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The Ferrari 488 Challenge is the one-make series' first turbo car

Ferrari has revealed its newest Ferrari Challenge series racecar, just in time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the one-make series next year. The new model is the 488 Challenge, and like its road-going sibling, it features a turbocharged V8. This makes the 488 Challenge the first car in the series to use a turbocharger, and at 670 CV (660 horsepower), it's the most powerful car the series has featured. The car made its debut at the season-ending Finali Mondiali event at Daytona International Speedway over the weekend. In addition to the new powertrain, the 488 Challenge gets other updates compared to its 458-based predecessor. The engine is lighter by more than 43 pounds, and the exhaust has lost nearly 19 pounds. The front bumper and the hood have been completely redesigned, and the rear wing is larger than its predecessor's. Drivers also now have a pair of manettinos (make that manettini) on the steering wheel for managing traction control settings, instead of one like on the road cars. One adjusts when it activates, and the other controls how aggressive the system is when it does kick in. Thanks to these various changes, the 488 Challenge is notably faster than the previous Challenge car, the 458 Challenge Evoluzione. Ferrari claims the 488 lapped its Fiorano test circuit a full second faster than the 458. You'll be able to see this new Ferrari in action in the coming year's Ferrari Challenge Series. But until the series starts, check out our live photos of the new machine above and a gallery of Ferrari-supplied images below. Related Video:

Jay Leno's first time behind the wheel of the F40 is a magical moment

Jay Leno has a vast collection of cars and thanks to his connections gets to drive other incredible machines. But Leno has never experienced the raw, visceral feel of a Ferrari F40, until now. It doesn't take long for him to call it the best Ferrari he's ever driven and to claim that it's one of the most exciting cars to drive. The 1990 F40 belongs to Ferrari collector and jeweler David Lee. The vehicle, like the rest of Lee's collection, is immaculate. Lee isn't a stranger to Jay Leno's Garage and has let Leno experience his other Ferraris in the past. But the F40, in all of its turbocharged fury, is Leno's favorite Prancing Horse. As Leno claims, the F40 is a visceral, raw machine that caters to those that enjoy driving. There are no driver aids to help put down the 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8's power and nothing in the way to dilute the driving experience. Leno even goes as far as claiming the F40 is Italy's version of the AC Cobra, which is high praise from a person that isn't a huge fan of the brand. Leno clearly caught the Ferrari bug. All it took was a drive in the iconic F40. Related Video: Image Credit: Jay Leno's Garage / YouTube Celebrities Ferrari Coupe Lightweight Vehicles Performance Supercars Classics Videos Jay Lenos Garage ferrari f40

Ferrari pays tribute to Niki Lauda with one-off 458

Though Niki Lauda may today be chairman of the Mercedes F1 team, anyone who's seen Rush will know that he's inexorably tied to Ferrari. And it's that bond that Ferrari has celebrated with this special-edition 458 Italia.
Commissioned by an evidently dedicated fan through Maranello's Tailor Made program, this one-off 458 features a red paintjob with white roof and gold wheels. It's a livery that apes the cars Lauda drove for the Scuderia in the mid-70s, and carries through with tricolore racing stripes over the roof and throughout the red-stitched black leather interior.
Not the most subtle treatment we've seen, but then the Italia is hardly a subtle car to begin with. Lets just hope this particular example manages to steer clear of going up in flames as have so many 458s - and one notable 312 T2. Feel free to read more in the press release below.