Italian sports carmaker Ferrari announced today that it will recall MY 2005 – 2007 612 Scaglietti vehicles equipped with F1 transmissions. The reason behind the recall is a faulty clutch sensor in the transmission that could malfunction under normal operating conditions due to the heat produced by the vehicle, resulting to improper function of the clutch assembly and making gear shifting very difficult. If you happen to be one of the 366 owners affected by the recall in the U.S., you may contact Ferrari at 1-201-816-2600.

Ferrari officially premieres today in North America the 2008 612 Scaglietti, the model used to inaugurate the new One-to-One Personalization Program of the Company.
Ferrari intends to allow every client to fully personalise this flagship model, courtesy of a wide array of new content as well as the options available through the Carrozzeria Scaglietti Programme. In fact, a special dedicated “atelier” area has been set up at the factory, where clients can put together their own bespoke 612 Scaglietti accessory by accessory, detail by detail. In exactly the same way as they would at an haute couture fashion house, owners can choose details and materials they want for their car in consultation with the Ferrari experts who will actually build it to their exact specifications and tastes.

Clients will be assisted in making their selections by dedicated Programme consultants who can help them at every stage of defining their car’s specification.

All of these unique new 612 Scagliettis will be built in a dedicated assembly area at the Maranello factory.

The 612 Scagliettis being used to launch the One-to-One Programme incorporate a series of technical evolutions that reflect the Ferrari philosophy of constantly introducing innovations in each model. Most notably, the V12 flagship now boasts an electrochromic panoramic roof which covers the entire top of the cabin. The electrochromic glass can be changed at the touch of a button to adjust the levels of sunlight allowed into the cabin. This solution was developed in close collaboration with Saint Gobain, a partner with whom Ferrari has most recently developed a similar highly innovative solution for the Superamerica.

In addition to its electrochromic roof, the 612 Scaglietti also sports the aptly named SuperFast gearbox which delivers an exceptional gear-shifting time of 100 milliseconds and a reduced inertia clutch to enhance the engine’s responsiveness still further. The iconic Ferrari manettino, now featured on the entire range, has also been added to the steering wheel.

Ferrari has undertaken a number of epic journeys over the past couple of years, pitting its cars against some of the roughest roads in the world during previous drives across China, the Americas and even a global relay. Now the Italian supercars are headed to India for the latest Prancing Horse adventure, which gets underway from Mumbai on February 25th and returns to the same city on May 8th having covered a route stretching more than 7,000 miles.

The carmaker will be fielding two 612 Scaglietti supercars, the same model that was used for the China 15,000 Red Miles tour in 2005 and the Panamerican 20,000 tour of 2006. A total of 50 journalists from across the world will take turns behind the wheel of the V12-powered cars over the course of a 12-stage 72-day voyage across India.

India is one of the most important new markets for carmakers around the world. The economy is rapidly expanding and with a population of more than a billion people, everybody from motorsport groups like F1 to exotic brands like Ferrari are keen to promote their brand across the sub-continent.

There will be two cars, one red and the other white, both with only minor modifications to allow them to negotiate the more difficult tracts of the tour. The modifications involve the fitting of an underbody protector made from 4mm duraluminium rather than plastic and a slightly higher suspension setting to deal with the tougher road surfaces. Otherwise, the cars are completely stock, which means they feature the familiar 540hp 6.0 V12 and a six-speed F1 gearbox and transaxle transmission.