Saturday, 18 July 2009
Ferrari set to focus on 2010 car
Ferrari are poised to cease development of their 2009 car despite an improved showing at the German Grand Prix, team boss Stefano Domenicali has revealed.
Felipe Massa finished third on Sunday to secure the team's second podium of the season, but Domenicali is close to writing off the current campaign.
"We've already started work on the new project and in the next couple of weeks we will move on to that," he said.
"We want to start with a different pace compared to this year."
With both Massa and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen out of contention in the drivers' championship, and Ferrari a long way adrift in the constructors' standings, it is no surprise they are already looking beyond this season.
"A podium is always important, and third is a good result for us, but we cannot say it's our return," said Massa after his third place at the Nurburgring.
Domenicali admitted the recent political infighting in Formula 1 had been a major drain on his time and energy and he was looking forward to getting involved in car development again.
"To be honest, I would have preferred to have been more balanced for the team," he stated.
"But it was a very critical moment for F1 and we have had to make sure we were doing our job.
"Being the team principal of Ferrari, with all that Ferrari means for F1, I also felt a responsibility."
Ferrari reveal 2010 plans
Ferrari are preparing to throw all of their resources at a race-winning car in time for the 2010 season.
The news comes after Felipe Massa secured a podium finish in the German GP for the first time this year.
Ferrari have struggled this season with a car which lacks the pace of Red Bull and Brawn.
However, the team has made significant progress in the recent weeks which has propelled Massa and Kimi Raikkonen towards the front of the grid.
Team boss Stefano Domenicali has put a dampener on the progress, though, by confirming that they will be halting all work in preparation for next season.
"We have already started some work on the new project, and in the next couple of weeks we will basically move on to that to make sure we do not lose any time." said Domenicali.
Maranello turns into catwalk for new 500 Cabrio
Very early in the morning the new Fiat 500 Cabrio arrived at Maranello and has been shown all day long in front of the Company’s new Ristorante – a preview for the employees of the Prancing Horse, who admired the new model from Fiat.
On the occasion the new Fiat 500 Cabrio symbolically met the Ferrari California, the first Ferrari with a hardtop – two different ways to travel with an open roof, but still the same expression of Italian style and technology.
Review: 2010 Ferrari California
The California is a bit like my first girlfriend: pretty from the front, but a little frumpy at the rear, especially in the wrong clothes (sorry Sarah). This is Ferrari’s softer side. Huh? How can you mess with the classic GT recipe? Sorry Ferrari but the California is the best definition of Ugly Betty with four wheels. If you were hoping for a Dino successor, then you’ll be disappointed. This is a fresh GT with a new clientele in mind.
Hoping for a warm welcome party, my blue press car just didn’t look right under the brilliant Sicilian sunshine– even though I skipped the offer of a blood-red California, which I thought would dispel the miss-matched lines and kindergarten crayon-like sketches. Like the 612 Scaglietti, the latest front-engined Ferrari has no Maranello designer-DNA-flair whatsoever. Sure, the front is OK, but the rear looks like a F430 that’s been backed into a brick wall. And then we have the Lexus cosmetic card trick: fake exhaust tail pipes. The horrendous back door abomination was designed to incorporate the folding metal roof. With every supercar manufacturer fitting an origami roof to just about anything that moves, the boys in Italy wanted to target more conservative customers (namely female, but you didn’t hear me say that).
The buggy seats behind the front chairs are useless for any human larger than Verne Troyer. And? They are perfectly suitable for those owners who wish to fold them to accommodate your tailored Ferrari luggage or McLaren golf bags. While it’s all very Ferrari inside, there are two small issues that need addressing. First, the heater control pane is ridiculously small. I know owners live in salubrious climates, but really. Second, the aluminium covered centre console looks like a particularly uncomfortable sex toy. The sexy, red Start button and Manettino switch (Ferrari’s traction and stability control), return us to the world of more traditional sexual orientation. Both controls must tweaked and caressed like a lover’s nipple to get the desired effect. Ahem. Moving on…
Facing killjoy CO2 regs, Ferrari had to clean up their act. To satisfy the politicians, Maranello has introduced direct-injection technology to their famous V8. Although positioned over the front axle, the new 4.3-litre flat-plane-crank V8 knocks-out 454bhp and 357 lb feet of gut-busting torque. The Calfornia drop top nails the zero to 62mph sprint in around four seconds and cracks 194mph V-max. Not bad for a car that’s carrying 1735 kg’s.
Whether you’re nailing your favourite back road or performing a brief overtaking manoeuvre whilst kicking back on the boulevard, the California V8 delivers the same sorts of aural delights enjoyed by F430 drivers. Ferrari’s dialed down the bass and treble, but with the roof stowed, hunting the red-line is equally tempting. The new seven speed twin-clutch transmission swaps gears quicker than the F430 Scuderia, which is like saying an F-22 is a bit quicker than an F-15. Porsche’s PDK may have set the benchmark, but they forgot about Ferrari’s F1 technology. This is Transformers for grown-ups.
The Manettino switch on the steering wheel offers a choice of Comfort, Sport or CST-off mode. Comfort is the default choice with relatively low intervention thresholds; the Sport setting raises the bar and allows for a good degree of tail swapping and tire mashing. The CST mode turns off all of the driving aids and reveals the California’s hidden side: beautiful balance on the limit behaviour.
This is where the buttons ping off your shirt and you start to turn green. The combination of engine, handling and hidden Ferrari DNA bursts out more alarmingly than the alien in John Hurt’s chest. The steering is quick but grip levels are less communicative through the steering wheel. Where the California really shines: its ride. With the optional $6k magnetic dampers, the Fezza delivers sensational body control and accuracy, without destroying ride comfort.
So, where does the new California fit within the Ferrari canon/cannon? At a not inconsiderable $244k, it’s got to fend off a raft of competition, including Lamborghini’s cheaper Gallardo Spyder ($224K). Why have Ugly Betty when you can choose Beyonce Knowles? Because it’s a Ferrari. A Ferrari convertible. And even though it’s a kindler gentler example of the breed, that’s enough.
[Ferrari provided the vehicle, insurance, and fuel]
Ferrari FXX Destroys Record on Top Gear Test Track
Top Gear kicked off a new season in the U.K. with two big stunts. For starters, it revealed that The Stig is none other than Michael Schumacher.
More amazingly, however, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion piloted his very own black Ferrari FXX around the Top Gear test track completely obliterating the previous record held by the Gumpert Apollo. The Gumpert’s best lap was an incredible 1:17, while the 800hp 6.3-liter V12 FXX crossed the line in just 1:10. As it’s not street-legal, however, we wouldn’t exactly call this matchup a fair fight.
Review: Ferrari F355
Forget, for a moment, that we are behind the wheel of a Ferrari, and possibly the best mid-engined road Ferrari in history at that. Forget the scenery, which is beautiful, and the road, which is slick with rain and therefore rather difficult to forget. Forget the speed, which is, frankly, excessive, and forget the Mustang ahead of you, swelling in your windshield at a that’s-no-moon-it’s-a-space-station pace. Take a moment and listen.
The quoted thirteen-seconds-flat quarter-mile time feels easily achievable in this particular example, and the engine revs with a light-flywheel willingness almost unknown in emissions-compliant automobiles. Compared to my Porsche 993, which hails from the same era, the Ferrari pulls with less authority from low revs but easily outpaces the Super Beetle once the tach swings past the “50” mark.
Inside, it’s a thin-pillar retro delight. The metal-gated shifter performs just as one would expect, adding a solid “clank” to each throw, while the steering and brakes are new-car tight and responsive. Visibility is surprisingly good, far better than what one would find in a Corvette or Viper. The fruits of Luca di Montezemolo’s famous dictate to “make this an everyday Ferrari” are evident everywhere, from the easy-to-understand climate controls to the superb amount of shoulder room.
While the F355 traces its stylistic roots to Pininfarina’s 308GTS, the driving position and view from the cockpit are actually far closer to what one would find in the Bertone 308GT4. There, as here, one has a slight sense of sitting at the very forward end of the car, perched over the front wheels and quite close to the road rushing by beneath. It’s the complete antithesis of a front-engined Ferrari and one quickly understands why individual tifosi are rarely fans of both the Dino descendants and Daytona successors.
The majority of the F-car rentals in this country are either tired old 360 Modenas or hyper-expensive F430s, but PRI chose the F355 in keeping with their philosophy of offering “performance-tuned drivers’ cars.” A perforated “Challenge” rear grille hints at the upgraded suspension, brakes, and retuned engine mapping. Every bushing in the suspension is up to spec, every bit of interior trim is freshened to new-car standards, and a reasonably complete, iPod-compatible sound system has been installed.
To be fair, I don’t know if it works, because I didn’t bother to turn it on, and you wouldn’t, either.
The F355 is probably the “best” modern Ferrari in the same way that the Porsche 993 is the “best” modern Porsche. In both cases, technology, usability, and character combine to provide a driving experience which feels suitably flavorful without the annoyances of Bosch K-Jetronic or bias-ply tires.
There’s enough performance on tap here to thrill (or kill) you three times over, it’s so good-looking that it’s virtually impossible to walk away without an oh-so-stereotypical backwards glance, and there’s no SUPER-DSC-ATTESSA-HICAS to save the untalented from their own shortcomings. Really, this is the Ferrari you want to drive, should you drive just one.
PRI’s daily rate for the F355 is just slightly under a thousand dollars a day. I can think of a few other ways for a gearhead to spend that kind of money, from a one-day class at the Mid-Ohio school to a set of Hoosier R6 tires for one’s track car, but the moment the Ferrari’s tach shows eight grand, you’ll forget there were any other choices.
2009 Ferrari F430 Scuderia THE PERFECT EXOTIC
According to the statistics, Ferrari claims the Scuderia can do anything the F430 can do, only better. And it wasn’t long after I heard the bark of the engine and put my right foot down that I was in complete agreement.
In fact, the overall performance of the Scuderia is so impressive it has achieved a time of one minute, 25 seconds on the Fiorano test track – the exact same time as the legendary Ferrari Enzo.
Behind the wheel it’s obvious that it’s faster, brakes harder, corners with more finesse and control and yes, even changes gears quicker than an F430. Oh, the gear changes!
Equipped with an updated version of Ferrari’s F1-Superfast gearbox – the Superfast2 – the Scuderia changes gears in just 60 milliseconds – compared to 100 ms for the 599 and 150 ms for the F430.
Ripping through the gears, the Scuderia screams past 6000 rpm, alerting you that a shift is imminent. There may be 2500 rpm left to go, but in the blink of an eye you’re at 8500 and the steering wheel mounted shift lights have all lit up – signaling it’s time to make your move. Second gear and third gear fly by almost as quickly and already I’d be looking at a massive speeding ticket were the local law enforcement to see me... and catch me.
While braking for a corner and flicking the left paddle to drop gears I am surprised. The rev match on the downshift seems much more refined than on the stock 430. Perhaps Ferrari engineered a little extra throttle on the 430 for show purposes, or perhaps the new Superfast2 gearbox is just that much more efficient. Either way, it was a little disappointing.
MORE THAN 500 HP
Sweeping out of a nicely banked corner it is really starting to sink in that the Scuderia vastly outpaces its “standard” sibling. While we can partly thank the gearbox, it doesn’t hurt that the Scuderia is powered by a massaged version of the same 4.3-liter engine that puts out an additional 20 hp and four ft-lbs of torque thanks to reworked intake and exhaust systems, as well as a boost in compression from 11.3:1 to 11.88:1. The new total of 510 hp comes on at 8500 rpm and 347 ft-lbs of torque are available at 5250.
The added horsepower is, however, a somewhat trivial reason for the Scuderia’s added gusto. The real difference in performance comes as a result of weight reduction. In total 220 lbs have been shaved off for a new curb weight of just under 3,000 lbs.
The result is not only in acceleration, with a vastly improved 0-62 mph time of 3.6 seconds versus 4.0 in the standard F430, but in the braking and especially the handling.
STRIPPED DOWN
Some of the weight reduction is thanks to the 19-inch magnesium wheels and the carbon ceramic brakes. Other weight-saving measures include carbon fiber bay liners and air boxes as well as a Plexiglass engine cover.
The weight reduction effort is most noticeable, however, in the cockpit, where there is neither carpeting nor floor mats. Amazingly, however, it all still feels very luxurious and sporty, thanks to plentiful amounts of Alcantara. Light-weight seat inserts made of what Ferrari calls “technical fabric” (essentially a sort of mesh material) add to the look.
THE INTICINGLY ILLEGAL DRIVE
From the driver’s seat the feeling is incredible. The seating position makes it feel like you are situated ahead of the front wheels and because of the massive power, screaming V8 and perfect handling, you may find yourself explaining your forgetfulness to the police.
As this is a road test, I’m not pushing the car to its limits. Regardless, there isn’t even a hint of understeer, and the car reacts to quickly to the steering inputs and just darts wherever I point it.
As with all modern Ferraris, the Scuderia is equipped with a Manettino, however, there are some important differences to point out. There is no “Ice” or cold weather setting on the car – shame on those who would drive it in less than perfect conditions. Instead it has been replaced with a CT or, “traction control off” setting, which allows for some tire shredding fun while still retaining the safety of stability control. Both systems can be shut off simultaneously by flipping the little red toggle to the “CST-off” setting.
Don’t be fooled, however. You don’t need to turn the traction control off to get performance out of the Scuderia. It is equipped with E-DIFF2, an electronic differential that works with Ferrari’s F1-TRAC traction control system, allowing you to put down 40 percent more power out of the corners.
Another unique attribute is that Ferrari has allowed drivers to adjust the shock settings independently of the Manettino settings.
You don’t have to wind the car up to enjoy it either, as the airbox design produces an incredible note with throttle input at even low rpm. But wind it up to that 6000-rpm sweet spot and prepare for sound that will leave you with no doubt why this car was named after the Ferrari racing team.
STYLE TO SPARE
As for the aesthetics of the Scuderia, there is no denying it is vastly more aggressive than the stock 430 – especially the shark-like nose. Out back, the new diffuser immediately conveys the designed-for-the-racetrack message.
The entire body redesign, including slightly lower side skirts, increases the Scuderia’s downforce while retaining the same coefficient of drag as the stock 430.
Overall, the Scuderia is far edgier than the stock 430, which really helps to convey the message that this is no longer a sleek, sexy and sensuous exotic but a raw, mean and aggressive supercar.
THE VERDICT
In many ways, the Scuderia is barely a road car, with no floor mats and a Plexiglas engine cover. And yet, with a stereo, power windows, a surprisingly smooth suspension and an engine that can operate with incredibly civility, it could certainly do commuter-duty in a pinch.
That, however, would be sacrilegious – like making Albert Einstein recite his multiplication tables, or forcing Tiger Woods to play mini-put.
As the Scuderia does practically everything the stock 430 does but better, and as the stock 430 is just about the best car money can buy, it’s not much of a stretch to conclude that this light-weight Ferrari might just be the perfect exotic. It’s not the best performance value on the road at $257,456 – a Porsche would be a far-wiser economic decision – but there is something (actually, a lot of somethings) that the Scuderia provides that can’t be found elsewhere.
Ferrari 360 Review
2003 Ferrari 360 Modena 2dr Coupe Shown
We like the Ferrari 360. In other news, we also like Dom Perignon, vacationing in Fiji and dating Heidi Klum (or to be fair, Brad Pitt). Indeed, coming up with "cons" for such a marvelous automobile like the 360 Modena and Spider is like criticizing Heidi for having a funny accent or Brad for dyeing his hair. This Ferrari set the bar for other "lower-end" supercars by providing blistering performance, ethereal steering, superior ride and tenacious grip. It didn't look half bad either, and who can argue with a car that proudly presented its engine under a glass hood?
Most Recent Ferrari 360
The Ferrari 360 was all-new in 1999 and offered in Modena coupe and Spider convertible body styles. They were powered by a mid-mounted 3.6-liter V8 that pumped out a raucous 400 horsepower at 8,500 rpm. Low-end power wasn't as plentiful with a "mere" 275 pound-feet at 4,750 rpm. The all-important 0-60-mph sprint was accomplished in a few ticks north of 4 seconds.
The standard transmission was a six-speed manual tied to a classic Italian gated shifter complete with chrome ball knob. Many Modenas and Spiders were ordered with the rather pricey F1 automated clutch manual gearbox that shifted via column-mounted shift paddles in a lightning-quick 150 milliseconds. Although we'd probably stick with the stick, the F1's adept ability at rev-matching downshifts and its automatic mode (admittedly not the smoothest system in the world) make it a good choice for both aggressive driving and commuting.
What makes a Ferrari a Ferrari is so much more than simply a go-fast engine and a logo imprinted with a startled horse. The 360 sported an aluminum space-frame chassis, adjustable aluminum double-wishbone suspension and a sleek body by Pininfarina constructed of -- you guessed it -- aluminum, which resulted in super-low weight for ideal performance and handling. Of course, the latter was also made possible by a wide-track body and suspension that reduced body roll to a theoretical concept, while the steering stayed Ginsu knife-sharp right up to triple-digit speeds. (The 360 maxed out at 175 mph.) But again, if you need us to tell you the Ferrari 360 is a blast to drive, perhaps enrolling in Exotic Cars 101 is in order.
Unlike some past Ferraris, the 360 had an interior worthy of the car's price tag. Supple leather, high-quality materials and straightforward ergonomics struck an excellent balance between luxury and driving-focused simplicity. The snug seats offered plenty of lateral support, with a comfortable reach to the divine steering wheel. Besides contributing to superb road-holding, the 360's wide body also provided lots of elbow room and enough space for a set of golf clubs behind the two seats. And really, what's the point of a country club if you can't show off your Ferrari? One of the rare downsides to the 360 was rear visibility -- particularly in the Spider convertible with its high rear deck, thick roll hoops and plastic rear window.
For those who wanted an even more capable Ferrari 360 (or a more exclusive one), the Challenge Stradale was introduced in 2004. This stripped-down club racing version of the coupe had, according to Ferrari, everything eliminated that did not contribute to increased performance or safety (or apparently a chilled interior, as air-conditioning remained). The result was a car 242 pounds lighter than a regular Modena, that also sported 25 additional horses. Along with a 20-percent stiffer suspension and aerodynamic changes that produced 50 percent more downforce, the Challenge Stradale was the closest thing one could get to Schumacher's F1 ride -- at least until the Enzo came along.
