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Weekly Recap: Ferrari pens a provocative F1 car of the future

Scuderia Ferrari unveiled its vision of the future for Formula One this week, revealing sketches of a sleek, muscular racecar. Called the Concept F1, Ferrari is showcasing the design to start a conversation about the next generation of Formula One cars and spur interest in the sport, which has been maligned for its unattractive racecars in recent years. The Concept F1 was penned by the company's in-house studio, Centro Stile Ferrari, with input from its aerodynamics department. Though the sketches look futuristic, the company says the design could be executed without changing F1 regulations. From its beginning, Ferrari's racecars have had both form and function, winning on the track and turning heads with everything from the 250 Testa Rossa, 330 P3, Michael Schumacher's single-seaters from the early 2000s and many others. That lineage led the Scuderia's leaders to survey the paddock, wring their hands and come up with the Concept F1. As Ferrari said on its website: "Our challenge was to create something that was – to put it short – better looking." It's a philosophy that was implemented for this season's car, the SF15-T. While not groundbreaking in appearance, Ferrari cleaned up the design, particularly up front, and the racecar now has a more attractive nose that delivers better aerodynamics. It's more of the same in back, where a tighter design creates more downforce. "This year's car is certainly an awful lot better looking than last year's car," Ferrari technical director James Allison said in a video on the Scuderia's website. The updates come as Ferrari, and all F1 teams, get a better handle on the extensive 2014 rule changes that brought back turbocharged engines and altered the aerodynamic regulations for the series. Less dramatic changes also are going into effect this year. Ferrari, which is coming off a disappointing fourth-place finish in the World Championship, is obviously looking to the future. Appearances have always mattered for the red cars. We'll see if they bring the Scuderia success this season and beyond. Other News and Notes Next-generation Chrysler Town & Country spied Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is hard at work on the next-gen Town & Country minivan, and our spy shooters have captured heavily covered prototypes during testing on the road. We can't tell anything about the exterior design, though we see glimpses of an instrument panel (which looks vaguely Dodge Charger-esque) and infotainment screen inside.

Rolls-Royce rolls out more powerful Ghost V-Specification

With the release of the 624-horsepower Wraith fastback, Rolls-Royce proved that its 6.6-liter V12 engine could produce significantly more than the 563 horsepower it offers in the Ghost. But those looking for an extra dose of power yet still want the extra two doors - and have the six-figure price of admission to burn - will be delighted by the release of the Ghost V-Specification.
Although Goodwood has yet to put out a press release, its consumer website already has all the details we could want: the engine has been upgraded to 593 horsepower (to sit in between the base Ghost and the more powerful Wraith), driving the rear set of 21-inch two-tone alloys. Buyers will be able to choose from white, grey or three shades of black (or pick an existing color from the catalog), with a hand-painted coachline incorporating the same V-Specification emblem you'll find inside, where you'll also find unique piping and top-stitching, a custom dashboard clock, special treadplates and more.
Buyers will also be able to order their V-Specification Ghost in either standard or extended wheelbases at a price that's expected to, like the engine's output, bridge the gap between the more sedate Ghost and the more powerful Wraith. We're looking forward to seeing it in person at the Geneva Motor Show in a few months, but for now you can scope out the images in the gallery below and play with the configurator tool on the Rolls-Royce website.

Autoblog's top 50 car photos of 2016

This one shouldn't need much explanation. We like cars a whole lot, and that includes not just driving them but taking great pictures of them. We've collected our 50 favorite images from this year in the mega-gallery above. It's a mix of old and new, with a healthy dose of vintage and modern race cars mixed in, and not one single shot under the harsh lights of an auto show. So click through and enjoy. Featured Gallery Autoblog's Top 50 Photos of 2016 View 50 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Autoblog.com Audi BMW Chevrolet Dodge Ferrari Ford Lamborghini Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Porsche Rolls-Royce Volvo Convertible Coupe Motorcycle Luxury Racing Vehicles Performance Supercars Classics