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Previewing the 2014 Paris Motor Show

Don't let the shiny objects detract from the serious side of the show. Sales, fuel economy and regulations are part of the conversation.
The Paris Motor Show is one of the glitziest events on the automotive calendar. Yes, it helps that it's in the City of Light, but the glamorous surroundings only enhance the spectacular wares that automakers bring to the show. This is where Europeans debut their best new cars for the coming year, both as eye-catching concepts and in production trim.

This computer-generated Ferrari 250 GTO carved from marble rocks

The Ferrari 250 GTO ranks as perhaps the most valuable production car ever made. In just the past two years, units of the ultimate '60s sports car have sold for $32 million, $35 million and maybe as high as $52 million. With just 39 of them ever assembled, these Ferrari owners are among a rarefied class of an already top-tier class of car collectors. So once you collect the ultimate car, then what do you do? How about buy a scale model of it hewn from a single block of Arabescato marble by stone specialist Lapicida?
Interestingly, no sculptor developed a leathery callouses on his or her hands over the hundreds of man hours surely necessary to create this work of art, nor were dozens of hand tools worn to the nub in the pursuit of this homage to Italian performance. To create the 1:3.6 replica of a 1962/1963 GTO, Lapicida simply laser-scanned an actual GTO and fine-tuned the resulting data in 3D modeling software. Then, the file was sent to a computer-controlled, five-axis mill to shape the marble, which was selected because the veining gave the illusion of speed. Finally, it was hand-finished to make sure the details were as crisp as possible. The completed model measures 47.2-inches long, 18.1-inches wide and 13.4-inches tall and retails for a tidy £30,000 - over $49,000 USD.
Impressive though it may be, it seems hard to imagine spending that sort of money on a car that you can't sit in or drive down the road. Then again, if you can afford to own a real 250 GTO, it's barely pocket change. Lapicida also takes commissions, so if you want a marble model of your car, they're happy to do it. Then again, if you just need your foyer retiled or your personal chef's is demanding an upgraded kitchen, they'll do that, too. Scroll down to get the full details on the model.

The new Ferrari 812 Superfast has a 789-hp V12, is self-explanatory

You're looking at the replacement for the F12 Berlinetta. Gorgeous, right? While in keeping with the recent styling success of Ferrari cars, this one bucks a trend. Unlike the last three updated models from Maranello – the GTC4 Lusso, California T, and 488 GTB – the 812 Superfast doesn't use turbos. Instead, it continues with a naturally aspirated V12. A bigger, more powerful one. And of course, this front-engine supercar GT will be super fast. The 812's twelve-cylinder displaces 6.5 liters, up from the F12's 6.3. Power stands at a round 800 CV, which translates to 789 horsepower, while torque is up to 530 pound-feet. For reference, the 6.3-liter in the F12 makes 731 hp and 508 lb-ft, while the F12 Tdf's massaged version puts out 769 hp and 520 lb-ft; the LaFerrari's engine made 789 hp, which was boosted further with the addition of an electric motor. So this 6.5-liter is tied for the title of most powerful Ferrari road-car engine, and it makes this the most powerful front-engine Ferrari ever, which is neat. It's supposed to reach 62 mph in 2.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 211 mph. Yep, super fast. Max power is again made at a screaming 8,500 rpm and the torque peaks at 7,000. More displacement means more output, but Ferrari also switched to a higher-pressure fuel system and variable-geometry intakes to squeeze even more out of its big V12. The company's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission gets its own gear ratios to handle the power in this application. One big change is the car's switch from hydraulic to electric power steering. It's the first Ferrari road car to use EPS, and the company assures us just makes things better by working with the other chassis systems, like Side Slip Control. The 812 Superfast also gets the second version of Virtual Short Wheelbase, Ferrari's name for rear-wheel steering. Ferrari says the updated design is supposed to be reminiscent of the 365 GTB4 from 1969. We say it's just plain pretty either way. There are active flaps at the front and some kind of new air bypass at the rear to improve downforce, and which sounds a lot like something out of Formula 1. The launch color seen here is the special Rosso Settanta, which is in celebration of the company's 70th anniversary. The interior has been updated a bit as well, with a reshaped dash top (featuring one fewer air vent) and new controls on the steering wheel.