Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Ferrari, Luxury

You have to admire the automotive scene in Germany. Despite its somewhat small geographic size, Bavaria seems to have more tuners per capita than just about any other nation in the world. We tend to count Anderson Germany among the best and brightest of that group, thanks largely to the company’s work with various Ferrari products. The tuner has just finished tidying up the details on its latest project, and the final result is plenty mouthwatering. Anderson Germany started with a base Ferrari California, decided that plenty-fast wasn’t swift enough, so it proceeded to yank a full 515 horsepower out of the 4.3-liter V8. We like these guys.

That extra 55 horsepower arrives courtesy of an ECU reflash and an all-new tri-mode stainless steel exhaust system. The pipes are built with a special valve that can be adjusted depending on how much of a menace to society you feel like at that particular moment. The company also bolted on a set of 21-inch wheels up front and 22-inch rollers out back and installed a new suspension control module that can allow the car to be lowered up to 1.3 inches. Anderson Germany isn’t saying how much it would cost to convert a standard California into the beast you see above, but we’re guessing it’s not cheap. Hit the jump for the press release.

[Source: Anderson Germany]

Continue reading Ferrari California gets 515-hp infusion thanks to Anderson Germany

Ferrari California gets 515-hp infusion thanks to Anderson Germany originally appeared on Ferrari News on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Government/Legal, Ferrari, Racing

Thursday is going to be a big one for the vintage automotive universe. This week, Ohio judge Norbert Nadel is expected to decide who is the rightful owner of a 1954 Ferrari 375 Plus - one of the most valuable Prancing Horses in the world. Right now, says NPR, one Jacques Swaters has possession of the vehicle and has performed an extensive restoration to bring the car back to life. Thing is, the family of the original owner, Karl Kleve, apparently still has the title as well as a bevy of parts that were on the car originally.

According to Kleve’s daughter, Kristi Kleve Lawson, Kleve bought the car in 1958 only to discover that it was a stolen vehicle 30 years later. Somehow, the car disappeared, and Kleve eventually managed to track it down in Belgium. For whatever reason, Interpol released the car to Swaters instead of Kleve. At least, that’s what Lawson says happened.

The story is a little different from Swaters’ point of view. According to him, he bought the car for $100,000 from an auto dealer in 1990. At the time, it was little more than pieces of a derelict shell. When Swaters learned that the Ferrari was reportedly stolen, he had a lawyer arrange a settlement with Kleve. Swaters says that paid the former owner $600,000 and that Kleve cashed the check.

Lawson says that’s just not true, and that if Swaters has a canceled check, the signature on the back must be a forgery. Meanwhile, Swaters has sued the Lawson family for failing to transfer the car’s title.

Whatever happens, you can bet someone’s going to be very unhappy by week’s end.

Ferrari only built six 375 Plus models. Of those, only four survive today. The car in question is estimated to be worth around $15 million in its current restored condition.

[Source: NPR]

NPR: Fight erupts over ownership of ’stolen’ 1954 Ferrari 375 Plus originally appeared on Ferrari News on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Coupe, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari

Although most Ferrari modelsare highly coveted, the 250 GT Short Wheelbase Berlinetta is one of those cars that sportscar enthusiasts dream of even catching a glimpse of someday. Well, “someday” was Sunday at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for those who attended. And not only did they get the chance to see a 250 GT SWB up close and personal, but there were eight of them on hand so everyone could share. How clever.

As the historians among you will know, Ferrari had been building street and race cars since 1947, and through the ’50s they also made some of the most exquisite dual-purpose cars of all time as well - cars that could be driven to track then raced there. In the late ’50s, the best known of these was Ferrari’s 250 GT Long Wheelbase Berlinetta - a.k.a. the “Tour de France.” At the Paris Auto Show in 1959, its replacement was shown for the first time - the 250 GT Passo Corto, or Short Wheelbase Berlinetta. As its name suggested, it rode on a shorter wheelbase than the TdF, but also had other significant changes.

The engine was a classic 3.0-liter Ferrari V-12, producing between 240 and 280 horsepower. Less than 160 SWBs were built from 1959-1962, no two exactly alike. There were “Lusso” versions with a steel body, a full interior, door panels, sound deadening materials and wind-up windows. There were also light alloy cars with smaller diameter tube frames, no sound deadening, sliding Plexiglas windows and race-ready high-compression engines. These were for people who definitely wanted to track their car,s and although faster than the Lusso editions, they didn’t quite match the ultimate SWBs - the Comp/61 or “SEFAC Hot Rods.”

The SEFAC cars had the alloy body but also some subtle changes like a more laid-back windshield. They also used the highest spec, with almost 300 horsepower. So-equipped, they could run 0-60 mph in five seconds and had a top speed over 150 mph. Ferrari only built 21 of these Comp/61s and four of them were in the mix at Pebble this year. What a treat.

Although ruggedly handsome, with an aggressive stance and tight proportions, the appeal of the SWB goes further. The SWB is forever coupled with that time in racing history when the Italians started to feel the pressure from a new foe - The Americans…and one particular Texas chicken rancher/racer who was helping Ford take down the Maranello firm. The threat posed by the Shelby Cobra was countered by another evolution of the dual-purpose Ferrari sports racer - the legendary 250 GTO.

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips, Frank Filipponio / AOL

Monterey 2010: Ferrari 250 GT SWB lovefest at Pebble originally appeared on Ferrari News on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari

Concorso Italiano threw a party for the legendary Ferrari F40, and the turnout was, well, almost as good as the car itself. Thousands of show attendees were treated to more than a dozen examples of Enzo Ferrari’s final project.

As you probably know, the F40 was named to celebrate Ferrari’s 40th anniversary, and the celebration at Concorso honored the 20th anniversary of the car’s 1990 arrival here in the States. (Let’s not quibble over the fact that Ferrari the company was actually born in 1947, meaning the F40 should have actually arrived in 1987. The show car was first unveiled in 1987 and that’s good enough for us.)

The late arrival of what some still view as the ultimate supercar did nothing to dampen the spirits of the men and boys who fell in love with it at first sight and still carry a torch for it today. The F40 celebration was one great reason to go to Concorso Italiano this year. If you didn’t have the opportunity to attend in person, hit the gallery below to see how the lineup of F40s looked at one of Monterey week’s biggest exhibitions.

Photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

Monterey 2010: Ferrari F40 birthday bash at Concorso originally appeared on Ferrari News on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Specialty, Design/Style

Concorso Italiano is always fun. Every car has a story behind it, and this year, the organizers pulled off something of a coup.

Back in ‘08, a mystery Ferrari prototype was spied at Fiorano. Once initial speculation settled down, the prevailing wisdom suggested that the car in question was a one-off coachbuilt special designed by former Pininfarina (and now independent) stylist Fioravanti for a wealthy customer. Those reports wound up being true, and yesterday that very car was on display at Concorso Italiano.

Dubbed SP1 (for Sport Prototype 1) the Ferrari F430-based machine was commissioned by a prominent Ferrari collector in Japan. It was the first product out of Maranello’s Portfolio program - an initiative that lets the extremely wealthy collaborate with various Italian design houses (including Fioravanti, Pininfarina and Zagato) with full factory support on custom, unique vehicles. While most of these clients prefer anonymity, it’s hard to keep a low profile when you’re driving a custom Ferrari.

Making its only U.S. appearance, the Fioravanti SP1 was one of Concorso’s centerpieces, parked next to the F40 gathering and a stone’s throw from the stage. Photos can’t do the car justice. Looking at the SP1’s creases and curves, you see influences from a variety of cars in the Ferrari family. It’s so cohesive, yet it’s difficult to accurately convey the sheer presence that this car exudes in person. We did our best to capture it, however. Take a gander at the image gallery below, and maybe you’ll feel the vibe as well.

Photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

Monterey 2010: Fioravanti SP1 makes sole U.S. appearance originally appeared on Ferrari News on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Lancia

The Lancia Stratos revival project that we’ve been hearing about for the past week or so is much farther along than we thought, as engineers did some running at northern Italy’s Balocco test track in late June. For the first time, we’ve seen the new car alongside an original Stratos and the designers have done a remarkable job in recreating the classic’s unique shape, size and proportions.

This new Stratos arrives during the 40th anniversary year of the Marcello Gandini-designed Stratos Zero concept, whose name was later resurrected for the rally car and homologation special. Like the 1970s-era Stratos, power reportedly comes from a Ferrari engine, this time a V8 probably donated from the F430. (The original used the 2.4-liter Dino V6.) Italiaspeed reports that the new car is so true to the concept of the original that it even has door-mounted helmet storage. The bodywork has apparently been crafted in carbon fiber and as many as five prototypes may already be running. If so, this is not likely the one-off that was originally speculated, but a car that could see a limited production run like the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.

Check out Top Gear’s take on the original Stratos after the jump. For a good history lesson on the Lancia Stratos, pick up the September 2010 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car at your local bookstore, as one of this month’s feature vehicles is a 1976 Stratos, and the article has an informative backgrounder on the car’s journey from design concept to rally icon.

[Source: Italiaspeed]

Continue reading Modern-day Lancia Stratos gets real

Modern-day Lancia Stratos gets real originally appeared on Ferrari News on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Classics, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Design/Style, Lancia

Monterey coverage continues with one of Friday’s staples. Concorso Italiano has been one of Monterey’s largest gatherings of primarily Italian vehicles for years. Laguna Seca Golf Ranch played the hospitable host, giving throngs of Italian-car lovers the opportunity to get up close and personal with hundreds of le belle macchine.

Lamborghini, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, DeTomaso and Ferrari, were well represented - long lines of each marque appearing almost mirage-like down the fairways of Laguna. You know those shots you’ve seen of exotic cars lined up outside the factory? Multiply those by ten. It is absolutely crazy. Special gatherings honored the Ferrari F40, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary of U.S. citizenship. The Italians were never really that great at dates, as the F40 was originally intended to be a 40th anniversary treat for Enzo himself to celebrate the company’s 1947 birth. Unfortunately, it appeared around 1990 instead. Don’t even get us started on the F50.

Concorso has hosted several smaller manufacturers over the years as well. Not just the oddball makes that few people have ever heard of, but also fledgling companies that have sometimes risen to prominence - or fallen infamously. This year, Superformance showed off the new Zagato-penned Perana Z-One. The European GT styling combined with Corvette power reminds us of the classic Italo-Amercan mashups from DeTomaso, Iso, Bizzarrini and the like. The Z-One is gorgeous, and we were blown away by its build quality. We’re negotiating some seat time to give you the full rundown, but for now, check out the gallery and you’ll see why Concorso Italiano has become one of the world’s greatest events for lovers of Italian machinery.

Photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2010 AOL

Monterey 2010: Concorso Italiano celebrates all things Italia originally appeared on Ferrari News on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Luxury

Moal Coachbuilders, the shop that brought us the likes of Tim Allen’s one-time Licorice Streak Special, showed up in Monterey with not only that Tool Time-worthy hot rod, but also its new Gatto retro sports car. The bright blue coupe reminds us of something in the vein of an Aston Martin DB4 GT or a Maserati A6 GCS. It’s a beautiful shape that looks like it just stepped out of a ten year restoration… but it’s brand new. Well, most of it is.

Under the hood resides a very special V12 engine - a 300-horsepower V12 derived from a Ferrari 250 GTO. Don’t ask us how that came about, all we know is that the car was created for a wealthy California investment manager, and was built to his specifications. Besides that lustful engine under the bonnet, the Gatto also features a hand-built monocoque chassis, aluminum panels crimped directly onto the subframe to save weight, a Tremac five-speed gearbox, custom Borrani wheels, custom-fitted leather seats and straightforward analog gauges. One of the only modern touches is air conditioning.

It’s a gorgeous car, but the funny thing is, we almost walked right past it, thinking it was another of Bonham’s auction items or something. That’s the nature of McCall’s Motorworks Revival - so many great cars that sometimes things get lost in the shuffle. Thankfully not this time. Too bad we couldn’t get anybody to open the hood… Click below to see our high-res image gallery.

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Frank Filipponio / AOL

Monterey 2010: Moal Coachbuilders debuts Ferrari-powered Gatto originally appeared on Ferrari News on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Videos, Ferrari, Racing

A video camera can do strange things to reality. While we’ve always heard that training a lens on a person can add 10 pounds to their figure, it’s also true that focusing on a moving car can subtract 20 mph. Watching a car scoot around a track on screen and seeing the same action in real life, or even worse, from the cockpit, are two entirely different things. At some point during the migration from the real world to digital representation, things just seem to slow down, which is exactly why this video of the Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge after the jump is so impressive. The beast looks down right fast on film, so we can only imagine the kind of tear in the space-time continuum it could develop here in the real world.

Ferrari has pulled something special with its newest track bully. While the car still breathes through the same 570-horsepower 4.5-liter V8 as its more civil sibling, the company shaved a considerable amount of weight and fitted it with the same globe-crushing brakes as the 599XX. The changes have been enough to give the 458 Italia Challenge the guts to lap the Fiorano circuit in a blistering 1:16.5. That’s a mere two-tenths of a second off of the lap time of the marginally more loco FXX.

That puddle on the floor? Yeah, that’s from our mouths watering. We’ll get someone on that.

[Source: Axis of Oversteer]

Continue reading Video: Ferrari 458 Challenge wrung out at Fiorano

Video: Ferrari 458 Challenge wrung out at Fiorano originally appeared on Ferrari News on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Auctions, Ferrari, UK

Practical considerations aside, cost no object, if you could have any car ever made, what would it be? We’d bet that a large proportion of you would be thinking of the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO. Unfortunately, cost is an object for the vast majority of us. And considering how the iconic GTO is one of the most valuable, most sought-after classic sportscars ever made, the overwhelming likelihood is that most of us - make that practically all of us - could never stand a chance of owning one.

It’s only natural, then, that there should be replicas made. Scratch that - “tributes.” But if you’re going to replicate a GTO, you’re not going to start with an old Firebird as your underpinnings. You’re going to start with another classic Ferrari. Just one not quite as valuable.

That’s what the owner in that other video did. And that’s what you’re looking at here. This 1965 Ferrari 250 GTO “Evocazione” started its life as a Ferrari 330 GT, and in 1993 was sent to Italy to have its chassis modified before being fitted with painstakingly handmade aluminum bodywork in the UK. Attention was paid to every detail, down to the gauges and Borrani wire wheels. And now it’s up for grabs, courtesy of newly inaugurated auction house Historics at Brooklands. Once it crosses the block there on September 25, it’s expected to fetch around