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Topiary Joe sculpts the ultimate in green cars

Efficient cars are all the rage these days, but Joe Kyte has made a business of crafting some of the coolest green cars around – literally. Kyte is better known by his nickname Topiary Joe, and in addition to being a talented artist, he is also a real gearhead. Kyte has been creating topiaries for the last 20 years. It began when he was marketing greenhouse products to Walt Disney World and saw their plant sculptures. He realized that he could do that and since then, has done around 3,400 pieces. His most intriguing creations are the rolling sculptures that move and turn. Prices for those start at about $18,000 and can be as high as $30,000. While, the wheels are machine-bent, Kyte said all the other parts are done with a table vice and a Lincoln Electric arc welder. Topiary Joe is taking the Porsche (pictured above) to Palm Beach later this year to sell or says he may donate it to Porsche North America. If you really want it, the sculpture is currently on Craigslist for sale for $24,000. Topiary Joe has also had a life-long love of cars. "I was driving my first MG Midget before I was 14," he told Autoblog. He grew up in Oak Ridge, TN, where the Manhattan Project was partially developed. He says the town was full of recent college grads driving Mercedes, and he caught the bug. His automotive mentor was a nuclear physicist who taught him to repair and restore the Mercs. Kyte has completed commissions for Sandals Resort, Dreamworks, Absolut, and many more. Among his favorite creations is the Ferrari that he created at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that is now exhibited at the airport each year before the race. Check out his website for a wider look at his work.

Ferrari slated to reveal revised FF on Lake Como next month

Ferrari is reportedly gearing up to present a new version of the FF. Initially introduced in 2011, Maranello's all-wheel-drive shooting brake is now the oldest model in the lineup. But it won't be for much longer. The Italian automaker reportedly sent out a notice to select customers recently, inviting them to the debut of a V12 grand tourer with 2+2 seating. While it didn't explicitly name the model, those parameters could only apply to the FF. The reveal is slated to take place on February 15 at Villa Erba, the estate neighboring Villa d'Este on Lake Como that also hosts part of the Concorso d'Eleganza each year. That event is not slated to take place until May, but Ferrari is apparently renting it out for the event. Expect the updated FF to make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show the following month. We predict revised styling to the front and rear fascias and new head- and taillights more in keeping with the company's newer models. The 6.3-liter V12 will likely carry over, but where the current model packs 651 horsepower, the revised version could step up to around 700 to bridge the gap to the more potent F12 Berlinetta with its 730 hp – or 769 in the F12 TdF. Don't expect any turbochargers – at least not on the V12 – as Ferrari doesn't plan on applying them to its 12-cylinder models. A hybrid version could be in the cards. Rumors have also suggested that a lower-priced V8 version could be offered as well, though that could end up encroaching too closely on the California's territory. One way or another, the part-time all-wheel drive system is likely to stay – as will the four-seat layout. Plus, a more tapered roofline could help the revised FF cut a more elegant silhouette. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2013 Ferrari FF: Review View 35 Photos News Source: Motor AuthorityImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / AOL Geneva Motor Show Ferrari Coupe Hatchback Wagon Supercars ferrari ff

EVO dubs Ferrari 458 Speciale its Car of the Year

While some publications are concerned with finding the best car or truck for the average buyer and slapping a ribbon on it, or (in our case) identifying the best new automotive technology of the year, across the pond our compatriots at Evo are more single-minded in their approach. Every year, the British car mag awards its Car of the Year to its top new performance automobile on the market. And this year, they've picked the Ferrari 458 Speciale. The stripped-out supercar from Maranello beat out some heady competition. Second place went to the Jaguar F-Type R, followed by the Porsche Cayman GTS, VW Golf R, Renaultsport Megane 275 Trophy-R, BMW i8, McLaren 650S Spider, Aston Martin Vanquish, BMW M3 and, last but not least, the Audi S1. It was only the second time a Ferrari won the eCOTY award, after the 599 GTB Fiorano took top honors in 2006. Precedent suggests the magazine typically hands the award to a version of the Porsche 911 – like the GT3 that won last year, preceded by other Elfens in 2011, 2010, 2007, 2004, 2003, 2000, 1999 and 1998 (when the award was inaugurated). Why is the latest 458 derivative so... Speciale? Watch this video to find out.