Black On Black Spider F1 Convertible 3.6l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Vettel wins in Hungary as Ferrari finishes first and second

Sebastian Vettel won a tense Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday in a Ferrari one-two that stretched his championship lead to 14 points after Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton sportingly surrendered third place to his team mate. The German, savoring his fourth win of the season and 46th of his Formula One career, took the chequered flag 0.9 seconds ahead of team mate Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn had looked faster than Vettel for most of the afternoon. "I'm over the moon, that was a really difficult race," said the winner, who had to wrestle with a skewed steering wheel on a sweltering afternoon at the Hungaroring and had no room for error. Hamilton finished fourth after slowing down on the last lap and allowing Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas to go past, despite the loss of vital points to the Briton's championship challenge. Bottas had let Hamilton through on the 45th of the 70 laps, on the assurance that his team mate would hand back the place if he could not overtake the Ferraris, and the triple champion duly kept his word. "Really thanks to Lewis for keeping the promise in the end and letting me by," said Bottas. "I don't think every team mate would have swapped back." Hamilton, whose radio was malfunctioning for some of the race and would have had more of a chance had he got past Bottas earlier, said he had done what he had to do. "It's tough in the championship but I'm a man of my word," he said. "I did say that if I can't overtake them I would let him back through." On a circuit where overtaking is notoriously hard, the top five all finished in their starting order with Max Verstappen fifth for Red Bull. The Dutch teenager was handed a 10-second stop and go penalty for colliding with his Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo on the opening lap. The impact ended Ricciardo's race, with the car stranded on the track and fluid leaking from the broken radiator, and brought out the safety car. "It's not on. It was amateur to say the least. It's not like he was trying to pass – there was no room to pass," said an angry Ricciardo. "I don't think he likes it when a team mate gets in front. You've got the whole race to try and repair the mistake but the pass was never on. It wasn't even a pass, it was a very poor mistake." Fernando Alonso, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Saturday, gave struggling McLaren their best finish of the season so far by taking sixth place and also setting the fastest lap of the race.

Ferrari Portofino revealed: Goodbye California, hello beautiful

The Ferrari California, in both turbo and non-turbo configurations, has been soldiering on for nearly a decade. With a base price of just over $200,000, it's the brand's entry-level model. Today, the automaker announced the car's replacement, the Ferrari Portofino. This will be the brand's entry-level GT car, slotting in below the top-dog 812 Superfast. It's both lighter and more powerful than the California T while still retaining the convertible hardtop bodystyle. The now-familiar 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 rests under the Portofino's long hood. The engine sends 591 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That's 39 more horsepower and 3 more pound-feet than the California T. A new engine map along with new pistons, connecting rods, intake and exhaust account for the boost. Ferrari's Variable Boost Management system limits torque in certain gears, only sending out what the wheels can handle. Ferrari says the Portofino will hit 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds, pressing along to a top speed of 199 mph. The Portofino makes use of the third generation of Ferrari's electronic rear differential. The car also comes with the F1-Trac traction control system. Combined with the Variable Boost Management, the Portofino should find adequate grip in most situations. A new generation of magnetorheological dampers helps improve ride and handling. Notably, the Portofino moves to electronically assisted power steering, following the same move in the 812 Superfast earlier this year. The car is longer, lower and wider than the outgoing model. The new chassis makes use of modern design and engineering techniques, shaving an unspecified amount of weight from the car. At 3,813 pounds, the California T is a bit of a pig. Any weight savings will be a good thing. Because the V8 sits behind the front axle, the Portofino's weight distribution is 46/54 percent front/rear. As expected, Ferrari has emphasized aerodynamic efficiency when crafting the Portofino's design. Overall, it looks like a slightly smaller 812 Superfast. If you like that car, you'll like the looks of the Portofino. The car is covered with small lips and intakes to help channel air in the most efficient and useful way possible. Look just to the side of the headlights or the deep cut that leads from the front wheels all the way along the door. The rear end does a much better job of hiding the convertible hardtop.

Massive cruise ship features Ferrari go-kart track

Billed as the first racetrack at sea, a Ferrari-themed circuit will sit atop Norwegian Cruise Lines' newest vessel, the Norwegian Joy, launching this summer. The two-level track will have room for 10 electric go-karts, and it's built in partnership with Scuderia Ferrari Watches. The barriers are red with the Prancing Horse crest displayed prominently. The track will be laid out on the top level of the Joy, offering racers a view of the sea as they turn laps. Ferrari watches will also be sold in a retail shop near the track as part of the deal. The cruise line announced plans for the circuit last year and now is confirming the Ferrari theme. Ferrari is expanding its marketing efforts with clothing, watches, Ferrari World Theme parks, and other lifestyle experiences as it positions itself as a global luxury brand. Ferrari hopes the moves expand its base beyond traditional automotive enthusiasts, who flock to the brand for its success on the track and for its high-performance sports cars. The Joy is designed specifically for the Chinese market and will have room for 3,850 passengers. Guests in certain classes will get free rides on the Ferrari track as part of their accommodations. The ship will also have a racing simulator, multi-story waterslides, and open-air laser tag. The Joy will be delivered Thursday in Germany, and its home ports will be Shanghai and Tianjin. Watch the ship float out in the video above. Related Video: