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Ferrari to reveal California-based 149M on February 12

The updated, turbocharged Ferrari California might be the Prancing Horse's worst-kept secret ever. The long-rumored car was spotted testing last summer at the Italian dreammaker's Fiorano test track with the unmistakable whistle of a forced-induction engine, and Ferrari is now teasing the reveal of its "149M Project" on February 12. Because that the original codename for the California was the F149, the new car is almost certainly the refreshed version.
The exact engine under the hood is still a mystery, but it is rumored to be a tuned version of the 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 found in the Maserati Quattroporte with 523 horsepower and 524 pound-feet of torque, an engine that is already a significant upgrade over the 483 hp and 372 lb-ft in the current California. Other reported upgrades suggest there is the possibility of revised exterior pieces to make the new model look more like the F12 Berlinetta, along with an improved interior featuring a more modern infotainment system. As expected, Ferrari has no plans to drop the California's retracting hardtop for the updated model.
While Ferrari will debut the new car on February 12, the public will probably not get its first chance to check out the brand's entry-level sports car until the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Electro super star Deadmau5 selling kitty-themed Ferrari 458

Are you a huge fan a electronic dance music, Internet memes, and in the market for a customized Ferrari? Then today is your lucky day. EDM star Deadmau5, real name Joel Zimmerman, is selling his Ferrari 458 Spider on Craigslist. He calls it the Purrari, and it features a full-body wrap of the eight-bit Nyan Cat, pink brake calipers, prancing cat logos, a Purrari emblem 6,500 miles on the odometer. It's currently located in Toronto, Canada, with an asking price of $380,000. Any amount offered over that is being donated to the Toronto Humane Society.
In addition to the car, the buyer gets an iPod full of "nyancat songs" and a meeting with Zimmerman to say goodbye to his Purrari over a cup of coffee. If you're not in the Toronto area, he is willing to ship the feline automobile anywhere in North America. Obviously, a blue, cat-themed Ferrari isn't to everyone's taste, so Zimmerman can remove the wrap at the buyer's request... though he won't be happy about it.
If you're curious why Zimmerman would sell such a personalized item, it appears a new supercar has his eye now. On May 28, he tweeted about driving a McLaren 650S and announced the Purrari would go up for sale soon. We can only imagine what theme his next ride gets.

Hennessey twin-turbo Ferrari 458 boasts 738 hp, 0-60 in 2.8 seconds

Hennessey Performance Engineering, hot off the heels of its Bugatti Veyron-crushing Venom GT, set its sights on modifying one of the finer Ferrari models. The resulting HPE700 Twin Turbo 458 is a badder, faster 458 Italia with a twin-turbo upgrade that adds 168 horsepower to the already potent 4.5-liter V8. That's 738 hp, which, paired with the extra 134 pound-feet of torque, for a total of 532 lb-ft, is good for a 2.8-second 0-60 run.
Low-inertia ball-bearing turbochargers are used to boost the power, and an air-to-water intercooler makes sure the air surging into the combustion chambers is as cool and dense as possible. Twin wastegates and blow-off valves relieve extra boost pressure and, in addition to a new stainless-steel exhaust system, add some new noises to the 458's soundtrack. The V8 is boosted to a relatively mild 7 psi maximum and maintains 6 psi on its way up to redline. A reflash of the engine control unit brings the package together. HPE is confident enough about its wares that the $59,995 upgrade also comes with a one-year/12,000-mile warranty.
The HPE700 Twin Turbo 458 is set to be unveiled on Friday at the Concorso Italiano located at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, which is part of California's Monterey Car Week festivities. It also can be viewed on Saturday in the paddock at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the Monterey Historics Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion vintage car races. Check out the press release below for the full details, as well as a video of the Ferrari in action.