Ferrari News

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

The red $70,000 pocket rocket has a top speed of 225km/h and does the dash from 0-100km/h in less than seven seconds. It's been built as a tribute to the historic performance links between Ferrari and Abarth. The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari is fitted with a 1.4 Turbo T-Jet 16v, tuned to develop more than 132kW of power. This is combined with an MTA (Manual Transmission Automated) electromechanical gearbox with race-inspired steering wheel controls that enhances engine's performance by reducing gearshift times. It rides on 17" alloy wheels featuring a design inspired by Ferrari wheels. Ride and braking systems have also been strengthened to cope with the extra power: modular Brembo 305mm disc brakes with fixed four-piston calliper disc and special shock absorbers that let you enjoy performance in total safety. And of course there is a "Record Monza" variable back pressure "dual mode" exhaust, designed to improve engine performance and deliver an inspiring sound over 3000 revs. Still, it's a lot of money for a tiny car. The Tributo Ferrari is finished not just in classic Modena Red, but also in the brand-new shade of Modena Yellow, with carbon fibre door mirrors and B pillar trims.  Details such as the wheels and front air intakes are in Racing Grey. "Abarth Corsa by Sabelt" carbon fibre racing seats are fitted and finished in black leather and Alcantara with a shell and seat base in carbon fibre. The list goes on ... but it's a lot of money for a tiny car. The interior is embellished with other details too, like the special kick plate passenger footwell, door sill trim and a plate bearing the vehicle series number. The Tributo Ferrari comes with a special pack to keep it safe and clean. The safety pack includes a dedicated travel bag with an emergency triangle, work gloves, emergency lights, and an Abarth yellow safety vest.  The cleaning kit includes Abarth Leather Cleaning Fluid, Abarth Body Wax and Abarth Interior Cleaning fluid. It even comes with its own personalised car cover. The standard Abarth Travel Pack comprises of a set of "stone washed" black leather luggage designed specifically for the luggage compartment of the Abarth 695 "Tributo Ferrari". The Abarth 695 "Tributo Ferrari" has a recommended retail price of $69,990 excluding statutory charges, delivery and dealer costs. The bad news is that all 45 of the cars destined for Australia and New Zealand have been sold.

If you already have a garage of off-the-shelf exotica, your next purchase needs to be something really special.FERRARI SUPERAMERICA 45THE most committed (and cashed-up) Ferrari aficionados build up a relationship with the brand through long association, and buying lots of cars. Ferrari knows them by name and likes to think of them as family. One such is New York real estate supremo Peter Kalikow, who has an impressive car collection that includes vintage Ferraris.When it comes to buying something new for a special occasion, Kalikow likes to commission Ferrari's special projects department. Then it's a case of tell them what you'd like, and they'll knock one up.This year, to mark 45 years as a customer, Kalikow took delivery of the Superamerica 45, a one-off set of wheels based on the 599 GTB. It was unveiled last month, like so many of these cars, at the annual Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza on the shores of Lake Como, Italy.The bespoke Superamerica 45 design features a rotating carbon-fibre roof, including the rear glass, which flips into the boot to turn the coupe into a convertible. This idea appeared on a version of the 575 Maranello, the predecessor to the 599 GTB, and was also called Superamerica.Kalikow was also inspired by a car in his collection: a 1961 400 Superamerica cabriolet, which was an equally exclusive vehicle a half century ago. The bodywork and wheels of the 45 are painted the same blue to match. The car's carbon fibre elements, including the roof, body kit and much of the cabin, are in a contrasting darker blue. The chromed grille, burnished aluminium A-pillars, wing mirrors and door handles are also unique.Changes to the bodywork include rear buttresses integral with the rear wheel arches and air vents in the front wings, while the boot had to be redesigned to fit the roof.Ferrari says nothing about what's under the bonnet of this car, but a standard 599 GTB is powered by a 456kW 6.0-litre V12.Kalikow is no stranger to customised Ferraris, having previously ordered a special version of the 612 Scaglietti, the brand flagship that recently made way for the FF.Ferrari doesn't reveal the price of these cars but its best-known special project recently was the P4/5 from 2006, a Pininfarina design based on the Enzo supercar. It was a one-off ordered by US financier James Glickenhaus that reportedly cost $4 million.ASTON MARTIN V12 ZAGATOITALIAN specialist Zagato has been in the bespoke design and production business for more than 90 years and its long association with elite brands extends beyond its homeland to take in the racier badges from Britain.Its most recent car is the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, which was built to mark the 50th anniversary of the first project between the two, the DB4GT Zagato of 1961. Only 20 of those cars were made and it has spawned many replicas. DB4GT originals have become very collectable and fetch millions of dollars.The modern reinterpretation of the DB4GT starts life as the Vantage, Aston's junior sports car, in its most extreme form with a 380kW, 5.9-litre V12 under the bonnet. Like that car, it features a limited slip differential and carbon fibre propeller shaft, but it drives through an automated six-speed manual instead of a traditional manual.Most noticeably, the bodywork is all bespoke and handcrafted out of aluminium using traditional techniques and body bucks. To make the double-bubble roof alone takes five pieces of aluminium, joined and shaped into one flowing form. The front wings need seven pieces each.Like the DB4GT, the V12 Zagato will go racing, with an appearance planned for the last weekend in June at the Nurburgring 24-hour race in Germany. The V12 Zagato in race trim has reduced weight and retuned suspension as well as a 120-litre fuel tank, rollcage and huge rear wing.At the car's debut at the Villa d'Este concours last month, it scooped the prize for best design. Company chief executive Ulrich Bez was encouraged: “Based on the reactions of our customers to this race car, we hope to offer a road-homologated V12 Zagato in a small, limited number as soon as possible.'' According to Aston insiders, there's at least one Australian in the queue to buy.ALFA ROMEO TZ3THE takeover of Chrysler by Fiat is already throwing up some oddities, including a whole line-up of Lancias that are little more than rebadged versions of American cars. And that's just the start.To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fiat-owned Alfa Romeo last year, former race partner Zagato designed the TZ3, named for the TZ race cars that campaigned in the 1960s. Built for German collector Martin Kapp, who owns TZ originals, the TZ3 first appeared as the Corsa at the Villa D'Este showpiece in Italy last year.Designed for lightness, it's built on a carbon fibre monocoque with a hand-formed aluminium body. Under the bonnet is a 4.2-litre V8 driving the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox. With a kerb weight of just 850kg, it can reach 100km/h in 3.5 seconds.As its name suggests, the Corsa was designed as a track car, and it's unique.Production of the TZ3 Stradale, which followed this year, will run to nine examples and it shares many design features with the Corsa, including the aerodynamic tail shape that was pioneered by the 1960s TZ racers. But the Stradale is fundamentally different.Its body is formed from carbon fibre and underneath sits the chassis from the most extreme form of Dodge Viper, Chrysler's blue-collar supercar.Power comes from the Viper's monster 450kW 8.4-litre V10.Unlike the Corsa, the Stradale is road legal and, in effect, the first American Alfa Romeo. Suitably enough, the first example went to collector Eric King in the US.Meanwhile, Chrysler and Fiat are denying that future production versions of the Viper will share mechanicals with Alfa. Although worse things can happen, as Lancia can attest.Read more about prestige motoring at The Australian.

Scroll down to see our 360 degree inside view of the new FF. A family-car Ferrari sounds like a contradiction from a brand famed for F1 ultra-performance. But that’s exactly what the Prancing Horse has done in building the Ferrari FF. And they’ve made it four-wheel drive … perfect for battling the rough terrain of the private school drop-off zone. The $625,000 car - the first of which landed in Australia this week on its world trip to entice potential customers - is the successor to the 612 Scaglietti. It carries a 486kW/683Nm direct-injection 6.3-litre V12 with its block modified from the 612, mated to a dual-clutch seven-speed transmission with steering wheel paddle-shifters. The engine sits behind the front axle line so the drive out to the front wheels comes off the nose of a new crankshaft. There are three transmission/engine management modes: automatic, sport and race. The traction system is switchable from wet, ice and snow to - for the brave - ESC completely off. It gets to 100km/h in just 3.7 seconds and the massive carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes on the 20-in wheels it back from that speed to a dead stop in 2.7 seconds - and 35m.

HENRY Ford would roll over in his grave. He once said about the Model T: "Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black." Today's customers for prestige cars can chose from so many trim options it is possible that no two cars of the same model would be the same. Maserati, for example, has nine million possible trim, colour and leather combinations, a figure that has doubled in the past three years. One Australian family is even reported to have chosen a bespoke Maserati Quattroporte with four different leather seat colours to match the favourite colour of each member of the family. Ferrari runs a Special Projects program where customers can create a one-off special. For example, New York Ferrari collector and enthusiast Peter Kalikow has taken delivery of this one-off Special Projects Ferrari  Superamerica 45 to celebrate 45 years since he first became a Ferrari client. It features a carbon-fibre rotating hard-top, a carbon-fibre boot, chromed front grille and special burnished aluminium A-pillars, wing mirrors and door handles. The Superamerica 45 is finished in Blu Antille to matches Kalikow's 1961 400 Superamerica cabriolet. The wheels are body-coloured with contrasting diamond-finish spokes. The roof and other carbon-fibre elements of the bodywork are in a special contrasting darker blue, a theme that is carried over to the cockpit which features dark blue carbon-fibre dash trim and driver zone. The interior features a combination of Cuoio leather trim and Blu Scuro carbon fibre details and a latest-generation touch-screen infotainment system. No Australian customer has yet ordered a car under Ferrari's Special Projects program. However, every Ferrari that comes into Australia is personalised to individual customer's particular requirements. And there is a lot to choose from. For a start there are three different types of seat: standard, carbon fibre racing and carbon fibre racing with electric adjustment. These then come in small, medium or large sizes. The standard seat may have the normal upholstery style, Daytona or Diamond pattern, then different parts of the seat may use differ types of leather in different colours or be combined with Alcantara. The stitching can be the same colour or different colours, in different stitching styles or piping may be used. But wait there's so much more. The seat belts come in different colours, the boot may be carpet or Alcantara and so on. And what about colours? There is a standard range, an historic range from Ferrari's history or customers can choose any colour they like. Even choosing a red Ferrari involves a choice - classic Rosa Corsa, Scuderia Red of the F1 team or three darker metallic and pearlescent reds. A Ferrari spokesman says it usually takes a customer three to four hours to work out the exact specification for their Ferrari.

The McLaren MP4-12C will be presented to Australia today in Sydney – check back here later to see all the photos and video – and the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 team and racing program is unveiled in the UK.The GT3 will be the first McLaren car built for FIA GT series racing since the F1 GTR’s last days in1997.Based on the carbon chassis-based MP4-12C, the GT3 has been adapted for the track with F1 technology, with 20 cars homologated for GT3 racing next year.Privateer buyers of the car will also be given access to the McLaren simulator programs.McLaren Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh says turning the MP4-12C into a race car was a logical move.“McLaren has racing in its blood and it was a natural step to take our MP4-12C road car and turn it into the most reliable, efficient and easy to drive GT3 car,” Whitmarsh says.“Every car on the grid will have its performance balanced by race rules, meaning our objective must be to select a technical specification that ensures any driver is able to access the 12C GT3’s performance limit with ease.“We have worked with CRS Racing to ensure the 12C’s design and development program is as close as possible to one McLaren Racing would employ in developing a Formula 1 car.“The 12C GT3 will be supplied with the 12C’s carbon MonoCell and the same steering wheel design employed by Lewis Hamilton in his MP4-24 Formula 1 car.“Plus, we are working closely with Formula 1 suppliers past and present: Akebono, Mobil 1, McLaren Electronic Systems, Ricardo and Michelin for example. This blend of road car and Formula 1 technology and experience will be a great advantage to anyone racing a 12C GT3 in 2012.”

It made a profit of about $420 million in 2010 on the sale of 6573 cars with a 15.8 per cent return on sales - a figure so high that it's in the same league as the luxury goods sector, Ferrari says. But a large amount of earnings are coming from other divisions. Its merchandising operation, for example, includes 40 retail Ferrari Shops around the world but only two are owned by the company. Clothing, giftware and other licensed products with the Ferrari logo are worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year.  Its Abu Dhabi theme park, Ferrari World, has been a major earner for the company because of trademark agreements, franchised outlets and merchandise. For Ferrari, the theme park is gold - it didn't put one cent of its money into the concept yet draws a significant return. The car maker now sees its next step as launching the FF and the 458 Spyder.

The surprise isn't the acceleration - though 3.7 seconds to 100km/h is pretty good - rather the fact that 485kW/683Nm has been instructed to put all these numbers through the wheels and the result is barely any wheelspin.  This is where the Ferrari FF - the company's first all-wheel drive - excels. Born from customer demand for a car that can transverse slippery snow and sand tracks, it has been a difficult development that started in 2004.  The FF uses an all-wheel drive system that is breathtaking in its simplicity - a direct drive from the front of the crankshaft to a small box with three cogs, one multi-disc clutch box and two shafts to either front wheel. The rear wheels are driven conventionally, in this case through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission - another first for Ferrari - that's mounted with the electronically-controlled diff at the rear. There is no mechanical connection between the drive to the front wheels and the drive to the rear wheels.  There are numerous benefits of this system, Firstly, it's very light (Ferrari claims 40kg that is half that of a traditional all-wheel drive system) and small (the power transfer unit is only 170mm long). The clutches are monitored and controlled by computers to allocate torque where needed. For example, in situations where grip is lost, it is reallocated to the other wheel. This is constantly monitored so maximum grip is available to either of the front wheels when needed. The same use of electronics applies to the rear diff. Because there is a speed difference between front wheels and rear wheels, Ferrari has incorporated two gears in the PTU that alter the ratios from the engine to the wheels.  To pick up any smaller differences, the clutch pack is allowed to slip. Ferrari says the two-cog gearbox in the PTU is good for up to 200km/h at which point the system will disengage drive to the front wheels.  It is possible that in extreme situations that 20 per cent of maximum torque will temporarily go to the front wheels - such as when the rear wheels are on ice - to provide maximum traction. Ferrari says the system is not transferable to other engines and that it has had no requests from other car makers for a license.

A full-on racing update of the Italian supercar has just been completed in Italy and is ready to go. It's a development for the GT3 class of sports car racing, where the Italian contender will come up against a wide range of rivals including the Audi R8 and Mercedes-Benz SLS Gullwing. The biggest changes to the racing Italia are the wicked extensions to the bodywork, from wide flared rear arches to a giant wing on the tail. The nose is also dropped and extended for maximum cornering trip and top speed on the track. Ferrari already has a GT2 racing version of the Italia and it scored its first big success last weekend with class victory in the Le Castellet 1000-kilometre race at the Paul Ricard circuit in southern France.  

Showing off the capabilities of its first ever four-wheel drive car, Ferrari takes the FF through the snow and the desert, to finish at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi.