2011 Ferrari 599 Gtb Fiorano on 2040-cars

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Beautiful Ferrari 250 California poised to break hearts, records

If you think buying a new Ferrari is expensive, just look at the prices collectors pay at auction for some of the brand's most desirable classics. The figures regularly delve well into eight figures. As in, tens of millions of dollars. One of the most sought-after is the Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, and the one you see here looks poised to raise the bar yet again. One of only 56 made (and just 16 with open headlights), chassis number 2505 GT is an exceptional example of the breed in Blu Scuro with Pelle Beige interior. Unlike most Californias that were sent to the US, this particular one was delivered new within Italy, where it remained until 1974 when it moved to Switzerland for 20 years. Since undergoing full restoration by Ferrari's own Classiche department, it won top honors at the Cavallino Classic and honorable mention at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, it's been displayed at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello and was even driven by Luca di Montezemolo himself in the parade at the Finali Mondiali in Valencia a few years ago. Now it's going up for auction by RM Sotheby's at Villa d'Este next month, where it is sure to fetch a pretty penny or two. (And by "two," we mean "bajillion.") It's got quite an act to follow: the last time a California Spider traded hands, it sold for a record $18.5 million – and that was an unrestored barnfind – eclipsing the pristine example Gooding sold last summer for over $15 million. The records at Sports Car Market demonstrate that California Spiders hold the top spots for the most expensive variants of the iconic 250 GT ever sold at auction, and though pre-sale estimates place its value between $12 and 14 million, we wouldn't be surprised to see it fetch much more once the gavel drops. Though surely the most valuable, it's not the only collectible Ferrari up for grabs at the event on Lake Como this year. The California will be joined by a 1950 Ferrari 195 Inter Berlinetta along with an enviable quartet of Prancing Horse supercars (288 GTO, F40, F50 and Enzo) as well as a rare 599 GTB with a six-speed and HGTE package and a single-owner 575 Superamerica.

Ecclestone wonders if F1's upcoming turbo V6s should get augmented sound [w/videos]

While every team on the Formula One grid is worried about making a good showing in this year's championship at the same time as they develop a brand-new car for next year's championship, Bernie Ecclestone and F1 circuit promoters have a different concern: how next year's cars will sound. The current cars use 2.4-liter, naturally-aspirated V8s that can reach 18,000 revolutions per minute and employ dual exhaust, next year's engine formula calls for 1.4-liter turbocharged V6s that are capped at 15,000 rpm and are constrained to a single exhaust outlet. Ecclestone and promoters like Ron Walker believe the new engines sound like lawnmowers and that the less thrilling audio will keep people from coming to races. If Walker's Australian Grand Prix really is shelling out almost $57 million to hold the race, every ticket counts. As a fix, according to a report in Autoweek, Ecclestone "suggests that the only way to guarantee [a good sound] may be to artificially adjust the tone of the V6s."
However, neither the manufacturers nor the governing body of F1, the FIA, think there will be a problem. Ecclestone fears that if the manufacturers "don't get it right" they'll simply leave the sport, but the only three carmakers and engine builders left next year, Renault (its 2014 "power unit" is pictured), Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari are so embedded that it would stretch belief to think they'd leave the table over an audio hiccup - if said hiccup even occurs. And frankly, these issues always precede changes to engine formulas, as they did when the formula switched from V10 to V8; fans, though, are probably less focused on the engines and more on the mandated standardization of the sport and the spec-series overtones that have come with it.
No one knows yet what next year's engines will sound like, but we've assembled a few videos below to help us all start guessing. The first is an engine check on an Eighties-era John Player Special Renault with a 1.5-liter V6 turbo, after that is Ayrton Senna qualifying in 1986 in the Lotus 98T that also had a 1.5-liter V6 turbo, then you'll find a short with a manufactured range of potential V6 engine notes, and then the sound of turbocharged V6 Indycars testing last year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Any, or none of them, could be Formula One's future.

Want to buy a worst-in-show-winning Faux Ferrari Fiero?

UPDATE: This heap sold for $5,001. But don't fret, there are more terrible cars out there for the taking if that's your thing. Today we bring you something truly terrible. It's not just a fake Ferrari built on the guts of an old Pontiac Fiero, it's actually the world's worst fake Ferrari built on the guts of an old Pontiac Fiero. And it's got the award from the Concours d'Lemons to prove it. It's so heinous, in fact, that it has somehow managed to become desirable, at least judging by the bidding history of this bright red affront to Maranello. Powered by a 140-horsepower 2.8-liter V6 engine (covered by an unconvincing and broken fake V12 cover) hooked to an automatic gearbox, this gloriously poor Prancing Horse won't be winning many stoplight drag races. There are bundles of stray wires hanging down from the dashboard, it has high mileage, most of its lights don't work, and it's ugly. Like, really ugly. And to top it off, this Fauxrarri can't currently be registered in its home state of California because it has failed its most recent smog test. Put simply, you're looking at a total piece of junk. But a piece of junk with internet notoriety, having been featured on an episode of Jay Leno's Garage after attending the 2019 Quail Motorsports Gathering — by mistake at first, and then earning a special place next to the porta potties — being the focus of a video series on YouTube and winning the aforementioned ribbon for Worst in Show at Lemons. Somehow, bidding has topped $4,000 at the time of this writing. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. If you want to earn the ire of your neighbors — and to be clear, we really wouldn't recommend it — click on over to Cars & Bids to view the auction. There are four days left to hit the "bid" button. Consider yourself warned. Related Video: