A Ferrari is one of the good things to have in life. It is the ultimate sports cars and a really cool one at that. If getting a Ferrari as an investment is in your plans, you have to make sure of valuing it so that you can enjoy rolling in it out on the streets as well as increasing your net worth. There are a lot of different models to choose from. You can buy a brand new Ferrari or you can get a pre-owned one. Just select the ones you like to add to your collection and you will surely be the envy of everyone.

The Ferrari started out as a race car as built by an Italian man named Enzo Ferrari. Soon after that, in 1947, road cars were manufactured as well. Pinifarina, an Italian car design company, was responsible for the body styles and design.

The street cars rolled out with V6, V8 and V12 engines and the body styles had letter referencing. Models modified from the original design are “M” while coupes have the “GTB” referencing. Older convertible models are the “GTS”. These are also known as targa top models. As for the new, modern convertibles, they are designated as “Spider”. Unofficially, some Ferraris are referred to as “GTO” or “Daytona”. Even the name of Enzo Ferrari’s son, Dino, was adapted for another model.

There are a lot of types of Ferrari road cars. The handling is top-notch as with the speed and beauty because of the designing integrated. The larger versions of the sports cars with the usual coupe-body design are termed “GT” or grand tourer cars. The vehicles have this 2 + 2 style. This means that there are two seats in the front and another two seats at the back for the passengers.

The American versions of the Ferrari are grand touring vehicles that come with massive and powerful V12 engines. Front-engine with rear-wheel drive vehicles are named “FR”. There is another type of Ferrari known as the “RMR” type which stands for rear mid-engine. It also comes with rear-wheel drive. As for the “Supercar”, it refers to the top of the line Ferrari sports car.

The Ferrari also has a two-seater GT known as the 250 GT Coupe Pininfarina. The 250 GT Boano, known as the Ferrari Pininfarina, is also a coupe. The Ferrari 250 GT California even got a spotlight on the famous movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” because of its pristine beauty.

In 1987, the Ferrari team won the 24 Hours of Daytona race and it was there that the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 got its informal name of Ferrari Daytona. For those adrenaline junkies, the Daytona is the perfect car as it can reach 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds. It was even used to trail the distance between New York and Los Angeles in just a span of 36 hours.

One of the best sport cars ever built may have to be the Ferrari 250 GTO but this car doesn’t come cheap. Make sure you’re a millionaire before buying one but still, having this car is a great investment.

Science and Cachet of the Ferrari F430, check out Philip Granere‘s site.

categories: ferrari california,ferrari,super cars,sports cars,cars

Who doesn’t recognize the Ferrari? It has been heralded as one of the most luxurious yet sporty vehicles for many generations. It’s involvement in Formula One races has really made this Italian brand one of the best choices for luxury cars. Success was not instant to a car like the this. Read on to find more about their humble beginnings and how they transformed into the leader that they are today.

Enzo Ferrari loved cars even as a young boy. He would accompany his father to several driving competitions to get to witness speeding vehicles on the racetrack. This helped inspire Enzo to be a driver himself, and participated in a few races. When he created the Team Ferrari in the late 1920s, there was really no intent for him to create, produce or manufacture road cars. The Team Ferrari, or also known as Scuderia was only meant to support the amateur racecar drivers that wanted to compete. Eventually, Enzo got hired by car company Alfa Romeo and became the head of their motor racing department.

Racing was not necessarily his first career; he also made sure that he worked regularly in a small car company while he was perfecting his racecar driving skills. One of the first races he ever won was the one for Targa Floria, where he ended up at 9th place. His talent caught the eye of vehicle company Alfa Romeo and eventually hired him. He entered the Targa Floria a year after, and by 1920, he already achieved second place by riding a production car.

Enzo’s name became more popular as the years went by. Three years after placing second in the Targa Floria, he had the opportunity to be in the presence of high society. Count Enrico Baracca took a great interest in Enzo’s driving skills, and his wife Countess Paolina Baracca could not agree more. This was during the Circuit of Sivocci in Ravenna. The high-ranking couple was proud to have a son in Francesco Baracca, a well-known pilot in his generation, but he passed away in Mount Montello during the time of the war. Francesco had a badge that illustrated a horse behind a yellow shield. This continues to symbolize the car’s historical logo, representing the actual badge that the count and countess gave Enzo during one of his races.

Enzo worked for Alfa Romeo for the next couple of years, but he did not want to be constrained. Using the prancing horse as his logo, he started to work on the Scuderia Ferrari team, which entered in various racing competitions. By the 1930s, with eight victories and several awards in over 22 racing events, Enzo knew that he could make more out of his talent.

Leaving Alfa Romeo prompted Enzo to launch a company named Auto-Avio Costruzioni Ferrari. This was during the World War II, and his company became a victim to bombings and destruction. This did not stop him from pursuing his dream, and by 1946, he created the 125 Sport, also known as the car’s first motorcar. The legendary vehicle proved to be a winner. After winning the car’s first race in 1947, it continued to enjoy victory in several different races, and over the next few decades, the manufacturer has enjoyed over 5,000 first place victories in the world of racecar driving. Even when Enzo passed away in 1988, the legacy of the legendary Ferrari continues to live on until today.

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categories: engines,speed,ferrari california,ferrari,super cars,sports cars,cars

Don’t you ever notice that seeing a Ferrari always make people give a second look? If this modern car is not enough to make your friends jealous, then you would probably wonder what could. The Ferrari is one of the most popular sport vehicles in the world, and its default red color has even been named as Ferrari Red in other industries. If you want to own one and cannot afford a brand new one, you will be amazed that even the pre-owned and second hand styles are enough to give you that character in driving such a fancy modern car. But how did he start from simple race car enthusiast to world renowned business conglomerate?

Enzo Ferrari loved cars even as a young boy. He would accompany his father to several driving competitions to get to witness speeding vehicles on the racetrack. This helped inspire Enzo to be a driver himself, and participated in a few races. When he created the Team Ferrari in the late 1920s, there was really no intent for him to create, produce or manufacture road cars. The Team Ferrari, or also known as Scuderia Ferrari was only meant to support the amateur racecar drivers that wanted to compete. Eventually, Enzo got hired by car company Alfa Romeo and became the head of their motor racing department.

Racing was not necessarily his first career; he also made sure that he worked regularly in a small car company while he was perfecting his racecar driving skills. One of the first races he ever won was the one for Targa Floria, where he ended up at 9th place. His talent caught the eye of vehicle company Alfa Romeo and eventually hired him. He entered the Targa Floria a year after, and by 1920, he already achieved second place by riding a production car.

Enzo Ferrari’s name became more popular as the years went by. Three years after placing second in the Targa Floria, he had the opportunity to be in the presence of high society. Count Enrico Baracca took a great interest in Enzo’s driving skills, and his wife Countess Paolina Baracca could not agree more. This was during the Circuit of Sivocci in Ravenna. The high-ranking couple was proud to have a son in Francesco Baracca, a well-known pilot in his generation, but he passed away in Mount Montello during the time of the war. Francesco had a badge that illustrated a horse behind a yellow shield. This continues to symbolize Ferrari’s historical logo, representing the actual badge that the count and countess gave Enzo during one of his races.

It was in 1988 that he helped create and launch the Ferrari F40, which was to be the last car that Enzo has created before he passed away on the same year. A year later, a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa was part of an auction. With Sotheby’s and RM Auctions sponsoring the said event, this car was sold at a whopping $12.1 million dollars. They held the world record for being the most expensive car that was sold at an auction.

Problems within management brought a crisis to Ferrari in the 1960s. Some of Enzo’s top managers got involved in a conflict with him, and he decided to let them go. They left some unfinished projects behind, one of which was the 250 GTO. This was able to compete in the Sebring race and bag first place. Today the Ferrari is known more than just being a luxury car. It has become a symbol of power and of elegance, and will continue to do so in the next generations to come.

Computers and Cachet of the Ferrari F430, check out Charles Philip Granere‘s site.

In terms of style and automotive technology, it is the Ferrari that leads the pack and the new F430 is definitely full of promise. It is the update of the 350 Modena and the model first graced the world at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September.

It still retains the unmistakable Ferrari look that originated with the Enzo and a number of design elements were adapted and incorporated. It has the all-new 4.3-liter engine with 490 horsepower. The unit was based on the engines of the Maserati models.

The basic look came from the F355, which then evolved to the 360 Modena. This was then adapted by the F430.

While the 360 has these horizontal headlights, the Ferrari F430 features vertical headlights almost identical to the Enzo’s. The F430 also has bigger front air intakes and a small splitter in the middle much like the Enzo. The F430 has eliminated the small nose in the center of the bumper and features a larger front spoiler air duct on the trailing edge.

The Ferrari F430 maintains the influence of the Enzo on both the rear air intakes and lower air intakes. The taillights have a high mounting on the rear fascia. While the 360 has no cutouts on the sides of the engine cover, the F430 features five on all sides. It also prominently observes the Enzo-like rear air diffuser with vertical canes and compared to the 360, the rear bumper of the F430 has a cleaner integration into the rear body.

The Ferrari F430 and the 360 basically have the same aluminum space frame. However, what defines the F430 is the Maserati 4.3 liter V8 engine with an output of 490 horsepower and a torque of 343 lb-ft. It is definitely much more powerful than the 360 Modena. The power-to-weight ratio is higher as well. The F430 can reach 62 mph in just 4 seconds with 196 mph top speed.

The F430 is the first of the V8 Ferrari models to feature driver aid control fixed to the steering wheel. This was previously integrated on the 612 Scaglietti and Enzo. The manettino, as termed by the Ferrari F1 drivers, is the knob on the right. It is responsible for controlling the dynamic modes of the vehicle. Shifting can be done in just 150 milliseconds with the de riguer paddle shifters and this transmits the required power through the electronically controlled differential. The wheels of the F430 come in 19-inch, dual-spoke fittings similar to the Enzo’s. As an add-on, the vehicle can also be fitted with $20,000 carbon-ceramic brakes.

As all Ferrari cars, the F430 is pretty pricey. It was in the $200,000 range when it first came to the U.S but it was sold way higher than the window sticker price because it was in such a demand. The lucky few who have first purchased the car spent almost a quarter of a million dollars.

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categories: high technology,speed,ferrari california,ferrari,super cars,sports cars,cars

The finest automobile manufacturer and developer in the whole world is none other than the Ferrari. With its marvelously implemented style, assured powerful quality and high regards to speed, The Ferrari is the automobile of choice specially in racing events. It truly deserves the renown it has today. But, from the time it is created, no one ever expected that it would become the best in the industry.

It all started when Enzo Ferrari started a sponsorship for amateur drivers in Modena, Italy in 1929. Enzo helped train and race amateur drivers in Alfa Romeo made sports cars. This sponsorship was named Scuderia Ferrari. He continued doing this until 1938, when he was employed by Alfa Romeo to manage its motor racing department.

Enzo Ferrari excelled in managing the division in Alfa Romeo and developed new technologies in manufacturing cars. In the 1940′s the Fascist government of Benito Mussolini took over Italy. This brought the Alfa Romeo into the hands of the Italian government in order to further support the Axis powers. It was never the matter for Enzo since his division was small and was not affected by the change of control.

Enzo’s contract with Alfa Rome has prohibited him to race in competitions for a four-year duration. It was during that this time that Scuderia Ferrari changed its name to Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari. This newly named Ferrari manufacturing was now a producer of numerous machine tools and airplane accessories. It was also during this time, that the first ever Ferrari was manufactured, the Tipo 815. However, it was the period of non-competition.

The first ever Ferrari racecar to be displayed among the public was the Tipo 815. It saw little competition. It was debuted to the public at the Mille Miglia in 1940. Three years later, the Ferrari factory was moved to Maranello, Italy. This was very unfortunate for Enzo for the factory was consequently destroyed by Allied bombing raids during the Second World War. But, Enzo, with renewed determination, sought to rebuild the factory and he did so after the war was over. This day would mark Ferrari’s emergence as a top manufacturer of automobiles.

In 1947, the 125 S was introduced. The 1947 125 S was the first ever road car made by Ferrari. With its new 1.5L V12 engine, the start of an outstanding future was coming to fruition. The people loved Ferrari’s creations and style and resulted into immediate success.

Due to some circumstances, Enzo Ferrari was reluctant to display to the public his automobile creations. He was displeased and very vocal about people buying his notorious cars for prestige and not for quality.

Today, Ferrari continues to grow every year. It collects over 1,688 Euros in revenues annually and hires about 3,000 employees per year. It is still based at Maranello, Italy. This is why Ferrari is the best in the world. Who could ever knew that the race car driver in Enzo Ferrari could someday be the finest sports car manufacturer in the world.

Science and Status of the Ferrari F430, check out Charles Philip Granere‘s site.

Your feelings on the Ferrari 458 Italia will depend heavily on whether you want a car that looks like it was designed by Italian surrealists or whether you want one that looks like it was painted by a more neoclassical hand. Because (and some people will argue with me on this) the Italia looks like a car. A nearly perfect car, but still: a car.

Other Ferraris assault the eye with precarious curves, hazardous pointy bits and violent-looking intakes, all of which convey the impression of big meat-eating power. So while the Italia too looks just as serious as its predecessors, it does so with subtle curves, elegantly angled headlights, a peekaboo-glass top over its mid-set engine. It’s just a genuinely pretty car, not wild-looking and alien, but still as impressive as a Ferrari should be.

560 Horsepower Pony

And this all plays out in its performance. Launched in 2009 as the descendant to the F430, the 458 Italia pumps out an astonishing 560 horsepower, getting it from standstill to 60 in 3.3 seconds. The eight-cylinder two-seater, while perhaps not as scary in appearance as some other Ferraris, certainly has the strength of its convictions, topping out at somewhere right over 200 mph.

And it’ll get there smoothly, with a dual-clutch 7-speed transmission which anticipates the shifts by revving the next gear to match the one you’re currently in for a seamless transmission transition. Think about how a new relay runner matches the speed of the previous one before the handoff and you’ve got a vision of what’s going on in the gearbox of the Italia.

A Lot of Machine

The future is all right there in the dash, for better or worse. There’s a simplicity to some Ferrari consoles that isn’t on display here — all the turn signals and windshield wipers are squeezed onto the steering wheel, so you better memorize the wheel before you go into turns. Then again, with the level of output this car delivers, it might not ever dawn on you to bother with signaling. No one’s going to keep up with you anyway.

For all its outstanding power, handling and performance, it manages to maintain its good looks and not succumb to the vents and sharp edges of outrageous design. And it doesn’t appear to hurt it at all. When compared to the ultra-exclusive Enzo, available to rock stars and sheiks, the Italia is far cheaper (at $230,000 this is a relative term) and yet still nearly as fast as the Formula One-emulating Enzo. The Italia absolutely tops its predecessor, the F430, which was already in a league of its own.

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categories: ferrari california,ferrari,super cars,sports cars,cars

The Ferrari California offered a number of firsts upon its debut in 2008. A retractible hardtop. A front-engine V8. A dual-clutch 7-speed transmission, for those seamless gear changes. And as a result of this transmission it presents at least one last: The last Ferrari to offer a manual gearbox. It’s a natural classic, all good looks and serious performance, and it’s got a foot in the present and the past.

The California is a “2+,” a two-door with what we’ll all agree to call two ass-holders in what we’ll all agree to call the “backseat.” Which puts it in the class of “grand tourer,” a fine distinction for a car that really does look like it just wants to get on the road and stay there. Oh, and you’re of course invited to come along.

Its link to the past is right there in the name — the California is so named for the 250 GTs that awed a 20th-century world in the late ’50s. You’ll remember the most famous dignitary of the 250 series as the car in the 1986 John Hughes classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” That was a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California, one of few than a hundred cars (as noted by Cameron). (The car in the movie was a replica, not an actual 250, because if it had been, Ferrari enthusiasts would have burned down Hollywood had Hughes actually destroyed one of the rare beauties.)

So the new series, which could just as easily have been called the “Utah” or the “Connecticut,” adopts the name of that 50-year-old classic and lays in all the new gadgetry of this, the modern era. Performance is turn-of-the-century, too: zero to 60 in a shade under four seconds, a top speed of 193 mph, and due to long hours in a wind tunnel, the most aerodynamic car Ferrari’s ever built.

But in the canon of Ferrari’s aggressively powerful cars, the California has already gotten a bit of a rep for being nice. It’s lovely, but not shockingly so. Very fast but in a controlled way. And while the front end brings to mind, say, a dignified Aston-Martin, the rear gets a lot of grief for being a bit too big.

But Ferrari was serious when it decided to build a car that could perform but could also fit a small child (say, the child of your mistress) in the back seat. A little something for everyone, it seems. Everyone who has $230,000 and a wish to take your best normal-sized friend and your best small friends for an exhilarating trip.

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On a pretty regular basis, Ferrari makes its new Best Car Ever. Right now there’s maybe some debate over which one this is, but one of the candidates is the F430. It’s been around since 2004 since it can be properly called “venerable,” even if the coming of the 458 Italia has in some ways outshone the 430.

Rest assured it is the Best Car Ever. It followed the 360, considered still by many the Best Car Ever too. Really it’s all in what you want. The F430 is a beautiful machine, almost friendly-looking in a way that the 458 Italia really isn’t. The F430 carries a lot of DNA from previous Best Car Evers. The tail lights and vents, the racing profile of its low front-end. The V8! The fact that it comes in a variety of flavors, convertible and coupe, fast and faster. Best and bester.

Ferrari F430 Improvement

It’s a matter of taste and choice, which you won’t necessarily get with some of Ferraris more exotic exotics. Your basic F430 will run 0-60 in four seconds and reach top speeds of 193 mph or more. “More” if your F430 of choice is the Scuderia, which is lighter and faster and meant to run against the really super supercars. At some point, as you see, adjectives start becoming meaningless.

Suffice to say the F430 takes care of a lot of the thinking for you, so you can sit back and drive. From steering to brakes to engine and handling, you’ve got choices, but once they’re made (“race” or “sport?”), leave it to the car. If you choose the Spider convertible, bear in mind that because there’s no roof, the frame is reinforced with strengthening bars and so on, and all the weight scotches its handling a touch. Still, it’s nearly as fast as the hardtop.

Ferrari F430 Choices

The engine sits behind the driver, under glass. It’s a refined way to drive, a loud vibrating ham of a motor that roars behind your head and can be seen to vibrate as you take it up to speed. All these wonderful qualities can be broadly defined as “familiar.” From the 360 to the F430 and on to the really excellent 458, you’re always talking about the Best Car ever.

We’re still always talking about a new variety of Best though — let’s be honest. There are people for whom the 360 and the 430 and the 458 are all very different, and comparisons are maybe inexcusable. But the point is that the primary purpose of a royal family, like that of any organism, is to make sure there’s a next generation. You’re around so that you can pass that DNA on, take the tail lights and vents and hold them until its time to give them up. And so it makes it all the more important to enjoy the machine you’ve got, while it speeds toward its succession.

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Ferrari can do many things other car companies cannot, including building a machine that links past with present and that tries, however successfully, to be the fastest car to the market and back. The Ferrari California, premiering in 2008, takes its name from a 50-year-old classic while introducing some modern-day developments. It’s the first Ferrari to sport a retractible hardtop, to rock a dual-clutch 7-speed transmission, and the first to wield a front-engine V8.

It’s also got something called backseats, which seems like a cute concept for a Ferrari — a “2+” is the technical term. The $230,000 auto is called a “grand tourer” I suppose for this reason, though you’d better find some small friends or very young children if you want to do any grand touring without major leg circulation issues.

Anyway who wants to deal with complaints from the backseat? This is a Ferrari after all, and it makes no apologies for conceding a few extra seats. The eight cylinders get you to 60 from a standstill in just under four seconds, well on its way to 193 mph, an impressive speed that is the result of long hours in a wind tunnel.

Speaking of flying, you probably remember the Calfornia’s ancestors from a movie called “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” The mythic car in that film was a (say it with me now) 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder. It ended its life by sailing out a window, a scene which horrified the Ferrari cognoscenti in audiences across America — who may still have unnecessary nightmares, as the car in that film was a replica. There were fewer than a hundred 250GTs made, and as a result they were valuable cars. To give you an idea just how valuable: In 2008 a 250GT sold at auction for more than $10.8 million. Million. Dollars. So, yeah. Replica.

But anyway yes the new California gets its name from those cars of yore, and while it’s sure a fine product from those Italian fellows, it seems to have gotten a lot of gossip about being a “nice” car. Pretty but not exotic, and with a rear end that offends some, it’s clear that the new California has a mellow side that its cousins do not.

And this is partly in the design — a car that can do many things well, and most of them better than almost every other car on the road. So while it’s a bit peculiar for a Ferrari, it’s still a breathtaking machine when compared to … gosh, anything with a backseat. Just make sure you call shotgun at least once.

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The SL Class Mercedes Benz has been in production since 1954, currently in the fifth generation of its technological evolution. It is a two seater sports car featuring a retractable hardtop. The SL designation is derived from the German “sport leicht”, which literally translates in to English as sport light, and is the flagship model of the Mercedes Benz range of automobiles.

SL Class models are available with a variety of engine configurations. The SL280 utilises a V6 petrol engine with a power output of 231hp and having a displacement of 5.5L. A turbocharger is added to that same engine and is used in the SL280 model, producing 315hp. A V8 petrol engine outputting 306hp with a displacement of 5.0L is utilised in the SL500, while the SL550 uses a 5.5L displacement petrol engine producing 382hp. Then there’s the SL600 which boasts a massive V12 turbocharged petrol engine with 5.5L displacement, producing an impressive 493hp.

All the SL Class models are equipped with Mercedes Benz state of the art 7GTronic automatic transmissions, and some models have an option for the sports variation of this system which allows the driver to perform manual gear changes coupled to gear shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel.

The SL63 AMG and the limited production SL65 AMG the top of the line, flagship products from the SL range of roadsters by Mercedes Benz, both manufactured by its high performance wing, AMG. Since production, these two models have been the epitome of brilliance in automotive engineering. The engines that power these two vehicles are entirely handcrafted. The SL63 is powered by AMG’s supercharged V8 petrol engine of displacement 5.5L, producing 525hp of power. The power is transferred to the wheels by AMG’s new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission, with a “Race Start” function which changes gears in record time to ensure speedier acceleration. The SL65 on the other hand is a rare, limited-production car. It sports AMG’s turbocharged V12 petrol engine of displacement 6.0L, churning out 604hp of power, and a massive torque of 1000Nm, making it the most powerful series production roadster in the world. It is equipped with AMG’s SPEEDSHIFT 5-speed automatic transmission.

As the flagship roadster of the Mercedes Benz company, the SL range of vehicles is equipped with top of the line security and comfort features, a result of the company’s years of extensive research and development experience. It was touted as the first road car application of Mercedes Benz’s “Sensotronic Brake Control” (SBC) system, which is programmed to send electronic instructions to individual brake” (ABS) which detects impending wheel lockup under heavy braking and can pump the brake up to 30 times per second to prevent lockup. It also features an optional, radar based mechanism, the “Distronic Adaptive Cruise Control” which adjusts speed to maintain the chosen following distance between cars.

The SL Class uses a system called Active Body control (ABC). This system uses conventional springs and dampers and is coupled to hydraulic servos to drastically reduce body roll while cornering. One more comfort feature, which is known as Airscarf, actually directs a jet of warm air from the back of the headrest around the neck area while driving with the hardtop off.

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