Ferrari supercar is the Enzo Ferrari, named after the company's late founder.

Enzo Ferrari built the company after splitting from Alfa Romeo in 1940, and the car that bears his name is focused purely on performance. Just being rich isn't enough to get yourself behind the wheel of the Enzo: Fewer than 400 were made, and prospective owners had to apply to Ferrari for the privilege of buying one. Oh, and don't say the name wrong: It's Enzo first, Ferrari second.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Farrari California 2009


Maranello, May 13th 2008 - The first official photographs have been published of the Ferrari California, the latest addition to the new generation of Ferraris launched in 2004 with the 612 Scaglietti and added to more recently with the 430 Scuderia.

The Ferrari California joins the Prancing Horse's 8-cylinder family which has always been defined by power and performance. It also flanks the flagship 612 Scaglietti in the prestige sporty Grand Tourer segment.

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. The California will be powered by a new V8 engine mounted for the first time in the marque's history in the mid-front position.

In line with Ferrari tradition, the new model also features several innovations. Apart from its folding hard top, these include the original 2+ concept which guarantees exceptional versatility of use in the rear of the car. The California's 4,300 cc V8 engine features direct fuel injection and a "flat" crankshaft. It generates 460 CV at 7,500 rpm with a torque curve that enhances vehicle dynamics and provides maximum driving pleasure which is typical for Ferrari.

As per the traditional Ferrari transaxle layout, the engine, which allows the Ferrari California to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4.0 seconds, will be coupled to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission that boosts the car's performance while enhancing the driving pleasure, improves ride comfort and reduces fuel consumption and emissions (c.310 g/km CO2). The comfort is further enhanced by a new multilink rear suspension system. The Ferrari California is also equipped with the exclusive F1-Trac traction control system which made its debut on the 599 GTB Fiorano and has been further honed to suit the typical driving conditions expected for this new GT. Brembo brakes featuring carbon-ceramic material disks as standard guarantee superbly efficient braking.

In addition to sporting the marque's classic styling cues, the cabin has also been beautifully trimmed using quality materials by Ferrari's own skilled artisans. New accessories and equipment, such as the seats, steering wheel, instrument panel and infotainment system, together with optimised aerodynamics ensure that this is a highly ergonomic and enjoyable car to drive regardless of whether the top is up or down.

The Ferrari California is aimed at owners who desire a car which embodies everything the Prancing Horse represents in terms of sporty design and innovation, but also seek a car with greater versatility than ever. The car will be officially unveiled to the public at the Paris International Car Show. However, over the coming weeks, new photographs and further details about it will also be published.

Monday, October 27, 2008

2008 Ferrari F430

A Ferrari is a Ferrari forever. They breed envy and respect from passersby, pointing and jubilation from little boys and phone numbers from potential hot dates. A Ferrari will always be cool -- but of course, the newer, the cooler. Although neither the flashiest nor the most expensive, the 2008 Ferrari F430 carries the torch for all the lithe V8-engined Ferraris that came before it.
The F430 takes that torch and runs with it, although "flies with it" is probably more apt. With a screaming V8 placed just behind the driver's shoulder, the F430 produces 483 horsepower capable of sending it to 60 mph in a blistering 4 seconds. Its top speed hovers around 200 mph. Like any Ferrari, though, the F430 is more than just a bullet poised to be fired down an empty stretch of arrow-straight pavement.
A finely balanced chassis and ultra-communicative steering make it a finely sharpened tool for carving a serpentine road. To allow the driver to maximize the car's potential in any situation, the "manettino" steering wheel knob moves among five driving modes that adjust suspension settings, stability and traction control thresholds, F1 gearbox shift changes and the electronic rear differential that maximizes grip out of a turn. With all this performance capability, if you confine your F430 to cruising the Sunset club scene or lazy drives to the country-club scene, you're treating the car incorrectly.
With a price tag in the territory of $200,000, the 2008 Ferrari F430 is obviously in a rarefied class inhabited by a select few, where rational comparisons mean very little. If that unending Ferrari appeal draws you to it like a prancing horse to the Triple Crown, then no other supercar will suffice -- except for maybe a 599 GTB. Of course, there are rivals that strike different chords for different supercar shoppers, such as the Aston Martin DB9, Lamborghini Gallardo, Nissan GT-R and Porsche 911 GT2 and GT3. It all depends on what you're looking for. But if what you're looking for is something that will forever be cool, a Ferrari F430 is a pretty good bet.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

German tuner Novitec Rosso will bring a modified version of the Ferrari 599 GTB at the Frankfurt Motor Show. With sales scheduled to start immediately after the Show, the tuning package consists of a subtle styling kit plus some power and handling upgrades.

Exterior kit features a new front lip, side skirts with larger air intake openings, side flaps, a new rear wing and bumper with an integrated diffuser, plus new 20in wheels at the front with larger 21in alloys at the rear. Under the hood there’s an 25 hp boost (645 hp is the new engine power) which increased the top speed with 5 km/h (3 mph). Novitec Rosso promised a more powerful engine upgrade will be available sometime next year. More images after the jump.

2008 Ferrari 430

The new Ferrari 430 Scuderia will join the road-going V8 line-up alongside the F430 coupe and the F430 Spider. The 430 Scuderia is a truly high-performance 2-seater berlinetta which demonstrates how Ferrari's Formula 1 know-how is carried across to its production cars.

The new model is a special series based on the F430 and is aimed specifically at Ferrari's most passionate and sports-driving oriented clients. Development focused on light weight, minimum trimmings and innovative technology. All this to exalt the car's extremely high-performance and ability to thrill the driver.

The new car can count on an extremely low weight-to-power ratio of just 2.45 kg per bhp thanks to a low dry weight of just 2755 lb - 220 lb less than the F430 - and to the naturally-aspirated 4308cc V8's 510 bhp at 8500 rpm.

Superb performance both on and off the track is assured by a series of cutting-edge solutions. There is the latest software - F1 Superfast - which reduces gearchange times to just 60 milliseconds, and new traction control which, for the first time, combines the E-Diff electronic differential and the F1-Trac traction and stability control in a single integrated system.

Vehicle dynamics, control and performance thus represent the zenith of Ferrari's achievements in terms of developing road-certified sports cars.

The 430 Scuderia will be officially unveiled by Michael Schumacher at the IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt in September 2007

2005 Ferrari GG50 Concept

In analyzing the GG50 from the side, its very clear that extensive work was done to distinguish it from any other Ferrari. Gone are the scalloped indents on the fenders and doors of the 612, replaced not with smaller exhaust vents like the 575M, but rather with a sweeping vent that hugs the profile. Squeezed between the fast roofline and the stubby tail and muscular haunches of the rear fenders, are windows that have been reduced in size.

At the rear, Giugiaros decision to incorporate a liftgate creates an interesting looking tail, thats rounded and curvy. Underneath an aerodynamic lip spoiler molded into the stubby trunklid are two sets of asymmetrical LED tail lamps that sit to either side of the Ferrari prancing horse badge. On the topic of modified glass, the GG50 features a panoramic roof that flows from the windshield rearward. Like the Ferrari 575 Superamerica, the glass panel is electrochromic, allowing the driver to select various settings of tint, from clear to sun-blocking opaque.

Despite incorporating a drastically shortened tail end, the GG50 actually has a larger cargo bay than the Scaglietti. At the request of none other than Giugiaro, the fuel tank was repositioned from a vertical mount behind the rear seat passengers to below the floor line. Not only does this allow for an additional cubic foot of storage space (GG50: 9.5 cu-ft; 612: 8.5 cu-ft) and a 4.6-foot long trunk floor, but it also allows the car to feature split-folding rear seats - a first in any Ferrari, if memory serves correct. With the rear seats folded flat, a total of 500 liters of space is available.

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti 2009

2009 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a two-plus-two-seater. The V-12 flagship grand touring coupe has been overshadowed the past two years by the 599GTB sports coupe, so the 612 was chosen as the debut vehicle for Ferrari’s new customization program, called Ferrari Atelier.

This is a new, organized marketing effort to allow Ferrari customers to have their 612s tailor-made to their specific tastes.

In other 612 Scaglietti news, the car has been fitted with the latest version of the F1 SuperFast automated manual paddle-shift transmission, so 612 drivers now enjoy the same gearshifting times - about 100 milliseconds - as 599GTB drivers.

The 612’s steering wheel now has the Ferrari manettino switch, which controls stability control and other chassis systems, on the right spoke, plus a red engine start button on the left spoke. (You can still get a manual transmission for the 612, in theory, but virtually no one does.)

Carbon ceramic brakes are now standard, as they have been on all other Ferraris since October 2007 production. The 612 also gets a new, standard, full-glass roof with electrochromatic tinting.

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a Gran Turismo car produced by Ferrari since 2004. It is a large two door fastback coupe. The 612 Scaglietti was designed to replace the smaller 456 M; its larger size makes it a true 4 seater with adequate space in the rear seats for adults.

It is produced at Ferrari's Carrozzeria Scaglietti plant, the former home of the car's namesake coachbuilder in Modena, Italy. The design, especially the large side scallops and the headlights, pays homage to the custom 1954 Ferrari 375 MM that director Roberto Rossellini had commissioned for his wife, Ingrid Bergman.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Ferrari F70 2009


The Ferrari F70 will be based on the Aurea Concept launched by Ferrari in 2004. The Aurea Project was born from the desire to place the F1 DNA on a normal car. This is what the new F70 will be about: a car with the design and power of a F1 car, but specially designed for the road.

On designing the Enzo, Ferrari needed to make some compromises in order that both the design and the technologies of the car to be satisfied. So they build the Enzo on aerodynamic consideration. But when they build the FXX they have realized that the Enzo could have all the technologies they had to give up. And in the F70 case all the aerodynamic will be hide under the car. The result is that the exterior design of the F70 won’t be affected by compromises, like in the case of the Enzo due to the aerodynamic technology developed by Ferrari and used in the FXX.


The front design will combine modern elements inspired from F1 cars with retro touches from the old supercars. The F70 will be made of carbon-fibre, and this will help to reduce the weight, thing that is necessary considering the big output of the car.

Like on the future F430 CS, the F70 will feature Magnesium sport wheels and the carbon grille in the back (also good to better cool the engine). The brakes will be upgraded with bigger discs, the soft Pirelli P-Zero tires give the car enormous grip, and the interior is completed with deep sport seats.


In the same style as the Ferrari P4/5, the F70’s two exhaust pipes will be mounted like the F1 cars on the top of the back end, and other two down in the diffuser.

The Ferrari Enzo it is powered by a V12 engine delivering 660 hp. The power on the F70 will grow with around 100 hp. Initially there were rumors that the F70 will have an output more than 800 hp, but Ferrari said that they have no intention of building a competitor for the Bugatti Veyron, and also a car with such an output will generate lots of problems, including heating and weight.

It is expected that the V12 on the F70 to deliver not more than 750 hp. This output will help the car to make the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than 3 seconds and a top speed of 235 hp.

Ferrari limited the Enzo at 390 units. We expect that the F70 to be limited at 300 units and be priced somewhere at $700.000.