2005 Ferrari F430 Spyder Convertable on 2040-cars

Auto blog

LaFerrari XX to pack 1,050 hp

With 949 horsepower on tap, it would be hard to imagine Ferrari getting much more juice out of the 6.3-liter V12 hybrid powering its LaFerrari. But apparently, it's possible, as reports suggest that the forthcoming LaFerrari XX will pack somewhere closer to 1,050 hp.
This according to Top Gear, which reports that the successor to the Enzo-based FXX and the subsequent 599XX will be revealed next month in Abu Dhabi at the company's year-end Finale Mondiali extravaganza - the same event where, in years past, Ferrari has presented such extreme machines as the 458 Challenge Evoluzione, the aforementioned 599XX and the FXX Evoluzione.
When the subject of a LaFerrari XX first came up several months ago, Antonello Coletta - head of the department responsible for the XX program - said he couldn't picture the track version of the company's flagship hybrid hypercar being much faster or more powerful than the existing version. But where there's a will, there's a way. TG reports that the extra hundred horses have been corralled in the V12 and not in the electric motor, which will reportedly carry over essentially unchanged from the road-going model.

Ferrari IPO worth $1 billion to launch imminently

Or maybe not. Back in July, we reported that Ferrari's initial public offering could come any day, based on what FCA honcho Sergio Marchionne told reporters at an international economic forum. Marchionne himself ensured investors that the Maranello automaker was "days away" from filing the paperwork. That didn't happen. Now it's October, and the rumormill is churning about all things Ferrari IPO on the news that the company has filed amended IPO documents with the SEC on September 22. Like last time, the launch is apparently imminent – as early as today, reports CNBC – and sources are hearing an offer of $1 billion in stock, or roughly 10 percent of what FCA believes Ferrari to be worth. Back in July, Marchionne insisted that Ferrari was worth as much as $11 billion, despite experts at the time pointing out that this was much higher than even the company's internal assessment of the brand's value. Bloomberg is also reporting that demand for Ferrari stock may exceed supply by as much as 10 times, even before the IPO. Much of this value (as much as half) is derived from the brand as intellectual property, as opposed to its assets or profitability. Part of the brand value equation is Marchionne's attempt to reposition Ferrari as a "luxury" brand, as Business Insider notes – the word "luxury" is mentioned 151 times in the document. The broad universe of branded Ferrari goods, like luxury clothing and toys, are a strong illustration of Ferrari's power as a brand. For traditionalists and Ferrari fans jittery at the thought of their beloved manufacturer subject to the whims of shareholders, a few calming notes. Tech Times reports that the documents confirm that Ferrari will remain incorporated as an Italian company. More importantly, there's no indication at present that Ferrari's new emphasis on "luxury" will change their product plans, meaning ever-faster exotic cars will continue to roll out of Maranello for now.Related Video:

Formula One speeds towards radical thousand-horsepower shakeup

The teams, the drivers, the fans, the circuits... few, if any, were satisfied with how Formula One has shaped up since the current regulations took hold last year. But that doesn't mean they aren't working on it. At a recent meeting of the F1 Strategy Group, the leading parties in the sport outlined a new framework that would radically shake up the cars themselves while keeping costs in check. And the biggest change could see the engines producing around 1,000 horsepower. Although a proposal put forth by Ferrari to ditch the current V6 hybrid engines in favor of new twin-turbocharged units was rejected by Honda and Mercedes, the members of the group approved in principal to increase the fuel flow in the existing engines to dramatically boost output. As it stands, the current 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engines develop around 600 horsepower, with an additional 160 or so kicked in by the electric Energy Recovery System, for a combined output of about 760 hp. What's not clear at the moment is whether the increased fuel flow would necessitate either the return of mid-race refueling (currently banned) or the installation of larger fuel tanks. Red Bull and McLaren also submitted proposals to radically redesign the shape of the cars as well, however a more evolutionary approach was adopted instead. Though far from finalized, the new design would keep the same basic form of the current chassis, but with adjustments to make them more aesthetically pleasing while producing more downforce. Wider tires are also said to be part of the mix. With more power and more grip from the tires and aero, the resulting cars would most certainly end up going much faster than the current ones, which are already starting to nudge the lap records at some of the circuits, many of which were set during the V10 era. The F1 Strategy Group is made up of representatives of the FIA, Formula One Management and six leading teams. The next step will be for the teams' technical directors to iron out how to implement what their bosses have agreed to. If they settle the details fast enough, the revised regulations could be pushed through in time for next season. News Source: AutosportImage Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Motorsports Ferrari Honda Infiniti McLaren Mercedes-Benz F1