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Ferrari configurator lets you play 458 Speciale customer

We all wish we had an extra $300,000 just lying around that we could spend on a supercar. And if we did, we don't doubt that the Ferrari 458 Speciale would be near the top of our list. It's hard, after all, to argue with 600 naturally aspirated horsepower churning away right behind your seat. Unfortunately few of us have that kind of scratch. That's where online configurators come in.
While these web-based customization tools don't exactly let you drive off the lot in a six-figure supercar, they can at least let you pretend that you're the kind of person who would (or more pertinently, could) do just that. And Ferrari's latest is among the cooler ones we've seen.
Like most online configuration tools, Maranello's lets you choose the colors of the bodywork and which wheels you want, but also lets you choose brake calipers, racing stripes and all manner of carbon-fiber aero components. Step inside and the choices are even more extensive, from the size and shape of seats to the color of the tachometer.

Robert De Niro cast as Enzo Ferrari in new film

In one of Robert De Niro's early defining roles, he portrays a young Vito Corleone as a man climbing up the ranks of the New York underworld in flashbacks during The Godfather: Part II. Soon, we might see De Niro stepping into the shoes of a godfather from the Italian sports car industry in a biopic about Enzo Ferrari. According to The Guardian, De Niro recently told an Italian newspaper that the film would go into production soon and would shoot in Italy. This project apparently holds a high priority for him, and in addition to starring, De Niro's company is co-producing. It could be a while before we see the film in theaters because the script is still being written. We're also told that Clint Eastwood might sit in the director's chair, if he likes the story. Ferrari had a life every bit as fascinating as many fictional characters with stints as a racecar driver, an engineer and of course a canny businessman. He also held a long passion for motorsports, which could make for some very exciting scenes. According to The Guardian, the film would focus on Ferrari's life from around the founding of his sportscar company in the mid '40s through to his death in the late '80s. With characters like Jake Lamotta in Raging Bull and Sam Rothstein in Casino under his belt, De Niro certainly has shown the chops to portray a larger-than-life figure like Ferrari. Hopefully, he has retained the clout to get the film finished, though. Similar motorsports biographies haven't made it to the screen, such as the supposed Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise flick Go Like Hell or the Mad Men-inspired TV show about sports car racing in the '50s and '60s. Related Video:

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.