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Weekly Recap: Ferrari plans to gradually increase production by 2019

Ferrari has long been known for the exclusivity of its performance machines. It's on a different level than Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes. But as it transitions to a new era of independence from Fiat Chrysler, Ferrari is going to get a little less exclusive. It's by design, and it means a subtle, slow ramp-up of production – a move Ferrari believes will ensure its future by meeting growing demand in new markets. The strategy was detailed in SEC documents filed this month as part of the company's pending stock offering. The files reveal Ferrari will gradually increase shipments to about 9,000 units per year by 2019. This is a reversal of Ferrari's 2013 plans to cap production at 7,000 cars annually, which it hit on the nose that year. Ferrari shipments inched up to 7,255 in 2014, though that's down from 2012's record tally of 7,405. Ferrari is a vastly different operation than it was in 2013. Longtime chairman Luca di Montezemolo stepped down last fall, and FCA chief executive Sergio Marchionne has been overseeing the company since then. Its IPO has attracted high levels of attention from enthusiasts and investors. As expected, demand has reportedly outstripped the availability of the stock, which has an estimated offering price of $48 to $52 a share. Speaking of more Ferraris, the company revealed a limited-edition model this week called the F12tdf (shown above). Based on the F12 Berlinetta, the car is a salute to the Tour de France endurance auto race that Ferrari dominated in the 1950s and '60s. The V12 engine's output increases to 769 horsepower, while weight is cut by 243 pounds – allowing for a sprint to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. Dramatic carbon-fiber elements and a radical redesign of the body panels give the F12 a more dramatic look. It will be limited to 799 units over the life of the car. If this is how Ferrari is increasing production, we're more than okay with the company's new strategy. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Tesla software unlocks Autopilot features Tesla released the latest version of its software for the Model S this week, which allows the all-electric sedan to drive in a semi-autonomous state called Autopilot. Tesla Version 7.0 enables the Model S to maintain lane position, change lanes by touching the turn signal, and manage the car's speed using an advanced, traffic-sensing cruise control. It also has a parallel parking feature, which searches for open spots and then parks your Tesla.

Michael Schumacher's 2001 F1 car sells for $7.5m, nearly twice its estimate

Sotheby's auctioned one of Michael Schumacher's Formula 1 race cars this week, and it went for an impressive $7.5 million. When the auction house announced the car would be offered, it was estimating that it would go for around $4 million, making this a major success. The company also claims it's the most expensive modern era F1 car sold, though Sotheby's doesn't say what constitutes as "modern." It did sell for about twice what the last Schumacher F1 car sold through Sotheby's went for. That car was from the 2004 season and sold for just under $3.2 million. This particular car, an F2001 that, not surprisingly, was used during the 2001 F1 championship. It won two of the three races it participated in, and helped Schumacher win one of his 7 championships. It's in racing condition, and Ferrari will help with storage and transport for the car. The car's sale isn't just about a rich person getting a fancy collectable or toy though. Sotheby's notes that an undetermined portion of the proceeds will go to Michael Schumacher's charity, Keep Fighting. Among the charity's causes are road safety and head safety. The latter isn't surprising considering Schumacher's unfortunate skiing accident in 2013 that left him with a traumatic brain injury. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2001 Ferrari F2001 Image Credit: Sotheby's Celebrities Motorsports Ferrari Auctions Car Buying Racing Vehicles Performance michael schumacher RM Sotheby's sothebys

Ferrari 488 Special Series finally shown in official teaser video

It's been no secret that a hopped up version of the Ferrari 488 GTB is on the way. The car will follow the trend of previous models like the 458 Speciale and 430 Scuderia by reducing weight, boosting power and re-tuning the suspension and aero. Today, Ferrari itself finally gave us an official teaser on its Facebook page, and it looks like the leaked image from a few weeks back was correct. The timing of the video suggests we'll get the full breakdown in just a few weeks at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. This is just a teaser, so all the video shows is a few very brief cuts and angles of the new car. We've taken a screenshot of the front end, and it's pretty obvious that it's the car we've been following in spy shots for months now. It's blurry, but — as seen in the linked image above — it looks like there are substantial changes to the front bumper. There also appears to be a few small aero tweeks on other places, but again it's difficult to discern. What's obvious is that the blue and white stripes have made another comeback. For a while, the car was being referred to as the 488 GTO. That no longer seems to be the case, though what it will be called is unclear. In the leaked presentation, Ferrari called the car the "New V8 Sport Special Series," though something a little more romantic is likely. Look for a twin-turbo V8 making upwards of 700 horsepower, up from the standard 488 GTB's 660 horsepower rating. Stay tuned for more news in the next few weeks. Related Video: