Ferrari SF90 Stradale (phev) Reviews

The new F12 Berlinetta unveiled in Sydney today might cost almost $700,000 but it’s actually a bargain. The fastest and most powerful Ferrari road car ever made is $200,000 cheaper than the previous pinnacle of the Italian sports-car range, the 599 GTO. The latest Ferrari - air-freighted into Australia overnight ahead of customer previews in Sydney and Melbourne before it jets off to China - has more power than a V8 Supercar. It can reach 100km/h in 3.1 seconds - the same time it takes most cars to reach 40km/h. The previous champion Ferrari, the 599 GTO, reached the speed limit in a comparatively tardy 3.35 seconds. The new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is going fast in more ways than one; it’s sold for 18 months even though supercar sales are on struggle street at the moment. "Our market segment has dropped between 16 and 20 per cent,” says Ferrari Australia general manager Kevin Wall. "Suffice to say the downturn is significant, it’s enough to hurt.” But Ferrari isn't hurting too much. "We will deliver between 100 and 115 cars this year … and have just delivered our 1000th Ferrari in Australia in seven years," says Wall, citing the number of sales since European Automotive Importers took over the distribution of Ferrari cars locally in October 2005. By comparison, it took more than 40 years to sell the first 1000 Ferraris in Australia. Just 2200 Ferraris have been imported into Australia since 1952 – this year is the brand’s 60th anniversary locally. The first Ferrari sold here was a "canary" yellow ‘212 Export’ coupe, and it is still in the country – in pristine condition. Ferrari Australia is hosting potential buyers of the new F12 Berlinetta to VIP previews in Sydney and Melbourne this week, including flying some guests over from mining rich West Australia. If Ferrari Australia reaches its forecast of 115 sales for the year, that will be down from 134 deliveries in 2011 and 126 in 2010. The F12 Berlinetta is not the cheapest new car to wear a Ferrari badge; that title goes to a special "Ferrari" edition of the Fiat 500, which costs $69,990, roughly twice the price of the regular model. Fast facts: Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Price: $691,000 (plus on-road costs) On sale: June 2013 Engine: 6.3-litre V12 (6262cc) Power: 545kW at 8250rpm Torque: 690Nm at 6000rpm Redline: 8700rpm Gearbox: Seven-speed twin-clutch auto 0 to 100km/h: 3.1 sec 0 to 200 km/h: 8.5 sec Weight: 1630kg (46:54 front:rear) Consumption: 15L/100km (350g/km)  

The newly elected deputy mayor and property developer has been ordered to spend a year off the road as punishment for spinning his Ferrari out of control, forcing two women into hospital from their injuries.Salim Mehajer, 26, will also perform 150 hours of community service after Magistrate Brian Maloney found him guilty of negligent driving in the January incident.The Auburn councillor has been spared having to pay a hefty fine.Read full story here. 

In July of this year, one of the greatest designers of all time, the legendary Sergio Pininfarina, son of Pininfarina founder Battista Farina, passed away at age 85. During his lifetime, he penned some of most famed cars ever to see the light of the day, many of which were designed for Ferrari. In honour of his contribution to Ferrari, the Italian sports car manufacturer will be hosting an exhibition at its official museum in Maranello, Italy. The new exhibition, titled Le grandi Ferrari di Sergio Pininfarina (Sergio Pininfarina’s great Ferraris), will provide visitors with the chance to get to know the most beautiful Ferraris designed by Pininfarina over 60 years in collaboration with the Prancing Horse. The collection of cars will be housed in three different halls, one each for race cars, concepts and production cars. In the race car hall, some of the highlights will include a Le Mans winning 250 LM, the 250 SWB Stirling Moss drove to win the Touring Trophy, and the experimental Formula 1 Sigma, suggested by Pininfarina in the 1960s.  Moving onto the concept hall, visitors will find cars like the Modulo, the P6 and the extraordinary four-door Pinin. Finally, in the production car hall, visitors will be greeted with a collection of front-engined Berlinettas, the BB prototype, and several other notable models.  Additionally, there will also be a huge mural with all Ferraris ever created by Pininfarina from 1952 until today, including some undisclosed material from the Pininfarina family’s personal collection!  Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo, Piero Ferrari and the Pininfarina family will be present at the opening ceremony of the new exhibition from October 27, 2012, to January 7, 2013. www.motorauthority.com  

...at the UK’s Silverstone circuit.

But for those readers who can’t wait any longer, and that probably means you, these computer-generated renderings provide a clue as to how the new Ferrari flagship will look. Based on prototypes spotted in the wild, as well as insider information, the renderings allow us to look past the heavy camouflage and see the stunning beast that’s residing within. They show a mid-engine exotic that’s immediately recognisable as a modern Ferrari, though one that’s significantly wilder than anything that’s yet to leave the halls of the Maranello factory. They show that the new F70 will benefit from an advanced aerodynamics package, which is likely to include active flaps in the front bumper, like on the F12 Berlinetta, as well as additional flaps and new intakes in the rear section. In charge of the styling is Italian designer Flavio Manzoni, who is said to be planning a three-curve profile (one curve for the front fender, one sweeping curve for the roof and one final curve for the rear fender) and extensive glass area for the car. The overall proportions appear similar to those of the Enzo, though the prototypes we’ve seen suggest the F70 could in fact be both longer and wider. The extra length is necessary to accommodate the F70’s new hybrid drivetrain, which is called HY-KERS and based on technology derived from Ferrari’s Formula 1 racing efforts.  The particular setup in the F70 will consist of a high-displacement V-12 engine matched to a dual-clutch transmission and electric motor driving the rear axle. A second electric motor will be used to power ancillary features, thus reducing the load on the engine. A kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) will ensure the car’s lithium-ion batteries, which are being supplied by Samsung, stay charged. The system’s combined output could be as high as 920 horsepower, while emissions will be around 40 percent lower compared to a non-hybrid solution, Ferrari has confirmed. Additionally, Ferrari is going all carbon for the F70’s platform, utilising some of the most advanced composites for everything from the central monocoque structure to the individual body panels. The end result is an expected curb weight as low 1133kg -- a phenomenally light number with 920 horsepower on tap. The marginally more powerful Bugatti Veyron, for example, weighs about 680kg more than the 1133kg target. Even McLaren's carbon monocoque MP4-12C--rated at “just” 616 horsepower--weighs a portly 500 pounds or so more. The F1 tech doesn’t end there, however. Technological transfer from racing is also fundamental to the design, engineering and construction of the F70, specifically, its ability to optimise longitudinal and lateral dynamic characteristics, and thus improve handling. This will be achieved via torque management, traction control and brake distribution. Next year is shaping up to be huge for supercar fans, as well as fans of advanced powertrain technology. Not only will we see the launch of the hybrid Ferrari, but arch rival McLaren is planning to launch its successor to the legendary F1, and it's tipped to also feature a hybrid system. On top of this, the Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid is set to go on sale, as is the production version of Jaguar’s stunning C-X75 concept. Motor Authority

The spectacle will be a bid to break the Guinness World Record for the Largest Parade of Ferrari Cars -- yes there really is a standing record.That one was set by Ferrari North Europe in 2007 at the UK's Silverstone Circuit as part of the Ferrari Racing Days event, and saw 385 Ferraris on the track -- later increased to 490 cars.The latest attempt will take place at Silverstone Circuit in mid-September, again as part of the Ferrari Racing Days 2012 event, and will take advantage of extensions to the Grand Prix track to cram more cars on there.Ferrari will donate the equivalent of $7.50 to charity for each car that turns up to take part.

He was driving the Ferrari in Moscow, Russia, when he allegedly lost control and careened into a roadside pole. The fact that the force of the impact managed to tear his Ferrari in two strongly suggests that speed was a factor. The car’s V-12 engine and front section remained stuck to the pole while the rest of the body was slung to the side.  Despite the severity of the crash, which caused the airbags to deploy and rendered the car a write-off, the driver and three passengers he was carrying at the time escaped unscathed. Motor Authority

The official Ferrari restoration department gets their hands on a lot of special cars, but this one is a standout even in that crowd.Steve McQueen’s 275 GTB4 was brought to Ferrari by its current owner for the authenticity certification process. But to meet Ferrari’s certification standards, the car can only be authenticated if it matches its factory specifications. And McQueen’s Ferrari 275 GTB4 no longer did.McQueen took delivery of the 275 GTB4 when while on the set of the classic thriller ‘Bullitt’ – perhaps not satisfied with the power of the Ford Mustang made famous in the film’s chase scene, he fell in love with the classic Ferrari.The Ferarri’s roof was later removed by a subsequent owner in the 80’s. So Classiche has taken to restoring it to its original coupe form at the current owner’s request.Interest in classic Ferraris has peaked in recent years due to the direct involvement of Ferrari in the form of Classiche which was established in 2006. Classic Ferraris smashed world record auction prices over a number of years culminating in the sale of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO built for Sir Stirling Moss for US$35 million. 

The factories sent workers home as a 5.8 magnitude earthquake devastated villages and cities in northern Italy's Emilia Romagna region. At least 17 people died when the earthquake - the second in the area in 10 days - yesterday centred on Maserati's home town, Modena. The car maker reported some unspecified damage to its buildings. The first quake was followed three hours later by a 5.6 magnitude aftershock. Factories of the four are in the Emilia Romagna district - Maserati is based in Modena; Ferrari is 18km south west at Maranello; Lamborghini is in the village of Sant'Agata Bolognese, 20km east of Modena; and Ducati is at Borgo Panigale, near Bologna. Both Ferrari and its star driver Fernando Alonso tweeted in the aftermath of the event that the headquarters in Maranello was closing so that staff members could go home. About 5000 workers at the factories were affected. Production is expected to return today or tomorrow. The quake was felt throughout northern Italy, including the financial capital Milan, where some buildings and schools were evacuated, and as far south as Tuscany and Umbria. The severest damage to buildings was reported near the epicentre surrounding towns including Cavezzo, Medolla and Mirandola. The earthquake was the second this month in the region. An earthquake of a similar magnitude centered near the town of Finale Emilia killed seven people on May 20.