2012 ferrari 458 spider

2012 ferrari 458 spider

2012 ferrari 458 spider

2012 ferrari 458 spider

2012 ferrari 458 spider

The Ferrari 458 Italia is the best car I have ever driven. You might assume the Italian supercar earns that distinction on sheer performance and sex appeal, but the truth is that the 458 is a much more complete car. Its excellence is in how it combines measured balance with raw capability unlike any other vehicle. The 458 Italia is sophisticated but visceral. Aggressive yet refined. Elegant and brutish. With the Spider, Ferrari aims to add one more contradiction to the 458's achievements: a convertible that's also a coupe.

Ferrari's task in building a Spider is not quite as intuitive as it sounds. The open-air 458 is certainly a predictable and modest evolution of the Italia, but the buyers of the two cars are very different. The average 458 Italia will see most of its action on the weekend, without a passenger, and on shorter trips. Spiders, on the other hand, are more likely to be daily drivers exposed to city streets, often with a passenger in the right seat. More notably, Ferrari asserts that Spider owners drive with a sporty -- not aggressive -- style.

Even with buyers using their cars in an entirely different manner, Ferrari won't compromise any of the intensity in its mid-engine coupe to deliver a droptop version. Despite the fact that the Spider is 30 percent less rigid than the coupe, the spring rates are unchanged. And while the magnetorheological dampers are specifically tuned for the Spider, you won't notice a difference in the ride quality between the two cars. The Spider is every bit as firm, controlled, and focused as the Italia. The steering is just as sharp, the throttle pedal just as responsive, and the suspension just as poised. Twist the manettino to Race mode, however -- perhaps an unlikely move for the less aggressive convertible buyers -- and the Spider can't hide the fact that it's missing a major structural component. With the dampers firmed up, the bumps aren't just felt through the seat. They're seen in a small wiggle of the windshield and heard in the muted rattle of the aluminum chassis. Nothing unusual, but this is the one clear difference between coupe and convertible.

The 458 Spider's retractable roof is a two-piece hardtop inspired by the 575 Superamerica. Like that car, the roof rotates -- rather than folds -- into its stored position. Unlike that car, the 458 Spider uses an aluminum skin instead of glass. Ferrari claims that the 458's hardtop assembly is actually some 55 pounds lighter than the 430 Spider's fabric roof. It adds roughly 110 pounds to the Italia's 3400-pound curb weight.

Ferrari festival 2011

Ferrari festival 2011

 Ferrari festival 2011

 Ferrari festival 2011

Ferrari festival 2011

The Ferrari Festival is an annual Italian Buffet that takes place at the Italian Village restaurant in downtown Chicago. You get to see a group of modern and vintage Ferraris and all of proceeds the benefit Children's Memorial Hospital. My favorite car of the day was the Ferrari F40. The F40 is incredibly rare, fast, and still looks amazing. I wish I could have stayed to hear it fire up. My number two would defiantly be the 599 GTB. I think the GTB looks amazing, plus it's a proper, front-engine, V12, Ferrari. I'd jump at the chance to drive any of these cars (except for the one that was leaking radiator fluid).Earlier tonight was the 6th annual Ferrari Festival, sponsored by the Ferrari Club of America, Ottawa Chapter.  It was a decent display of fine Italian iron, with examples ranging from the ’80s to today.  There was a 512 (better known as a “Testarossa”), a 348 (better known as “Magnum PI’s ride”), and even a Maserati Biturbo.  As a car show, however, it was a bit of a bust.  Not many cars had arrived by the time I left, and the cars that were there were behind a rope and guarded by a small battalion of teenagers armed with walkie-talkies who walked in front of the cars and made sure no one touched them as they cruised down the street.

Ferrari ff

Ferrari ff

 Ferrari ff

 Ferrari ff

Ferrari ff

FERRARI FF presents four new concepts ahead of its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. This concept is planned to be invested in the successor to 612, where Ferrari will be equipped with four aggressive front fascia, rear bumper expressive, and profiles of California. Ferrari will be equipped with 3.6-liter V12 engine with a power of 660 PS (485 kW / 651 hp) and torque of 683 Nm (504 lb-ft). In addition, seven-speed dual clutch transmission sends power to the system functioned (4RM) advanced four-wheel drive Ruote Motrici. No doubt, this car weighs 1790 kg can accelerate from 0-100 km / h in 3.7 seconds with top speed at 335 km / h (208 mph). In terms of efficiency, FF combined fuel consumption of 15.4 l/100 km (03.15 U.S. mpg) and CO2 emissions of 360 g / km. Ferrari showed off its brand new FF supercar for the first time in real life at a special event in Maranello, with the presentation being broadcast live on the Italian firm’s website for all to see. In case you missed it, we have some photos from the special premiere that you can check out after the jump. Those of you that would like to get an up close peek at Ferrari’s first-ever four-wheel drive model that also features a front mounted 660HP V12 and seating for four with a boot capacity of 450 liters

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

2011 for a private test session at Florida's Daytona International Speedway, the 2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am will be back in action on 26 and 27 July, after making its track debut at home in Fiorano, completing nearly 50 test laps. Based on Ferrari's European GT3 racecar and co-developed with Michelotto Automobili. MARANELLO, Italy — Ferrari will take the still-evolving Grand Am racing version of its 458 Italia to the Daytona International Speedway early next week, as the Italian automaker continues to develop the 2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am ahead of its anticipated entry next year in the 2012 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series.

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

“We are pleased with the performance of the 2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am,” commented Antonello Coletta, Head of Ferrari Corse Clienti. “Especially when one considers the fact that, after its shakedown in Fiorano, this is its first real test. It has definitely passed the exam and over two days, we completed around 90 laps with any particular reliability problems. Hard to judge its speed, given that we were the only car on track and had no reference point for the times. However, at the moment, this is not a main concern as our primary interest is in evaluating the behavior of the 2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am in the light of the various modifications made to it, to conform to the series regulations."

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

The Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale owned Ferrari F458 Italia was built specifically for Rolex Sports Car Series competition and completed 174 trouble-free laps at competitive speeds during a two-day session at Daytona International Speedway. "Today was a tremendous improvement over yesterday," said Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale team principal Ronnie Vogel. "We've got good feelings about the 2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am, and the drivers were very comfortable out there. We had a great time, and now we're really looking forward to the 50th Rolex 24 at Daytona."

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

"We're planning to run two cars in the Rolex 24, and hoping to take delivery of the second car very soon," Vogel said. "We're also working on our driver lineups for the Rolex 24 and next season, and that's being ironed out now."

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

The 2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am is built to match the American regulations and is therefore different to the European car, especially in that it develops 500 horsepower and has less efficient aerodynamics than the GT version. It is also fitted with a 48 mm restrictor and maximum revs are 8000. Significant modifications have been made to the braking system, as the car has neither ABS nor traction control.

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

The 2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am is fitted with tyres from Continental, the sole supplier to the series, featuring a very hard compound, again to conform with the series regulations. On its shakedown today, it completed a good number of trouble-free laps, 45 to be precise in the hands of Maurizio Mediani and Jaime Melo, as they took turns at the wheel.

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

Daytona recalls many memories of past Ferrari victories in the famous 24 Hour race, the company having close links with this important event. In fact, Ferrari has taken part in 47 of these endurance races, winning five of them outright as well as taking 15 class wins.

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am

2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am is a highly innovative cars and sporty, therefore, has a lot of people who can not wait to see the appearance of the Ferrari 458 Italian Grand Am anymore. With a design that has been designed with advanced concepts, will make the 2012 Ferrari Sport Cars 458 Italia Grand Am became more interesting and cool.

Ferrari 2013

Ferrari 2013

 Ferrari 2013

 Ferrari 2013

Ferrari 2013

It took more than three decades (and his wife's death) for Enzo Ferrari to officially acknowledge his extramarital son, Piero Lardi Ferrari. Piero is now deputy chairman of the Italian automaker and owns ten percent of the company, but if there's any lingering doubt of his belonging in the family, it should be banished by 2013. That's when Piero joins his father and half brother, Dino, with a Maranello-made sports car bearing his name.

Based on our spy illustration (right), you may have guessed that the Ferrari Piero is the successor to the 2002-2004 Enzo and follows closely to the same formula: a mid-mounted engine, carbon-fiber construction, and a price of well over half a million dollars. But there's also something different, and it's a big deal: turbocharging. In an effort to increase performance -- the Enzo made 650 hp and ran to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds -- and reduce emissions, Ferrari will certainly lower displacement and will likely drop the cylinder count below twelve. Of course, engineers are also looking for places to cut mass, which could mean a sub-3000-pound curb weight for the Piero.As for the new Enzo, Ferrari’s boss has previously confirmed that the successor will receive a twin-turbo V8. The downsizing from the V12 does not, however, imply in any way a shortage on power: the new model has been pegged as having over 700 horses at its disposal. This power will go through a seven-speed sequential gearbox, with a dual-clutch setup to help with the general operating of the car.