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The List #0125: Visit the birthplace of Ferrari

Jessi and Patrick travel to Italy to visit the literal and figurative birthplace of Ferrari, one of the world's most storied automakers. The duo tours the Italian countryside in an all-wheel-drive Ferrari FF, making stops at Museo Ferrari in Maranello and in the founder's hometown of Modena. Join our hosts as they check "Visit The Birthplace of Ferrari" off of their list. Have an RSS feed? Click here to add The List. Click here to subscribe to The List in iTunes. Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick. Related Gallery 2015 Ferrari FF View 12 Photos Ferrari Performance The List Videos ferrari ff maranello the-list modena

Driver, track worker survive horrific Ferrari 458 crash at Suzuka

Two people are lucky to be alive after a brutal crash during a recent Ferrari 458 Challenge event in Japan. Driver Shigeru Terajima lost control of his machine on the Suzuka Circuit start/finish straight, left the course at nearly 200 miles per hour and struck the inside wall where a corner worker was standing and monitoring the race. The 458 immediately disintegrated, sending bits of carbon fiber bodywork, suspension components, wheels and tires scattering into the infield and across the race course. The passenger cell spun through the air before coming to a stop on its roof.
Miraculously, both Terajima and the corner worker survived the incident. While the driver was transported to a local hospital in serious condition, he's expected to make a full recovery. The track worker, meanwhile, saw the incident coming and dove out of harm's way at the last possible moment, saving him from the brunt of the impact. You can watch an observer's frightening footage of the Ferrari crash by scrolling below.

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.