2006 Ferrari 430 F1 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Christopher Ward chrono has actual metal from a Ferrari 250 GTO

We've seen watchmakers use all sorts of methods to make their timepieces more attractive to automotive enthusiasts, from carbon-fiber dials and titanium cases to the logos of partnering automakers and racing series. Some have even designed all-new watches to go with a specific make or model. But Christopher Ward has taken things a step further with its latest chronograph.
The new Christopher Ward C70 3527 GT chronometer eschews all the usual gimmicks and goes for a more interesting one: it actually includes in its construction metal taken from the restoration of a Ferrari 250 GTO - namely chassis number 3527 GT that belongs to one Irvine Laidlaw, a Scottish nobleman and one of the wealthiest individuals in the UK.
When Baron Laidlaw bought his GTO in 2005, he sent it in for a thorough restoration that involved replacing some corroded and damaged exterior body panels. The discarded metal was acquired by TMB Artmetal, which specializes in that sort of thing, and partnered with Christopher Ward to create this limited-edition timepiece. The metal was used to make the back plate on which the number 6 - in homage to 3527's iconic 6 GTO license plate - is etched by laser and placed under museum-grade sapphire crystal.

What's the smarter investment, Ferrari stock or a Ferrari?

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is gearing up to spin Ferrari off into its own company, and float some of its shares on the stock market. But buying and trading in Ferrari stock could face a rather unlikely competitor from within. As Bloomberg points out, the values held by classic Ferraris keeps going up, and by no small margin. Even something as relatively humble as the 80s-era Testarossa, for example, has nearly doubled in value over the past year alone. Meanwhile the value of some models – particularly those built in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s – have skyrocketed nearly seven-fold since 2006. Just look at the 250 GTO, one of the most coveted of classic Ferraris among collectors: not taking inflation into account, they were worth thousands in the late 60s, were already selling for hundreds of thousands in the 1980s, and by now are trading hands – on the rare occasion when they do trade hands – for tens of millions. One sold in 2004 for $10 million, and another in 2013 for over $50 million. Those kinds of increases can make a vintage Ferrari seem like a sound investment. That might make it difficult for Ferrari's stock to compete. The company hopes investors will view it as a luxury goods manufacturer along the likes of Prada, Hermes, or Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, the stocks of which tend to increase in value at a greater rate than those of most automakers. But even the best of those luxury stocks have merely doubled in value since 2006, compared to the aforementioned seven-fold increase enjoyed by some classic Ferraris over the same period. Add to that the prospect of actually getting to enjoy owning a classic Ferrari – albeit at the risk of damaging it and hindering its value – and the idea of investing in Maranello's products instead of its stock can seem like a much more enticing prospect. Related Video:

Ferrari makes 488 Pista official with 711 hp, racing tech, photos

Instead of letting the internet get the best of its new V8 Special Series coupe, a day after images leaked Ferrari released a batch of details and photos on its 488 Pista track-day weapon. The twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 produces 720 of France's Cheval Vapeur, which equates to 710 of our U.S. horsepower, while torque churns in at 568 pound-feet. Those numbers outdo the 488 GTB by 50 hp and eight pound-feet, and will get the 488 Pista in its lightest guise from a standstill to 62 miles per hour in 2.85 seconds, with 124 mph arriving in 7.6 seconds. Maximum velocity tops out at 211 mph. We say "in its lightest guise" because Ferrari records the 488 Pista's weight as 2,821 pounds dry, but with an asterisk that explains said weight can only be achieved "With optional lightweight features." As of now we have no idea what those features are, but along with other lightweighting efforts like the carbon floor, they help amputate a total of 198 pounds compared to the weight of the standard 488. Ferrari says the goal was to make the upper reaches of the new Special Series V8 "easier to reach and control," so engineers poured the brand's racing toolbox over the 488 Pista. The front S-Duct and diffuser mimic the ramp angle on the 488 GTE World Endurance racer. The sixth evolution of Side-Slip Angle Control that oversees the electronic differential, the magnetorheological suspension, and the F1-Trac stability control, now incorporates Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer software that varies the brake caliper pressure. Even the livery was created to enhance the coupe's raciness, as if such ornamentation were needed. We've heard rumors that 488 Pista can lap Ferrari's Fiorano test track faster than the LaFerrari. A better comparison — one we're more eager to see, and one with a much better chance of happening — is that between Ferrari's latest and the McLaren 720S. Their specs are nearly identical. The McLaren produces 710 hp and 568 lb-ft from a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8, weighs 2,828 pounds in its lightest fitment, sprints to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, to 124 mph in 7.8 seconds, and has a top speed of 211 mph. Things that make you go, hmmm... We'll be at the Ferrari booth at the Geneva Motor Show as soon as the lights go up on this one. Related Video: