Although we first heard about Ferrari’s latest ‘Tailor-Made Program’ back in July, the Italian supercar marque waited until last week’s 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show to formally announce it.

In Frankfurt Ferrari had a dedicated stand for the Tailor-Made Program, with several custom cars similar to the Lapo Elkan inspired ‘Blue-Denim’ California pictured here.

The Tailor-Made Program provides clients with an extensive range of exclusive cloth trim, colors, finishes and technical materials for a final specification inspired by unique classic Ferraris and by motorsports.

The selection is available in three innovative collections–Classica, Scuderia and Inedita–specifically conceived by Ferrari’s own Styling Center.

In creating their bespoke cars, clients will be assisted by their own personal designer throughout the decision-making process, right up until delivery.

Note, the latest Tailor-Made Program isn’t the first of Ferrari’s vehicle personalization services. In fact, it isn’t even the second.

There’s also the ‘Special Projects’, which spawned the Ferrari Superamerica 45, as well as the original ‘Carrozzeria Scaglietti’ and ‘One-to-One’ programs.

With so many options for customers, it’s little wonder that every Ferrari sold this year had some form of personalization.

Have you had a Ferrari created in the ‘Tailor Made Program’ yet or will?”

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Source: motorauthority.com

Ferrari has pulled the cover off the new 458 Spider at the ongoing 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. This convertible is based on the 458 Italia and as we have reported before, this is the first Ferrari convertible to feature a retractable hardtop.

The retractable hardtop made from aluminum is fully automatic and takes only 14 seconds for deployment. Also, the roof and the mechanism weighs almost 25 kg less than the conventional fabric soft top. The mechanism is also compact and when retracted, the roof is stored in a dedicated storage area behind the seats, in front of the engine bay. The compact design has also allowed Ferrari engineers to incorporate the car with a luggage storage compartment behind the seats. The buttresses have been designed to optimize the flow of air to the engine intakes, the clutch and gearbox oil radiators.

The convertible is fitted with Ferrari’s award winning 4.5 liter V8 engine. The engine is coupled to a dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission system and is capable of producing 570 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. The standard 0 to 62 mph sprint takes only 3.4 seconds and the rated top speed is 198 mph. The convertible is also fitted with the new HELE (High Emotion Low Emission) system, which delivers an impressive urban fuel economy of 11.8 liters/100 km (19.9 US mpg) and reduces CO2 emissions to 275 g/km.

Other than the roof, the Ferrari 458 Spider is almost identical to its hardtop sibling: the 458 Italia. The convertible is expected to carry a base price tag higher than the hardtop 458 Italia, which starts at $227,325.

The world’s first mid-rear engined berlinetta equipped with a retractable hard top debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Maranello, 23rd August 2011 – The new 458 Spider joins the 458 Italia, widening the range of Ferrari’s mid-rear engined V8s and offering the same uncompromising technological solutions, handling and performance in a refined open-top configuration. It is equipped with a Ferrari patented, fully retractable hard top, a world first for a sports car with this lay-out.

The 458 Spider is powered by Ferrari’s naturally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5 litre V8 which was nominated as the 2011 International Engine of the Year for its engineering excellence in terms of driveability, performance, economy and refinement. The power is transferred to the road by Ferrari’s class-leading dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission through the sophisticated E-Diff, itself integrated with the F1-Trac traction control and high-performance ABS for maximum handling dynamics.

Certain features, such as its accelerator pedal mapping and the damping of the multilink suspension, have been calibrated to guarantee maximum sportiness and absolute driving pleasure with the top down, in line with Maranello’s exclusive spider tradition. Even the engine soundtrack has been honed to ensure that the car’s occupants are completely captivated by the drop-top driving experience.

Entirely in aluminium, the hard-top solution adopted for the 458 Spider offers a number of advantages over the traditional folding soft-top, including a reduction of 25 kg in weight and a deployment time of just 14 seconds. Fully integrated into the styling of the car, the hard-top was engineered to fit neatly ahead of the engine bay without compromising aerodynamics or the performance of the car. The small space needed to house the roof enables the designers to include a generous rear bench for luggage behind the seats.

The rear of the car is characterised by innovative forms with the buttresses designed to optimise the flow of air to the engine intakes and the clutch and gearbox oil radiators. For maximum comfort whilst driving top down the 458 Spider features a generously-sized adjustable electric wind stop. The design was perfected to slow and diffuse the air in the cockpit, enabling normal conversation to be held even at speeds over 200 km/h.

New technical solutions adopted for the chassis guarantee identical levels of structural rigidity with the roof up or down. The result is a car that is truly exciting to drive, blending extreme performance with the responsiveness that has always characterised Ferrari’s open-top berlinettas.

458 Spider technical specifications

Dimensions
Length
4527 mm (178.2 in.)
Width
1937 mm (76.3 in.)
Height
1211 mm (47.7 in.)
Wheelbase
2650 mm (104.3 in.)
Dry weight
1430 kg (3153 lbs)*
Weight/power ratio
2.51 kg/CV (7.42 lbs/kW)
Weight distribution fr/r
42%/58%

Engine
Type
90° V8
Displacement
4499 cc (274.5 cu in.)
Maximum power
570 CV (425 kW)** @ 9000 rpm
Maximum torque
540 Nm (398 lbs/ft) @ 6000 rpm
Specific power output
127 CV/l
Compression ratio
12.5:1

Tyres
Front
235/35 ZR20 8.5″
Rear
295/35 ZR20 10.5″

Performance
Maximum speed
>320 km/h (>198 mph)
0-100 km/h
<3.4 s

Fuel consumption + emissions
Fuel consumption***
11.8 l/100 km
Emissions***
275 g CO2/km

Gearbox
Dual-clutch, 7-speed F1

Electronics
E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high-performance ABS
* With forged wheels and Racing seats
** Including 5 CV of ram effect
*** Combined cycle with HELE system (ECE+EUDC)

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Source: nitrobahn.com

Ferrari has officially revealed its spectacular 458 Italia Spider, three weeks before the 562-horsepower 4.5-liter V8-powered supercar is due to make its public premiere at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. Set to go on sale in the U.S. in early 2012, the new car will compete head-on with the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder.

Described by the Italian carmaker as the first mid-rear-engine supercar to feature a retractable roof, the 458 Italia Spider eschews the traditional fabric hood used by a long line of illustrious open-top Ferrari models down through the years for a contemporary hardtop.

Made from aluminum, the patented structure is claimed to automatically retract back to a dedicated stowage area behind the seats, in front of the engine bay, in just 14 seconds. Significantly, it is also said to weigh 55 pounds less than the fabric roof of its predecessor, the F430 Spider — allowing the 458 Italia Spider to retain the same 42:58 front-to-rear weight distribution as its fixed-roof sibling, the 458 Italia.

Although the official photographs generated by Ferrari do not show the new aluminum hardtop, Ferrari says it has been engineered to fit in front of the engine bay without any compromise to aerodynamics or performance over the 458 Italia. Additional domes behind the high-set seatbacks are said to help channel wind over the rear bodywork to air intakes used to cool the engine, clutch and gearbox.

The small space required to house the hardtop has enabled the addition of what Maranello insiders describe as a “generous rear bench for luggage” behind the seats. To reduce buffeting within the interior at speed, Ferrari has also equipped the 458 Italia Spider with an electrically operated wind stop it says allows normal conversation between occupants at speeds up to 124 mph.

The rear-wheel-drive 458 Italia Spider runs the same highly strung 4.5-liter V8 engine as the 458 Italia. Mounted behind the space used to stow the new hardtop, it provides a solid 562 horsepower at 9,000 rpm along with 398 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm. Detailed modifications have been made to the exhaust to provide the open top with a slightly different exhaust note than the coupe.

The direct-injection unit is mated to Ferrari’s latest seven-speed double-clutch F1 gearbox and sophisticated e-diff electronically operated differential. Other features include the F1 Trac traction control system and high-performance brake system.

Despite carrying 110 pounds more than the 3,152-pound 458 Italia (modifications were made to the convertible’s chassis to offset the loss of rigidity brought on by the lack of a fixed roof), the new 458 Italia Spider is just 0.1 second slower over the standard 0-62-mph sprint, with an official time of 3.5 seconds. Ferrari puts the new open-top two-seater’s top speed at 198 mph — or 3 mph down on the fixed-roof coupe, which is claimed to run to 203 mph.

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Source: insideline.com

Ferrari will replace two of its five core models, the 430 Spider and the 599 GTB Fiorano, in the next two years, while adding a sportier variant to its  best-selling model, the 458 Italia.

Here is a look at Ferrari’s future product plans:

458 Italia: U.S. shipments of Ferrari’s best-selling model began in June last year. A freshening is planned in 2014. Ferrari is adding a sportier  variant, the 458 Scuderia, in 2013.

458 Spider: At the Frankfurt show in September, Ferrari will debut the 458 Spider, which will replace the 430 Spider. The powertrain will be unchanged,  while a retractable hard top will replace the canvas top offered on the 430. Sales in Europe begin in September. U.S. shipments follow in the first quarter of 2012.

California: A freshening for the Ferrari  California is planned for 2013.

599 GTB Fiorano: In 2012 Ferrari will replace the 599 GTB Fiorano with a redesigned model still known by its code-name, F152. The new car will remain a two-seat coupe with rear drive and a direct-injection V12 longitudinal  engine mounted in the front. The model will debut in March at the Geneva auto show, with European sales to begin in the summer and U.S. shipments by year end.

FF: The first all-wheel-drive Ferrari debuted in March at the Geneva show, went on sale in July in Europe and will arrive by year end in the States. Ferrari is building 800 units a year of the four-seat FF coupe; production is sold out until the end of 2012.

The FF, which stands for Ferrari Four, replaced the company’s 612 Scaglietti  flagship. The FF is marginally bigger and roomier but at 3,946 pounds weighs the  same as the Scaglietti despite adding awd.

The FF is powered by a new 660-hp, 6.3-liter V12 direct-injection engine that takes the car to 208 mph.

Limited-edition car: The successor to the Enzo limited-edition  supercar is set to go on sale in 2012. The all-carbon fiber model will be  powered with a new, normally aspirated V-12 and will herald weight-reduction and  fuel-saving technologies that Ferrari plans to adapt to its entire range by the  end of decade.

It is unclear how many units Ferrari plans to build. The company built 399 units of the Enzo, launched in 2002, and 349 units of predecessor, the 1995 F50.

Are you excited to see what new Ferraris are coming out in the next two years?

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Source: autoweek.com

For better or worse, Ferrari is to begin a program in which it will personalize cars to the sometimes eccentric tastes of its clients. The program, dubbed “Tailor Made,” will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.

To demonstrate the possibilities of the personalization scheme, Ferrari showed several customized cars at an internal dealer meeting. One, a California created for Fiat executive Lapo Elkan, featured blue-denim upholstery, blue paint and matching blue wheels. Another example was a 458 Italia outfitted with orange leather seats.

Ferrari did not specify whether it would place any restraints on the program in the interest of good taste. Expect more details to follow when the program is outlined in full at Frankfurt.

What would you do to personalize your own Ferrari?

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Source: leftlanenews.com

The award-winning Ferrari 458 Italia has taken another international prize, winning the coveted title of “Car of the Year 2010″ and “Supercar of the Year 2010″ from Car Middle East magazine, one of the most respected automotive monthly magazines in the region.

‘Ferrari’s 458 Italia is one of the most instantly desirable Ferraris for many years. The fact that it is incredibly talented, and yet tame enough to be an everyday car, is a bonus.

This is currently one of the most desirable cars on the planet and a future classic for sure. It offers a stunning physique, exquisite detailing, pulverising performance, astonishing ride and handling and surprising usability.

It is the ultimate superhero car and manages to vanquish all-comers with frightening ease’ said Shahzad Sheikh, the editorial director of Car Middle East.

Car Middle East magazine’s “Car of the Year” and “Supercar of the Year” award follows on from a raft of other awards for the 458 Italia including Fifth Gear’s “Fast Car of the Year”, BBC Top Gear Magazine’s “Supercar of the Year” and “Car of the Year”, GQ Magazine’s “Supercar of the Year”, MSN Cars “Car of the Year”, and Auto Express’s “Performance Car of the Year”.

The Ferrari 458 Italia was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009 to immediate critical acclaim. Following an extensive international media test drive programme in Maranello, the home of the fabled Prancing Horse, the car has been the subject of enthusiastic reviews, with its handling, roadholding, ride comfort and performance all being subject to the kind of superlatives rarely seen from the world’s leading journalists.

What do you think about the Ferrari 458 Italia winning all these awards?

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Source: 1.albawaba.com

Reviewing Ferrari’s latest mid-engined V8 sports car on a road test in the hills above Maranello, home of the fabled Prancing Horse, Jason Plato described the car as “a beautifully-engineered bit of kit.” His praise went even further when he declared: “I’m not kidding when I say this is the best car I’ve ever driven, by a good way. It is just amazing!”

The Fifth Gear Awards are decided by the entire Fifth Gear team, including presenters and crew, and are only given to the most deserving and notable cars that have been featured in either of the two series of Fifth Gear during 2011.

The Fifth Gear “Fast Car of the Year” award comes on the back of raft of other international awards for the 458 Italia, including BBC Top Gear Magazine’s “Supercar of the Year” and “Car of the Year”, GQ Magazine’s “Supercar of the Year”, MSN Cars “Car of the Year”, and Auto Express’s “Performance Car of the Year”.

The Ferrari 458 Italia was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009 to immediate critical acclaim. Following an extensive international media test drive programme in Maranello the car has been the subject of enthusiastic reviews, with its handling, roadholding, ride comfort and performance all being subject to the kind of superlatives rarely seen from the world’s leading journalists.

What do you think about the Ferrari 458 Italia winning the Fifth Gear’s “Fast car of the year” award?

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Source: automotoportal.com

Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge

The 458 Italia, like any other roadgoing Ferrari, draws its inspiration and development from the Scuderia’s considerable racing prowess. Turning the 458 back into a racing car, then, is an extra special feat – one to which Maranello is well accustomed, from the Challenge versions of the 348, 355, 360 and 430 that came before. The new race car will run alongside the F430 Challenge as part of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo next year, the latter of which is also getting a new Asia-Pacific series for 2011 as well.

While the Challenge car maintains the production 458′s 5.5-liter V8 drivetrain, it has gone on a substantial diet that includes thinner body panels comprised of Lexan instead of glass windows and carbon-fiber components. Ride height has been dropped for circuit duty by 30mm, and the Challenge also gets its own suspension bits and setup with stiffer springs, dampers and aluminum bushings. Center-lock 19-inch racing wheels are banded in slick Pirelli tires, and the whole gorgeous Italian parade reins to a halt with Brembo CCM2 carbon-ceramic brakes from the 599XX. In other big news, the 458 Challenge receives F1-Trac electronics that makes use of specific programs that help set the car up for both wet and dry conditions.

All of this information arrives on the heels of the initial spy shots and the video that followed, with Ferrari having issued an official statement (available after the jump) and the image above. In addition, a small batch of photos have crept their way onto the Teamspeed forums, apparently from the vehicle’s official unveiling in Maranello. Read the press release below.

Press Release:

Maranello, July 14th 2010 – The 458 Challenge has made its world premiere debut in Maranello during the Annual Dealer Meeting, a traditional event that brings together the representatives of Ferrari’s international sales network.

The new berlinetta, which will flank the F430 Challenge in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli in the 2011 season, is the fifth model used by Ferrari in its one-make championship which, next year, will be extended to include a new Asia-Pacific series.

Coming just a few months after the Frankfurt Motor Show unveiling of the 458 Italia on which it is based, the 458 Challenge introduces a number of important modifications to adapt it for competition use.

The direct injection 4497 cc V8 remains strictly in production tune, with an output of 570 hp at 9,000 rpm. That said, modifications have been made to the gear ratios and calibration of its dual-clutch F1 gearbox to guarantee higher torque at lower revs. The 458 Challenge is also equipped with the E-Diff electronic differential already employed on the road-going version, a first for Ferrari’s track-only cars.

Significant work has also gone into cutting the car’s weight. This focused on both the exterior and interior with Ferrari’s engineers concentrating in particular on reducing the thickness of the bodyshell panels and on using lightweight materials, such as carbon-fibre and Lexan.

The new 458 Challenge also has a specific suspension set-up with solid aluminium bushings, stiffer springs, single-rate dampers, centre-nut 19″ racing rims, larger dimension Pirelli slicks and a ride height lowered by 30mm all round. It is also equipped with the new generation Brembo CCM2 brakes which debuted on the 599XX, Ferrari’s extreme experimental laboratory car, and which are integrated with an ABS system that features two configurations – low grip and high performance for dry surfaces.

Another first for a Ferrari Challenge model is the adoption of the F1-Trac traction control system, the most sophisticated of its kind. Developed in-house by Ferrari, the F1-Trac system constantly monitors levels of grip for maximum high-performance road-holding. Two specific track-biased calibrations – wet and dry – have been developed for this application, with control logic and strategies derived from Ferrari’s extensive racing experience in the F1 and GT championships. The F1-Trac is completely integrated with the E-Diff to guarantee maximum acceleration out of corners.

The required ABS, F1-Trac and E-Diff calibration settings are selected via the manettino on the steering wheel, the first time this solution has been adopted on a model developed for the Ferrari Challenge series. The driver can thus either chose from the WET or DRY configurations. In high grip conditions it is also possible to select CT-OFF to de-activate the F1-Trac traction control.

In the course of the intensive development sessions involved in honing the 458 Challenge for the track, the engineers also managed to improve the car’s lap time at Fiorano by two seconds over that of its predecessor, resulting in a new record of just 1’16.5″. Equally impressive is the amount of lateral grip the new car generates – up to 1.6G.

With the new 458 Challenge, Ferrari is offering its sportier clients – professional and gentlemen drivers alike – a car that is extremely responsive, with great performance and superb handling. This mid-rear V8-engined berlinetta will allow Ferrari Challenge participants to enjoy to the full the exhilarating cut and thrust of the race weekends on the world’s leading circuits, as well as the passion that has always been an integral part of Ferrari’s one-make championship.

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Source: Ferrari.com via Teamspeed.com

Porsche 911s and Nissan GT-Rs and Corvette ZR1s are very nice cars and quite quick around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. But the exclusive Ferrari 599XX, presented last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show, managed to travel the approximately12.4 miles (20.832 kilometer) Nordschleife (North Loop) circuit in just 6 minutes, 58.16 seconds, breaking the 7-minute barrier and making it the fastest derived car from a production model, traveling the “Green Hell.” That’s almost half-a-minute faster than the mighty Ferrari Enzo.

The 700 hp supercar, and almost $1.9 million has been conducted successfully by the one of the most experienced Ferrari test driver, Raffaele de Simone. To achieve this performance, the 599XX received a new traction control system and Actiflow System technology, which increases the aerodynamic down-force at high speeds.

However, the 599XX failed to rank in front of the Radical SR8, which drew 6 minutes and 48 seconds in 2009, but is built on the chassis of a racing model.

Check out the in-car video above from the lap. Enjoy.

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Source: wired.com and mibz.com

Marco Mattiacci is the new CEO of Ferrari North America Inc.

The new CEO of Ferrari North America Inc. hopes to boost U.S. sales with the new lineup of models coming soon. Marco Mattiacci took over the position on January 1st, replacing Maurizio Parlato, who was fired after seven years of leading the North American operations.

Mattiacci was placed in charge in a middle of a sales slump in the U.S. Volume fell 14% in 2009 to 1,467. In a response to the situation, Ferrari has stopped the delivery of cars to dealers. Instead, the cars will be built only for customers who possess signed contracts. In addition to giving this report, dealers have pointed out also that the late arrival of the new California coupe that was scheduled for early 2009, was delayed and arrived only in midsummer. As a result, it was missed an opportunity to increase sales in the prime selling season.

The 458 Italia that was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September is already getting rave reviews from critics. Deliveries for this car have just started, replacing the older 430 version, which many dealers have referred to as their bread-and-butter seller.

Ferrari saw a drop of more than 7 percent in revenue last year to 1.78 billion euros. The employee strength was cut by 182 last year to 2,835. Mattiacci expects that the two new models should do well in the market. He expressed confidence in the brand’s heritage and product lineup. Having been the head of marketing under Parlato until 2006 when he became CEO of Ferrari Asia Pacific, he knows the American market well enough to turn things around.

What do you think of the new lineup of models from Ferrari?

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Source: nitrobahn.com