1999 Ferrari 355 on 2040-cars

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Chris Harris enjoys the song of a Ferrari 212

We often see Chris Harris sliding around in the modern elite of supercars, but he eschews every bit of the cutting edge in his latest clip for the opportunity to get behind the wheel of an absolute classic. Harris drives a 1952 Ferrari 212 Barchetta with a body by Touring, and the Italian hills come alive with the sound of this little car's beautiful music. The V12 engine that's nestled under the Barchetta's hood might be short on displacement, but this thing can absolutely roar. It thunders down the road under hard acceleration and then makes a symphony of pops and snaps as the driver downshifts into a corner. You can own this Ferrari, too. RM Auctions is selling it, but the reserve is somewhere between 5 million and 7 million euros ($5.6 million - $7.9 million). Given Harris' proclivity to slide just about anything he drives, do you think he drifts this Barchetta? Watch the video to find out, and it's probably worth turning up the speakers, too.

Sebastian Vettel rips Ferrari FXX K around Fiorano

Sebastian Vettel is without a doubt the most successful driver currently on the Formula One grid. He's won four world championships, 39 grands prix and taken pole position 45 times. That makes him the third most successful driver in F1 history, retired or active. And now that he's signed with Ferrari, he's driving for the most successful team in the series as well. That's good news for the tifosi, but it's also good news for Vettel. Because not only will he be driving one of the best cars on the grid, but he'll have access to some of the best wheels off of it, too. Case in point: This latest video released by the Maranello outfit, in which the multiple world champion takes the new FXX K out for a spin around Fiorano. The track-bound evolution of the hybrid LaFerrari hypercar, the FXX K is said to lap the circuit in 1:14, making it the fastest Prancing Horse this side of a purpose-built racer like the SF15-T he'll be piloting in the 2015 world championship. In short, it's a heck of a step up from the special-edition FX crossover Infiniti made for him when he was still at Red Bull. And while you might think it still wouldn't measure up to some of the race-winning single-seaters he's driven over the years, he does seem to enjoy the experience. At least it's got a bit more elbow room than what he's used to. Related Gallery Sebastian Vettel in Ferrari FXX K at Fiorano News Source: Ferrari Ferrari Supercars Videos F1 Sebastian Vettel fiorano ferrari fxx k

Stellantis reports record margins, $7B profits despite chip shortage

MILAN — Automaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it achieved faster-than-expected progress on synergies and record margins in its first six months as a combined company, despite suffering 700,000 units in lower production due to interruptions in the semiconductor supply chain. The company — formed from French carmaker Peugeot PSAÂ’s takeover of the Italian-American company Fiat Chrysler — reported net profit of 5.9 billion euros ($7 billion) in the first half of 2021, compared with a loss 813 million euros during the same period a year earlier, which was impacted by the coronavirus restrictions around the globe. Shipments rose 44% to 3.2 million units, while revenues rose 46% to 75 billion euros. “We are very pleased with the speed with which the new team has begun to execute as one company, as Stellantis,Â’Â’ Chief Financial Officer Richard Palmer told reporters. Semiconductor shortages accounted for 200,000 units of production losses in the first quarter and 500,000 in the second quarter. Semiconductors are used more than ever before in new vehicles with electronic features such as Bluetooth connectivity and driver assist, navigation and hybrid electric systems. Stellantis achieved 1.3 billion euros in cost savings in the first half, mostly by sharing investments in new technologies and platforms, which Palmer said was a faster rate than initially forecast. It aims to achieve 80% of the targeted 5 billion in cost savings by 2024. “These synergies allow us to continue to invest in the electrification strategy, which we talk about every day,” Palmer said. Stellantis, which lags competitors in rolling out electric vehicles, plans to launch 21 fully electric or plug-in gas electric hybrid vehicles over the next two years. North American posted record profitability on global sales of Ram trucks and the strong launch of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, which was the best-selling plug-in gas electric vehicle in the United States in the second quarter. Stellantis was the market leader in South America and second in Europe. The results were presented on a pro-forma basis, taking into account the performance of each of the carmakers as separate entities during 2020. Related video: 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 Inside and Out