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Scuderia Ferrari dreams up the F1 car of the future

Formula One is in for a big shakeup, at least if all the parties can agree on a way forward at a meeting of the F1 commission today in Geneva. And this is the way Ferrari apparently hopes things will go. Dreamt up by the design department in Maranello, this concept represents Ferrari's vision for the F1 car of the future. Its got far more streamlined aerodynamics, a two-tier front wing, a much larger rear wing, and wheels that are still "open" but far more enveloped than anything we've seen to date, wrapped in low-profile tires like those proposed by Pirelli. The cockpit is still open as well, contrary to proposals to enclose them, with a conceptual helmet design that seems to meld into the bodywork – though we're not quite sure how that would be implemented, practically speaking. It's a pretty striking design, especially compared to the oddball shapes to which modern grand prix racers have evolved over recent years, with all their fragile appendages. Actually putting this into practice, though, is another matter entirely. Both McLaren and Red Bull were said to have shown their own evolutionary designs to the F1 strategy group, though they didn't release theirs to the public. This pie-in-the-sky proposal from Ferrari looks a bit closer to some of the radical, futuristic designs penned by Red Bull for Gran Turismo. Featured Gallery Ferrari Design Formula 1 Concept News Source: Ferrari Motorsports Ferrari Concept Cars Racing Vehicles F1 scuderia ferrari

Liberty Walk stretches the notion of Ferrari's 360 and F430

Japan's Liberty Walk is the sort of outfit that will stop at nothing to turn heads, and this summer it's introducing wide body kits for the Ferrari 360 and F430 models. The bolt-on parts for the Ferraris are designed to divert opinions as much as provide aerodynamic gains. That big wing has to be good for something, you know. The body kits are priced the same in Japan; roughly $18,000 for the fiberglass kit with front, rear, and side parts, $22,000 for a carbon-fiber version, and $26,500 for the carbon kit with the big carbon wing. All of the parts can be bought separately, and an air suspension kit manufactured by the American company AirREX is available for $8,000. In case you have a tired old 360 Modena hanging around in severe need of upgrades, a Liberty Walk body kit might just be the thing to spruce it up. Related Video:

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: