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Kimi Raikkonen returns to Ferrari

The so-called "silly season" in Formula One conjured up all kinds of rumors, and most of them revolved around Kimi Raikkonen. Would the 2007 World Champion stay at Lotus? Would he switch to Red Bull to replace Mark Webber? Would he return to Ferrari?
Well now we have the answer. Ferrari has confirmed that the Finn is heading back to Maranello, where he will partner with Fernando Alonso starting next season in a two-year deal. That means Felipe Massa, who has been at Ferrari since 2006 but has struggled to keep up the pace since his catastrophic crash in 2009, will need to find a new seat.
The announcement opens up a series of questions as a game of musical chairs commences. Where will Massa go? Who will fill Raikkonen's seat at Lotus? And will Alonso tolerate the team bringing in another former champion and serious contender to challenge his position as number one at the top team? We'll just have to wait and see, but the move in and of itself demonstrates a certain businesslike lack of personal emotion on Kimi's part, having been unceremoniously dumped by Ferrari three years ago to make way for Alonso. Head on down below for the rather Raikkonenly brief announcement.

Ferrari set to hit new sales goal early to boost profits

As much as some of us would like to believe otherwise, building cars is a business. Most automakers are out to sell as many cars as they can build, chasing ever growing sales and profits. Ferrari is playing a different sort of game. For years, the Italian automaker has artificially limited the number of cars it produces. But the company does have plans to ramp up production to 9,000 units a year. According to Automotive News, Ferrari will hit that goal in 2018, a full year earlier than expected. A report says that in 2018, Ferrari will double the number of shifts at its plants. Sometime next year, Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne is expected to announce the automaker's first SUV, a vehicle that's sure to push that 9,000-unit limit to the max. SUV sales are up across the board. The number-one selling models at companies like Porsche, Jaguar and Lexus are all SUVs. The goal is to double profits to $2.35 billion by 2022. Limiting total output has a two-fold benefit. First, it maintains a level of exclusivity and prestige, making the cars more desirable. Secondly, it allows Ferrari to operate under different fuel economy and emissions standards than larger, mainstream automakers. It's difficult to hit some goals like that when your "entry-level" model is powered by a 591-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8. Related Video:

Ferrari 400 Superamerica Aerodinamico fetches record $4.4M

RM Sotheby's moved an impressive $38.6 million in vintage metal at Amelia Island this year. And the top lot was the sleek classic you see here. It's a 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupe Aerodinamico, and its $4.4 million final tally is a record for its type. That's well past what it was estimated to sell for, with pre-sale expectations ranging from $2.7-3.3 million. Sports Car Market records that the previous high-water mark stood only a few hundred grand less at $4.07 million, achieved by a similar example sold by Gooding & Company last January. This particular example was the show car at the 1962 Turin Auto Show and has belonged to Erwin Goldschmidt and his family for the past four decades. As much as it sold for, of course, the Superamerica wasn't the only lot on the docket at RM Sotheby's Amelia Island sale. Other top sellers included a 1984 Ferrari 288 GTO and '68 330 GTS that sold for $2.6 and $2.2 million, respectively, a Pagani Huayra that topped $2 million, and a Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback that went for a high bid of $1.8 million. There was even a highly sought-after 1985 Ford RS200 Evolution that found a new home for $522,500 and a 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1 that went for $363,000. Check out the action in the high-resolution image gallery above, the videos below, and the press release at bottom for the full recap. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video: BEST-OF-CATEGORY AUTOMOBILES DRIVE RM SOTHEBY'S $38.6 MILLION AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE SALE · RM Sotheby's generates $38.6 million in sales with 89 percent of all lots sold at its 18th anniversary Amelia Island, Florida sale · Top seller: 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupe Aerodinamico surpasses estimate at $4,400,000 to set new auction record · Bidders from 20 countries spur lively bidding contests, propelling numerous lots to above-estimate prices · Complete results from RM Amelia Island available online at www.rmsothebys.com · RM Sotheby's continues its global calendar of events in Monaco, May 14, during the Grand Prix Historique de Monaco weekend AMELIA ISLAND, Florida (13 March, 2016) – RM Sotheby's, the official auction house of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, celebrated its 18th anniversary sale in Amelia Island yesterday (March 12) with $38,685,100* in sales and 89 percent of all lots sold.