1988 Ferrari Testarossa on 2040-cars

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1957 Ferrari 335 S could set auction record at $30+ million

This car that could set the record for the highest price to be paid for an automobile at auction in 2016 – by the second month of the year, no less. It's a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider, and it's going up for sale at Artcurial in Paris next month, with an estimate topping $30 million. Though it may look a lot like the iconic 250 Testa Rossa that came out the same year, chassis number 0674 actually started out its life as a 315 S and fitted with coachwork by Scaglietti. After finishing sixth at Sebring and second in the Mille Miglia, it returned to Maranello and was upgraded to 335 S spec. The 3.8-liter V12 was enlarged to 4.1 liters, and its output swelled from 360 horsepower to nearly 400. Mike Hawthorn drove it at Le Mans that year, leading the race and setting a lap record before dropping down to fifth with mechanical troubles. It went on to compete in several more events as part of the factory Scuderia, helping it secure the title in 1957. It was then sold to famed US importer Luigi Chinetti who campaigned it for another couple of years, winning (among others) the 1958 Cuba Grand Prix with Stirling Moss and Masten Gregory behind the wheel. The 335 S was ultimately sold to noted collector Pierre Bardinon. Asked once why he didn't have a factory collection, Enzo Ferrari once said he had "no need" because "Bardinon has done it for me." That's high praise indeed, and the car remained one of the highlights of the Bardinon collection for over 40 years. Having liquidated the Baillon barnfind collection last year, the auction house estimates that this 335 S will sell for $30-34 million. That would not only set the bar very high for the year ahead, but could make it one of the highest price ever paid for a car at auction. 2014 saw a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sell for nearly $40 million, and a 250 GTO for $38 million. Behind them is Fangio's Mercedes W196 Silver Arrow that sold for nearly $30 million in 2013. The auction is set to take place during the Salon Retromobile in the French capital on February 5th. Among the other Prancing Horses that Artcurial has corralled for the event include a 1963 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta (estimated at $10–13.2m), Gianni Agnelli's unique 1986 Ferrari Testrossa Spider ($750k-1m), and a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series 2 that belonged to the King of Morocco ($1.5-1.9m). So if it's a multi-million-dollar Ferrari you're after, Paris will be the place to be in a couple of weeks.

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.

Who would win in a race if the Super Bowl teams were cars?

Until the last down is played this Sunday, we will have the annoyance pleasure of listening to analysts bicker between who will win the Super Bowl, not unlike automotive analysts who do the same thing with cars. If I had a dollar for every conversation about what car would win against another on a specific track, I wouldn't be buying the raw avocados this year for my guacamole. Instead I would be purchasing organic avocados and have the guacamole served in a Ferrari-themed bowl. Yes, those exist. Even so, we still watch year after year knowing full well that the pre-game analysis typically adds up to less than what is left over in the chip bowl after the last guest leaves. Let's take a different approach to analysis this year, let's compare these teams to their vehicle equivalent to decide who would win in a fair race. How do you determine a fair race? When I think of a fair race I think of the Nurburgring. A track that is 12.9 miles, has 1,000 feet of elevation change, and is famously nicknamed The Green Hell by famed driver Jackie Stewart. Although your Supra may beat The Flash himself in a straight line, chances are once you push it to the limits on a 12.9-mile track your brakes will smell like a bonfire and your suspension will have gone into cardiac arrest twice. So if we're racing The 'Ring, what are we driving? To best answer that question we must determine what characteristics define these teams. Not being someone who knows more about my fantasy league than my significant other, I can only go off what I have heard from "experts." The Panthers are honestly known for Cam Newton. Cam is a versatile, fast, brash, and fairly young quarterback. He apologizes for nothing and has Ali-like confidence that shows in his choice of Liberace-type attire. Although he looks to be the favorite, he hasn't yet won a Super Bowl and the team's second-half performances are less than climatic. In racing terms, he has won a lot but no one has seen him race in the dark at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Panthers have a ton of acceleration, a brand new chassis, and a driver who is hungry for that first big win. On the other side of the track are the Broncos. It seems as though the Broncos are known for two things, a nostalgic quarterback and a defense that could strike fear into a Honey Badger. If the Broncos were just one component of a vehicle they would be the brakes, and these brakes are outfitted for a locomotive.