Ferrari F430 2010 News

We see numerous replica supercars come and go, including some that could fool even an expert’s eye, but rarely do you hear of the cars’ builders being busted by the cops, despite the obvious copyright infringements and other breaches of the law that typically go hand in hand with replica supercars.  That wasn’t the case for the unscrupulous builders of these replica Ferraris, who were arrested and had the contents of their workshop in Valencia, Spain seized by the local authorities. A total of 19 cars, most of them Ferrari F430 replicas, though some Aston Martin models were also present, were seized by police. Eight men were arrested and charged. The cars were sold over the Internet and were priced from 40,000 euros (approximately $59,300), according to the police. There’s been no mention of what donor vehicles were used for the replicas but a Toyota engine was visible suggesting one of the vehicles may have been an MR2. The mid-engine Toyota is a popular choice among replica supercar builders. The replicas themselves were made from fibreglass and featured highly detailed engine bays, the police said. We can see that Ferrari wheels and even Ferrari-labeled brake callipers were also copied. www.motorauthority.com  

But here I am behind the wheel of not one, but two Ferraris, a Lotus, a Lamborghini, an Aston Martin and a Porsche.

The fastest open-top Ferrari was unveiled this week in Sydney. The car has an extremely limited production run that will see a mere dozen coming to Australia. Needlesss to say, it’s a stunner. But the numbers add up too. Starting with the name, or nomenclature in true Ferrari terminology; 16M – represents the number of times Ferrari has won the World Constructors Championship. Luca di Montezemolo is personally responsible for the 16M as he requested a car to celebrate last years constuctors title. 499 – the number of 16M to be built, of which 12 have been purchased by Australian cognesenti and 3 will make New Zealand their home. 375 – as in kilowates, the output of the 4.3 litre engine. 470 – the nM of torque established at 5250 rpm 60 – the speed in milleseconds it takes for a gear change when the driver flips the paddle. 80 – the kilograms saved over the standard Spider from the introduction of additional carbon fibre and special light weight wheels as well as the deletion of carpet (not optional) and noise reduction material. 3.7 – the number of seconds it takes to reach 100km/h 315 – the manufacturer quoted maximum velocity in km/h 675,000 – the price in Australian dollars Also of note is that all of the 12 coming to Australia are going to existing Ferrari owners who are purchasing their 16M as an additional car to join their collection.  The Ferrari market is not suffering under the global recession as the production numbers are still limited enough for the clientele to be somewhat immune from the full impact of the crisis. The same cannot be said for the higher production exotics such as Porsche, who have just seen a 29% drop in sales for March in the American market. Also of note is that with the introduction of the new California, Alan Hind -- Ferrari Sales Manager for Italia Motori in Sydney -- says that the market reach is being extended to non-traditional Ferrari buyers who may have been considering a Mercedes SL or higher spec SLK, but for whom the addition of the occasional rear seat in the California is seen as an extra bonus. Another niche grow areas for Ferrari is the female market with three recent buyers of standard F430 Spider and three orders for the new California. Carsguide

The fight to be first to own the fastest road going Ferrari has created a $50 million backlog in Australia.