Ferrari 458 Italia: review

The 458 is expected to cost as much as $600,000, or 10 per cent more than the 430.

Stuart Martin road tests and reviews the Ferrari 458 Italia, with a lap at the company’s track in Fiorano.

ASI Ferrari F430 Spotted

We have been following the ASI Ferrari F430 design since its initial concept stages and we were excited to finally spot a finished product in person. ASI is famous for some very wild creations, includig a matte-white widebody Bentley Continental GT, which debuted at the SEMA Show several years back.

Unveiled in the Forgiato booth at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, the ASI Ferrari F430 is certainly more impressive in person than in any photos we’ve seen up until now. The aggressive yet clean styling further accents the already curvaceous lines of the Ferrari F430, while some of the more wild parts of the aero kit lend a race car-like feel to the car. Plus, there’s a nice set of Scuderia stripes to add to the package.

Ferrari 599 Fiorano HY-KERS Concept : Geneva 2010

Ferrari took the wraps off its new hybrid 599 HY-KERS at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, and it’s as green as Ferrari can make it. Featuring a bit of traditional hybrid tech and a healthy dose of Formula1 witchcraft, Ferrari has manufactured a car that loses none of the dynamic performance of its gas-only brethren.

When it comes to center of gravity (CoG), lower is better. It is a concern in any car, but this concept is essential in a sporting car. By using clever packaging, the CoG of the HY-KERS is actually lower than a traditional 599. This clever packaging also keeps the hybrid equipment from infringing on any interior space.

As with most hybrids, the HY-KERS can run in full electric mode based on engine load and other factors. Unlike lesser hybrids, the HY-KERS does not feature a Continuously Variable Transmission. The electric motor mounts to the rear of a seven-speed dual clutch F1 transmission. Weighing about 88 pounds, the electric motor produces about 100hp to aid the not-anemic V-12. Hybrid battery charging is provided by using a Kinetic Energy Recovery System built on the experiences from last years Formula1 program.

FERRARI DEBUTS AT GENEVA WITH THE HY-KERS, A 'VETTURA LABORATORIO'

Geneva, 2 March 2010. Ferrari presents a vettura laboratorio (experimental vehicle) at the 80th edition of the Geneva Motor Show based on the 599 GTB Fiorano equipped with an advanced new hybrid transmission.

Hybrid technology is one of the solutions examined by Ferrari in its on-going research and development into making its production cars ever more efficient. Experimenting with alternative technologies represents the company's long-term strategy after the announcement in 2007 of a five-year plan to reduce fuel consumption and emissions across the range. With the launch of the Ferrari California (2008) and the 458 Italia (2009), in fact, Ferrari's average fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures have already been reduced by around 30 per cent compared to 2007.

The HY-KERS displayed at the Geneva Motor Show is an example of how Ferrari is studying the application of hybrid technology to high-performance sports cars. Central to Ferrari's objectives is maintaining the balance, handling and performance characteristics typical of its cars despite the inevitable disadvantages in terms of weight represented by applying hybrid solutions to existing models.

To this end Ferrari has employed its racing experience to adapt a lightweight hybrid drivetrain to the 599 GTB Fiorano with the aim of ensuring that vehicle dynamics are unaffected. This was achieved by the careful integration of all system components, positioning them below the centre of gravity and ensuring that interior and luggage space are entirely unaffected. Similarly the flat lithium-ion batteries are positioned below the floorpan of the car inside the aerodynamic underbody. The result is a centre of gravity that is even lower than in the standard car. In addition, a part of the weight gained by fitting the electric motor, generator and the batteries is offset by being able to do away with the traditional starter motor and battery.

Ferrari has also applied its F1 technology to the design, engineering and construction of a new kind of electric motor which also helps optimise the longitudinal and lateral dynamics of the car, enhancing traction and brake balance. The motor cuts in during acceleration, providing instantaneous torque when moving away from a standstill and during overtaking manoeuvres, with torque control a function of grip, gear and accelerator pedal angle. Depending on vehicle speed and engine load – for example in town driving – the hybrid system can also function as a full-electric drivetrain. The result is a direct reduction in consumption and emissions. The motor also features a unique cooling and lubrication system for maximum efficiency under all operating temperatures and loads. The castings of the motor are made in the Ferrari foundry, complete with Prancing Horse motif.

Ferrari Introduces F1 Car Online

Fernando Alonso, a two-time champion with Renault F1, standing with the Ferrari F10 Formula One car, which was unveiled Thursday morning.

Ferrari became the first team to introduce its new car today — after Mercedes introduced its new colors on the old Brawn car earlier in the week — and the teams seem already to be jockeying for position. Ferrari has stated that the new car has set a record: the connections to the ferrari.com Web site.

“More than three million users were connected to watch the presentation, which let the Web site freeze for a couple of seconds in several moments,” the team said in a statement.

2010 Novitec Rosso Ferrari California Official Revealed

Sporty styling, a custom-tailored tire/wheel combination with diameters of 21 and 22 inches, suspension modifications, more power and exclusive interior options: NOVITEC ROSSO now also refines the new Ferrari California.

Tasteful refinements with aerodynamic benefits characterize the NOVITEC ROSSO design program for the sports car from Maranello. All aerodynamic-enhancement components are made from especially lightweight yet high-strength clear-coated carbon fiber.

The NOVITEC ROSSO front spoiler attaches to the production bumper and lends the sports car an even more striking face. Its sophisticated shape further reduces lift on the front axle for even better directional stability at high speeds.

The sides are upgraded with striking NOVITEC ROSSO rocker panel moldings for an even more clearly defined racing look. Black side markers add further individual highlights.

To reduce lift on the rear axle and thus achieve an optimal aerodynamic balance NOVITEC ROSSO equips the California with a newly designed diffuser for the rear apron and a spoiler lip on the trunk lid.

Three-piece NOVITEC ROSSO NF3 wheels also play a major role in the even more stunning appearance of the refined Ferrari. By choosing a staggered combination of size 9Jx21 wheels in front and size 11.5Jx22 on the rear axle NOVITEC ROSSO further emphasizes the wedge shape of the car. Technology partner Pirelli supplies high-performance tires custom-tailored to this Ferrari. The front axle features tires in size 255/30 ZR 21. In the rear tires in size 315/25 ZR 22 provide optimal traction.

NOVITEC ROSSO sport springs are custom-calibrated to match these ultra-low-profile tires, and lower the ride height by some 35 millimeters. At the same time the NOVITEC ROSSO specialists have developed an additional feature to further improve the everyday utility of the Ferrari California. The NOVITEC ROSSO hydraulic front lift system raises the front of the car by some 40 millimeters at the push of a button in the interior. That allows drivers to safely navigate parking garage ramps or speed bumps. At a second push of the button or automatically when reaching a speed of 80 km/h the front reverts to its original position.

Even faster throttle response and more power characterize the first NOVITEC ROSSO tuning stage for the Ferrari California, which increases power output of the 4.3-liter V8 engine by 40 hp / 29.4 kW to 500 hp / 368 kW. Simultaneously peak torque grows from 485 to 518 Nm at 5,300 rpm.

This injection of extra power comprises on the one hand a newly calibrated engine management system with custom mapping for injection and ignition, including a new higher redline speed of 8,300 rpm. The tuning package also includes the NOVITEC ROSSO stainless-steel high-performance exhaust system with metal catalysts and a flap actuator operated from the Manettino switch on the steering wheel.

NOVITEC ROSSO fulfills customer demands for interior customization with perfectly finished leather and Alcantara interiors. The choice of available colors and meticulously sewn upholstery designs is virtually unlimited.

Ferrari confirms its hybrid will debut at Geneva Auto Show in March

The rumors seem to be true: Ferrari, builders of the finest cars in the world, will be bringing a hybrid version of their 599 GTB Fiorano supercar to the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. To some of the less well informed out there, this might seem like a sacrilege, but for those who know Ferrari’s history of technical innovation, and just what can be accomplished with a properly set up hybrid drivetrain, this makes perfect sense.

Ferrari is, quite simply, one of the most technologically innovative car companies around, having invented and brought to market every thing from the sublime semi-automatic gearbox to the more prosaic 2+2 seating layout. So when the boys from Maranello have a crack at doing a hybrid, you can expect it to be thoroughly engineered and oriented towards stratospheric performance.

Fears Ferrari's F10 is lacking in pace

Ferrari have not yet turned a wheel in anger with their new F10 and already there are concerns about the car's performance.

In the middle of a disappointing 2009 Championship, Ferrari opted to forgo development work on their existing car and instead put their efforts into this year's machine.

The early design programme means, theoretically, Ferrari should have the jump on their rivals, many of whom focused on last year's cars until the very end.

However, there are already reported concerns about the quality of the team's new charger.

According to The Times, 'rumours are sweeping the Italian media that the performance estimates for the machine are not as good as the team were hoping for and that a "B-spec" version is being prepared to try to move it a stage farther on.'

Those reports, though, are contrary to what new driver Fernando Alonso had to say at Thursday's launch of the new car, which he clearly stated that initial tests have been positive.

Ferris Bueller’ Ferrari Sold

Bonhams The replica 1961 Ferrari 250GT California Spyder was sold for $122,000.

A replica 1961 Ferrari 250GT California Spyder used in the film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” fetched $122,000 at Bonhams in London on Monday, far exceeding the auction house’s pre-sale estimate of $45,000-60,000.

The car’s Hollywood pedigree wasn’t enough to draw the top price of the day, however. That honor went to a 1938 SS Jaguar 2.5-liter Drophead Coupe, which brought over $154,000.

The auction was held in spite of volcano-related air travel restrictions in Europe that forced many prospective buyers to bid by phone. According to Bonhams, eight telephone bidders were among those in the running for the faux-Ferrari, with the winning bid coming from an American buyer.

Best Ferrari Reveals 599 GTO

Ferrari says that its 599 GTO will be the fastest production car it has ever built.

The new Ferrari 599 GTO may not have the supercar looks of a McLaren MP4-12C or a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, but it should be right up there with those two in terms of speed and quickness.

Ferrari revealed the 599 GTO on Thursday in pictures, videos and specs over the Internet. Only a very limited number will be built. It is a homologation model for the Ferrari 599XX racecar, which has been sold to a few customers for GT competition.

“On the 599XX we have managed to make a vehicle that nobody else has ever made,” said Amadeo Felisa, the chief executive of Ferrari, in a video on the Ferrari Web site. “With structure and an architecture with the front engine, we have obtained a vehicle that nobody else will be able to equal in performance.”

Ferrari 599 GTO? EVO says 700-hp bruiser is on the way

Ferrari 599XX

Few words have greater impact when mashed together than "Ferrari" and "GTO." While there are rivals at times, the most expensive car in the word for the last three decades has been the original, Daytona Coupe battling, Le Mans winning Ferrari 250 GTO. Designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and raced into history by Phil Hill, few cars wear the moniker "legendary" quite as well. After all, only 39 were ever made.

But, like Leah, there is another. The mighty Ferrari 288 GTO. Developed -- like Porsche's 959 and 961 -- for Group B action, few if any cars set our hearts so totally on fire. Know nothings might scoff at the 2.85-liter displacement, but those of us in the know will point to the two turbochargers, two intercoolers and 400 stampeding horses. We might even tell them that if they turned the boost pressure up from 11.6 psi to something a bit higher, 600 hp is well within reach. However, the 288 GTO isn't, as just 272 examples (though some say 273) were made. Compare that to the 1,315 Ferrari F40s that were built. A car we should point out, that's basically a 288 GTO with a body kit.

Now there might be three. EVO is reporting that Ferrari is about to let loose a new GTO upon the world in the form of a 700 horsepower monster called the 599 GTO. Obviously, it's an evolution of the street 599, and in fact EVO's claiming it's the racetrack only 599XX for the street. During a recent interview, Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa told the Brit mag that when the 458 Italia debuted, the 599 was internally reassigned to the "Sports Car" division, instead of where it used to reside, as a "GT."

2012 Ferrari F70 render images

After last week’s announcement that the Italian automaker Ferrari is planning on topping off their lineup of exotic dream machines with an all new super car to head up the high performance lineup and celebrate nearly 70 years of success with a car that is currently codenamed the F70. The new super car will serve as a successor to the Enzo and there are also rumors flying around that it will also be offered as a hybrid.

2010 Ferrari 458 Italia

New Ferrari 599 GTO is fast

New Ferrari 599 GTO

There is a new supercar to replace that supercar poster on your kid's wall: it is the Ferrari 599 GTO.

Revealed by the Italian car masters online last week the 599 GTO is the "fastest ever road car" built by Ferrari.

The extreme V12 berlinetta Ferrari is good for 670 horsepower and can hit sixty in just 3.35 seconds and a top speed of 208 mph.

According to Ferrari the 599 GTO will see it's public reveal at the Beijing International Motor Show at the end of April.

Ferrari will offer hybrid versions

In a recent interview, Italian automaker’s chairman Luca di Montezemolo said that Ferrari will offer hybrid versions across its entire lineup within the next three to four years.

clear pixel
This was confirmed at the Geneva Motor Show, during the official presentation of the maker’s 599 GTB Fiorano hybrid coupe
a.k.a. HY-KERS Vettura Laboratorio.

“This is a first step of a long project and we want within three years, maximum four, to have a hybrid Ferrari car ready for every single product of our range.

2010 Ferrari 599 GTO

According to recent reports, the Ferrari 599 GTO comprises several key features of the 599XX, a new car uncovered back in 2009 at the Geneva Motor Show.

A few days back, Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa confirmed the launch of the GTO, which is considered as a more focused version of the current GTB and HGTE models.

With 650bhp under the hood and a weight reduced to less than 1650kg, the GTO fits right in with the other Ferrari's. It is also likely that the 599 GTO will feature the higher performance ferrous iron brake pad technology initiated by the XX model, with the addition of a more aggressive gear shifting software and elements of the aerodynamic upgrades found on the 599XX.

Ferrari Moving Forward With Hybrid Production

A few months back, Ferrari let their plans for a new hybrid system leak out. The ensuing uproar effectively divided the fans of the Italian Automaker into those who loved the idea, and those who were appalled by it. The decision by Ferrari to use the new powertrain in the 599 GTB is likely to divide this group even more.

While nothing is official yet, it is now known that Ferrari is planning on bringing a prototype hybrid 599 GTB with them to the upcoming Geneva Auto Show. If the schematics were correct, the design would call for the inclusion of 2 electric motors propelling the rear transaxle. The hybrid variant would still make use of the high revving V12, but would also employ the electric drive system to reduce fuel consumption by about 35%.

Driven: 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia

There didn't seem to be a lot more that Ferrari could do with its V-8 berlinetta lineup. Over the past decade, the cars got better and better, further cementing Ferrari's role as the producer of the world's most desirable sports cars. The startlingly good 360 Modena began it all back in 1999, and each successive iteration of the mid-engine masterpiece from Maranello raised the bar: The 360 Challenge Stradale. The F430. The 430 Scuderia. And, most recently, the hyperfocused Scuderia Spider 16M. These cars became the backbone of Ferrari's resurgence by translating the automaker's hard-fought Formula 1 racing expertise into products that tantalized auto enthusiasts everywhere, rewarded the lucky few who owned them, and strengthened the ethereal aura around the brand. Ferrari created the gold standard in sports cars, a lineup that competitors as varied as the Ford GT, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the Lamborghini Gallardo, the Porsche 911 GT3, and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage sought to assail. But in the tussle for sports car supremacy, Ferrari always managed to end up at the top of the heap.

With leadership comes responsibility, but it also can bring vulnerability. When it came time to replace the F430, would Ferrari succumb to success, throw up its collective hands, and decide that a mild refresh would do? After all, if any automaker today were to unveil a car that is as good as the F430 was five years ago, the car would be declared a champion. Ferrari could easily have simply tweaked the F430, slapped on a new skin and a new nameplate, and still filled its order books for a five-year run. This plan of action must have been tempting for a small carmaker that was already busy developing a class-leading V-12 GT flagship, the 599GTB Fiorano; an all-new convertible, the California; and a midcycle repositioning of its two-plus-two, the 612 Scaglietti, not to mention running a Formula 1 racing team and supplying engines to Alfa Romeo and Maserati.

Ferrari 599 hybrid

More details on the Ferrari 599 hybrid concept that is set to be shown at the Geneva motor show have been revealed by company boss Amedeo Felisa.

Felisa revealed to that a 599 hybrid test mule has been running for a year now, and that its fuel consumption is around 25 per cent less than the standard car's.

However, the hybrid technology adds around 80kg to the standard car (pictured here), and it is unlikely to be seen on a production Ferrari for five years.

“The technology is not ready," he said. "The suppliers are not ready. Everything is underdeveloped. There is a lot of work to so. It is not for tomorrow. We haven’t decided when [it will be introduced]. It will be around 2015, but not before five years.”

Ferrari 599xx Shows Chrysler

Chrysler rolled into the North American International Auto Show pretty much empty-handed, so Ferrari took pity on its corporate sibling and sent over a 599XX so there’d be something worth seeing on the Chrysler stand.

For those whose blood doesn’t run rosso corsa, the 599XX is the sharpest track weapon the Scuderia builds short of its F1 cars. We first saw it almost a year ago at the Geneva auto show, but since Ferrari skipped Detroit this year it’s the only thing here wearing the cavallino rampante. It’s based on the magnificent 599 GTB Fiorano but is a different beast altogether. Maranello slathered this 700-horsepower rocket with all the latest high-tech hardware its racing department could muster.

ferrari wallpaper 01 jpg