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Ferrari embroiled in legal battle over 21-year-old's Facebook page

Ferrari is facing a court battle in Switzerland due to alleged copyright infringement over taking over a Facebook fan site. If the suit is successful, it could cost the company millions and harm its reputation on social media.
Sammy Wassem started the Facebook fan page for Ferrari when he was 15 and eventually grew it to over 500,000 followers. In 2009, the company congratulated the him on the site's success, but said that "legal issues" forced it to take over the administration, according to Automotive News Europe. Wassem could still use the site, but managers had oversight.
Wassem asked Ferrari for financial compensation to keep working on the page but continued creating content on it for the next four years. Eventually, the company terminated his administration rights, and In 2013, the he and his father Olivier filed the lawsuit against the business alleging it owes payment over 5,500 hours of work and copyright infringement for taking over the page. They are asking for 10 million Swiss francs ($11.3 million).

New Ferrari 488 variant spied at the 'Ring

Most Ferrari models eventually give birth to various special-edition or short-run variants. The Ferrari F12berlinetta gave way to the F12tdf. The Ferrari 458 Italia signed off with the wonderful 458 Speciale. It looks like the Italian automaker's current mid-engine V8 offering, the 488 GTB, is ready to spawn a variant of its own. Exactly what the model might be remains to be seen. There are plenty of rumors surrounding the car. This could be a focused, track-ready version in the vein of the 458 Speciale. If that's the case, look for more power, less weight, and improved aero. The car should pack bigger brakes, a stiffer suspension, revised tuning, and a bare-bones interior. There are also rumors that the car will pack a KERS system similar to the one run on Ferrari's Formula 1 cars. That should provide an extra bit of electrical boost. A car like this is almost a given. The past few mid-engined Ferraris have all had a high-performance variant. Then again, this car could also be the lower-powered, less-expensive Ferrari Dino that's been whispered about for a while. If that's the case, look for a lower horsepower V8 (or even a V6, if Ferrari would be so bold). It would likely stack up against the McLaren 570S and Lamborghini Huracan 580-2. This may come as a shock to some, but Ferrari has made no bones about expanding production. A relatively low-cost model could easily boost sales. The car in these photos gives no real indication as to what it may be. There's thin plastic camouflage covering most of the car. As always, it's difficult to tell what may have changed, but it looks like there have been revisions to the front bumper. The glass over the engine cover has been draped with a thin sheet of plastic, hiding what rests beneath. Ferrari has been mum on the model, but this isn't the first time we've seen the car out. Look for more news this fall. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ferrari 488 spy shots View 14 Photos Image Credit: Car Pix Spy Photos Ferrari Coupe Performance Supercars ferrari dino ferrari 488 ferrari 488 challenge

Stellantis reports record margins, $7B profits despite chip shortage

MILAN — Automaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it achieved faster-than-expected progress on synergies and record margins in its first six months as a combined company, despite suffering 700,000 units in lower production due to interruptions in the semiconductor supply chain. The company — formed from French carmaker Peugeot PSAÂ’s takeover of the Italian-American company Fiat Chrysler — reported net profit of 5.9 billion euros ($7 billion) in the first half of 2021, compared with a loss 813 million euros during the same period a year earlier, which was impacted by the coronavirus restrictions around the globe. Shipments rose 44% to 3.2 million units, while revenues rose 46% to 75 billion euros. “We are very pleased with the speed with which the new team has begun to execute as one company, as Stellantis,Â’Â’ Chief Financial Officer Richard Palmer told reporters. Semiconductor shortages accounted for 200,000 units of production losses in the first quarter and 500,000 in the second quarter. Semiconductors are used more than ever before in new vehicles with electronic features such as Bluetooth connectivity and driver assist, navigation and hybrid electric systems. Stellantis achieved 1.3 billion euros in cost savings in the first half, mostly by sharing investments in new technologies and platforms, which Palmer said was a faster rate than initially forecast. It aims to achieve 80% of the targeted 5 billion in cost savings by 2024. “These synergies allow us to continue to invest in the electrification strategy, which we talk about every day,” Palmer said. Stellantis, which lags competitors in rolling out electric vehicles, plans to launch 21 fully electric or plug-in gas electric hybrid vehicles over the next two years. North American posted record profitability on global sales of Ram trucks and the strong launch of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, which was the best-selling plug-in gas electric vehicle in the United States in the second quarter. Stellantis was the market leader in South America and second in Europe. The results were presented on a pro-forma basis, taking into account the performance of each of the carmakers as separate entities during 2020. Related video: 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Inside and Out