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'Sensual but also logical': Ferrari's Flavio Manzoni opines on design at London exhibit

Ferrari design boss Flavio Manzoni was in London this week for the opening of a five-month exhibition on the famous Italian brand, part of its 70th-anniversary celebrations, at the world-famous Design Museum. So Autoblog jumped at the chance to ask the man behind the La Ferrari, FXX, 488 GTB and more about his design approach and inspirations, and also what he thinks about designing a Ferrari SUV, or even an EV. Manzoni, 52, is pleasingly Italian in manner and accented English. Passionate and forthright, he has strong views on what makes good design in general and for Ferrari in particular. Having increased the importance of the brand's Styling Centre considerably since becoming head of design in 2010, the now 80-strong team increasingly creates new vehicles in-house (as opposed to using former independent design company Pininfarina). The first project Manzoni fully oversaw within Ferrari was the La Ferrari. He's a firm believer in form following function, "but not in a German way," he says with a smile, citing the side of the 488 GTB, which is shaped by the need to divert air in a certain way around the car and also to look fantastic. As he declares: "You'd never find lines on a Ferrari just for decoration. The scoop on the 488 GTB is sensual but also logical." As another example, he says that his "latest baby," the track-focused FXX K Evo, took a different path from the very engineering-focused Enzo of 2002, designed well before he joined the company. "We worked for eight months with the engineers on the FXX, to keep the functionality and make it beautiful." In Manzoni's job, it would be impossible not to respect Ferrari's incredible back catalog — he owns a Gandini-designed Ferrari 208 GT4, "still very beautiful, but iconic as well" — but he's no slave to the past. "Deja vu is something we don't like," he says with a slightly scolding look. "We don't agree with nostalgia or the need to create a family feeling throughout our range. But a Ferrari must be recognizable without the badge. There are different ways to do this — not just in details like the headlamps, but sometimes in how you treat the surfaces. It's tricky to explain, but it's a feeling." View 12 Photos He's also not keen on following industry trends and has historically spoken out against luxury SUVs. "Every time we work on a new Ferrari, we try to improve on every aspect — including the center of gravity — so an SUV is not a Ferrari," he stated as recently as 2015.

Why this 1964 Ferrari 250 GTO will sell for at least $45 million

A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO by Scaglietti will be up for auction by RM Sotheby's in Monterey next month. Actually, perhaps "the" 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO would be more appropriate, because the list of its accomplishments, claims to fame and reasons for being extremely expensive are probably more than the rest. And by "rest," we mean 36. And by "extremely expensive" we mean an expected sale price of between $45 million and $60 million. View 47 Photos If you want to read in vivid detail about the car in question, RM Sotheby's provides a lengthy tale of "the world's most important, desirable, and legendary motor car." Trying to regurgitate it here really wouldn't do it justice. Instead, here are some of the bullet points. No. 3 of 36 Ferrari GTOs built. Known as 3413. Considered by experts to be one of the most authentic and original of those 36, all of which survive One of only 4 of those 36 to receive upgraded at the time with Series II GTO/64 body work by Scaglietti. It is more aggressive in appearance, more aerodynamic and many say attractive Won the 1962 Italian GT Championship First in class at the 1963 Targa Florio in its original body work First in class at the 1964 Targa Florio in the Series II body work you see today, as detailed in the Sotheby's story Won its class in the 1964 Targa Florio, helping Ferrari win the 1964 International Championship for GT Manufacturers More than 15 class and overall wins from 1962 to 1965 Last purchased in 2000 for $7 million – There's a reason German banks are suggesting adding a classic car to your investment mix. 3413 has actually been driven during that time, making appearances at countless classic events and vintage races Purchase includes exclusive access to some of the world's most prestigious events and rallies, including the GTO club and tours – Value! Currently fitted with a 250 GT engine block built to GTO specification to allow the car to be driven to those countless classic events and vintages races – The original block has been removed for preservation and comes with the car. This Ferrari's expected price of between $45 million and $60 million would make it the most valuable car ever put up for auction. A 1963 250 GTO sold for $70 million in a private sale. Another sold at auction in 2013 for $52 million, so the upper level of 3413's sale estimate definitely seems feasible. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ferrari FF pitted against Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser in crazy Generation Gap comparison

The folks behind Generation Gap have lost their minds with this latest video. The goal here is to determine the ultimate family cruiser, but the choices are what you would least expect, with a heavily modded 1970 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser going up against a 2012 Ferrari FF.
You might anticipate an over-40-year-old Oldsmobile to pale in comparison to any modern Ferrari, but this wagon has a ton of secrets under its skin thanks to Lingenfelter. First, it packs a supercharged LS3 V8 with a claimed 650 horsepower and a six-speed manual gearbox. That big upgrade in power is further helped with air suspension and massive Wilwood disc brakes. The result is nothing short of deafening, with blaring yelps whenever the driver even nudges the accelerator.
The alternative sounds just as good, albeit in very different way. The Ferrari's 6.3-liter V12 pumps out 651 hp and 504 pound-feet with a part-time all-wheel drive system. While the FF lacks a lot of the hauling ability of the Olds, it makes up for the deficit in handling, luxury, and in many eyes, simply by having the famous prancing horse on the grille.