Autoblog

click above for gallery of the Ferrar Monza concept

It appears that after seeing a number of its finest works crashed by errant drivers, Ferrari should consider making something like this. It's called the Monza, and it's part car, part motorcycle, part flying wing, and all anime.

Independently designed by Iman Maghsoudi, the Monza, whose name recalls historic Ferraris of yore and the race track that hosts the Italian Grand Prix, can go 125 miles per hour. But because humans cannot muster "sufficient concentration" to keep it on the ground and upright, computers take over. They change the angles of the canards over the front wheels and make sure the Monza doesn't go airborne in violent gusts. This study in advanced aerodynamics appears to be the road-going equivalent of an F-16, which seems to be a rather complicated way to go speeds that aren't considered that fast anymore. But hey, it's a Ferrari, it's red, no one else has one, and if we got the chance we'd drive it, too.


[Source: Telegraph]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Ferrari California

Some of the more hard-core tifosi have been whining that Ferrari has gone soft with the new California. It's pretty hard to justify that a car able to hit 60 mph in the three-second range is soft, but so be it. The nay-sayers point to the inclusion of a folding hard-top as a sign that Ferrari has grown more concerned with pleasing its poseur clientele than developing genuine performance vehicles. Never mind that the innovative rapid-deployment roof, according to Ferrari, actually weighs 5kg less than an equivalent soft-top and still only takes 14 seconds to raise or lower.

However, Maranello has not finished development of the California and intends to pacify those malcontents with some new features. For starters, Ferrari says that about 10% of its customers still demand a manual transmission, and so they will have one ready for the California by the time it actually goes on sale about half a year from now. Around the same time, Ferrari will also unveil a new HGTC handling package, like those offered for the 612 Scaglietti and the previous 575 M Maranello, to tighten up the California's suspension. A new set of lightweight wheels is also in the works, anticipated to shave some 10-12kg off of the unsprung weight. A 430 Scuderia it is not – that's why Ferrari makes both – but don't mistake the California for a lazy boulevard cruiser.

[Source: EVO magazine]

Click above to view a high-resolution gallery of the new Ferrari A1GP car

It was an ambitious target to design, develop, shake down and launch an all-new spec car across the series in less than a full year, but that's what the organizers of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport set out to do. Unfortunately, the first major setback inevitably meant that the series would have to be postponed, and that's just what happened.

The new car has been under development with Ferrari for the past ten months or so – based on Ferrari's Formula One racing car design – and things had been going well. However, when test driver Patrick Friesacher was injured after a vital suspension component failed, it was back to the drawing board. The delay means that the start of the fourth season, which was originally scheduled for September 21 at the Mugello track in Italy, will now be pushed back to Zandvoort, Holland, for October 4, which was initially planned as the second race of the season.

Check out the press release after the jump, and the new high-resolution gallery of the Ferrari-developed and -powered A1GP spec racer by clicking the thumbnails below.

[Source: A1GP]

The Nürburgring has become an absolute Mecca for automotive enthusiasts and racing fans across Europe and around the world. Setting new 'Ring records has become a vaunted pursuit, and any automaker worth its bolts brings its latest sportscar prototypes to test there. Among those marques is Ferrari, which in addition to three racing circuits that the company owns and operates in Italy, comes to the Nürburgring for proper shakedowns. (Witness Schumacher's reported crash there in a 430 Scuderia prototype just last month as an example.)

Reports now indicate that the Prancing Horse marque has set up shop at the Nürburgring. The information comes directly from Germany, which named the 'Ring as one of the 10 most important sites in the country. Since our German isn't up to snuff and online translators seem to make less sense of the text than we can on our own, it remains a bit unclear as to the nature of the new facility. However, it seems to combine a showroom and merchandising store among its attractions. The Ferrari installation at the Nürburgring is apparently one of many that circuit managers hope will set up shop at the side of the track, which is undergoing a vast renovation to its facilities for next summer. We hope to bring you more information on the Nürburgring renovation plan in the near future, so stay tuned.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport]

Click image above for high-res gallery of pics of the Ferrari California Spyders

The 250 GT California Spyder is one of Ferrari's most celebrated (and valuable) models, most often remembered by the general public for its starring role in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This year marked the Spyder's 50th anniversary, and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance celebrated the occasion by giving the car its very own class. Six variations of the car were produced, all of which were displayed on the 18th fairway including the original prototype and a competition version that raced at both Sebring and Le Mans. Follow the jump for more information on these amazing cars and enjoy the high resolution gallery below.

Photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for a high resolution image

The RM sports and classic car auction is one of our favorite events during the Monterey weekend. The laid back atmosphere and incredible selection of cars makes the event a perennial occurrence on our schedule. This year's event was particularly impressive, especially the selection of classic Ferraris. No less than eight surpassed the million dollar mark (seven actually sold), capped by the $4.51 million dollar sale of a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB. Others breaking $1 million were a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 ($1,925,000), 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupe Aerodinamica, and a 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder ($1,485,000). A beautiful 1956 Ferrari 250 GT TDF Berlinetta had a top bid of $3.9 million but didn't meet the reserve. Follow the jump for a press release from RM and enjoy the gallery below.

Photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Click image above for high-res gallery from Concorso Italiano 2008

The festivities continue around the Monterey Peninsula. We've already shown you pics from Gordon McCall's party and from the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance, but today's coverage picks up an Italian accent. The Concorso Italiano is one of the largest annual gatherings of all things Italian, be it music, cuisine, fashion, tourism, and of course cars. Previously held at the nearby Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course in Monterey Bay, this year's gathering took place at the Marina municipal airstrip. Just like the past 20-something years, this year's Concorso brought out some stunning examples of Italy's finest, cars designed with passione and intended to be driven con brio. And just like in previous years, a few non-Italian cars that bring that same driving thrill were invited in for the party.

While the tarmac didn't offer the same soft picnic grove as the golf course, the organizers tried their best to make up for it with plenty of shady tents to visit filled with vendors, food and fun. Concorso has always been more laid back than some of the other judged events during the week, and even with the slightly more rigid airport setting there was still a feeling that you were at more of a car club meet than a genuine concours. Check out the gallery by clicking one of the images here and you'll hopefully see what we mean. The usual Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis, and Alfas were joined by a bunch of Lancias, DeTomasos, Fiats, and a smattering of "others" that included German, Japanese, American, and British cars. Our favorite stop was the supercar lineup that featured two MC12s, two Veyrons, an Enzo and an F50. We even spotted Valentino Balboni, Adam Corolla and Jay Leno while we were there. Click away and enjoy.

Click above to watch the video

Not that the deal would need to be sweetened, but buying the latest Ferrari supercar comes with perks. For a group of European customers who came to Maranello to take possession of their new 430 Scuderias, that included a hands-on advanced driving course to show them what their new rides could do. And who better to demonstrate the capabilities of the fastest car ever to lap Fiorano than the driver who helped develop it? Follow the jump and you'll find a video of Michael Schumacher glad-handing the millionaires and their new rides around Ferrari's private on-site test track, posting hot laps and drifting around the wet handling course. Prepare to be jealous.

[Source: FerrariWorld channel on YouTube]

With Ferrari's road and race cars taking advantage of the latest emerging technologies, someone inside the marketing department in Maranello has taken the bold initiative to bring the company's PR into the same realm by utilizing popular electronic media. For its latest supercar, the highly-anticipated Ferrari California, the company has been releasing bits and pieces on a dedicated, flash-enhanced website, and the latest installment has just hit cyberspace.

For this episode, Ferrari has teamed up with the wiz-kids at Polyphony Digital who are the brains behind the Gran Turismo franchise. They offer up an adrenaline-pumping virtual reality video of the California racing through the virtual streets of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue in the same style as the game's intro. And now that they have the car scanned, it shouldn't be long before you can download the California on your PS3 to drive in the game. We hope. Follow the Source link below, click "virtual test drive" and "play film" to watch the clip. Oh, and clear some time in your schedule, because the video will make you want to play video games all weekend. Enjoy.

[Source: Ferrari]

When buying a used car, no matter what kind, a major crash is usually a big deterrent. In this case, however, it was its claim to fame. Try though you surely have to forget, you'll likely recall actor/comedian Eddie Griffin's lamentable crash of a Ferrari Enzo into a concrete barrier while promoting his then-new movie Redline. Most figured the exotic was a write off – or an accounted-for marketing expense, as some contend – but it has been given a new lease on life thanks to Matt Groner.

The Texas broker deals in wrecked luxury and sportscars, and usually sells them as is. With the Redline Enzo, however, Groner decided to put in the effort to restore the vehicle. Since the Enzo's chassis is composed of separate carbon fiber sections bolted to the center tub, Groner had simply to call up the factory and order the replacement parts. Well, not so simply, as it turns out, because the parts cost $300k and took months to arrive. But the restoration has been completed, and the car is up for sale for a $1.3 million sum that's sure to cause as much whiplash as Griffin's crash did in the first place.

Head on over to Jalopnik for more information, including photos (before and after), a first-hand account from the restorer and a video news segment detailing the saga. For our part, we'll be lobbying Hollywood to include "no exotics were harmed in the making of this film" disclaimers in the credits.

[Source: Jalopnik]