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Ferrari chief staying on to launch new models in October

Luca di Montezemolo has been running Ferrari since 1991. That's a whopping 23 years already, and having been born the same year that Ferrari was founded, Montezemolo is now 67 years old. But don't expect him to be stepping down any time soon.
Addressing the rampant rumors circulating the paddock at Monza this weekend, the hereditary Marquis of Montezemolo (pictured above at the unveiling of the 458 Speciale in Frankfurt last year) insisted that he is not about to leave Ferrari. Not before 2017, anyway, having signed as recently as this past March to stay on another three years. (After that, it's anyone's guess, with some suggesting that controversial Fiat scion Lapo Elkann could take his place.) But in dismissing the rumors, the affable and long-serving Ferrari chairman did reveal some new product plans.
First of all, according to racing site Autosport.com, Luca confirmed that the Prancing Horse marque "will present a fantastic new car" at the Paris Motor Show next month, widely expected to be a new variant of the 458: either the new Speciale Spider or the turbocharged 458 M. While he was at it, though, Montezemolo also revealed a new limited edition model to be presented in California.

Fernando Alonso gives German TV interview driving Ferrari F12 at the Nordschleife

Fernando Alonso gave a wide-ranging interview to German television station RTL, the Spanish driver and German interviewer conducting the session in Italian, driving a special Italian car on very special German track. Among many answers - from the industriousness of his native Ovideo, Spain to where he relaxes - Alonso gives Ferrari an eight out of ten for the season, admitting they don't have the fastest car but they have a complete car, and refuses to give himself a number, only saying that he is more complete as well than when he first entered.
Beyond the normal-guy persona and wealth of topics, the 10-minute interview is neat for being able to watch Alonso hurl the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta over and around kerbs while he's answering questions. You can check it all out in the video below.

Typhoon Jebi destroys 51 Ferraris at dealership in Japan

The strongest typhoon to hit Japan in a quarter-century destroyed an estimated $9 million worth of Ferraris at an authorized dealership on Rokko Island, an artificial island in the city of Kobe, after sending three feet of storm surge into the showroom. According to Yahoo Japan, the storm surge from Typhoon Jebi destroyed 51 of 53 new and used Ferraris housed at the dealership, including some that had already been purchased. Employees reportedly tried to cover the entrance with tarps and sandbags, to no avail. Salt water reportedly seeped into the engine bays, so the vehicles were trucked away to be scrapped. The dealership will reportedly look to insurance to recoup its losses. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Typhoon Jebi slammed into Japan's west coast Sept. 4 with winds as high as 135 mph, leaving at least 11 dead and hundreds injured. It forced the closure of Kansai International Airport for three days due to flooding and after a tanker smashed into a bridge connecting the island airport to the mainland, damaging the bridge's girders. Around 3,000 passengers had to spend the night at the airport. Separately, about 100 cars at a seaside dealership in Nishinomiya in Hyogo prefecture burned after their electrical systems shorted out from sea water, reports said. Related Video: