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James May's Ferrari 488 GTB road test makes us miss Top Gear

Whoever the BBC lines up for the next iteration of Top Gear, the reality with which we're coming to grips is that the show will likely never be the same. The question is whether the departing hosts will ever be the same without each other, and without the show that brought them together. This clip could go a long way towards answering that question, though. In this video review for the Driving section of the Sunday Times, James May joined the gaggles of gathering journalists in Maranello to check out the new Ferrari 488 GTB. And suffice it to say, it's not quite as entertaining (or even as well-informed) as most of the segments in which we've grown accustomed to seeing Captain Slow driving fast cars. James does have some rather relevant experience he might have imparted, though, seeing as how he didn't just drive the ultimate version of the preceding model – he went out and bought himself a 458 Speciale shortly before losing his job. So with GBP200k of car payments to make, we're hardly surprised to see him fronting for another operation. Whether it's worthy of him or not, you'll want to watch the clip to decide for yourself.

All the cars of the monster Baillon Collection barn find are headed to auction [w/video]

Automotive barn finds are exciting for the thrill and surprise of the hunt. Of course, you're far more likely to find a rusting Chevy under a tarp, but there's always that chance to scoop up a forgotten Porsche or Shelby for a song. That aspect makes the massive Roger Baillon Collection so bittersweet. There were so many great classics sitting under an open shed in France, but they were there so long that many of them became just bare husks. Ahead of the February 6 auction in Paris, auction house Artcurial has released descriptions and images of the entire 59-car hoard. While the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider and 1956 Maserati A6G 2000 Gran Sport Berlinetta Frua remain the stars, there are a few surprises among the bunch. The original announcement makes no mention of several modern Ferraris – at least compared to the rest of the collection – among the lots. They include a thoroughly beat 1982 308 GTSi without headlights and portions of the paint gone. There's also a 1988 Mondial Cabriolet that looks good on the outside, but Artcurial says needs a mechanical overhaul. A rather attractive gray 1978 400 GT is in similar condition. Scroll through the gallery above for the names and price estimates for all of the vehicles in the collection. If there's one you're particularly interested in there are even more photos and full descriptions in Artcurial's auction catalog. Also check out the video below to see what some of these classics looked like before they were hauled out of Baillon's lean-to after years of sitting in decrepitude. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Roger Baillon Collection Auction View 59 Photos News Source: Artcurial, Artcurial Briest - Poulain - F. Tajan via YouTube Ferrari Maserati Auctions Classics ferrari 250 retromobile artcurial

Sebastian Vettel gets to work at Fiorano [w/videos]

He wore a BMW Sauber uniform for his grand prix debut, the colors of Scuderia Toro Rosso for his first win and the Red Bull Racing jumpsuit for his four consecutive world titles. But with the 2014 Formula One season now behind him, Sebastian Vettel is now officially a Ferrari man, and he donned scarlet for the first time this past weekend when he got down to work in Maranello. Aside from meeting with the company's new chairman Sergio Marchionne, the Scuderia's new principal Maurizio Arrivabene and a team of race engineers, Vettel took the F2012 – similar if not the very same one in which his predecessor Fernando Alonso won the Malaysian, European and German grands prix – out onto the company's private test track. He completed a solid 100 laps around Fiorano on Saturday and undertook long sessions driving the virtual F14 T on the sumulator. "It's been a fantastic day to come here," Vettel said of his first day with the team. "The possibility to drive the car and get to know the team was a unique experience.... I'm very much looking forward to the challenge that we took on for the next years." Scope out the photos of Vettel in red in the gallery above and the footage from his first session at Fiorano and first visit to Maranello in the videos below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Sebastian gets down to business in Fiorano Maranello, 2 December – Last Saturday, Sebastian Vettel did his first laps as a Scuderia Ferrari driver, at the wheel of an F2012, at the Fiorano track. The German did around a hundred laps and it wasn't just a case of getting to know the team, the track and the car's systems: after a few cautious runs, he began to push and enjoy himself, even though the damp track meant conditions were tricky with less than optimal grip. In this video, you can see some spectacular highlights from Sebastian's run, from which it's clear that he is a determined character who really can't wait to get down to work alongside Kimi and the team to get the Scuderia back to the top again. ### Vettel: "A special feeling" Maranello, 1 December – This was the first weekend as a Scuderia Ferrari driver for Sebastian Vettel, who has been at Maranello from Saturday until today and has begun his work ahead of the new season.