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Scarbo Performance SVF1 First Drive Review | A hot-rodder's take on vintage F1

THERMAL, Calif. — Some turn their nose to the sky as soon as they hear the term, "replica." They only care for "originals," cars that are inevitably destined to collect dust in someone's impeccably clean garage, preserved for posterity, and never revved in anger or given the beans in fear of fouling up an "investment." Joe Scarbo thinks this "mere existence" is a boring one, that cars are meant to be driven hard – period. That's the outlook that spurned him to create the SVF1, an ass-kickin' track weapon so good, and so demanding, our body quit well before we wanted to hand back the keys. Once you realize what the Scarbo Performance SVF1 actually is, you'll get it. The open-wheeled, open-cockpit retro-racer is modeled after a 1967 Ferrari F312 Formula One car, and many, justifiably, consider its sultry, minimalist lines to be among the prettiest F1 designs. However, the guts under its beautifully hand-beaten aluminum exterior are more SoCal hot-rodder than devout Tifosi replica. Made even clearer that this track beast resides in the former is what powers it; a Red, White, and Blue-blooded GM-sourced, 430-horsepower LS1 V8. You can't get much more American than that. Our date with the SVF1 occurred at The Thermal Club near Palm Springs, an automotive oasis plopped squarely in the middle of an agricultural hub. The freshly finished facility is just a few hours outside of Los Angeles, but unlike the better-known Willow Springs, the track surface here is absolutely pristine, on top of which there was a fine mist of sand, a condition which kept both us and the SVF1 on our tiptoes. To provide the perfect soundtrack for our track adventure, Scarbo married the LS1's fly-by-wire throttle system with eight velocity stacks, providing an otherworldly induction yowl. This is punctuated by a guttural exhaust featuring an eight-into-one collector with a three-inch exit. Upon startup, the SVF1 is sends shivers through your body, and like chain lightning it propagates through the bodies of anyone within 60 feet. Grunt and stamina are required to shift the transaxle 5-speed manual transmission from a 986-generation Porsche Boxster mated up to the LS1. No flappy paddles or dual-clutches here. You get into the SVF1 by placing your feet onto the softly padded seat and sliding your butt in-between its fuel tank, which straddle your hips and posterior. Clip into the five-point harness and you're eyeball level with the truly massive Avon race-spec slicks.

Former Ferrari chief Montezemolo to be chairman of Alitalia

Luca di Montezemolo may be 67 years old, but he's not quite ready to retire just yet. Not, at least, if the latest reports emanating from Italy are to be believed. According to Reuters, the longtime former Ferrari chief is due to be named chairman of Alitalia.
The troubled Italian airline is on the verge of being bailed out after years of financial difficulty, with Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates set to take a 49-percent stake in the company. While the reports have yet to be confirmed by the parties involved, Reuters cites multiple inside sources in revealing that the airline's board met last week and agreed to appoint Montezemolo as chairman, with current Etihad chief James Hogan to act as chief executive officer.
Montezemolo, of course, long served as chairman of Ferrari, having assumed leadership of the company not long after founder Enzo Ferrari died. He also served as chairman of the Fiat group for several years after the passing of Umberto Agnelli, and has headed numerous trade organizations and sporting bodies. But his tenure at Ferrari and the broader Fiat Chrysler Automobiles empire came to an end two months ago when clashes with Fiat chief Sergio Marchionne saw Montezemolo step down.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO with $45M estimate most expensive car offered at auction

Not long after a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO was sold for a staggering $70 million, another is coming up for sale. At RM Sotheby's Monterey sale in late August, a 1962 250 GTO carries a pre-auction estimate of more than $45 million. Reportedly all original 250 GTOs built between 1962 and 1964 have survived, and they are all worth serious money. This 250 GTO, chassis number 3413GT, started its life as a works car tested by American racer Phil Hill at the 1962 Targa Florio road race. The third one built in a 36-unit production run, the car won numerous races in the hands of its first private owner, Edoardo Lualdi-Gabardi, who won the Italian National GT championship with it. Later on, Gianni Bulgari of Bulgari jewelry fame continued to race the car, and miraculously it was never crashed, nor did it have to discontinue a race. Despite that, 3413GT received a new, Series II specification body by Carrozzeria Scaglietti in 1964. The Ferrari was last sold in 2000 for an already respectable $7 million, and it wasn't stowed away for two decades: it's been seen at countless classic events and vintage races. RM Sotheby's says the car has been maintained in "highly original" condition, and it will be interesting to see how it performs at the auction, compared to a previous 250 GTO auction record of $38 million in 2014. At the very least, 3413GT's estimate makes it the most valuable car ever put up for auction. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO auction Image Credit: RM Sotheby's Ferrari Auctions Car Buying Racing Vehicles Performance Classics RM Sotheby's ferrari 250 gto 1962 ferrari 250 gto ferrari auction