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Ferrari 612 Scaglietti gets the shooting brake treatment

As much as we love shooting brakes, since they're basically two-door wagons, the world clearly isn't willing to buy them. Most remain concepts or just designs. But someone took up Dutch coachbuilder Vandenbrink on its design for a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti shooting brake. The company finished the car this year, and the results are impressive. The shooting brake's roof fits the existing roofline of the Ferrari well, and the car's signature wide haunches haven't been hidden. The hatchback also looks like Ferrari included it from the beginning, making the car look like a precursor to the FF and GTC4Lusso. The skylights in the roof are also fascinating, and they surely make the rear seats less claustrophobic. Vandenbrink's choice of the 612 Scaglietti is a good one, too, even if it was partly dictated by the fact the company penned this design over a decade ago. It's a classic grand touring car designed to be fast but comfortable. Its large size, particularly its prominent prow, suits a long-roof design, too. The one part we slightly question are the rear pillars, which even with some creases to break them up, look a bit large and out of place. This is currently the only example of the 612 shooting brake, but Vandenbrink is happy to build additional cars on request. The company says it will work with buyers every step of the way to make sure their example is customized exactly as they wish, from the paint to the equipment. Vandenbrink even suggests it could make one geared toward horse riding or falconry. There's no price for the vehicle, though, which is probably due to the fact that each one will be custom ordered and the cost will vary. And this is undoubtedly a car you can't afford if you have to ask the price. Vandenbrink is also happy to create one of a few other sports cars, such as a roadster version of the 599 GTB Fiorano. All you have to do is ask and bring tons of money.

When a Ferrari and a Toyota GT86 get jiggy, strange things happen

Swapping V8s into small Japanese cars is not new. In fact, swapping V8s into small sportscars from anywhere is not new. From the original Cobra to the modern FR-S and BRZ, big V8 power in a light, lithe chassis has been delicious combination rivaling the Reese's peanut butter cup. People familiar with these swaps know that American iron is the preferred source for large-displacement grunt, but Ryan Tuerck and Gumout have taken a different route, specifically from Italy. Replacing the 2.0-liter flat-4 of this Toyota GT86 is a Ferrari F136 V8. Unfortunately that's about the only detail we really know about this project. The F136 was used in the F430, California and 458 Italia, and all with varying displacement and output. So we don't even know which of those variants this engine is. If it came from a California, that'd at least make the front-engine location easier to fabricate. No matter though, it's still a Ferrari engine in a small car, and that's awesome. And Donut Media, the company that produced the video, promises more details down the road. In the meantime, enjoy this video preview of the project. Related Video: Related Gallery 2017 Toyota 86: New York 2016 View 12 Photos Aftermarket Weird Car News Ferrari Toyota Performance Videos sports car toyota gt86 engine swap 86 flat-four

2016 British Grand Prix kept mostly calm and carried on

Three bursts of chaos decided the course of the British Grand Prix. The first was a literal cloudburst a dozen minutes before the race, which poured water on the Silverstone Circuit while drivers sat on the grid. Six minutes before the lights-out, the race director decided to start the race behind the Safety Car. The field loped around the wet track for five laps. When the Safety Car pulled off, the three leaders – Mercedes-AMG Petronas' Lewis Hamilton, followed by teammate Nico Rosberg and Red Bull's Max Verstappen – stayed out. Behind them, the second chaotic moment occurred: a big group of drivers made pit stops for intermediate tires. When Manor's Pascal Wehrlein spun at Turn 1 on Lap 7, officials issued a Virtual Safety Car. With the rest of the field slowed down, the three leaders ducked into the pits on Lap 8 for intermediates. The fortuitous timing meant all three drivers rejoined the track in their original positions. By Lap 9, with racing resumed, Hamilton had a 4.9-second lead on Rosberg. From that point, even as the track dried, no one bothered Hamilton during what one commentator called "a measured drive." The Brit won his home grand prix, taking the checkered flag seven seconds ahead of Rosberg. Rosberg had to earn second place on track. The German's car didn't respond well to the intermediate tires, so Verstappen excecuted an outstanding pass on Rosberg on the outside through Chapel on Lap 16. After everyone switched to slicks, Rosberg's Mercedes reclaimed its mojo and the German hunted Verstappen down, passing the Dutchman on Lap 38. The final touch of chaos happened when Rosberg's gearbox threw a tantrum on Lap 47 of the 52-lap race. Rosberg radioed his engineer, "Gearbox problem!" His engineer replied, "Affirm. Chassis default zero one. Avoid seventh gear, Nico." The race stewards allowed the engineer's first two statements, but stewards said the instruction about seventh gear contravened the rule that "the driver must drive the car alone and unaided." After the race, officials added ten seconds to Rosberg's time, demoting him to third behind Verstappen. Rosberg's is the first penalty arising from radio communication restrictions. Unsurprisingly, Mercedes will appeal. At this year's Baku race the radio controversy stemmed from engineers refusing to tell drivers what to do. Now we know what happens when the pit wall gets loose lips.