New Ferrari Super Car About to be Unveiled in USA

In our last post we reported that the Ferrari chairman had quit is job and left the company. However before he leaves for good Mr Luca di Montezemolo has confirmed that as part of his last public appearance as head of the Prancing Horse at a gala dinner in Los Angeles on Oct. 12, he will unveil a special model Ferrari designed in honor of the sports car maker’s 60 years of doing business in the United States.

No pictures are available at the moment but this  limited edition supercar intended for the U.S. market only. The price tag is a cool $3.6 million to snap up this rare car but even if you have the cash forget trying to get one because they are already sold out.

“To celebrate Ferrari’s 60th year in the USA, we have developed a special car of which just 10 examples will be built, in addition to planning a major event in Los Angeles to bring together all our American clients and collectors, and a charity initiative,” Montezemolo said last week in a press conference announcing his resignation.

Montezemolo has been at the helm of Ferrari for 23 years. He will be replaced by Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne when he steps down on Oct. 13.

Not much is known about the new model, except that Ferrari is only making 10 examples, all of which already have their new owners’ names on them. The car will also be likely based on the Italian automaker’s award-winning F12 Berlinetta , a two-seater rear-wheel-drive coupe that runs on a 6.3-liter V12 Ferrari engine and goes from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 3.1 seconds.

You can hire a F12 Berlinetta in many of out European destinations so contact us now to find out more

The new model will likely have a unique interior and body, and costs around two times the hybrid LaFerrari hypercar, the fastest and most powerful production car ever made by the company. Production of the LaFerrari, which was introduced in 2013 at the Geneva motor show, was capped at 499 for two years.

The rare supercar will also feature a blue-and-white exterior paint scheme to honor the North American Racing Team (NART), which drove Ferraris for two decades from the 1960s to the 1980s. NART joined more than 200 competitions between 1952 and 1982, and its more than 100 drivers, the most famous of whom include Mario Andretti and Phil Hill, competed in Ferraris.

NART was founded in 1958 by Italian race car driver Luigi Chinetti who sailed across the Atlantic to become a race car driver and promote Ferrari in the United States. Chinetti later quit his racing career and became the first American agent of Ferraris.

Source – http://www.techtimes.com/articles/15583/20140915/ferrari-to-unwrap-3-6-million-supercar-for-u-s-customers-but-its-already-sold-out.htm

Ferrari Chairman Quits

In a shock decision that stunned a lot of people in the luxury car market the Ferrari Chairman quit his post and decided to leave the company.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has been the face of Ferrari since 1991 but his association stretches back to the 1970s, when he worked alongside the company’s legendary founder Enzo Ferrari.

With his flowing hair, stylish suits and Italian flair, “Luca” (as everyone called him) was a god in the racing and sports-car world. Billionaires around the world vied for his attention and favor, eager to get their hands on the latest models and special editions.

He has also presided over the company’s strong financial success. Ferrari reported record first-half earnings Thursday, with profits up 5 percent to €185 million and sales up 14 percent to €1.35 billion.

It’s not surprising, then, that collectors, dealers, buyers and the rest of the vast global army of Ferrari fans are in a state of collective rage over

Montezemolo’s resignation Wednesday. Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula 1 tycoon, compared Montezemolo’s departure to the death of Enzo Ferrari.

“His leaving is for me the same as Mr. Enzo dying,” Ecclestone toldReuters. “He has become Ferrari. You see him, you see Ferrari. You don’t see anything else.”

Marcel Massini, one of the world’s top Ferrari historians and advisor to Ferrari collectors, said that much of Ferrari’s financial and brand success is owed to Montezemolo.

“You look at the financials today and the brand, he needs credit for a lot of that,” Massini said.

The big fear among Ferrari owners, he said, is that Fiat Chrysler will try to make Ferrari more of a mass brand. Media reports suggest that one source of tension between Montezemolo and Fiat Chrylser Chief Sergio Marchionne was Montezemolo’s strategy of capping production at 7,000 cars a year and raising prices to make Ferraris more exclusive.

Ferrari’s F12 Berlinetta retails for $318,000, while its new LaFerrari sells for $1.4 million to the lucky 499 buyers who could get their hands on one.

Many Ferrari enthusiasts point to Porsche and Maserati—Ferrari’s sister company that has tripled sales by offering lower-priced cars—as a sign of where Ferrari could be headed.

“It all depends on how far Fiat is going to go,” Massini said. “Even if Sergio says they have no plans to raise production, people worry that they will. I would be happier if they reduced production to 4,000 to 5,000 cars rather than going for the big numbers like 10,000 or 20,000. In the early days, Ferraris were truly special, only the top people owned them. They should not become mundane like so many other luxury brands today.”

Maserati, he said, “just isn’t exclusive anymore.”

Massini said the changes at the top of Ferrari are unlikely to effect prices for the vintage Ferraris, like the 1962 Ferrari GTO that just became the most expensive car ever sold at auction, for $38 million, including auction fees.

If Ferrari builds more cars, he said, prices for some of the more recent models could actually increase because they are more scarce.

“Check back with me in two years,” he said. “Until then, we won’t really know what the effects of this change will be on the brand or prices.

Source – http://www.cnbc.com/id/101993118

Being behind the wheel of a Ferrari is one of the truly special driving experiences and with the service we offer you don’t have to break the bank to feel the magic of Ferrari. Just call our reservation team and find out how you can hire a ferrari and give yourself a memory that you will never forget

 

New Ferrari California T spotted in Spain

Here are the HPI offices we are on the lookout for the new ferrari california T because apparently a test car has been spotted in Southern Spain.

Here is a photo of the car taken driving in Spain.

ferrari_california_t_test_mule_

Judging by the image above , we can see some duct tape which is hiding a few wires, near the A-pillar, coming out of the hood. It is unusual to see such a model on the roads but this may turn out to be either a hotter version of the California or even an entry-level sports car, which will be completely different.

Until we will find out what this model is exactly, we will remind you that the Ferrari California T is the newest model in the company’s lineup and it has been officially unveiled just a few months ago, in Geneva.

Its styling has been inspired by the one of its larger brothers and we can see influences from the FF, from the F12 Berlinetta and even from the 458 Italia.

It has a 3.8L turbocharged engine under its hood, rated at 560 HP (412 kW) and 755 Nm (556 lb-ft) of torque, enough for a 0 – 100 km/h sprint made in 3.6s and a top speed of 316 km/h.

source – http://www.inautonews.com/ferrari-california-t-test-mule-seen-in-spain#.U9tuEPmSz-8

The ferrari california is one of our most requested cars because it is such a perfect car to drive and relax.

Imagine taking one of these through Italy down the Amalfi Coast or down the French Riviera with the roof down just soaking in the fantastic scenery.

This video will help you picture what it would be like

A truly unforgettable experience I am sure you would agree.

If you want to hire a ferrari california and enjoy driving pleasures that Europe has to offer then contact our reservation team.

 

Ferrari 250 GTO up for auction next month

If money was no object and you want to splash out on a classic luxury car, then bidding on the this Ferrari 250 GTO in August is a must!

An example of the most famous and sought-after classic cars in the world, the Ferrari 250 GTO, is being sold at auction on August 14. With the market buoyant, it might even beat last year’s record price when one was sold in the US for $52 million (£30.5 million).

The 1962 250 GTO is said to have been in one family’s care for 49 years, from 1965 until now. It is being sold at the Bonhams Quail Lodge auction, which is part of the Monterey Peninsula Car Week in California from August 11-17, which includes events such as the famed Pebble Beach concours d’élégance and events at the nearby Laguna Seca racing circuit. This year, in addition to collections of mouth watering cars and displays of car culture, there are special events for owners of significant cars from Porsche and Lamborghini.

Such is the lure of the event among classic car enthusiasts and collectors that major auction houses all hold huge, high-profile sales during Car Week.

The 250 GTO was designed to race and the O of its designation stands for “omologato” or homologation special. The competition rules stipulated that 100 examples had to be built, although Ferrari somehow got away with making only 39 of them.

The Maranello Rosso Collection car, chassis number 3851 GT, was the 19th 250 GTO Berlinetta in sequence and was completed on September 11, 1962. It was delivered to the French racer Jo Schlesser, to be co-driven by himself and French skiing champion Henri Oreiller in the 1962 Tour de France Automobile road race. The pair challenged for victory and finished second overall. The car was then crashed during a race at Montlhery and was returned to Maranello for repair, before being sold to Italian gentleman driver Paolo Colombo before the 1963 racing season.

Source http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/classiccars/10983614/Ferrari-250-GTO-at-auction.html

Rare Ferrari Enzo spins out of control and crashes

 

If anything will make you cringe and gasp in horror this morning, it will be these pictures of a rare Ferrari Enzo after it had a run in with the central reservation on Interstate 95!

 

The rare million-dollar vehicle was involved in a crash in Stamford, Connecticut on Monday when a mechanic took the sports car out for a ride and spun out of control.

 

The car’s owner, 71-year-old mattress company mogul Michael Fux, had placed the prized car in the care of Greenwich dealership Miller Motorcars.

 

Abused: A rare Ferrari Enzo was badly damaged in a Monday morning crash in Stamford, Connecticut. A technician was driving the vehicle at the time

Crashed: Ferrari technician Leonardo Garcia, 40, was driving the rare car owned by 71-year-old mattress mogul Michael Fux. Aston Martin technician Daniel Palchik, 31, was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash

Private investigator John Hoda was driving on the other side of the road and was the first to respond to the crash. He took this image, which shows a man sitting on the side of the road and wearing a Miller Motorcars shirt

Prized: The Ferrari Enzo was named after the Italian motor company's founder and only 400 were made. They now range in price from $600,000 to more than a million. Above, an example of an undamaged Enzo

Prized: The Ferrari Enzo was named after the Italian motor company’s founder and only 400 were made. They now range in price from $600,000 to more than a million. Above, an example of an undamaged Enzo

Source http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2668655/Bungling-mechanic-wrecks-mattress-moguls-rare-1million-Ferrari-Enzo-spinning-control-freeway.html

Luxury car struggles for NBA Players

Two NBA players have been struggling with their man toys this week. Being at the top of your game is the best feeling in the world, but having to struggle and squeeze yourself into a luxury car is not a good look. Is forgetting to fuel your car even more embarrassing though?

We all know that NBA players can be well-compensated for the work they put it, and one of the more visible ways they tend to reward themselves for their hard work is by buying really nice cars. But with great vehicles come great responsibilities, as we saw through a few social media posts this week.

First, Bulls forward Carlos Boozer went to a dealership to check out a Lamborghini and posed for a photo inside the car. But as he discovered, it wasn’t the being inside the car that was a problem — it was getting out of the car…

Carlos Boozer

 

Meanwhile, somewhere along a highway yesterday, Evan Turner‘s Ferrari ran out of gas. Luckily, one of his former Ohio State teammates was there in another car to not only get him some more gas (in one of those little red plastic containers), but also to document the incident on Instagram…

Evan Turner

Source http://allball.blogs.nba.com/2014/06/24/nba-players-struggle-with-luxury-cars/

 

 

 

Jay Kay’s green Ferrari

If I say Ferrari, you think of a red car, correct? Yesterday we shared the story of the model Ferrari that may provide an insight into the future design, and it was red, as always.

It’s safe to say that the bulk of LaFerraris destined for production will be painted various shades of red, but at least one of the cars has received a bright green finish nicknamed, for obvious reasons, ‘Kermit Green’. This particular LaFerrari belongs to Jamiroquai lead singer Jay Kay, an avid car nut and owner of various exotics including previous special series Ferraris like the F40, F50 and Enzo.

A year ago that the singer visited the Ferrari factory in Maranello to take a look at the LaFerrari, and was likely among the car’s first owners. Interestingly, Ferrari released a photo back then showing Kay looking at a piece of green trim material while at the Tailor-Made department… now we know why.

Photos of the completed car, posted to enthusiast site FerrariChat (via The Supercar Kids), confirm it’s linked with the singer and that the green theme continues into the interior.

“It’s an amazing car and, just looking at it makes you want to drive it,” Kay said when first seeing the LaFerrari. “I think it’s hard to imagine such a concentration of style, technology, performance and excitement all in the one package.”

The green LaFerrari is expected to make an appearance at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed running from the 26th to the 29th of this month.

Source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1092680_meet-the-green-ferrari-laferrari-of-jamiroquais-jay-kay

Seizing supercars

It seems odd that there are many people who can afford a supercar, but then cannot or will not pay for insurance. London’s police are getting serious with these offenders.

Police have seized some of world’s fastest and most desirable supercars in a crackdown on uninsured drivers, including a classic Bentley, a Tron-style Lamborghini – and also a £1million crane.

Scotland Yard has impounded 100,000 uninsured vehicles in London since October 2011, among them valuable McLarens, Bentleys and BMWs.

In November 2013, a six-litre Bentley Continental GTC was seized in Bromley after the driver was found to be uninsured, and in October last year, a £400,000 customised Lamborghini Aventador was taken off the road when the motorist’s insurance policy was found to not cover such an expensive vehicle.

Other supercars seized in the last year include a Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche Boxsters and a Lamborghini Spyder.

Uninsured drivers face six penalty points and a £300, and they could also see their cars either sold at auction or crushed if they fail to reclaim them in time.

A police spokesperson said: ‘It needs to be stressed that the MPS does not just focus on high value cars but any vehicle that is not being driven in accordance with the law.

‘High value cars are not automatically sent to be crushed. If the owner doesn’t come and collect them within a designated time, they will be auctioned off.

‘Uninsured drivers are five times more likely to be involved in a road collision, and many are more likely to be involved in criminal activity.’

Since Operation Cubo began, the Met has raised more than £5.5 million at auction by selling seized vehicles, including selling a bright orange Aventador for £218,000.

MPS Commander Stephen Watson said: ‘Operation Cubo is strong, visible action that demonstrates the MPS’ commitment and determination to serving the public and making London’s streets safer.

‘Working alongside our partners we have achieved significant results through large scale seizures of uninsured and un-roadworthy vehicles.’

He added: ‘While in addition making numerous arrests of suspects wanted in connection to a variety of offences, some of which impact negatively on our communities such as drugs and firearms related.

‘We are targeting criminals by denying them the use of the roads so it’s much harder for them to commit crime.

‘We have arrested robbers, burglars and rapists as a result of Operation Cubo and will continue to arrest these people as they attempt to travel around the capital.

‘We’re also helping to make London’s roads safer for all that use them and will continue our efforts.’

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2656122/Crackdown-uninsured-drivers-sees-100-000-vehicles-seized-London-3-years.html

Gumball 3000 in Spain

The Gumball 3000 finished in Ibiza last week and news from the South of Spain shows just how compliant the drivers were of the local laws.

Guardia Civil officers in the Comunidad Valenciana dished out over 100 speeding fines during a cross-continental luxury car race.

The Gumball 3000, which started on June 4 in Miami and finished on Thursday, June 12 in Ibiza, covers 5,000 kilometres across the USA, the UK, France and Spain and involves top-of-the-range vehicles of a very high cc.

During the Spanish part of the race, the speed limit was set at 120 kilometres per hour, meaning getting into the lead was more a question of skill, cornering and overtaking than who could go the fastest.

But one driver was caught at 214 kilometres per hour (around 135mph), another carried out dangerous manoeuvres including ‘undertaking’ and using the acceleration lane.

Another was found to be over the alcohol limit and a fourth had been taking drugs, whilst four other cars were found to have speed-camera detectors installed, which is illegal in Spain.

More than 90 others were fined for breaking the speed limit.

The DJ Joel “Deadmau5” Zimmerman finally won the race in his Nyan Cat Ferrari 458.

Source: http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/24495/police-fine-over-100-drivers-during-gumball-3000-international-luxury-car-race

Teenagers steal luxury cars in a ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ type raid

Like something out of a Hollywood block buster, a gang of teenagers have pled guilty to stealing luxury cars from the home of a millionaire.

Liam Smith, George Cowie and Blair Thomson, all 17, took off with sports cars from outside oil tycoon Sean Dreelan’s mansion in July.

Two of the teenagers – Cowie and Thomson – broke into the Banchory Devenick property and stole car keys – despite being too young to drive at the time.

The trio then drove away with the motors in the middle of the night.

Renovation work was being carried out on the grounds of Drumduan House as part of a major refurbishment programme at the time.

The secluded house was once protected by extensive security with intercom-operated large iron double gates at the bottom of the drive and CCTV cameras.

However, the driveway was opened last summer to let heavy machinery in to carry out landscaping work.

Family photographs shared on social media showed several super cars parked on the driveway – including a red Ferrari 599 GTO – before the thefts.

All the stolen vehicles were recovered and police eventually tracked down the car crime gang, who all lived in Aberdeen.

Yesterday Smith was told by the sheriff to expect a jail term for his part in the thefts when the case called at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Graeme Napier said: “You shouldn’t hold out much hope for anything other than a custodial sentence.”

Smith admitted stealing the Dreelan family’s white 2010 Porsche 911 GT2 RS coupe and grey Toyota Land Cruiser from outside Drumduan House, between 22 and 23 July, last year.

Donald Stewart
Sean Dreelan

 

 

The teenage thief also admitted stealing two other vehicles in separate incidents in the weeks leading up to the Dreelan family theft.

He pled guilty to nicking a grey 2006 BMW M sport touring estate from Lintmill Place, Aberdeen, on May 25, 2013.

The teen also admitted careless driving by crashing a red Triumph motorcycle he stole from the city’s Taransay Crescent on June 20.

Cowie previously pleaded guilty to breaking into Mr Dreelan’s home between July 22 and 23 and stealing car keys before making off with a grey 2010 Audi S5 V8 Quattro coupe.

Thomson was also part of the gang that broke into Mr Dreelan’s house to steal car keys.

He made off from the grounds of the mansion with a silver 2011 Aston Martin Rapide V12 as well as the same Toyota Land Cruiser as Smith.

Sheriff Napier called for reports on all three teenagers yesterday and deferred sentencing until next month.

Property owner Sean Dreelan made his fortune in the oil and energy industry in Aberdeen.

He and his three brothers – Tommy, Mike and Ciaran – founded a fast-growing oil service firm in 2001.

The oil services company was sold to Norwegian group Aker Solutions earning the brothers a share of nearly 100million pounds in 2008.

The Dreelan brothers continued in their roles with Qserv as it expanded worldwide, despite the change of ownership.

The sale of Qserv was the second big-money deal involving the Dreelans.

PSL was sold by Tommy, Sean and Mike for 45.5million pounds in 1998.

Source http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/crime/gone-60-seconds-teenage-car-3617496