2005 Ferrari 430 Convertible on 2040-cars

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EV West launches monthly EV Show, starts with electric Ferrari project

The folks over at the EV West conversion shop are no strangers to video cameras, having put up a fair amount of footage on their YouTube channel over the years. Now though, they've decided to make their appearance on the web a more regular affair with the debut of the monthly EV Show. It aims, they say, to bring viewers the latest news in the electric vehicle industry, product information and a look at some of the projects they're working on. The outfit has had a hand in building and converting some notable vehicles in the past, but to kick off the new program, it's engaged in something special: the (re)making of an electric 1978 308 GTS Ferrari – a model made famous by its role in the Magnum P.I. television series. This particular vehicle had fallen victim to a fuel fire, though enough of the original non-necessary bits were in good enough condition to be sold off to help pay for part of the electro-restomod. After stripping the entire vehicle down, the build up will begin, and the components planned to bring this baby back to life are very interesting in their own right. For instance, the battery. Though the show hosts cagily don't mention the source of the pack, it's pretty clear it will be made of modules originally housed in a vehicle sporting a Tesla drivetrain (we suspect the 2nd-generation Smart ED.) The power will flow from these mystery batteries through a Rinehart controller and then on to a trio of chrome-plated, powder coated AC-51 motors from Hi Performance Electric Vehicle Systems housed in a custom bracket. The resulting configuration should be good for about 216 kW (290 horsepower) and 340 pound-feet of torque. You can keep up with this project and the many others the conversion shop has on the go by following them on Twitter and Facebook. The Ferrari project also has its own Instagram account. But first, check out the first episode of the EV Show by scrolling below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: YouTube Green Ferrari Green Culture Electric ev west electric ferrari

Ferrari considering return to Le Mans racing in 2015

Rumors are swirling that Ferrari may be contemplating a return to Le Mans racing as soon as 2015. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports the Italian automaker may apply the development of a new 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine for Formula One to an LMP1 car for Le Mans, and have it ready for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in two years. This follows hints made by Scuderia Ferrari CEO Stefano Domenicali last month that the newly developed F1 engine could be used for "some interesting projects."
Ferrari has a history of success in Le Mans racing, though it hasn't won the big endurance outright since 1965. The image above captures the exact moment when the No. 21 car of Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt crossed the finish line that year to win the race. That win was the last of six consecutive outright victories before the infamous arrival of the Ford GT40 in 1966. Despite never reaching the top of the podium again, Ferrari's nine wins still stand as the third most overall by a manufacturer behind Porsche (16) and Audi (11).
If Ferrari does return to Le Mans in 2015, the LMP1 class will suddenly be teaming with worthy competitors for Audi, which has dominated the race since 2000. After Peugeot's exit from the sport in early 2012, Toyota entered the race in 2012 and has continued to develop its TS030 Hybrid LMP1 car. Porsche, meanwhile, is well into developing a new LMP1 car that will first compete in next year's race.

Stellantis not looking for further mergers, including with Renault

MILAN — Stellantis Chairman John Elkann on Monday denied the carmaker was hatching merger plans, responding to press speculation about a possible French-led tie-up with rival Renault. Elkann said that the Peugeot owner, the world's third largest carmaker by sales, was focused on the execution of its long-term business plan. "There is no plan under consideration regarding merger operations with other manufacturers," said Elkann, who also heads Exor, the Agnelli family holding company that is the largest single shareholder in Stellantis. After abandoning the Russian market, at the time its second largest after France, and reducing the scope of its global cooperation with Nissan, Renault has been seen as a potential M&A target. Speculation intensified after an electric vehicle market slowdown forced it last week to cancel IPO plans for its EV and software unit Ampere. Its market cap remains stubbornly low at little over 10 billion euros ($10.8 billion) despite a financial recovery over the past few years. Stellantis, the product of a 2021 merger between France's PSA and Fiat Chrysler and one of the most profitable groups in the industry, has a market cap of more than 85 billion euros when unlisted shares are factored in. It has a 14 brand portfolio also including Citroen, Jeep, Opel and Alfa Romeo. NEWSPAPER REPORT Italian daily Il Messaggero had said on Sunday that the French government, which is Renault's largest shareholder and also has a stake in Stellantis, was studying plans for a merger between the two groups. A spokeswoman for Renault said on Monday the group did not comment on rumors. France's Finance Ministry had declined to comment on Sunday. Stellantis has crossed swords with the Italian government, which has accused it of acting against the national interest on occasions. Industry Minister Adolfo Urso last week raised the prospect of the Italian government taking a stake in Stellantis to help to balance the French influence. Renault shares pared gains after Elkann's comments to stand 1.2% higher by 1220 GMT, having initially risen more than 4%. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, a Portuguese-national, last week said in an interview with Bloomberg that the group was "ready for any kind of consolidation" and that its job was to make sure that it would be "one of the winners". Analysts, however, question the rationale of a Stellantis-Renault merger, which would also expand the group's excess capacity in Europe.