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2017 Ferrari Model Year Preview and Updates

Despite the stereotypes surrounding Ferrari and its owners, at least a few of these automotive thoroughbreds are still bought for driving. And in 2017 the driving has never been better. A V8-equipped GTC4Lusso T is a welcome addition, while the entry-level California T remains relatively accessible. FERRARI 488 GTB/GTS: Some forty years after introducing the now-iconic 308 GTB, Ferrari continues the 'Berlinetta' format with power supplied by a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8. The GTS (Spider) shares the same drivetrain and architecture, but offers a power retractable hardtop that folds in 14 seconds. Both are unchanged for the 2017 model year. CALIFORNIA T: Ferrari's most accessible GT now offers a Handling Speciale package, which makes the California's handling more 'special', with stiffer springs and magnetic dampers reprogrammed for a more athletic dynamic. This mod also ups the decibels by three. It, too, is powered by a 3.9-liter V8, albeit in a lower state of tune than the 488. F12 BERLINETTA: You may have missed the F12tdf, as fewer than 800 examples were produced. The Tour de France commemorative offered an upgraded V12 in combination with a faster acting twin-clutch gearbox. The V12 remains naturally aspirated, and delivers – in either standard or tdf versions – over 700 horsepower. GTC4LUSSO: The family-friendly Ferrari boasts generous 2+2 seating. For 2017 there's a massaged V12 and new touchscreen. With all-wheel drive this is the all-season, all-climate Ferrari. GTC4LUSSO T: Take the GTC4LUSSO, pull out the V12/AWD drivetrain and substitute the same V8 as the California T, in combination with rear-wheel drive. The combo is lighter, tighter, less expensive, and brand new for 2017.

Wingsuits are somehow involved in new season of 'Top Gear'

It's a shame that Matt LeBlanc is leaving "Top Gear," but there's a bit of solace in the situation: There's still one more season of him as frontman. BBC just released the new trailer for series 26, and it shows LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid getting into all sorts of shenanigans around the globe. "Top Gear" announced LeBlanc's imminent departure back in May 2018, but he still had to finish one more season before leaving. Thus, the upcoming series will be his last, and it looks like he'll go out in a whirlwind of dust, bent metal, water spray and burnt rubber. The trailer shows everything expected from a season of the storied automotive show (well, everything except Hammond, May, and Clarkson, if you're one of those people). There will be precision driving, dubious stunts, name-calling and gobs of stunning videography. In the short one-minute clip, there are flashes of numerous attention-piquing vehicles. The new Bentley Continental GT, a Bentley Le Mans racer, Porsches, Ferraris, the Aston Martin Vantage, and the Mercedes-AMG GT all make appearances. And for some random fun, the boys are seen in wingsuits (doubtful it's actually them), and playing polo in some three-wheel rickshaws (before wrecking said rickshaws). We'll update with more information as soon as we know when the show will start. Related Video: News Source: BBC Celebrities TV/Movies Aston Martin Bentley Ferrari Mercedes-Benz Porsche Videos Top Gear chris harris matt leblanc rory reid

Ferrari V6 hybrid said to arrive in May with as much as 723 horsepower

Ferrari has five debuts planned this year, one of which we've seen in the F8 Tributo. The next four will add to and update the mid-engined sports car range as well as the front-engined GT range. Car magazine thinks it has a bead on the long-awaited Ferrari six-cylinder engine that will sit in the middle of some new sports car definitely not named Dino. According to Car's sources, the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 works up 610 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque by itself. Given plug-in hybrid assistance and an e-motor between the engine and transmission, the numbers grow to 723 hp and almost 800 lb-ft. The magazine says there's also room for an e-motor powering the front axle "at a later stage." Since Ferrari CEO Louis Camillieri nixed the Dino name, it's said the moniker 486 could get a call-up when Ferrari reveals the powerplant, expected to happen in May. We just need to see where that engine is going to go, since the carmaker's V8 hybrid is also due this year, and also rumored for a May reveal. The V8 hybrid will fit inside a new flexible platform and power a mid-engined model above the 710-hp F8 Tributo in the range and more profitable than the 812Superfast. The F8 Tributo sits on a heavily updated version of the 488 platform, which itself was a heavily updated version of the 458 platform from 2009. The new mid-engined model will focus on track performance. Ferrari has confirmed that its new mid-mounted platform will be able to adopt the V6 family. The brand's SVP of commercial and marketing, Enrico Galliera, told Australia's WhichCar, "So the technology we are going to have, V12, V8, V6 turbo. Hybrid will give us the possibility to have a platform that we can mix to achieve emissions targets." Since the other three Ferrari debuts are predicted to be in the GT and ultra-luxe categories, it's possible the V6 will introduce an entry-level option for a model like the Portofino. Or it could grace a new, more traditional model. There's a new "front-engine hybrid architecture for host of new cars, including Purosangue SUV," the SUV not due now until 2022. Galliera also told WhichCar, "We are developing some products that are designed to give the same emotion as a Ferrari." They will be sports cars, "but with this design that it is more elegant that is more for everyday driving in order to attract those people that maybe are not considering to buy a Ferrari, because they are not willing to have a highly sporty car.