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Ferrari presents its 2016 F1 car, the SF16-H
Fri, Feb 19 2016Ferrari has presented the Formula 1 car with which it hopes to take the fight to Mercedes during the 2016 season. The SF16-H, as the new single-seater will be called, sports a different livery, as speculated in the past weeks, with white paint appearing on the engine cover, the front wing and in front of the cockpit. Ferrari is believed to have made significant changes to the engine that will power the car this year in the hope of catching Mercedes after a promising 2015 season. The Maranello squad finished second behind the German squad in the standings, bouncing back from a disastrous 2014. Sebastian Vettel won three races for the team on his way to third in the standings. The German will be partnered by Kimi Raikkonen once more. The car is expected to take to the track on Sunday for a filming day at Barcelona before testing kicks off on Monday at the Spanish circuit. This article by Pablo Elizalde originally appeared on Motorsport.com, the world's leader in auto racing news, photos and video. Motorsports Ferrari Racing Vehicles F1 scuderia ferrari
The real Wolf of Wall Street's Ferrari Testarossa is for sale
Thu, Feb 18 2016In 2013, acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese profiled the rise and fall of financial crook Jordan Belfort in the movie The Wolf of Wall Street, with Leonardo Di Caprio in the lead role. Now you can own an automotive piece of that fascinating real-life tale by buying Belfort's 1991 Ferrari Testarossa. According to the seller, Belfort bought the Ferrari in New York in 1991. He must not have driven it very much, though. There have been other owners since him, but the Testarossa still has only covered 8,300 miles. With its white exterior, your friends might think you're trying to emulate Sonny Crockett from Miami Vice, and the interior has beige leather, which still looks to be in great condition. To prove Belfort's ownership, the sale comes with his name and address in the warranty book and on supply invoices. There's even a set of matching luggage, and the seller allegedly found a $50 bill in one of the bags' lining. Even if Belfort didn't drive the Testarossa too much, he might have had some fun with it. According to the listing, "it was involved in a 'Wolf' moment as early as the original test drive." However, the seller will only tell the next buyer what that means. Belfort's Testarossa is currently for sale in Monaco for an undisclosed price, but as a car formerly used in the United States, it might not be too hard to bring back. If you do decide to buy Belfort's Ferrari, remember to treat The Wolf of Wall Street as a cautionary tale. Related Video:
Ferrari celebrates its founder's birthday
Thu, Feb 18 2016Buon cumpleanno, Commendatore! That's what we'd be saying today to Enzo Ferrari if he were still alive. But the founder of the Prancing Horse marque passed away at the ripe old age of 90 way back in 1988. If he were still with us today, he'd be 118 years old. And we can't help but wonder what he'd think of his legacy if he were still around to see it. Enzo Anselmo Ferrari was born in Modena before the turn of the century – no, the previous century – way back in 1898. He started out as a racing driver, but soon found his real talents laid in preparing the racecars, not driving them. After achieving success running Alfa Romeo's factory team, Enzo struck out on his own - initially under the name Auto Avio Costruzioni (due to the terms of his previous contract) and then under the Scuderia Ferrari name. Under Enzo's leadership and those that followed, Ferrari emerged as one of the most successful teams in motor racing. The Scuderia has scored more championships, checkered flags, podiums, pole positions, and fastest laps than any other in the history of Formula One. And though it hasn't fielded a factory effort in the top tier decades, it's still among the winningest constructors at Le Mans, with nine outright wins between 1949 and 1965 – outscored only by Audi and Porsche. It also won the Targa Florio seven times, the Mille Miglia another eight, and Sebring 12 times. After famously rejecting a takeover bid from Ford, Enzo sold half his company to Fiat in 1969. He retained control until his passing in 1988 – upon which Fiat took over another 40 percent, leaving 10 to the Ferrari family. But now the company is independent again, having split off from the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles empire, and floated its IPO on the stock market. Though his son still serves as vice chairman, Enzo's prodigy and successor, Luca di Montezemolo, is gone. The road car division makes hybrids but no manual transmissions, the racing department hasn't won the Formula One World Championship since 2008, the theme park in Abu Dhabi welcomes more visitors than the factory museum, and the company makes a significant portion of its revenue these days from selling branded merchandise. It's a very different company, in short, from the one Enzo founded back in 1947, but it wouldn't be here without him. The factory is celebrating with a raft of social media posts. For our part down here, to il Commendatore at the big autodromo in the sky: happy birthday, Enzo.
LaFerrari for sale in Florida for $4.7 million
Tue, Feb 16 2016Want to get your hands on a new LaFerrari? It's gonna cost you, and cost you big. The factory charged $1.35 million for each of the 499 it will ever make, but you can bet speculators will be selling them for much more than that. Just take a look at this listing from Florida. The Fort Lauderdale Collection South has one LaFerrari for sale with an asking price of $4.7 million. That's more than triple what Ferrari charged for it. The example in question bears the VIN ZFF76ZFA2E0205216 and appears to have been built for the US market in September 2014. It's done up in the classic combination of Rosso Corsa over a black interior and has just 388 miles on the odometer. It has a few options installed, including carbon-fiber side mirrors, a sports exhaust, and Prancing Horse logos embroidered into the headrests. Each of those options is worth a good grand or two on top of the list price, but their addition doesn't go very far toward explaining the enormous markup. With no other examples of LaFerrari having been sold at auction just yet, we don't have much of an indication of how much they're worth on the open market. According to Sports Car Market, the most anyone paid for the previous Enzo was just over $6 million this past August at the RM Sotheby's sale in Monterey, but that was the final example of the breed that was gifted to Pope John Paul II. Most of the rest have sold for a million or two – not over four. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ferrari LaFerrari for sale in Fort Lauderdale View 40 Photos News Source: Fort Lauderdale Collection South via The Supercar Kids Auto News Green Ferrari Car Buying Coupe Hybrid Supercars ferrari laferrari laferrari
Sergio Marchionne wants Alfa Romeo back in F1
Mon, Feb 15 2016It's been decades since Alfa Romeo has competed in Formula One. But if Sergio Marchionne gets his way, it could make a comeback soon. Now we know what you might be thinking: Alfa Romeo and Ferrari are both part of the same Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, so why would Marchionne want two brands competing against each other in such a costly racing series? Because technically speaking, Ferrari is no longer part of FCA, that's why. They share mostly the same owners and are run by the same person (Marchionne), but the Prancing Horse marque recently split off from its former parent company and floated its own shares on the stock market. That makes it a separate entity, and also means that FCA no longer has a direct link to F1. But its chief executive clearly thinks the investment is worthwhile. Marchionne has been known to state grandiose plans, but he's also been known to carry through on many of them. So the next question is, if the plan goes through, just how Alfa Romeo might participate in F1? Some automakers (like Mercedes) field their own teams, others (like Honda) compete as engine suppliers, and still others (like Infiniti) as branding partners. Alfa could go either route, but Marchionne told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport that "Alfa Romeo is able to make itself a chassis, and it is able to make engines." Of course, that doesn't mean that it necessarily will. It could outsource a chassis from a constructor like Dallara, which is located near the same Varano circuit that Alfa uses regularly. It could also source an engine from its former sister company: Marchionne floated the possibility of starting a separate engine program in Maranello for Red Bull when it was hunting for a new engine partner, and could ostensibly do the same for Alfa Romeo. "In order to re-establish itself as a sport brand, Alfa Romeo can and must consider the possibility of return to race in Formula 1," said Marchionne. "How? Probably in a collaboration with Ferrari." Alfa Romeo first competed in F1 in the early 1950s, winning the world championship two years running in 1950 with Giuseppe Farina (scion of Pininfarina) and 1951 with Juan Manuel Fangio. It then dropped out, only to resurface as a full constructor team between 1979 and 1985, with limited results. It also supplied engines to an array of teams in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.
Ferrari 250 California fit for Ferris may sell for millions
Sun, Feb 14 2016Planning on playing hooky for a day of adventure in, say, Chicago? You're going to need the right set of wheels. Something like the Ferrari you see here ought to do the trick. Coming up for auction at Amelia Island, this 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider is one of just 56 made – only 37 of which have those highly sought-after covered headlights. The short-wheelbase model followed the previous long-wheelbase version and featured a number of upgrades, including timeless coachwork by Scaglietti, a more nimble chassis, and four-wheel disc brakes. This particular example – bearing the VIN 2871 GT in classic red over black – starred alongside Sophia Loren in the film Ieri, Oggi, Domani. It was sold new in 1961 to Italian industrial designer Giangranco Frattini, who owned it for 17 years before selling it to one Terzo Dalia in 1978, who in turn sold it to its current owner in 1985. This represents the first time it's being offered for public sale. Gooding & Company anticipates it will fetch a good $16 million (give or take) when it crosses the auction block on March 11. That would, according to the records at Sports Car Market, put it right in the range of what California Spiders have been selling for in recent years – the record currently standing at $18.6 million paid for the Baillon barnfind example in Paris a year ago. If you have the means, to paraphrase our childhood hero, we highly recommend picking one up. Related Video: Gooding & Company Unveils Iconic 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider To Highlight Amelia Island Auction The Quintessential Ferrari 250 GT with Limited Ownership from New and Cinematic History SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 12, 2016) – Gooding & Company, the auction house acclaimed for selling the world's most significant and valuable collector cars, is privileged to announce the addition of a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider (estimate $15,000,000-$17,000,000) to be sold at the Amelia Island Auction on March 11, 2016. This highly coveted Ferrari is the 22nd SWB California Spider built and one of only 37 covered-headlight examples produced. Remarkably, it has been in the loving care of the current owner for over 30 years. "We are thrilled to present this California Spider to our clients," states David Gooding, President and Founder of Gooding & Company.
Will Ford's SUV blitz include the Bronco?
Sat, Feb 13 2016Ford announced this week it will add four sport-utility vehicles in the next four years, an ambitious bet on a segment the industry once shunned. This led to wild speculation about what form these utes will take. Here's what we know: They will be new nameplates, and Ford is thinking globally. That means at least one might not be a product with US intent. They will also be in segments where the company does not currently compete, Ford said. The Blue Oval isn't specifying exactly what's it's doing, so here are some of our theories. We think one will be called the Bronco, which is great news for enthusiasts. We hope it follows the Mustang playbook with some heritage styling, but a thoroughly modern execution. Ford needs an off-road Jeep Wrangler-fighter. Fuel prices are low and it's been 22 years since the infamous O.J. Simpson white Bronco chase. This is the best chance Ford will ever have to bring back this iconic name. Our man on the ground at the Chicago Auto show, Sebastian Blanco, reported that Ford sales and marketing vice president Mark LaNeve said a "mini utility" will also be one of the utes. This could be primarily an overseas play. We've also seen lots of spy shots of the EcoSport, a small crossover that Ford sells in India and other overseas markets, being tested on American roads. That is an existing nameplate. Maybe Ford adds a small ute related to the EcoSport in the United States, but calls it something else. We think Lincoln gets a three-row SUV out of the deal. It could slot between the MKX, which was new last year, and the Navigator. Lincoln is leaving money on the table by not being in this segment. The platform could be used for a Ford at some point, too. The Blue Oval brand does actually have a tweener three-row vehicle, the Flex, but this chassis might underpin a replacement. Or maybe Ford makes one of these a hybrid. The company laid out ambitious plans in December to ramp up its electrification strategy, something that could mean a dedicated hybrid SUV (Kia unveiled one of those right after LaNeve's speech in Chicago). It's also possible hybrid technology will be integrated into this new portfolio. The Escape used to have a hybrid sibling. Whatever form they ultimately take, Ford is betting heavily on SUVs. The company thinks they are what Baby Boomers and Millenials want and expects the segment will continue to grow. It's important to note: this will be a diversified strategy.
Harry leaves his Garage to drive Ferrari 488 in Maranello
Fri, Feb 12 2016Harry Metcalfe doesn't need to go anywhere these days. He's handed over the reins of the Evo magazine he founded and gone into retirement, enjoying some quiet time with the many drool-inducing cars in his expansive garage. In other words, it would take quite the car to get him to leave the serenity of the English countryside and fly all the way down to Italy and its industrial north. The Ferrari 488 GTB is just such a car. The Prancing Horse marque's latest mid-engined V8 supercar should require no introduction. It's the successor to the celebrated 458 Italia and a long line that stretches back through the F430, 360 Modena, F355, 348, and 328 straight through to the 308 GTB that debuted in 1975. Only unlike its naturally aspirated predecessors, the 488 has gone twin-turbo to reconnect more with the likes of the F40 and 288 GTO. That leaves the atmospheric sector of this particular territory to the Lamborghini Huracan and its unassisted V10, while cozying up closer to the McLaren 650S. But does it make it any less of a Ferrari, or a less-than-worthy successor to the 458? That's what Harry set out to find out on the roads in and around the factory's home town of Maranello. Watch the video above to find out how it stacks up in his esteemed opinion. Related Video: X News Source: Harry's Garage via YouTube Ferrari Coupe Supercars Videos ferrari 488 gtb harry metcalfe harrys garage
Lionel Messi jokes about rumors he bought 1957 Ferrari 335S
Fri, Feb 12 2016Rumors hint that star soccer player Lionel Messi was the highest bidder for the 1957 Ferrari 335S that sold for $34.9 million in Paris last week. He may have even outbid rival Cristiano Ronaldo to win the expensive Prancing Horse. Messi clearly heard about the speculation around his purchase and posted a photo of himself on Instagram holding Lightning McQueen from the Cars series. His jovial message read "My new car" and ended with several laughing emojis. According to Sport, the Ferrari's seller claimed Messi was the car's buyer in a press release about the auction, but the soccer star has decided to remain quiet. Sport further muddies the waters by citing anonymous sources close to Messi who deny he's the winning bidder. Whoever won the auction, we hope they let the public see this incredibly valuable, race-winning Ferrari sometime soon. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.
The troubled Alfa Romeo Giulia needs serious help [UPDATE]
Wed, Feb 10 2016UPDATE: An Alfa Romeo US spokesman responded to this article with the following statement: The safety concerns expressed in the story are false. The all-new 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia is designed and engineered to meet or exceed all federal safety regulations. The Alfa Romeo Giulia will begin production for the North American market in the late second-quarter of this year. Alfa Romeo will have a full product portfolio of premium vehicles that includes plans for (8) all-new Alfa Romeo vehicles by 2020. The product launches are prioritized by segment volumes starting this year with the Alfa Romeo Giulia production for North America starting in late Q2, followed by the Midsize-UV – the 2nd largest premium segment in North America. Even on the day you dragged them kicking and screaming and gesticulating wildly to a table full of concrete evidence, Alfa Romeo executives will never admit the Giulia program is going through a tough patch. But it is. Reports say the Giulia, on the eve of production, didn't just fail one internal crash test, but failed the front, side and rear impact tests. Alfa denies it. Automotive News published a report last week saying two suppliers had insisted the Giulia, on the eve of production, didn't just fail one internal crash test, but failed the front-, side-, and rear-impact tests. A third supplier source told us the same thing. Alfa is denying it. It was due on sale in Europe late last year and was supposed to be here in the next month or two. But it wasn't, and it won't. It was to be headlined by a twin-turbo V6 that reportedly howled its way around the Nurburgring 14 seconds faster than the BMW M3 could manage. That second part is only true if you believe it's fair to compare a full lap in a standard BMW M3 with a favorable accumulation of sector times to a development prototype Giulia with 220 pounds stripped out of it and rolling on hand-cut racing slicks. No, me neither. A Promising Start The Giulia's all-new architecture was developed in just two years by a skunkworks of young engineers headed by Fiat's engineering prince, Philippe Krief, and (bafflingly) sited inside Maserati's headquarters complex in Modena, about three hours from Alfa Romeo's own Turin HQ.