1988 Ferrari Testarossa Coupe. Stunning, Very Rare Example. No Reserve! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Supercar 'Holy Trinity' raced at the track, drag strip, and to 186 mph

There was a time when we weren't sure if we'd ever get the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, and Porsche 918 Spyder on the track together. Now, we've have a multi-part series dissecting how each supercar approaches all kinds of go-fast tasks. Supercar Driver (SCD) looks at their performances around the track, on the drag strip, and on a runway. SCD didn't get any help from the automakers, it used three cars all owned by one British gentleman, Paul Bailey. The first video has British Touring Car Championship driver Mat Jackson running all three around Silverstone. The second video takes the coupes to Santa Pod Raceway to run the quarter-mile. The third video runs them out to Bruntingthorpe Airfield for a drag race to 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph). We found that latter video especially interesting because SCD shows a graph of how fast each car hit speed marks, and it's interesting to see where the winner made up all of its time and the where the third-place getter lost its time. Nota bene, the McLaren is using its fly-paper sticky Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires. You'll find the first video in the series above, the second two videos below. If you still haven't had enough, then check out the Hyper 5 three-part series by Alejandro Solomon filmed at California's Thermal Raceway, starting with the Holy Trinity and adding the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport and Pagani Huayra. Chris Harris also did fantastic work around Portimao with the help of Marino Franchitti and Tiff Needell, with assistance from the factories. 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. Ferrari McLaren Porsche Convertible Coupe Hybrid Luxury Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars Videos porsche 918 spyder mclaren p1 ferrari laferrari

Are supercars becoming less special?

There's little doubt that we are currently enjoying the golden age of automotive performance. Dozens of different models on sale today make over 500 horsepower, and seven boast output in excess of 700 hp. Not long ago, that kind of capability was exclusive to supercars – vehicles whose rarity, performance focus, and requisite expense made them aspirational objects of desire to us mortals. But more than that, supercars have historically offered a unique driving experience, one which was bespoke to a particular model and could not be replicated elsewhere. But in recent years, even the low-volume players have been forced to find the efficiencies and economies of scale that formerly hadn't been a concern for them, and in turn the concept of the supercar as a unique entity unto itself is fading fast. The blame doesn't fall on one particular manufacturer nor a specific production technique. Instead, it's a confluence of different factors that are chipping away at the distinction of these vehicles. It's not all bad news – Lamborghini's platform sharing with Audi for the Gallardo and the R8 yielded a raging bull that was more reliable and easier to live with on a day-to-day basis, and as a result it went on to become the best-selling Lambo in the company's history. But it also came at the cost of some of the Italian's exclusivity when eerily familiar sights and sounds suddenly became available wearing an Audi badge. Even low-volume players have been forced to find economies of scale. Much of this comes out of necessity, of course. Aston Martin's recent deal with Mercedes-AMG points toward German hardware going under the hood and into the cabin of the upcoming DB11, and it's safe to assume that this was not a decision made lightly by the Brits, as the brand has built a reputation for the bespoke craftsmanship of its vehicles. There's little doubt that the DB11 will be a fine automobile, but the move does jeopardize some of the characteristic "specialness" that Astons are known for. Yet the world is certainly better off with new Aston Martins spliced with DNA from Mercedes-AMG rather than no new Astons at all, and the costs of developing cutting-edge drivetrains and user interfaces is a burden that's becoming increasingly difficult for smaller manufacturers to bear. Even Ferrari is poised to make some dramatic changes in the way it designs cars.

Ferrari celebrates 70th anniversary on the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach

Ferrari is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, so it's no surprise that the legendary Italian automaker played a large part in the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this past weekend in the Monterey Peninsula. Four separate classes of Ferraris were featured including Grand Touring, Competition, Major Race Winners, and One-Offs. You can view the photos from the 18th fairway in the gallery above, or scroll down below to read about some of our favorites with descriptions courtesy of the Pebble Beach Concours Car Guide. 1958 Ferrari 335 Sport Scaglietti Spyder Three Ferrari 335 Sport Spyders with V12, 4-liter engines were built in 1957 — and then Luigi Chinetti persuaded Enzo Ferrari to build one more. This Spyder (chassis 0764) was completed by Scaglietti at the end of 1958. It was first presented at the New York Auto Show and was soon nicknamed the "Super Testa Rossa." Alan Connell purchased the car and raced it at Road America, Watkins Glen, Daytona and Nassau in 1959 and 1960. Thereafter it was owned, driven and enjoyed by several different collectors, and in 1990 it was notably lent to Phil Hill to drive in the Mille Miglia Storica. The current owner acquired the Spyder in 2013. 1967 Ferrari 412 P Competizione To replace the successful Ferrari P3, the factory developed the intermediate 412 P race car — also known as the P3/4. Designed by Mauro Forghieri, the 412 P features an aluminum body that owes its shape to the Ferrari wind tunnel, and the car develops 420 bhp due to its 4-liter, V12 engine with six Weber carburetors. This 412 P (chassis 0850) was purchased by the Ecurie Nationale Belge team of Jacques Swaters, and it raced in bright yellow livery at various events in 1967 and 1968. It finished second overall at the 1,000-km Race at Montlhery in 1967, and it won the Cote de Condroz and Cote de la Roche Hill Climbs in 1968. The car was also entered in the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona when Ferraris famously finished 1-2-3. After its racing days concluded at the end of 1968, the 412 P was converted to street use for Dean Martin, Jr. and was often seen on roads around Hollywood. It is shown here at Pebble Beach for the first time since being restored to its original racing specification. 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Scaglietta Spyder This Ferrari (chassis 0728) is one of the most famous of all Testa Rossas.