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  • Ferrari 458 Spider launched – pricing starts from RM1.9 mil

    In Cars, Ferrari, Local News / By / / 59 comments

    The 458 Spider today joined its coupe sister, the 458 Italia, in the local Ferrari lineup, and rolls in at a starting baseline price of RM1.9 million, going up to RM2.2 million or so depending on the level of customisation you load on it.

    The Spider, which debuted in Frankfurt last year, is powered by a normally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5 litre V8 with 570 cheval vapeur (CV), which translates to 562 hp at 9,000 rpm and 540 Nm at 6,000 rpm.

    The mill is coupled to a dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift seven-speed transmission with E-Diff, which integrates F1-Trac traction control and high-performance ABS. Performance specs include a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of under 3.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 320 km/h.

    Equipped with a fully-retractable aluminium hard-top, the 458 Spider is the world’s first sports car with this layout. It’s 25 kg lighter than a traditional folding soft-top, and is also quieter and thermally more efficient when raised.

    Aside from taking just 14 seconds to open or close, the hard-top – which is fully integrated into the styling of the car – was engineered to occupy a very small space when stored, affording a generous rear bench for luggage behind the two seats.

    The Spider, which sits on 20-inch wheels and 235/35 front and 295/35 rear rubbers, has a generously-sized adjustable electric wind stop which opens to a height that promises efficient aerodynamics, reducing buffeting in the cockpit and enabling normal conversation to be held even at speeds over 200 km/h.

    The rear also features buttresses designed to optimise the flow of air to the engine intakes as well as the clutch and gearbox oil radiators.

    In related news, the launch of the 458 Spider also saw the Malaysian introduction of Ferrari Tailor-Made, a personalisation programme developed specifically for customers wishing to make their Ferrari unique. The service features three innovative collections – Classica, Scuderia and Inedita, with a multitude of customisation options to be had.

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  • Ferrari celebrates 20 years in China with limited-run 458

    In Cars, China, Ferrari / By / / 12 comments

    It has been 20 years since the first Ferrari, a 348 TS, was ordered in Beijing. And to celebrate the milestone, Ferrari will, in a few weeks time, inaugurate its first ever permanent brand exhibition outside of Maranello – the Italia Center of Shanghai World Expo Park.

    Covering 900 sqm, the Ferrari exhibition will last for three years and will feature some of the best collections from the Maranello Museum divided into five topics, including Ferrari in China, Green Technology, Product, Design and Racing. Along with current and past Ferraris, visitors can feast on a rich selection of images and videos.

    The other element is the introduction of this special edition 458 Italia, where 20 units will be made just for the China market. The car features livery characterised by unique Chinese elements and is finished in a brand new colour called “Marco Polo Red”.

    The inspiration behind the livery came from the longma theme, an old Chinese idiom which means “the vigor and spirit of the legendary dragon-horse”. Dragon is a symbol of Chinese culture, standing for courage, passion and success, whilst Ferrari’s prancing horse logo is one of the most recognised symbols in the world.

    Also included are gold finished rims and aeroelastic winglets. The interior sports gold embroidery on the head rests, while the engine start button is inscribed with the simplified Chinese characters for “start”. Of course, a “20th Anniversary Special Edition” plaque takes its place on the dash.

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  • Ferrari F12berlinetta – Maranello’s fastest ever road-car

    In Cars, Ferrari, International News / By / / 37 comments

    Ferrari has unveiled its F12berlinetta online, ahead of the car’s official unveiling at the Geneva show next week. The new V12, which will debut a new Rosso Berlinetta three-layer shade, is heralded as the most powerful and high-performance Ferrari road car, ever.

    Designed by the Ferrari Styling Centre and Pininfarina, the coupe is powered by a 6.2 litre 65° V12 mill offering 740 cheval vapeur (CV), which translates to 730 hp, and a peak torque of 690 Nm at 8,700 rpm, 80% of which is available at just 2,500 rpm. The engine is mated to the F1 dual-clutch transmission, which has closer gear ratios developed specifically for the F12berlinetta.

    Performance figures are a 0-100 km/h time of 3.1 seconds, and the car manages to get to 200 km/h from standstill in 8.5 seconds. It also completes a lap of the Fiorano circuit in one minute 23 seconds, faster than any other Ferrari road car. Dynamic highlights include smaller steering wheel angles, a shorter stopping distance, increased cornering speed and immediate turn-in characteristics.

    Layout-wise, the traditional Ferrari transaxle layout has been reworked – the wheelbase has been shortened and the engine, dashboard and seats have been lowered in the chassis, while the new layout of the rear suspension and gearbox have enabled Ferrari’s engineers to make the rear volume of the car smaller.

    The overall result is a very compact car with a lower centre of gravity that is further back in the chassis, and a level of aerodynamic efficiency that sets new standards, the company says.

    The car features an all-new Scaglietti-designed spaceframe chassis and bodyshell, which utilises 12 different kinds of alloys, some of which are being used here for the first time in the automotive sector, with new assembly and joining techniques at work. There’s a 20% increase in structural rigidity while bringing the weight down – the car weighs in at 1,525 kg, 70 kg less than the previous V12 coupé.

    There has been significant attention to aerodynamic development with this one – downforce has been boosted by 76% (123 kg at 200 km/h), while drag has been significantly reduced, and the car features a Cd of 0.299.

    Aerodynamic-related innovations include an Aero Bridge which uses the bonnet to generate downforce by channelling air away from the upper part of the car to its flanks – where it interacts with the wake from the wheel wells to decrease drag – and an Active Brake Cooling system that opens guide vanes to the brake cooling ducts only at high operating temperatures, to reduce drag.

    Inside, the car wears an all-new Frau leather interior, and highlights include new carbon fibre and aluminium air vents inspired by the aeronautic field. The company adds that the cabin has been optimised to ensure maximum usability of the interior space with additional luggage capacity behind the seats.

    As for standard kit, the F12berlinetta has the latest generation carbon-ceramic brakes (CCM3) and a SCM-E magnetorheological suspension control system, as well as the now usual integrated control system that groups E-Diff, ESP Premium, F1-Trac and high-performance ABS together.

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  • Ferrari California enhanced for 2012, to debut in Geneva

    In Cars, Ferrari, International News / By / / 3 comments


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    Ferrari has given its California an update for 2012, with the changes all but mechanical in nature – improvements include an 30 hp increase in power and a reduction in weight, by 30 kg. The car is set to premiere in Geneva next month.

    The increase in power brings the 4.3 litre GDI V8′s output to 490 hp, the gains achieved through new exhaust manifolds and engine mapping. Torque is up as well, from 485 Nm previously to 505 Nm at 5,000 rpm.

    As for losing the pounds, new aluminium fabrication techniques and construction technologies have taken 30 kg off the car without impinging in any way on its structural rigidity and performance, the company says.


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    All this is good enough to up the performance, shaving two-tenths of a second off the vehicle’s 0-100 km/h time to 3.8 seconds. Elsewhere, the company has also developed an optional Handling Speciale package for the California, with modifications to the suspension set-up to minimise body roll. The package includes Magnetorheological dampers controlled by an even faster ECU (-50% response time) as well as stiffer springs for more precise body control.

    The HS package also reworks the steering to make the California even more responsive to driver input – a new steering box, with a 10% quicker steering ratio, offers the car faster turn-in with smaller steering wheel angles.

    The 2012 California also gets a more extensive choice of colours, and the palette include two-tone finishes, three-layer paint technology and modern re-interpretations of classic Ferrari colour schemes.

     

  • Luca di Montezemolo to run for Italian presidency in 2013

    In Cars, Ferrari, International News / By / / 7 comments

    Some news about Luca di Montezemolo – reports say that the Ferrari chairman has indicated his intention to be a candidate for the Italian presidency in 2013, the announcement being made in an open-letter to Italiafutura, a think-tank that he formed in 2009.

    “The Second Republic has failed. Politics has been losing touch with the everyday problems of Italians and the challenges of a difficult international situation, but is also full of opportunities,” di Montezemolo said in the letter.

    “If there is a country that should not be afraid of globalisation, it is Italy. If only we stop thinking defensively and start to invest resources on our core (culture and industry), benefits will not be long in coming,” he added.

    The 64-year-old’s campaign is set to focus on creating employment as well as on issues critical to the country’s future, such as taxation and reform of the institutions. “We will promote the adoption of measures, concrete and operational, to respond to many emergencies in the country. We will begin by presenting a proposal for the rapid sale of public assets and lowering debt,” he said. It remains unknown if di Montezemolo will step down from his position at Ferrari.

     

  • Ferrari introduces free 7-year maintenance programme

    In Cars, Ferrari, Local News / By / / 18 comments

    Ferrari has announced a new customer care service, where clients ordering a California, 458 Italia, FF or 458 Spider from the authorised dealership network will be entitled to a free seven-year scheduled maintenance programme.

    The service, which commenced in Malaysia with Naza Italia as of November 1, will be progressively available in all Ferrari markets, covering all global authorised dealership networks.

    The Genuine Maintenance programme, as it’s called, covers each individual vehicle, and thus extends to any eventual subsequent owner during the entire seven-year period. The programme covers the scheduled maintenance at standard service intervals (20,000 km, or once a year, with no restriction on total kilometres) along with the relative original spare parts, engine oil and brake fluid.

    The programme is unique, Ferrari says, being the first time a car manufacturer is offering such cover – the advantage to the owner is the assurance that the vehicle will be subject to regular annual inspection by Ferrari-trained personnel, using factory-approved dedicated diagnostic equipment.

     

  • Frankfurt preview: Ferrari 458 Spider

    In 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Ferrari, International News / By / / 9 comments

    Ferrari will be debuting the world’s first mid-rear engined berlinetta equipped with a retractable hard top at the Frankfurt show next month – the 458 Spider is set to join the 458 Italia in the company’s lineup.

    Power comes courtesy of a naturally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5 litre V8 offering 570 cheval vapeur (CV) – which works out to 562 hp – at 9,000 rpm and 540 Nm at 6,000 rpm. This is mated to a dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift seven-speed transmission with E-Diff, which integrates F1-Trac traction control and high-performance ABS.

    The hard-top is made entirely of aluminium – the company says this 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 fits neatly ahead of the engine bay without compromising aerodynamics or performance, or even space – there’s still a generous rear bench for luggage behind the seats.

    Styling-wise, the rear of the car – which sits on 20-inch wheels and 235/35 front and 295/35 rear rubbers – is characterised by buttresses designed to optimise the flow of air to the engine intakes as well as the clutch and gearbox oil radiators.

    For maximum comfort whilst driving top down, there’s a generously-sized adjustable electric wind stop, which slows and diffuse the air in the cockpit and allows normal conversation to be held even at speeds over 200 km/h, even though chances are you won’t be talking that much at that point.

    Ferrari says that technical solutions adopted for the chassis guarantee identical levels of structural rigidity with the roof up or down, and that the engine soundtrack has been honed to ensure that the car’s occupants are completely captivated by the drop-top driving experience.

    Gallery after the jump.
    Read more ›

     

  • Ferrari FF is here in Malaysia – 4WD, 4-seats, RM2.8 million

    In Cars, Ferrari, Local News / By / / 131 comments


    UPDATE: Big image gallery from the event added

    Naza Italia gave the media a preview of the Ferrari FF at their Petaling Jaya showroom this morning. The FF is the latest product wearing a Prancing Horse badge and it made its debut at the Geneva show in March. A replacement for the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, the FF is what Maranello calls “a completely new take on the sporting Grand Tourer theme”.

    FF stands for Ferrari Four. The FF is a four-wheel drive (a first for the brand) four-seater GT with its engine in a “front-mid” position under that long hood. The powerplant in question is a direct injection V12 displacing 6,262 cc. It makes 660 horses at 8,000 rpm and 683 Nm at 6,000 rpm, 500 Nm of which is available at just 1,000 rpm.

    Needless to say, performance is staggering – the 0-100 km/h sprint is covered in 3.7 seconds on to a top speed of 335 km/h. The FF weighs in at 1,880 kilos by the way.

    Coupled with a seven-speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox, efficiency has been significantly boosted too, with fuel consumption standing at 15.4 litres per 100 km and CO2 emissions at 360 g/km. This is 25% lower compared to Ferrari’s previous V12s, thanks to the HELE (High Emotions- Low Emissions) System that incorporates Stop&Start technology. Yes, even Ferrari has to think green in today’s landscape.

    The patented 4RM four-wheel drive system has torque delivered mainly to the rear wheels, but a Power Transfer Unit sends drive to the front wheels when necessary on low grip surfaces. Torque to divided to each of the four wheels individually, and the car’s dynamic vehicle controls (E-Diff, F1-Trac and PTU) have been integrated into a single CPU.

    The weight distribution is 53% to the rear. Those brakes are third gen Brembo carbon-ceramic items that are now lighter and longer-lasting, with “virtually negligible wear during normal use on the road”.

    The CF rich interior features four individual seats (they look very body hugging) divided in the middle by a high tunnel.

    With this Ferrari, once can bring the family along with their luggage – boot space is a generous 450 litres, and the independently folding rear chairs can expand it up to 800 litres. The matching luggage set looks really good, too.

    There’s even a rear-seat infotainment system screens for watching DVDs and a 1,280 watt, 16-channel stereo with Dolby Surround Sound. Yes, this is a Ferrari!

    Is this four-wheel drive, four-seat, Ferrari for the family your kind of thing? If all is agreeable, what’s left is the small matter of writing a RM2.8 million cheque to Naza Italia, and your own FF will be flown in from Italy.

    Full gallery from the event is after the jump.
    Read more ›

     

  • Ferrari to debut 458 Spider at Frankfurt, Scuderia in 2013

    In Cars, Ferrari, International News / By / / 16 comments

    We know that a topless Ferrari 458 is on the way, and it looks like Frankfurt will be the launch venue. The 458 Spider, sister to the fixed top 458 Italia, will replace the 430 Spider. Reports say that the new Spider will have a retractable hard top in place of the 430′s canvas top. European sales will begin in September, while the US will get their share in the first quarter of 2012.

    The 458 family will expand in 2013, where a higher performance 458 Scuderia will be introduced. This will come before the standard 458 Italia gets a refresh in 2014, according to Automotive News.

    There will be changes higher up the range as well. Next year will see Maranello replace the 599 GTB Fiorano a model codenamed F152. This one will stay as a two-seater, and will be motivated by a direct-injection V12 longitudinal engine mounted up front, with drive going to the rear wheels. A Geneva 2012 debut is planned.

    The men in red are a busy bunch, as it’s reported that a limited edition successor to the Enzo is planned for next year as well. This flagship poster car will be all carbon fibre, previewing the weight/fuel saving tech that will appear in next generation Ferraris. It’s guaranteed to be highly exclusive – Ferrari built just 399 units of the 2002 Enzo and 349 units of its predecessor, the 1995 F50.

     

  • Ferrari technical chief leaves after poor start to season

    In Ferrari, Formula 1 / By / / 12 comments

    Ferrari’s poor start to the 2011 season – where they have scored only one podium finish so far, and are 110 points off the pace in just five races – has claimed its first casualty. The Maranello team has announced that technical director Aldo Costa has left the position.

    The 50-year old Italian, who was appointed technical director at the end of 2007, will “take on new responsibilities within the company” the Scuderia said.

    It’s more than just one person though, it’s a reshuffle. Former McLaren chief engineer Pat Fry is now the director of the chassis side while production will be handed to Corrado Lanzone. Luca Marmorini stays on as the man in charge of engine and electronics. The trio will report directly to team principal Stefano Domenicali.

    The team in red will need to quickly find some pace to be in contention. Red Bull has been dominant from the start, with McLaren the only other team looking capable to match them.

     
 
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