1980 Ferrari 328 Gts on 2040-cars

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Race Recap: 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans defines 'endurance'

Commenting on the rush of events that rocked beginning and end of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Paul Truswell of Radio Le Mans said "the race is about the ability to endure, not just the ability of drivers to do what they do for a long time." The entire race machine, all the way down to the pit boards and radios, has to survive the stress and abuse of the entire day. This was the race to prove those words.
There were two Toyotas, two Porsches and three Audis, five of the seven led the race at some point, six of the seven ran in the top three. Toyota will be hugely disappointed that it didn't win when its car and drivers were so, so strong, but they gave Audi the kind of scare we haven't seen since the best of Peugeot's days, and Toyota did a better job of it even in the loss. Porsche blew away everyone's expectations, falling 3.5 hours short of a fairy tale ending that would have made Disney cry.
But Le Mans doesn't really do fairy tales. Well, not that fairy tale. Audi's Twitter handle during the event was #welcomechallenges. As usual, Le Mans answered for the entire field.

Ferrari LaFerrari is beautifully redundant

The successor the Ferrari Enzo has officially bowed. Ferrari pulled the sheets back on the oddly named LaFerrari at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, calling the machine the "maximum expression" of what defines the automaker. In this case, that includes a 6.3-liter V12 engine with 789 horsepower married to a 160-hp electric motor. The combination is good for a full 949 hp and 663 pound-feet of torque, and Ferrari says the LaFerrari can punch to 62 miles per hour in under three seconds. Keep your foot planted and 124 mph will click by in a scant seven seconds, while top speed sits at a lofty 205 mph.
Engineers turned to a total of four different types of hand-laminatated carbon fiber to create a chassis that's both stiffer and lighter than would have otherwise been possible. With a 41/59 weight distribution, carbon-ceramic brakes and ultra-light calipers, the LaFerrari is unlike anything we've seen from the company to date. The automaker says its creation is the fastest in its long history. You can take a look at the in-depth press release below for more information, and be sure to check out the model's new site here.

Ferrari FXX K could get even more extreme Evoluzione version

Whenever a new Ferrari comes out – a mid-engined one especially – speculation begins to ramp up over how the boys in Maranello could make it even faster. When the 458 Italia was revealed, for example, focus immediately turned to what would become the 458 Speciale – just as the F430 begat the 430 Scuderia before it. Ditto LaFerrari, which was instantly projected to breed a new track variant, and that's exactly what we got with the debut of the FXX K in Abu Dhabi last month. And now that it's here, speculation is beginning to mount for an even more hardcore Evoluzione version. Look over the history of Ferrari's Corse Cliente version and you'll see the original Enzo-based FXX was followed by an FXX Evoluzione, and the subsequent 599XX bred a similarly enhanced 599XX Evoluzione. It would stand to reason, then, that an FXX K Evoluzione could be in the cards, but it won't come anytime soon. Speaking with Autocar, Ferrari test driver, former grand prix pilot and Le Mans winner Marc Gene said, "Right now, I think we cannot improve" on the FXX K, "but no doubt something will come up. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens, but it won't be in two years." Approximately three years separated the debut of the FXX and FXX Evo, but the 599XX was only out for a year or two before the 599XX Evoluzione came around. If and when a FXX K Evo does arrive, Gene figures it will focus more on weight reduction, efficiency and handling than on power. As it is, the FXX K already produces 1,035 horsepower, after all. Given the nature of the XX development program, however, owners of the FXX K can expect their track machine to get incrementally more advanced as the Prancing Horse marque uses the program to test new components.