A Ferrari F430 supercar has been recently crashed in Malaysia, after its driver had lost control of the wheel and stopped his ride underneath a guardrail.

Where ever there will be exotic cars there will also be exotic car crashes and a regular driving license isn’t apparently enough when you’re riding in a beast. The latest example comes from Malaysia where a driver crashed a Ferrari F430. According to wreckedexotics.com, the Ferrari F430 was being test driven by a man who pushed the gas pedal too hard, loosing control of the wheel and crashing it underneath a guardrail. The unfortunate event happened in Klia, Malaysia, and both driver and passenger were injured.

As a reminder, the Ferrari F430 has been manufactured by Ferrari from 2004 to 2009 and it was the successor of the 360. The supercar was officially presented to the public at the 2004 Paris Motor Show and it was succeeded by the 458 Italia. The F430 was coming in two body styles, two-seat Berlinetta and two-seat Spider, having a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. The supercar is powered by a 4.3 liter V8 engine which is developing a total output of 483 horsepower and it has a peak torque of 465 Nm (343 lb-ft).

I hope the driver and passenger is alright. Do you think that the driver was incompetent to crash his Ferrari F430?

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Source: inautonews.com

There will be no production run for the New Stratos, a one-off recreation of Lancia’s iconic 1970s rally-bread special.

The design for the modern incarnation of the Stratos originally broke cover back in 2008 with car collector and driver of historic race cars Michael Stoschek, and his son Maximilian, commissioning Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina to build a one-off technical concept.

The project received strong interest quickly, with 50 individuals interested in acquiring a recreated Stratos, originally produced in a one-off agreement with Ferrari.

The car is based on running gear from the Italian supercar firm’s F430 model and was sanctioned by Ferrari in a deal selling the brothers a single vehicle at the projects inception. However, Ferrari never had plans to supply the Stoschek brothers with vehicles for future use, and indeed the 430 has long been out of production.

As the reborn Stratos is underpinned by running gear from the Prancing Horse no cars will now be built, and the Stoscheks don’t even have plans to take the car’s design elsewhere:

“It’s virtually impossible to transfer to other companies the know-how garnered at Pininfarina during the construction of our model.

“While the chassis and body data exist in CAD [Computer Aided Design] files in their entirety, there are countless details relating to the assembly and finishing that remain solely in the minds of a number of highly qualified individuals at Pininfarina.”

The vehicle will still be exhibited by the pair of automotive enthusiasts at public events and exhibitions.

Fans of reincarnated 1970s rally car specials shouldn’t be despondent however, as Renault is reportedly considering reviving the Alpine brand as a luxury performance arm with a new Berlinette A110.

Given their success with the New Stratos, a successor to the A110 is an exciting prospect indeed. Hopefully Renault gets on board with this one – it can only do good things for their brand image. They are trying to bring back the Alpine, and an independent project could be just the trick to reviving excitement about the brand.

Do you think that Ferrari should of blocked the production of the Lancia Stratos?

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Source: automoblog.net and cars.uk.msn.com

Ferrari has blocked production of a modern-day reinterpretation of an iconic 1970s rally car, the Lancia Stratos.

A one-off version of the new Stratos was designed last year by renowned Italian design firm Pininfarina for a wealthy German historic car collector and driving enthusiast, Michael Stoschek.

The concept was created using the basis of a Ferrari F430, including its 4.3-litre V8 engine, but a statement on the official New Stratos website says its plans to build a limited edition run of the wedge-shaped sports car have been halted by the Italian supercar company.

“Over 40 prospective buyers from Europe and abroad have notified us of their interest in acquiring the New Stratos,” says the site.

“Pininfarina, however, has advised us that they will only carry out construction of a limited run with the express permission of Ferrari.

“Despite Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo’s excellent assessment of the New Stratos after his test drive at Fiorano, Ferrari does not consent to construction of the planned limited run by either Pininfarina or any other Ferrari-dependent suppliers.

“Given this situation, creation of additional vehicles seems possible only via companies that are not dependent on Ferrari.”

Pininfarina has designed numerous Ferraris over the decades, including the F430 on which the New Stratos is based. The F430 has since been replaced by the 458 Italia.

The Lancia brand is owned by Ferrari’s parent company Fiat.

The original Stratos – short for stratosphere – was created to give Lancia a rally-winning machine in the 1970s. It also borrowed some components from a reluctant Ferrari – using the Dino’s 2.4-litre V6.

Only about 500 Stratos road cars are believed to have been built.

Ferrari hasn’t commented on the matter.

Why do you think that Ferrari blocked the production of the Lancia Stratos?

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Source: stuff.co.nz

Novitec Rosso, a well known tuning company has given the Ferrari model F430 sports car a very classy make up. This opinion though was not in agreement with Michiel van den Brink and ZR Auto who decided a few more additions and alterations were needed upon the car. The Canadian firm was also responsible for the 1200 HP Gallardo while Michiel van den Brink is the one who made the famous Ferrari Vandenbrink GTO. It can therefore be expected that the additions to the F430 can only be one of pleasure to the eye.

There are but few images which have been made available of this hopefully beautiful tweaking of the F430. What can be expected is that Michiel van den Brink would have been taking over the works on the exterior of the car, with ZR Auto taking the responsibility of tweaking performance features. Possibly we would get a 1200 hp F430? Results of this make over are yet waited with eagerness.

The present car has a red exterior paint and black stripes with the ZR Auto logo upon it. Its wait and watch for the real car to come out of production.

What do you think about the 2010 Novitec Rosso Ferrari F430 tweaked by ZR Auto?

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Source: speedlux.com

In Moriyama, Japan- Japanese tuner Auto Veloce has created a Lamborghini-inspired body kit for the outgoing Ferrari F430. It was officially unveiled at the 2010 Special Import-Car Show, or SIS, in Japan, and it’s now available for order in both spider and berlinetta versions.

The package is part of Auto Veloce’s product line called “Super Veloce Racing,” and includes a full exterior body kit. Like a lot of the aggressive models from Lamborghini, the F430 gets a huge airdam, quarter-panel intakes and a monstrous rear wing. The kit is blacked out to make it look even more like Lamborghini’s 2010 Murcielago LP670-4 Super Veloce. New wheels and a rear bumper with a diffuser are also part of the modifications.

A similar but less aggressive package with the Lambo look is also offered for the Ferrari 360 Modena.

What do you think about the Ferrari F430 looking like a Lamborghini?

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Source: insideline.com

Take a look at this video clip from the latest Top Gear episode where Jeremy Clarkson takes a quick look at the Ferrari 458 Italia and his particular take on the coupe compared to the venerable 308. As we know, Jeremy is not a big fan of the flappy paddles. There is a drag race involving James May’s personal F430 and a lap with the Stig. All that and more is a click away so check out the video below.

What do you think about the video of the Ferrari 458 Italia?

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Source: autoblog.com and autotalk.com

Ferrari P4/5 Competizione

If you are not familiar with the Ferrari P4/5, it’s a one-off car commissioned by American billionaire Jim Glickenhaus and designed by Pininfarina based on the Ferrari Enzo. The car is inspired by P3/4 and 412P race cars of 60s and 70s, and it’s one of the best coachbuilt Ferraris made to date. Now Jim wants a racing version of that car, and it’s getting built right now! 

There are no shortage of reasons why we love the Ferrari P4/5, and by extension, owner Jim Glickenhaus for bringing it to realization. The Pininfarina-penned one-off drew its inspiration and design cues from the legendary P3/4, one of the most achingly beautiful – and devastatingly fast – Ferraris ever devised. Just one problem: the original P3/4 was an approved race car, going back to the days when you could drive your machinery to the track, race for the day and then blast back home. Those days are far behind us, but that’s no problem for our old friend Jim. He’ll just make another one.

And so was born the P4/5 Competition project, creating a racing version to compliment the street-legal coachbuilt special. Unlike the Enzo-based road car, Glickenhaus chose to base the Competizione model on the combination of F430 underpinnings, using the 430 Scuderia’s chassis (to ensure that it would be able to be converted back to street use once its racing days were over) and the F430 GT2′s drivetrain to keep it up to speed with the competition.

The project is now well under way, and Jim has released the rendering you see above to give us a heads-up on what the final product will look like. Of course the design is largely the same as the P4/5 roadcar, but upgrades with some race-specific components, from the front splitter to the rear wing and a livery inspired by racing Ferraris of the past. Reports indicate that it will be classified as an experimental racer in the same vein as the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

For our part, we can’t wait to see it turn its wheels at the 2011 Nurburgring 24 Hours race, which is scheduled to take place on June 25-26, to see what the racer is really capable of.

What do you think about the Ferrari P4/5 Competizione?

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Source: autoblog.com, motorward.com and autoevolution.com

Ferrari 458 Italia Spider

 The Ferrari 458 Italia Spider is not yet reality, but it has been confirmed by Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo, and already it’s the subject of speculation on fan forums like Teamspeed. The topic of conversation? The possibility of a folding hardtop roof.

The Ferrari California was the first Prancing Horse to have a folding hard top. A soft top was chosen for the F430 Spider and its high-performance Scuderia 16M variant to save weight and store compactly in order to keep the engine visible at all times, top up or down. Adding a hardtop to the 458 Italia could thwart those goals.

On the other hand, a folding hardtop adds a level of safety and comfort a soft top can’t deliver. A hardtop can also better preserve the lines of a car when it’s up–no small consideration of an image-obsessed marque like Ferrari. It would also make sense of the images spied back in 2008 of a hardtop-equipped F430 Spider. In the past, a folding hardtop hasn’t been a primary concern for its performance-focused models, instead favoring the space and weight savings of the soft top.

The California’s decidely more relaxed manner wears the hardtop well, however, and Ferrari could always skip the folding hardtop in favor of a soft top for a Scuderia version of the 458 Italia Spider.

As for us, we’d be fine with a hardtop, provided it stows away without significantly compromising space and without covering up the gorgeous 4.5-liter, 570-horsepower V-8 in the middle.

What do you think? Will Ferrari give the Italia Spider a hardtop? Or should it stick with the soft top?

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Source: Teamspeed via motorauthority.com

From left: Ferrari APAC regional sales manager Simon Inglefield and Datuk SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin at the launch of the new Ferrari 458 Italia

Naza Italia, the distibutor of Ferrari and Maserati in Malaysia, has unveiled the Prancing Horse’s latest supercar-the 458 Italia-at a Ferrari party with some 400 guests, including the Scuderia’s two Formula 1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. The glitzy party was held at the company’s facility in Petaling Jaya.

Naza Italia Snd Bhd, the local sole importer and distributor of Ferrari cars, is confident the new 458 Italia will draw strong interest from Malaysian enthusiasts given its unique and stylish features.

“It is not about volume. We are fulfilling customers’ dream and deliver the best-of-the-best car for them.

“And talking about Malaysia, demand for this car is always encouraging,” said Joint Group Executive Chairman Datuk SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin when asked about the sales target for the new Ferrari.

“Every time we introduce a new model here, the car is snapped up just like that, showing the big enthusiasm from the local market. We need more (unit) allocation for the car actually as there is quite a strong following for Ferrari cars in Malaysia. Apart from that, we have the largest 4S (sales, service, systems, spare parts) center and showroom outside Italy here at Naza Italia to serve as the ‘lifestyle center’ for its Malaysian fans,” he told StarBiz.

He added that owning a Ferrari car was not about showing off to others but was a status of one’s success in life. The owners’ common interest in Ferrari could also open up more business networking opportunities.

Imported from Maranello, Italy, the sports car has a starting price of slightly over RM2 million with a waiting period of about 18 months. To date, 14 units of Ferrari 458 Italia have been booked.

Speaking to reporters after the unveiling of the Ferrari 458 Italia for the Malaysian market last Thursday, Faisal said: “This car exudes style, creative flair, passion and cutting-edge technology, all in one package.

“Thus I believe, this car is a must have for Ferrari fans and enthusiasts in Malaysia.”

Naza Italia has sold about 23 cars of five Ferrari models, since it was granted the exclusive right in March 2008. The company has been committed in bringing in a comprehensive product line from the F430, 599 GTB Fiorano, 612 Scaglietti, Ferrari California to the Scuderia Spider.

Debuted at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show on Sept. 15, 2009, the Ferrari 458 Italia is an eight-cylinder two-seater berlinetta with a mid-rear mounted engine and represents a genuine break with the past in terms of Maranello’s previous high performance sports cars.

It replaces the Ferrari F430 and delivers superb vehicle dynamics with an ideal weight balance for a mid-rear engine sports car–58 percent rear and 42 percent front.

It produces only 307 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide and has a fuel consumption of just 13.3 liters per 100 km.

To extend Naza Italia’s commitment in providing the highest level of customer care, SM Faisal said the company was offering the Ferrari Approved Pre-Owned Program.

The program is to ensure Ferrari customers that pre-owned cars come with full technical support, including the Ferrari Power Warranty.

Please leave a comment. Are you tired of the same old news from my blog? What do you want to know more about Ferraris?

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Source: bernama.com, biz.thestar.com.my and paultan.org

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

In addition to unveiling the new 2010 Ferrari F10 Formula 1 car, CEO Luca di Montezemolo used last Thursday morning’s press conference to briefly announce a hybrid version of the company’s 599 GTB Fiorano that will be shown in March at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. Though the car at the show will be a prototype, the hybrid 599 is in fact destined for production. The car will be based on technology developed by Ferrari’s F1 team. It is designed by Pininfarina. Rumors of a hybrid Ferrari based on the Ferrari 599 GTB, which debuted at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, have long been making the rounds.

“It has to be the avant-garde in automobile technology. We’re constructing cars with an enormous part of the innovative technology. We’ll present a 599 hybrid in Geneva, which will represent a great path towards the future,” Ferrari Luca di Montezemolo said in Maranello, Italy, at the presentation of the 2010 Formula One Ferrari.

Ferrari filings with the European Patent Office for a “4WD system with hybrid propulsion” were reported last June. Ferrari first disclosed its plan to launch a hybrid to British magazine Autocar also last June, though the company didn’t say when it would first be viewed by the public, but hinted at a release within a year.

The Italian enthusiast magazine Quattroruote first reported last December that the car would be unveiled to the public in Geneva.

At the announcement, which seems appropriate as it was during the 2009 F1 season when Ferrari first began using its Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS)-a kind of mild hybrid system of sorts that captures energy normally lost to braking in a flywheel-was used in actual competition… with mixed results though.

The hybrid we expect will be fitted with a rear-mounted electric motor, lithium-ion battery pack and a street-going version of the KERS Ferrari developed for-but has since dropped from-its Formula 1 cars.

A KERS system recovers energy at one of the car’s axles, rather than in the brakes like most hybrids. As used in racing, it can actually be a performance enhancement, allowing drivers a temporary power boost for a burst of speed and also permits the 612 hp engine to shut down at stop signs.

The hybrid system will decrease overall fuel consumption from around 8.7 miles per gallon to 11.75 miles per gallon with the battery being recharged while the 599 is decelerating. That is about a 35 percent savings in fuel.

Ferrari has already produced a car that can run on biofuel. The ethanol-gulping F430 debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in January of 2008.

Also at the unveiling of the new F1 car event, di Montezemolo mentioned that the automaker will continue to adapt F1 technology for its street vehicles. Ferrari will also continue to look for ways to improve their car’s efficiency as part of the board’s plan to make the company more sustainable.

It was announced also last week that there is the driving debut of the Ferrari 599XX. Seven owners of the car will have them delivered to Spain’s Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, where they’ll get to drive them for the first time. Upon arriving at the track, the 599XXs will be fitted for their drivers, then the owners will be familiarized with the cars with the aid of individual Ferrari instructors before being let loose on the circuit. Because the 599XX is not approved for any major safety standards, it is reserved for off-highway use only.

What do you think about a Ferrari 599 Hybrid?

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Source: motorauthority.com, worldcarfans.com, blogs.edmunds.com, rumors.automobilemag.com, fwd.five.tv, seekingalpha.com, usnews.rankingsandreviews.com, luxist.com, news.cnet.com, motorcrave.com, and wot.motortrend.com