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Ferrari FF coupe plans found in European patent application

The FF is quite a departure for Ferrari - it's the company's first hatchback and all-wheel-drive vehicle - so it isn't surprising that it rubs some people the wrong way, even if the car itself is very good. Well, judging from these patent drawings of what looks like a FF coupe filed with the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), Ferrari has plans to build one.
We're not sure if Ferrari is planning a production run, however, and it's very possible this is a one-off special being built for a very rich customer, a la Eric Clapton and his 458 Italia. Patent drawings of Clapton's special 458 were filed with OHIM before it was finished, as well.
We think the regular FF is a good-looking car as is, but would welcome a coupe version if it looked like the one in these drawings. It could be a great alternative to the F12 Berlinetta for people who want all-wheel drive and a lower profile.

Ferrari reveals pair of tailor-made specials in Shanghai

For most people, buying a new Ferrari - heck, even a used one - would be a special occasion all on its own, not to mention a rare privilege. But to make the experience all the more special, the Prancing Horse marque offers its Tailor-Made personalization program. The service just reached the Asia-Pacific region for the first time with the new Tailor-Made Centre in Shanghai, and to mark its inauguration, Ferrari has revealed two new special editions - both based on V12 GTs and inspired by horses - specifically for the Chinese market.
First up is the F12 Berlinetta Polo Edition pictured above. The special F12 is distinguished by a white and blue theme, the exterior decked out in Bianco Italia Opaco (read: fancy white) with navy blue offset racing stripes, and the interior carrying an inverse take on the same featuring dark blue leather upholstering with white stitching, stripes and trim.
Those looking for more traction and versatility might be more intrigued by the FF Dressage Edition. The four-seat, four-wheel special gets a piano black exterior and a reddish saddle brown leather interior with grid-pattern stitching (pictured inset at right).

Ferrari picks up ex-Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez as test pilot

With McLaren's long-awaited confirmation of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, the grid for the 2015 Formula One World Championship is finally complete. (That is, at least, aside from the bankrupt Caterham and Marussia teams, whose fate for next season still remain open.) But with the big game of musical chairs now drawn to a close, not everyone who had a seat this year will have one the next. And that includes one Esteban Gutierrez, who lost his ride with Sauber but has landed a test driver role with Ferrari instead. Gutierrez climbed up through the formula racing ladder, winning the 2008 Formula BMW Europe and 2010 GP3 titles before getting his start as a test driver with the Sauber team – a role which he held for two seasons while simultaneously putting up a good fight and winning races in GP2. Sauber promoted him to the race seat in 2013 (when he placed a career-best seventh place at the Japanese Grand Prix) and kept him on board for another season. But after failing to finish in the points even once this past year, both he and veteran team-mate Adrian Sutil were both replaced for next season. Taking their place will be Marcus Ericsson (who drove for Caterham this year) and newcomer Felipe Nasr (who served this season as test driver at Williams). That's left Gutierrez without a race seat, but Scuderia Ferrari has snapped him up as its official test and reserve driver for next season. In that capacity he'll be offered the chance to drive top-flight machinery and hone his skills with a front-running team, and will be on standby should either Sebastian Vettel or Kimi Raikkonen be unable to drive at one grand prix or another. Most of the other teams have yet to confirm their third drivers, but Williams recently announced it was promoting Susie Wolff to the job and McLaren confirmed Kevin Magnussen was bumped down for next season to make way for Alonso. The move may strike some as odd since Gutierrez is not part of the Ferrari Driver Academy development program, but Sauber has long shared close ties with the Maranello-based team. Ferrari supplies engines to Sauber, which in turn sometimes graduates drivers to the Scuderia. Former Ferrari drivers Felipe Massa and Giancarlo Fisichella both drove for Sauber, and current drivers Vettel and Raikkonen both got their starts there as well. A Mexican driver is back to Maranello Maranello, 15 December 2014 – Ferrari announces that, as from next season, Esteban Gutierrez will become part of the Scuderia workforce.