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This Ferrari California mule sure sounds turbocharged

blackd — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Videos, Ferrari

It's been a while since Ferrari used turbochargers, but we would think long and hard before dismissing the spools as uncharacteristic of the marque. After all, the iconic and important F40 was turbocharged, as was the 288 GTO that preceeded it. But those were made decades ago. Could Ferrari be going back to forced induction?

If this spy video is anything to go by, we'd say almost definitely so. The footage shot at the company's private Fiorano test track in Maranello shows a California test mule lapping the circuit, but the sound is what gives it away: the prototype is emitting a pronounced turbo whine.

Of course, Ferrari engineers could be using the California to test out the turbocharged engines it is said to be developing for Maserati. Or the automaker could be preparing to use them in its own sports cars as well. The final outcome remains a mystery, but for now you can watch the video clip below and see - or more importantly, listen - for yourselves.

Continue reading This Ferrari California mule sure sounds turbocharged

This Ferrari California mule sure sounds turbocharged originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 10 Jun 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rolls-Royce invites customers to dine on its assembly line

blackd — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:01:00 +0000

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Rolls-Royce, UK, Luxury

Automotive assembly plants have a reputation of being crusty, grungy places - often in stark contrast to the new cars they're assembling. But the truth is that modern auto plants are surprisingly clinical in their cleanliness. These days, you can almost hear company officials boasting that their assembly lines are almost clean enough to eat off of - so that's just what Rolls-Royce has gone and done.

The elite British automaker invited one hundred of its best customers up to its facility in Goodwood for a special dinner that had them dining right on the assembly line - or on tables set up there upon, anyway (the chandeliers were a nice touch, eh?). The guests arrived by chauffeured Phantom or by helicopter before being shown around the plant via red carpet, where craftsmen showed them their handiwork and even let them try their hand at some of it, finishing off with an up-close-and-personal encounter with the new Series II model. Sounds like our kind of fine dining.

Continue reading Rolls-Royce invites customers to dine on its assembly line

Rolls-Royce invites customers to dine on its assembly line originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche showcases new Cayenne GTS at the AMI

blackd — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Ferrari holding online auction to benefit Italian earthquake victims

blackd — Thu, 31 May 2012 23:31:00 +0000

Filed under: Auctions, Earnings/Financials, Ferrari

Italy is unfortunately no stranger to earthquakes, thus neither is the exotic automaker and racing team whose logo bears the country's flag. When disaster struck in Abruzzo, Ferrari launched a special-edition F430 to raise funds for its relief, and has been contributing to rebuilding the stricken region ever since. When the tsunami hit in Japan, Ferrari contributed millions to its aid. Now another earthquake has hit Italy - in the same part of the country that hosts Ferrari's headquarters in Maranello. The company immediately halted operations to let its employees be with their families, and is now preparing for an online auction to raise funds for relief efforts in the region.

The auction will be hosted at FerrariStore.com, and will of course include all manner of Ferrari-branded merchandise - including racing helmets and suits worn in grands prix by Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. But there are some bigger items as well, including a V8 engine from one of the Scuderia's F1 cars, and, at the top of the list, a 599XX Evoluzione. The most advanced of the company's developmental track cars, the 599XX Evo is worth over $1.6 million, but will likely raise far more than that - and help the disaster relief efforts that have forced the new Italian federal government to raise fuel taxes - when the bidding starts next week. Check out more details by scrolling below.

Continue reading Ferrari holding online auction to benefit Italian earthquake victims

Ferrari holding online auction to benefit Italian earthquake victims originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 May 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari 458 Italia flips at Laguna Seca

blackd — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:33:00 +0000

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Videos, Ferrari, Luxury, Racing

There's the right way to tackle the infamous Corkscrew at Laguna Seca and then there's the way that puts your Ferrari 458 Italia into the catch fence and on its roof. Ryan Ockey recently gave the latter option a shot during the Ferrari Challenge at Mazda Raceway with predictable results. All of the safety equipment both in the car and at the track worked as intended, however, and the driver walked away with little more than a bruised ego. There are no solid reports as to what caused the flying Ferrari, but rumor has it there may have been a brake failure.

Unfortunately, the 458 Italia had to be pulled from the gravel trap by a tow truck, which meant a long, painful slog downhill on the Italian exotic's roof. Check out two videos of the carnage and the rescue to see what we mean. Jump forward to two minutes in on the second clip to see things go downhill for Ockey.

Continue reading Ferrari 458 Italia flips at Laguna Seca

Ferrari 458 Italia flips at Laguna Seca originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2012 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crushed Ferrari makes for world’s most tragic coffee table

blackd — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:01:00 +0000

Filed under: Etc., Ferrari, Design/Style

This post isn't for the weak of stomach or faint of heart. The sad truth of being an automotive enthusiast is that we're all hoarders on some level. We yearn to collect various bits of paraphernalia plucked from our favorite race teams and derelict junkyard hulks. Now Charly Molinelli Design has elevated our pack rat tendencies to high art. Or at least clever interior design. Using the cubed remains of an indistinguishable Ferrari, the designer set about crafting a coffee table that doesn't look like it belongs tucked away in a tacky man cave.

Behold, the Crashed Ferrari Table. The designer calls wedging the squared remains into the glass case "a dead hero placed into a coffin." Sounds fitting to us. There's no word on how much one of these would cost you if you wanted to take it home. Then again, there's something more than a touch depressing about seeing all that red crammed into a pine box. Head over to the Molinelli Design site for a closer look at the table's creation.

Crushed Ferrari makes for world's most tragic coffee table originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari celebrates 8 million Facebook fans by taking 458 Italia for a spin

blackd — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:58:00 +0000

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Ferrari, Luxury

Facebook is a big deal, even if you're an exotic car maker with one of the world's most powerful brands. In this case we're talking about Ferrari, which recently hit eight million followers on the social networking site.

How does an automaker with such a rich history celebrate a 21st century milestone? Scroll down to watch the good folks in Maranello, Italy throw down after gaining 8,000,000 followers. Hint: it involves a predictably red 458 Italia, plenty of open pavement and a knack for drifting and donuts. Of course, Ferrari would like us to believe that they wrote out "8,000,000" in rubber, but we're more interested in watching the 458 do its thing.

Continue reading Ferrari celebrates 8 million Facebook fans by taking 458 Italia for a spin

Ferrari celebrates 8 million Facebook fans by taking 458 Italia for a spin originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 May 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is what Ferrari’s reworked California sounds like

blackd — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:15:00 +0000

Filed under: Convertible, Videos, Ferrari, Luxury

It's never a bad idea to watch video of a Ferrari taking an aggressive stroll down a winding Italian road, and the creative types at Ferrari were kind enough to produce exactly that. To sweeten the pot, the video features the reworked 2013 California, with 490 horsepower and a significant weight savings of 70 pounds.

The enhanced 4.3-liter V8 also makes its audio debut in the post-jump video, and our ears can't get enough of the sweet Italian music. You also get to see just how quickly and efficiently the California's retractable hardtop stows in its boot. Hit the jump to watch and hear the 2013 Ferrari California in Maranello.

Continue reading This is what Ferrari's reworked California sounds like

This is what Ferrari's reworked California sounds like originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maserati planning diesel version of upcoming "Maseratina" baby Quattroporte

blackd — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Maserati, Diesel, Luxury

A diesel Maserati? Perish the thought! But if Porsche and the BMW M division can make diesels, anything is possible. And that appears to be just what Maserati has planned.

The Modenese automaker, as you may recall, is planning not just one replacement for the current Quattroporte, but two. The Quattroporte itself (pictured above) will grow in size to proportions similar to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Jaguar XJ, while a smaller model - internally dubbed Maseratina - will be closer to the E-Class or XF. It's that model that's tipped to get a diesel version.

According to AutoBild, however, that diesel will be no slouch, packing some 300 horsepower and over 500 pound-feet of torque. With those kinds of figures, it would be significantly more powerful than the Porsche Panamera diesel, which packs about 250 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Its inclusion in the line-up would surely help Maserati increase its market penetration, particularly in Europe where diesels account for a high proportion of sales in the segment.

Maserati planning diesel version of upcoming "Maseratina" baby Quattroporte originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arizona police upset over viral video of high-speed Bugatti

blackd — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:14:00 +0000

Filed under: Performance, Government/Legal, Videos, Bugatti

A video surfaced on YouTube last week that purported to show a Bugatti Veyron being driven at near top speed on public roads. Mind you, "near top speed" for a Veyron still means well above 200 miles per hour. The YouTube account owner who uploaded the video claims that the car made seven runs and reached speeds in the range of 215-225 mph. That's well short of 253 mph, the Bug's terminal velocity in Top Speed mode, but the Veyron was reportedly left in Handling Mode to accommodate the public road's uneven surface.

The video has attracted over 1,200,000 views after just one week on YouTube, and at least one of those views was the authorities in Arizona. Despite text in the video claiming that the high speed runs were shot "south of the border," police in Arizona were still none too thrilled with what Arizona Department of Public Spokesman Bart Graves called "a criminal act." The act in question is said to have occurred in late 2009, and since the driver's identity is never fully revealed, there's not much the authorities are likely going to do about it now. There's also no know way to know for certain where the video was shot, though Arizona police say the driver would be thrown in jail if he were caught trying to repeat the act in their jurisdiction.

The ironic thing is that the police did apparently have an opportunity to bust the driver, though they didn't know it at the time. The end of the video shows the Veyron pulled over on the side of the road by the Arizona Highway Patrol, but the video's description claims the driver wasn't cited because he was only going 80 mph at the time and the "officer stopped the car to take a look at it."

Follow the jump to get a look at the Bugatti going all out on public roads for yourself.

Continue reading Arizona police upset over viral video of high-speed Bugatti

Arizona police upset over viral video of high-speed Bugatti originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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