Ferrari Purosangue, page #8

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That aluminum-bodied '69 Ferrari Daytona barn find sold for $2.2M

Barn finds are a strange thing. The idea that some beautiful or rare car can simply be locked away and forgotten about seems unthinkable to many enthusiasts. Still, there's entire communities and several television shows dedicated to unearthing these vehicles. One of the most notable finds in recent memory was the sole road-going aluminum-bodied 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona in existence. The car just sold for about $2.2 million at an RM Sotheby's auction this past weekend. According to the auction house, this is the 30th of just over 1,200 Ferrari Daytonas ever built. This particular car was found stowed away in Japan, having sat collecting dust and dirt for nearly 40 years. While five aluminum-bodied Daytonas were built for racing, this is the only known street car with aluminum body panels. According to an evaluator, the engine and transaxle are both numbers matching. The odometer reads 36,390 kilometers, or about 22,611 miles. That number is believed to be accurate. All the aluminum body panels wear the correct Scaglietti markings. This car has Rosso Chiaro paint over Nero leather (red over black). Other options include Plexiglas headlamps and power windows. The interior is said to be in surprisingly good shape. The car sold for just more than its initial estimate. Let's hope the new owner gets it back into running condition. Related Video: Featured Gallery 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta Alloy View 25 Photos News Source: RM Sotheby's Ferrari Auctions Coupe Classics

Final Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta sells for $10 million

All Ferraris are expensive, but some are more expensive than others. The Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta is the current king of the mountain, with just 209 examples built, at least so far. A few weeks ago, the Italian automaker announced it would be building one last example, putting the total production number at 210. The car went up for auction this past weekend, and, with a final sale price of about $10 million, the car more than doubled the initial estimates of $3.5 million to $4.7 million. What's a few more million if it's all going to charity? The LaFerrari Aperta is basically the open-top version of the standard LaFerrari. The 210th example was built to celebrate Ferrari's 70th anniversary as an automaker. We're not sure that the owner of the 209th model will be too happy that their car is slightly less special, but we're sure they can drown their sorrows with a screaming V12. The 210th model will wear a special livery that's basically a few white stripes over classic Ferrari-red paint. $10 million is a lot of dough for a car that hasn't actually been built yet. Technically, the winning builder bought the rights to the 210th car, not the car itself. According to Autoweek, all proceeds from the auction will benefit Save the Children, an organization that helps disadvantaged children around the world. The LaFerrari Aperta just beat out this gorgeous 1 959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti that sold for $9.5 million. Related Video: News Source: RM Sotheby's Green Ferrari Auctions Convertible Supercars ferrari laferrari ferrari laferrari aperta

Hamilton wins at Monza, takes Formula One lead from Vettel

MONZA, Italy (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton won the Italian Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday with an utterly dominant drive that sent the Briton clear at the top of the Formula One world championship for the first time in a year. The triple champion, who started the last race of the European season from a record 69th career pole position, led Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas to a runaway one-two finish at Ferrari's home track. "I love it here in Italy and I love the passion of the fans," Hamilton declared on the podium jutting out over a sea of red-shirted Ferrari fans, with plenty of boos coming his way amid the cheers. "We did a great job, the team did an exceptional job this weekend," he added. "Mercedes power is definitely better than Ferrari power." Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who had led the standings since he won the Australian season-opener in March, finished third in the final race of the European season and 36.3 seconds behind the winner. Bottas was 4.4 adrift of Hamilton. "It was a difficult day, a difficult start," said Vettel. "My race was fairly isolated, we tried to keep as close as possible but we simply didn't have the pace... You could say it's a bad day but I know the team is on the right way... so I am in a very positive mood despite the numbers." Hamilton is now three points clear of the German, with seven races remaining. Mercedes are 62 points clear of Ferrari in the constructors' standings. The first driver to win two races in a row this season, with Monza following on from Belgium a week ago, Hamilton now leads Vettel 6-4 on victories in 2017. He has 238 points to Vettel's 235. The last time Hamilton led the standings on his own was at Monza a year ago, with now-retired team mate Nico Rosberg emerging as the eventual champion. FEW THRILLS Hamilton and four-times champion Vettel were level on points this year after China in April, with one win and one second place each. If Sunday's race was a dull affair, there was at least plenty of sunshine in marked contrast to the steady rain that drenched fans and delayed qualifying for hours on Saturday. Hamilton pulled away cleanly from his historic pole, and fourth in a row at Monza, and was never challenged as he drove to the chequered flag with the minimum of fuss. It was his third Italian Grand Prix win in four years and 59th career victory – only Michael Schumacher, whose pole record he beat, can boast more – and few have been more straightforward.

Watch team build life-size Ferrari F1 car from Lego bricks

Following up on the company's recent replica of a McLaren 720S, Lego has moved on to that company's Formula One rival, Ferrari, to build another full-scale model. And the car is in fact Ferrari's 2017 F1 race car, and it has even more Lego content. For this model, even the wheels and tires are made of the studded plastic bricks. You can watch Lego employees bring the car together from its development and planning stages all the way through construction. The video also reveals many interesting tidbits about the car. For instance, the model weighs less than the real thing. It's 1,250 pounds. The actual Ferrari SF70H weighs 1,605 pounds, though that includes coolant, oil, and the driver. The model also features nearly 350,000 pieces, which is about 70,000 more than the McLaren had. It took about 750 hours to assemble the car, not including over 840 hours to design and develop it. You'll also see that even this massive Lego model still has stickers to apply, and considering how tricky the little stickers can be on perfectly smooth surfaces, placing theses huge ones over bumpy ridges must've been quite difficult. Related Video: Image Credit: Lego Toys/Games Ferrari Racing Vehicles Videos F1 Lego ferrari f1

Sebastian Vettel risks losing F1 championship lead in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix

MONZA, Italy — Sebastian Vettel has been on the podium at Ferrari's home Italian Grand Prix for the past two years, but anything less than a win on Sunday could cost the German the lead in the Formula One championship points race. The Ferrari driver is only seven points clear of Lewis Hamilton, the difference between first and second place, with his Mercedes rival fresh from last weekend's pole-to-flag success in Belgium and 5-4 up on race wins. Hamilton won at Monza in 2014 and 2015 and was runner-up last year to now-retired teammate and eventual champion Nico Rosberg. The Briton has also been on pole at the "Pista Magica" for the past three years. But Ferrari has closed the gap, and Vettel can count on a wave of local support at the historic Milanese track where he took his first grand prix victory with Toro Rosso in 2008. "I think Monza is never a critical race for Ferrari. I think it's the nicest race," the four-times world champion told reporters ahead of a weekend that will also see his team celebrate their 70th anniversary. "We have a lot of support, so I'm really looking forward to it already." Vettel, with a new three-year contract signed only last weekend, won at Monza with Red Bull in 2011 and 2013 but has yet to do so in Ferrari red. If he does, he will become the first driver to win the race with three different teams since Britain's Stirling Moss in the 1950s. In 2015, Vettel's first season since switching to Ferrari, he finished second. Last year he was third. "We've been second, we've been third, so maybe we can get the last step on the podium that is missing," said the 30-year-old, adding that there was no reason for Ferrari to fear any circuit from now on. Hamilton will also have plenty of fans, with the locals respecting a true racer, and can make history with a record pole position after equaling Michael Schumacher's all-time tally of 68 in Belgium. The Mercedes driver knows he needs to make the most of the moment in the last European race of the season, with Ferrari likely to have the upper hand again once the action switches to Singapore. "Clearly we have not a bad car on the straights. I imagine it's going to be very, very close in the next race," he said after Spa. Red Bull, with Australian Daniel Ricciardo in his ancestral homeland and smiling following his third place in Belgium, will again be the best of the rest although Max Verstappen is likely to have grid penalties following his retirement in Spa.

Vettel sticks with Ferrari for three more years in 'a no-brainer' move

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (Reuters) - Sebastian Vettel ended speculation about his immediate Formula One future by signing a three-year contract extension with Ferrari on Saturday. The Italian team, the sport's most successful and glamorous, said the new deal covered the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons but gave no further details in a statement of just 30 words. There will be inevitable questions about possible release clauses, not to mention speculation about how many tens of millions of dollars the 30-year-old German will be earning over the period. But the news, at the Belgian Grand Prix and a week before his team's home Italian race at Monza, will allow Ferrari to concentrate on fighting for the championship without distraction. "I love this team. I love the people who are working for this brand," Vettel told reporters later. "Ferrari has something unique, something that other teams don't have. People talk about a legend. To me it appears that this legend is still alive because of the people who work for it, day in, day out. "In a way, it was a no-brainer to continue. We haven't yet achieved what we wanted to achieve but things are looking pretty good, and obviously we have a long road ahead of us," he added. The four-times champion, who joined Ferrari from Red Bull in 2015, is 14 points clear of Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton in the current standings with nine races remaining. The German had been out of contract at the end of this season and there had been speculation about a possible switch to Mercedes -- a move that would have sent a tremor through the paddock. Hamilton, a triple world champion who has one more year left on his Mercedes contract, laughed off that possibility earlier in the week when he told reporters that his rival did not want to be his team mate. Niki Lauda, the Mercedes non-executive chairman, told Sky Sports that there had been talks with Vettel but team principal Toto Wolff said that was not the case. Vettel's Finnish team mate, Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, has already agreed a contract extension for 2018, keeping Ferrari's line-up unchanged for next year. Raikkonen, 37, and Vettel get on well, with the Finn playing the role of loyal sidekick to the team's main championship contender. Mercedes are now likely to retain Finland's Valtteri Bottas, who joined in January from Williams as a replacement for now-retired 2016 champion Nico Rosberg on a one-year deal with options.

One-of-a-kind aluminum Ferrari Daytona barn find to be auctioned

Every gearhead loves a good barn find, and this one will probably go down as one of the best. The car in question is a 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, which is a special-enough car for its gorgeous looks, impressive performance and appearance in Miami Vice. But this one is extra-special because it's a one-of-a-kind; the only aluminum-bodied Daytona built for street use. It's the latter part of that description that makes it unique. Ferrari did build a few other aluminum Daytonas, but those five cars, according to RM Sotheby's, were built specifically for racing. This one was just a normal street-ready Daytona painted in red with a black leather interior. It was sold to the founder of an Italian automotive magazine, and it changed hands within the country a few times. In 1971, it was imported to Japan where it was driven and enjoyed until its last owner parked it in 1980, where it sat until this year. RM Sotheby's will auction the car at a special Ferrari auction in Maranello on Sept. 9, 2017, where it will be sold alongside a new LaFerrari Aperta. The car will be sold in the condition you see above. The odometer reads 36,390 kilometers (about 22,611 miles), and it's believed the number is accurate. A Ferrari specialist also confirmed that the body, chassis and powertrain all match. The pictures show that the car also includes a comprehensive tool kit that includes a lead hammer for removing/attaching the knock-off wheel nuts. RM Sotheby's expects this car to sell for between ˆ1.4 million and ˆ1.7 million, which is about $1.66 million to $2.02 million at current exchange rates. Of course if the buyer wants to fully restore this car as opposed to simply preserving it, the owner could be looking at some hefty costs to bring it back to like-new condition. Related Video: Featured Gallery 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta Alloy View 25 Photos Image Credit: RM Sotheby's Ferrari Auctions Coupe Performance Classics RM Sotheby's barn find ferrari 365 gtb4 daytona

Kimi Raikkonen fastest in first Belgian Grand Prix practice

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen lapped fastest in first practice for the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday but Mercedes, and title contender Lewis Hamilton, still looked every bit the team to beat. A four-time winner at Spa, and with a contract extension for 2018 announced earlier in the week, Raikkonen lapped the longest track on the calendar with a best time of 1 minute 45.502 seconds. The 37-year-old Finn's time was set on the quickest ultra-soft tires, however, while Hamilton — preparing for his 200th race start — was second-fastest and only 0.053 slower on the soft compound. Hamilton was 0.092 faster than Ferrari's world championship leader Sebastian Vettel, with the German third on the timesheets and also setting his time on the quickest but least durable tire. Vettel leads Hamilton by 14 points with nine races remaining. Red Bull's Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, Belgian-born and attracting a huge traveling support of orange-capped fans, was fourth fastest with Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo fifth. Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas, who bumped into the tire barrier after going off across the gravel and damaged his front wing, was sixth fastest. The session was halted after 15 minutes when Brazilian Felipe Massa, who missed the previous race in Hungary after feeling dizzy in practice, crashed heavily into the tire barrier at turn seven out of Les Combes. He was taken to the medical center for checks, before returning to the pitlane, with his team facing a long job rebuilding the car. The session resumed after a 10 minute stoppage. Williams said the chassis would have to be changed and the team still hoped to get the car back out on track for some of the day's second session, even if that looked like being optimistic. Fernando Alonso suffered a lack of power in his McLaren, but still ended up 13th fastest. Belgian team mate Stoffel Vandoorne, who will start his home race last on Sunday thanks to a 35 place penalty due to a power unit change, was 10th. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: Image Credit: Reuters Motorsports Ferrari McLaren Mercedes-Benz F1 Lewis Hamilton Sebastian Vettel Kimi Raikkonen Max Verstappen Valtteri Bottas belgian grand prix

Ferrari building one more LaFerrari Aperta for charity auction

When Ferrari officially introduced the LaFerrari Aperta roadster, it announced that it would only build 209 of them. It also announced that every single one was already sold. That apparently isn't quite the case, though. RM Sotheby's announced it would be selling a LaFerrari Aperta, and it's a new one, No. 210, that hasn't yet been built. According to the description, this is an additional special edition that will be built to help celebrate Ferrari's 70th anniversary. It will also have a unique paint scheme and will be unveiled during the celebration in Maranello. No details were given as to what the paint scheme would be, but based on the other five specially painted LaFerrari Apertas, it will probably be inspired by one of the company's more famous road or race cars of the past. Also, since this car will be auctioned, it presents a rare opportunity to own one of Ferrari's top-tier sports cars without going through the trouble of becoming one of the company's favored customers. Of course that means this car could be very expensive, too. RM Sotheby's estimates it will go for between ˆ3 million and ˆ4 million, which at current exchange rates is $3.5 million to $4.7 million. On the plus side, the proceeds from the auction will go to an unnamed charity. Related Video:

Ferrari Portofino revealed: Goodbye California, hello beautiful

The Ferrari California, in both turbo and non-turbo configurations, has been soldiering on for nearly a decade. With a base price of just over $200,000, it's the brand's entry-level model. Today, the automaker announced the car's replacement, the Ferrari Portofino. This will be the brand's entry-level GT car, slotting in below the top-dog 812 Superfast. It's both lighter and more powerful than the California T while still retaining the convertible hardtop bodystyle. The now-familiar 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 rests under the Portofino's long hood. The engine sends 591 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That's 39 more horsepower and 3 more pound-feet than the California T. A new engine map along with new pistons, connecting rods, intake and exhaust account for the boost. Ferrari's Variable Boost Management system limits torque in certain gears, only sending out what the wheels can handle. Ferrari says the Portofino will hit 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds, pressing along to a top speed of 199 mph. The Portofino makes use of the third generation of Ferrari's electronic rear differential. The car also comes with the F1-Trac traction control system. Combined with the Variable Boost Management, the Portofino should find adequate grip in most situations. A new generation of magnetorheological dampers helps improve ride and handling. Notably, the Portofino moves to electronically assisted power steering, following the same move in the 812 Superfast earlier this year. The car is longer, lower and wider than the outgoing model. The new chassis makes use of modern design and engineering techniques, shaving an unspecified amount of weight from the car. At 3,813 pounds, the California T is a bit of a pig. Any weight savings will be a good thing. Because the V8 sits behind the front axle, the Portofino's weight distribution is 46/54 percent front/rear. As expected, Ferrari has emphasized aerodynamic efficiency when crafting the Portofino's design. Overall, it looks like a slightly smaller 812 Superfast. If you like that car, you'll like the looks of the Portofino. The car is covered with small lips and intakes to help channel air in the most efficient and useful way possible. Look just to the side of the headlights or the deep cut that leads from the front wheels all the way along the door. The rear end does a much better job of hiding the convertible hardtop.