Feds Won’t Pay the Bill for a Ferrari F50 Wrecked by an FBI Agent

Back in 2009, an FBI agent made headlines after crashing a rare $750,000 Ferrari F50 that had been stored in a government impound lot. The story has it that the Italian supercar was stolen from a Pennsylvania dealer in late 2003, and while the insurance company paid off on the loss, the F50 was eventually found in August of 2008 in Kentucky. The V12-powered model from Maranello was then impounded and kept in Lexington, Kentucky, as part of an active criminal investigation. And here’s where the story gets interesting.

In May of 2009, FBI agent Fred Kingston invited Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Hamilton Thompson for a “short ride” in the 1995 Ferrari F50, of which 349 were ever made with only 50 coming to the States. Unfortunately, the joy ride was cut short after the driver lost control of the Italian supercar.

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Ferrari's One-Off Superamerica 45 Special Drops its Top at Villa d'Este

The coachbuilt Ferrari Superamerica 45 special commissioned by American billionaire Peter Kalikow has arrived at the Villa d'Este for the Concorso D'Eleganza contest. Not surprisingly, a by-passer took advantage of the occasion and filmed the car's roof mechanism in action at its first outing under the sun. This is the first time we see the supercar’s rotating top on the move and we have to admit it's pretty fast.

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Ferrari Unveils New Superamerica 45 Coachbuilt Special

Ferrari is once again showing off its coach-building capabilities with the release of its latest one-off special, the Superamerica 45, which will make its first public outing at this weekend’s Villa d’Este Concours d’Eleganza in Italy. It was built to order for New York billionaire, collector and former owner of the New York Post, Peter Kalikow, to celebrate the 45th anniversary of his Ferrari purchase in 1961.

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New Ferrari FF Photographed in the Dolomites

It’s been a couple of months since Ferrari lifted the veils off the new FF, but as is the case with any new model from Maranello these days, the hype surrounding the all-wheel driver sports car has yet to die down.

For those of you that still haven’t had enough of Ferrari’s four-seater model, we now bring you some fresh photos –as always, in high resolution- of the FF shot during the media presentation, which took place at the snow track in Kronplatz, and the winding roads of Gardena, Sella, Pordoi and Campolongo in the Italian Dolomites. Check them all out in the gallery after the break.

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Report: Ferrari said to Skip 599 Facelift and Bring All-New Model Based on the FF in 2012

It seems the success of the Ferrari FF, the production of which for this year has already been sold out, will affect the 599 GTB Fiorano as well. But in a good way, since it is being reported that Ferrari has cancelled the original plans for a 599 facelift and instead build an all-new car as a replacement. The plan was revealed by Motor Trend magazine, which noted that the new car will be derived from the FF featuring a mightier punch in the performance division. Ferrari plans to launch the new car in late 2012. Read more »

Want a Ferrari 458? Why Not Take Two?

In Australia and indeed the world, Ferrari waiting lists are notoriously long. At one point the average wait time for a Ferrari 575M Maranello was as much as three years, as demand rapidly stripped out the brand’s relatively small production capacity. Whatever is a cashed up Ferrarista to do?

Well, you could just buy whatever’s available and drive that until your hot pink Ferrari 458 with the diamante-encrusted wheel arches and baby seal leather interior arrives. I mean, who cares about depreciation when you can lay down half a million on a factory fresh Ferrari? You’d be surprised how many Ferrari customers in Australia are doing this exact thing.

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BMW’s “The Ultimate Driving Machine” Slogan Returns in Ferrari-Emulating Commercial

Back in 1997, Ferrari and Shell released a stunning commercial shot in the Mojave Desert in southeastern California, featuring a Formula 1 car being refueled by a Shell airplane. Fast forward to 2011 and BMW USA has remade the famous ad, albeit in a slightly different manner. Read more »

Sebastian Vettel Wins Exciting Formula 1 Turkish Grand Prix

It has been some time since we last watched such an exciting Formula 1 race as the one held on Sunday at the Istanbul Park circuit. Even though the weather did not play any role and the winner's position was not threatened at any time, it was an eventful race. Behind Sebastian Vettel, who has won three out of four GP’s this year, anything was possible.

Mark Webber crossed the finish line in second place, with the Australian managing to overtake Ferrari's Alonso with seven laps to go, after the Spaniard held the second position for a large part of the race. Still, for Alonso and Ferrari, this is the best result so far this season.

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Pininfarina to Unveil Coachbuilt Ferrari Super America 45 Convertible at Villa d'Este on May 20

The above photo is of the 2009 Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta

This year’s edition of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este motor show in Italy will see Pininfarina lifting the veils off (that is, unless some scoopster beats them to it…) a spanking new coachbuilt Ferrari convertible called the Super America 45. The one-off supercar was commissioned by New York billionaire, real estate tycoon and former owner of the New York Post, Peter Kalikow, who also owns another coachbuilt Ferrari made by Pininfarina, the 612 Kappa.

While the famous Italian designer is keeping the rest of the details under wraps, the one-off supercar is believed to be based either on the 599 GTB Fiorano or the 599 GTO with some claiming it may feature a similar rotating central-piece roof to the 2005 Ferrari 575 Superamerica. The bespoke, open-top supercar will probably be powered by a stock 6.0-liter V12 engine, though it is difficult to say what other elements will be kept untouched, as we're talking about a vehicle built to customer specifications.

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Aftermath: Chevrolet Suburban SUV Rams Ferrari California

A crash is never a good thing but fortunately for those involved in this three-vehicle accident in Texas City on April 19, no one was seriously injured. According to a report from The Daily News, the driver of a big ol’ 1987 Chevrolet Suburban SUV was traveling west on FM 517 with his wife and two children when he disregarded the red traffic light and crashed into an oncoming Ferrari California in the intersection. The Italian supercar was squashed between the Chevy and a southbound Ford pickup truck. Read more »

Ferrari Explains to 458 Italia Drivers what to do with all those Switches and Controls

When Ferrari released the 458 Italia back in 2009, the Italian supercar surprised the world not only with its performance (after all, it's expected from a new Ferrari to set the bar high), but with its high-tech gadgetry as well.

Using Formula 1 expertise, Ferrari put almost all of the car's controls on the steering wheel, including the indicator switches, windshield wipers, long beam, horn, engine start button, Manettino switch, suspension de-coupling, gearshift paddles, audio volume and track selection system.

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Toyota Corolla vs Ferrari F430: Can You Guess Who Wins this Race?

Pitting a puny stock Toyota Corolla against a Ferrari F430 and asking which car would win in a straight line race sounds like a joke, right? Well, under any other circumstances, you would be right to take this as a shaggy dog story but this comparo, which was made for a Japanese TV show, has a peculiar twist to it: the race was run in reverse gear… So, now that you know, can you pick the winner? Enjoy the quirky drag race between the Corolla sedan and Maranello’s supercar in the video clip after the break.

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VIDEO: Ferrari F430 Scuderia Cone Drifting on the Wet

Yes, it’s another drift video, but who’s complaining, especially when the protagonist is a Ferrari F430 Scuderia? The clip was filmed during a special track day at the Circuit Park Zandvoort, which is located north of the town of Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, with the F430 Scuderia being tossed left and right on a wet course. Read more »

On Board Video from a Ferrari 458 Challenge at the Monza Circuit

You’ve probably heard about Ferrari’s track-alicious 458 Italia Challenge, the latest in a line of racers to emerge from Maranello’s production cars. Revealed to the public for the first time at the Bologna Motor Show last December, the Italian company has produced a new video of the hardcore supercar hot lapping the Monza circuit in the hands of the Stefano Gai, World Champion in the Trofeo Pirelli Italia 2010, with breathtaking footage from two in-car cameras.

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Wanted: Responsible Person to Drive World’s Top Supercars

How’s this for a dream job? Britain’s Repairacar is seeking a very special someone who can drive supercars from a customer’s address to one of their repair shops and back. It’s all very glamorous – the opportunity to drive supercars as diverse as Aston Martins, Ferraris and even the occasional Zonda or Bugatti Veyron – though it does include some taking of public transport.

A company spokesperson explains:“[The successful applicant] will also be expected to make their own way back to base from any corner of the UK and Europe – using public transport.”

So what they’re offering are a couple of hours on a bus or train in return for the chance to drive a selection of the world’s greatest supercars? Who could say no? Well, Repairacar, for one. You see, they’re not just looking for any Tom, Dick or Harry:

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New Ferrari FF Test Drive Videos

Here’s the latest round up of Ferrari FF videos which include a test drive on the road and the snow at the international presentation in Italy, courtesy of Bilmagasinet and Motortrend, as well as a new official clip from the Maranello brand. Read more »

Ferrari 458 Black Carbon Edition by Anderson Germany Goes to the Dark Side

Challenging the notion that a true Ferrari has to be red, Anderson Germany has whipped up a murdered out 458 Italia with both styling and mechanical upgrades. Starting with the visible modifications, Anderson Germany's Ferrari 458 is finished in a black color and features a carbon fiber package that includes a pair of vents on the front hood, spoiler lips, rear diffuser and exterior mirrors. The German tuner also tinted the Italian supercar’s windows, headlamps and taillights. Read more »

Seriously? $275,000 for a Ferrari...Book!

We're used to hugely-expensive Ferrari models, but a book that cost more than an actual sports car from Maranello is a first. It's called “The Official Ferrari Opus” and it retails for $275,000 in its most expensive edition. Publisher Opus Media Group calls it “the most exclusive book in the world.” It might be, at least as far as the price is concerned. Read more »

Anderson Germany Treats the Ferrari GTB Fiorano with Subtle Power and Styling Upgrades

There’s so much you can do to improve a supercar like the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, but tuning specialist Anderson Germany believes it has some goods to offer with its new program for the Italian model.

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VIDEO: James Glickenhaus’ Ferrari P4/5 Competizione Hits the Nurburgring Track

After commissioning a one-off Enzo-based Ferrari P4/5 from Pininfarina, American millionaire James Glickenhaus wanted a similar car for racing, and that’s how the P4/5 Competizione was born. Similar in shape to the road-going Pininfarina model but different mechanically, the racing version shares many components with the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and the 430 GT2. The P4/5 Competizione features a 4.0-liter V8 engine pushing out 450HP and 600 Nm of torque (442.5 lb-ft), and a carbon-fiber body that helps keep the weight down to 1,230 kg (2,712 lbs).

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