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Marchionne hints at once-'obscene' idea: a Formula E electric Ferrari

Ferrari is certainly protective of its brand image, even if it means coming off as a Luddite. A year ago, Chairman and ( now) CEO Sergio Marchionne said that an all-electric Ferrari would be " almost an obscene concept," adding, "You'd have to shoot me first." So it's surprising to see him tell Auto, the FIA's magazine, that "we need to be involved" in all-electric racing series Formula E. Earlier the interview, Marchionne talks up Ferrari's need for electrification, at least in terms of incorporating more hybrid technology. "Hybridization is crucial to Ferrari," he says, not necessarily in meeting emissions targets, but for performance. Ferrari will use new technology, electrification included, in future models, with a focus on creating an emotional experience for the driver. Late last year, Marchionne said that the brand would leverage hybrid technology to boost production figures and profits, and that every model would offer some hybrid technology by 2019. When asked about the likelihood of Formula E entry, Marchionne says, "It's difficult to say." He then adds, "We need to be involved in Formula E because electrification via hybridization is going to be part of our future." What that level of involvement would be is also uncertain, but he didn't rule out the possibility of a Ferrari Formula E racer, which would by necessity be all-electric. Of course, Ferrari could find a development role in the race series without entering its own vehicle. Regardless of the type of involvement, Ferrari's reputation could stand to gain from representation in the series, especially if it means it's not appearing to fall behind the likes of McLaren, Jaguar, BMW, and Audi, who have all played a part in Formula E. Either way, it appears that Marchionne is warming up to electrification, and that the idea of an all-electric Ferrari – even if it's confined to a single race series — isn't quite as obscene as it once seemed. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: AutoImage Credit: Getty Green Motorsports Ferrari Electric Hybrid Racing Vehicles Sergio Marchionne Formula E

Watch the Ferrari F8 Tributo in its first official videos

The Ferrari 458 Italia has played a core role for the Italian brand since its debut all the way back in 2009 and has been in a perpetual state of improvement throughout the 10 years. It has evolved through numerous stages and earned a new name at each step, from the Speciale to the 488 GTB to the Pista to the newest model, the F8 Tributo. Although each car has the same genes, every one has a slightly different look due to numerous aerodynamic tweaks and subtle bodywork changes. The new angles are obvious in the Tributo's first official videos released this week. The video above premieres the car in a mountainous environment with all the curvy roads one could ever need. It flips between close-ups of the car, driving shots, and hazy smoke-filled displays of power. The only negative is the super-quick cuts don't allow much time to stare. The videos below put the F8 Tributo's aerodynamics and power on display. Several parts of the Tributo's salacious body is functional, including the front S-Duct, the front splitter, the underside vortex generators, the beefier rear spoiler, and the rear diffuser. It also has some hidden tricks using active features. Overall, Ferrari says it has 10 percent better efficiency than the 488 GTB. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Power comes courtesy of a different 458 family member, the 488 Pista. They share Ferrari's twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 that makes 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. It's the most powerful V8 Ferrari has ever put in a car that wasn't part of a special series. Get more familiar by watching all three clips. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ford GT40 makes historic return to racing at Goodwood

Is there a more iconic, American racecar than the Ford GT40? That may be a discussion for another day (although by all means, tell us how wrong we are in Comments), but this video of heaps of GT40s running in the Goodwood Revival races certainly has us thinking that Ford's Ferrari-killer might just be the best racer the Land Of The Free and Home Of The Brave has ever come up with.
That's completely ignoring the fact that the GT40 was largely developed by Brits using American money, but that's besides the point (there was also a rather brash Texan, who had a big role later in development). The resulting vehicle was dominant, besting the cars of Il Commendatore from 1966 to 1969, although it should be noted that Ford's GT40 was unable to beat Ferrari in its first two Le Mans outings in 1964 and 1965.
Those four years of dominance, which started with Ford sweeping the podium, were enough to establish the GT40's legend. And now, here we are almost 50 years later, celebrating the mid-engined monsters at Goodwood, in their first ever one-make race. Take a look below for the entire video.