2003 - Ferrari 360 on 2040-cars

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Mike Tyson's 1995 Ferrari F50 packs one helluva punch

Despite a reputation as a bit of a letdown following the now legendary Ferrari F40, the Ferrari F50 is still one of the most raw and unfettered sports cars to ever grace public roads. RM Sotheby's auctions is now selling a pristine 5,694-mile example that was once owned by former professional boxer Mike Tyson. Like Tyson, the F50 and its Formula One derived V12 is sure to leave a lasting impact on anyone that crosses its path. Though the celebrity tax varies from car to car, Hagerty's valuation tool says even a heavily used F50 is still a million-plus dollar car. RM Sotheby's expects the car to sell for between $2.2 and $2.4 million, slightly more than the $2.25 million estimate for a nearly flawless example, which this car appears to be. According to the listing, the car has never been driven hard and has been well maintained throughout its life. The 1990s weren't Ferrari's best years for design with soft edges and questionable fascias. Likewise, the F50 is a love it or hate it sort of design. The paint appears to be in good condition and free of any damage. The bare carbon fiber and leather interior shows little to no wear. The gated manual shifter connected to a 4.7-liter naturally-aspirated 520 horsepower V12 is a combo that's gone out of vogue. The engine is derived from the one that powered the Alain Prost's 1990 Ferrari 641 Formula One car. This car is number 73 out of 349 and one of only 50 built to US spec. Tyson sold the car with roughly 4,900 miles, with the rest accumulating since about 2005. The car's service records are incomplete, though it has had an a couple of engine-out services along a full electronic updates, a new rear seal, rebuilt oil and water pumps, the dashboard pod removed, serviced, and reinstalled, the lighting system upgraded, the ride height actuator replaced, new tires, new fuel bladders, a full brake system service, and new main seals. In addition, the car comes with two sets of tools in the front deck, owner's manuals and warranty booklet in their leather folio, wheel socket, car cover in bag, both the removable hardtop and emergency soft top with bag, utility light, its window sticker, and the "circus trunk" containing roll bars, and a carbon rear tonneau cover. Look for the car to head across the auction block on Saturday March 11. No Internet bidding, but if you have the cash to pony up the you probably can afford to be there in person. Related Video:

Jock Clear, Lewis Hamilton's race engineer at Mercedes, moves to Ferrari

The HR office at the Ferrari Formula One team has been exceptionally busy this year, and the churn hasn't ceased. Just this month under new team principal Mauricio Arrivabene – the third team principal in 2014 – lead designer Nikolas Tombazis and engineering director Pat Fry were let go, and tire performance expert Hirohide Hamashima will leave the team at the end of the year. Now there's another batch of HR paperwork to be completed, but this is a new hire to join Sebastian Vettel and Esteban Gutierrez: Jock Clear, Lewis Hamilton's performance engineer this season at Mercedes AMG Petronas. Clear will take over Pat Fry's vacant role as head of engineering, and brings a Driver's World Championship pedigree with him, having helped Hamilton to his second title and Jacques Villeneuve to his sole title in 1997 with Williams. He hasn't joined the Scuderia yet, though; Ferrari is still negotiating with Mercedes to "secure his services as soon as possible." Clear will work in a totally revamped engineering department and report to technical director and ex-Lotus F1 man James Allison. The last time Ferrari went an entire season without a win was 1993. The team has attempted to hedge expectations for 2015, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne saying, "I think hopefully within the next 12 months we will remove all the baggage of uncertainty that is going to plague at least the initial phase of 2015." Hope springs yet, though: when Arrivabene was asked what he'd be happy with next year, he said, "two or three wins." News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Motorsports Ferrari F1

Ferrari considering return to Le Mans racing in 2015

Rumors are swirling that Ferrari may be contemplating a return to Le Mans racing as soon as 2015. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports the Italian automaker may apply the development of a new 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine for Formula One to an LMP1 car for Le Mans, and have it ready for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in two years. This follows hints made by Scuderia Ferrari CEO Stefano Domenicali last month that the newly developed F1 engine could be used for "some interesting projects."
Ferrari has a history of success in Le Mans racing, though it hasn't won the big endurance outright since 1965. The image above captures the exact moment when the No. 21 car of Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt crossed the finish line that year to win the race. That win was the last of six consecutive outright victories before the infamous arrival of the Ford GT40 in 1966. Despite never reaching the top of the podium again, Ferrari's nine wins still stand as the third most overall by a manufacturer behind Porsche (16) and Audi (11).
If Ferrari does return to Le Mans in 2015, the LMP1 class will suddenly be teaming with worthy competitors for Audi, which has dominated the race since 2000. After Peugeot's exit from the sport in early 2012, Toyota entered the race in 2012 and has continued to develop its TS030 Hybrid LMP1 car. Porsche, meanwhile, is well into developing a new LMP1 car that will first compete in next year's race.