Electrically Operated Seats Scuderia Ferrari Fender Shields Leather Headliner on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Marchionne wants Maserati to be FCA's new Ferrari

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is gearing up to spin Ferrari, its most profitable brand, off into another company, and float its stock on the open market. That means it's going to need another profit-driver to generate income for the rest of the group. And according to its chief executive Sergio Marchionne, that mantle will soon be picked up by Maserati. FCA is betting big on Maserati, which has long stood as a niche marque with a limited array of models and low sales numbers. In addition to the recently introduced Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans – now crucially offered with diesels and all-wheel drive – Maserati is preparing to roll out the Levante crossover that promises to do for the Modenese marque what the Cayenne did for Porsche. Due in part to the success of its first crossover, Porsche turned itself from a niche sports car manufacturer into an immensely profitable automaker that was (nearly) capable of buying out the entire Volkswagen Group. Maserati's resurgence is part of a two-pronged assault FCA is plotting against its German rivals. Maserati will be charged with taking on the higher end of the Mercedes, BMW, and Audi ranges (from the E-Class, 5 Series and A6 upwards). Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo will go after the lower end of the luxury spectrum with the new Giulia (aimed at the C-Class, 3 Series and A4) and other models to follow. FCA aims to turn Maserati and Alfa Romeo (along with Jeep) into global brands, broadening the narrow geographical appeal they have held until now. In order to generate enough profit to support the rest of the group as Ferrari has, Maserati will need to find a way to increase its profit margins. Bloomberg reports that Ferraris command a 13-percent profit margin, and while the ten percent that Maseratis list for is still triple that of the FCA average, slow sales are forcing some dealers to offer deep incentives that cut significantly into that margin. Related Video:

Lewis Hamilton blasts to pole position for British Grand Prix

SILVERSTONE, England - Lewis Hamilton took pole position for his home British Grand Prix for the third year in a row on Saturday with a sensational lap that left him one step away from Michael Schumacher's Formula One record. Hamilton's championship-leading Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel, who has a 20-point advantage after nine of 20 races, qualified third. The Mercedes driver was half a second quicker than Ferrari's second placed Kimi Raikkonen and his time of one minute 26.600 seconds was so outrageously quick there were gasps before the crowd erupted. "I always try to leave the best to last," the Briton told retired champion Jenson Button in post-qualifying interviews on the grid. "I had to make sure I got that lap in. I couldn't do it last weekend (in Austria) so I made sure I could here." Hamilton still faced a nervous wait after race stewards announced they were investigating an incident involving French driver Romain Grosjean, who complained he had been blocked earlier in the session. They swiftly decided to take no further action. The Briton's mastery of a damp but drying track lit up an overcast afternoon and the pole was the 67th of his career, sixth of the season, and gave him every chance of equalling Schumacher's record 68 before the August break. The triple world champion has won the last three British Grands Prix and can equal the late Jim Clark's feat of four home wins in a row, and five in total, on Sunday. Saturday ensured he has already matched Clark's 50-year-old record of five British Grand Prix pole positions. "I feel amazing in front of a great crowd like this. I hope you liked the lap," Hamilton told the grandstands full of cheering fans. "I generally like it to be dry, but I like it when the conditions are tricky." Hamilton's Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas, winner in Austria, was fourth fastest but has a five-place penalty following a gearbox change. That promoted Red Bull's Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, who has suffered five retirements in the last seven races, to the second row. Renault's Nico Hulkenberg and his former Force India team mate Sergio Perez filled the third row. There was good news for beleaguered McLaren, who raised a cheer when Fernando Alonso made the most of improving conditions to set the fastest time in the first phase of qualifying, with Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne qualifying ninth.

Ferrari reveals limited-edition Monza SP1, SP2 sports cars in Italy

Ferrari has revealed a pair of retro-inspired new vehicles to loyal customers at a private event in Maranello, and thanks to Instagram user Ferrari Icona, we know what they look like, and can discern a few details. The open-topped, limited-edition sportscars are the Monza SP1 and Monza SP2, a one-seater and two-seater done in the classic barchetta (Italian for "little boat") style of lightweight open-topped or convertible two-seaters. Per Reuters, they're part of a new segment dubbed "Icona," inspired by past Ferraris like the 250 Testa Rossa and based on the 812 Superfast. That car, a souped-up replacement for the F12 Berlinetta, features a 6.5-liter V12 that makes 789 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque, though there's no word on whether the engine specs for the new speedsters have received any upgrades. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Seating in both models is snug, with the driver and separate passenger compartments (the latter in the SP2 only) surrounded by carbon fiber, a console of controls to the right of the steering wheel, a yellow tachometer, racing seats and shoulder harnesses. We last heard the SP1 name back in 2008, when it debuted as a one-off built for a wealthy Japanese Ferrari collector. Ferrari Icona, who is not affiliated with Ferrari but was at the reveal event, reports the cars both have lightweight aluminum chassis. We'll have to wait for more details about the cars to emerge from Ferrari itself. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ferrari Monza SP1, SP2 Image Credit: Ferrari Icona/Instagram Ferrari Coupe Racing Vehicles Performance Supercars sports car limited edition barchetta ferrari 812 superfast Ferrari Monza SP1