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Bertone's shark-nose Ferrari 250 set to break records

If Nuccio Bertone had one regret, it's that he didn't get to work more with Ferrari. "They have always been with Pininfarina," Bertone was quoted as saying toward the end of his career. "I would have liked to have done more for Ferrari." There were a few exceptions, like the atypical Dino GT4, the angular Rainbow concept of 1976, and the unique 250 GT you see here. Only this one wasn't just designed and crafted by Bertone – it was designed and crafted for Bertone. And now it's going up for auction. Inspired by the 156 Grand Prix racer, this one-of-a-kind 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta was commissioned by Bertone to showcase its capabilities at the Geneva and Turin motor shows that year, and to serve as Nuccio's personal wheels. The design was carried out by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro, in close collaboration with Bertone, and is characterized by the shark nose that would look right at home on a week-long Discovery Channel special... if it were directed by Roberto Rossellini. It's painted in Blu Notte Metallizzato (Italian for "midnight blue metallic") with a rich burgundy leather interior. The only one of its kind, chassis 3269 GT has been part of the Lorenzo Zambrano collection for over three decades now. It's slated to cross the auction block for the first time next month at Pebble Beach. That's where Gooding & Company expects it will fetch around $15 million, which would (according to the archives at Sports Car Market) make it one of the most expensive Ferraris, and by some margin the highest-priced 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, ever sold at auction. 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale (Estimate $14,000,000-$16,000,000) Any coachbuilt Ferrari will stir excitement on the auction block, but 3269 GT is quite possibly the most important 250 GT SWB ever to be presented at public auction. Built for and personally owned by Nuccio Bertone to showcase his company at the Geneva and Torino Auto Shows in 1962, this one-off "sharknose" Berlinetta Speciale Ferrari is sure to electrify the Pebble Beach Auctions when Gooding & Company presents this Italian masterpiece in August. This unique Ferrari was one of the first cars penned by the well-known stylist, Giorgetto Giugiaro, while working for Nuccio Bertone. The two worked together to create one of the most viscerally moving designs in Ferrari's history, which was inspired by the world championship-winning Grand Prix car - the Ferrari 156 F1.

Watch the Ferrari F8 Tributo in its first official videos

The Ferrari 458 Italia has played a core role for the Italian brand since its debut all the way back in 2009 and has been in a perpetual state of improvement throughout the 10 years. It has evolved through numerous stages and earned a new name at each step, from the Speciale to the 488 GTB to the Pista to the newest model, the F8 Tributo. Although each car has the same genes, every one has a slightly different look due to numerous aerodynamic tweaks and subtle bodywork changes. The new angles are obvious in the Tributo's first official videos released this week. The video above premieres the car in a mountainous environment with all the curvy roads one could ever need. It flips between close-ups of the car, driving shots, and hazy smoke-filled displays of power. The only negative is the super-quick cuts don't allow much time to stare. The videos below put the F8 Tributo's aerodynamics and power on display. Several parts of the Tributo's salacious body is functional, including the front S-Duct, the front splitter, the underside vortex generators, the beefier rear spoiler, and the rear diffuser. It also has some hidden tricks using active features. Overall, Ferrari says it has 10 percent better efficiency than the 488 GTB. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Power comes courtesy of a different 458 family member, the 488 Pista. They share Ferrari's twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 that makes 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. It's the most powerful V8 Ferrari has ever put in a car that wasn't part of a special series. Get more familiar by watching all three clips. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ferrari chairman ticked off by Alonso

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo does not strike us as the kind of person we'd want to cross. We imagine the Chairman of Ferrari as sort of like an automotive Don Corleone, a thought that is further confirmed when we hear about the aftermath of last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso made some unsubstantiated remarks that have angered his team, with The Daily Mail reporting that when asked after the race what he wanted for his birthday, the Spaniard responded "Someone else's car." And while no one seems to know exactly what was said, it was enough to prompt a personal phone call from the boss of Ferrari on Alonso's birthday for a dressing down.
Montezemolo reminded Alonso that, "All the great champions who have driven for Ferrari have always been asked to put the interests of the team above their own. This is the moment to stay calm, avoid polemics and show humility and determination in making one's own contribution, standing alongside the team and its people both at the track and outside it."