Luxury Auto Toys

Archive for the ‘Ferrari’ Category

After five years in production, Ferrari are preparing to retire their F430 line, replacing it with their all-new mid-engined model – the 458 Italia. Set to be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September, the latest model to roll out of Maranello packs the same high performance into a fresh, head-turning design.

The two-seater berlinetta has benefitted from the expertise of the best and the brightest in the industry, with its Pininfarina-designed aerodynamic aluminum chassis, the latest technological innovations from the Formula One track, and input from race legend Michael Schumacher himself.

With its 4.5-liter V8 pushing out 570 bhp, the 458 Italia sprints to 60 mph (100 km/h) in under 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of 202 mph (325 km/h), making it the first Ferrari V8 to break the 200 mph speed barrier. Other improvements over its predecessor include a more direct steering ratio, more advanced traction control and ABS, and reduced emissions and fuel consumption.

With Ferrari’s name so intricately tied to Formula One racing, you would have expected Germany’s infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit to already sport one of the Prancing Horse’s souvenir shops.

But just last weekend, Ferrari drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen took some time off Sunday’s Grand Prix to officiate Ferrari’s first-ever store in Germany, overlooking Nordschleife.

The 240 sq m Ferrari store is developed by Studio Iosa Ghini, and is a shrine to all things Ferrari. And the store is just a piece of the jigsaw to expand the Nürburgring complex into a Ferrari wonderland, with hotels, shopping centers, lounges and even conference and events centers in the pipeline.

Plans are also afoot to bring the number of Ferrari stores to more than 40 over the next three years, with several lined up for China and Southeast Asia.

While Ferrari offered up its lat production F430 (with a special silver and gold livery) for charity at the RM Auctions over the weekend, it was another classic that stole the show at the 3rd annual Ferrari Leggende e Passione auction in Maranello.

The vintage Ferrari in question – a 1957 Ferrari 250 TR, chassis no. 0714TR – went under the hammer for more than $12 million, eclipsing the previous record set by a 1961 250 GT California Spyder last year for the most expensive motor car ever sold at auction.

Fully restored in its period race-correct black livery and red nose, this 250TR was one of only 22 Testa Rossas ever built from 1957 to 1958 that featured the Scaglietti-designed ‘pontoon-fender’.

The Ferrari 250 TRs are recognized by discerning collectors as one of the most desirable and competitive racing Ferraris ever built, having raced and won in 10 of 19 international championship races from 1958 to 1961.

0714TR was no exception, and according to Ferrari, was the most campaigned of the 250TR cliente series cars, with its own proud ownership and storied racing history to tell.

The car’s first owner, Italian racing driver and coachbuilder Piero Drogo took it to a fourth placed finish in the 1000 km Buenos Aires in January 1958, competing alongside legendary names like Phil Hill, Peter Collins, Wolfgang von Trips and Olivier Gendebien.

Since then, 0714TR has gone on to compete in the Grand Prix of Cuba and Portugal, followed by a string of triumphs on the 1959 North American racing circuit before bowing out at the Elkhart Lake 500 in June 1963.

The car’s new owner, whose name was not disclosed, has no doubt not only scored a precious collector’s item but also a slice of Ferrari’s racing history.

By Lawrence Tan

The Ferrari Enzo is the dream of every car lover, to be specific, the dream of every sports car lover. It is not easily accessible to the common man as it ranges around a million and a half dollars. But it is a passion for many to owe a Ferrari. In Ferrari Enzo, you are just discovering new things. The sophisticated technology used has made driving an all-new experience. You may win races lose races but the brand stands up with lifted shoulders.

High-end sports cars have different ways to generate lift. The Ferrari Enzo uses down force to the tune if about 300 pounds at 124 mph owing to its low ground clearance of the smooth body, reduced cabin height and with the help of very effective diffusers. It is amazing that they achieve this without the use of add-on down force producers such as rear wings and front splitters. This in addition to maintaining a relatively low CD of .32 shows the class of the genre.

The Enzo has got all the specifications needed for a new generation car. The originality and the style of the vehicle prompted the Sports Cars International to name it as the best three cars in the modern era.

The Challenger SRT8 marked the official return last year of the muscle car to the Dodge lineup, and its retro styling, 425-horsepower V8 and tire-shredding capabilities had Mopar enthusiasts giddy with excitement. What, you say, could be much better? Enter Classic Design Concepts.

The Novi, Michigan-based company has been adding its visual touch to cars since 1990, and recently tried its hand at Dodge’s new muscle car. The result? The Group 2 Widebody Challenger that made its debute at SEMA in 2008. We were instantly smitten with the car’s aggressive appearance on the show floor, and were determined to get a closer look if we ever had the chance. Jumping forward a couple of months, we recently learned that the car would be out in Southern California for a Mopar gathering. A phone call to CDC later and we were fortunate enough to land an afternoon behind the wheel of this 575-horsepower bona fide modern musclecar.

-Drew Phillips