Black Serviced Auto Targa Gts Manuals 2 Keys on 2040-cars

Auto blog

US Customs takes break from crushing Skylines, returns stolen Ferrari [UPDATE]

Update: A spokesperson from US Customs and Border Protection told Autoblog more details about the case. The thieves "completely removed the '81 VIN, and changed it to the '82 VIN," the spokesperson said. "The true VIN was identified through secondary numbers." US Customs and Border Protection often gets a bad rap among auto enthusiasts for the agency's propensity to crush fun cars, including Minis, Land Rovers, and Skyline GT-Rs. However, the group also sometimes finds stolen classic vehicles just before they leave the country. For example, officers recently recovered a stolen Ferrari nearly 30 years after the owner reported it stolen. The 308 GTSi was on its way to Poland from the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport on April 8th, but the officers found something fishy. This Ferrari was supposed to be a 1982 308 GTS, but running a check indicated that the coupe with that VIN left the US for Norway in 2005. "This VIN discrepancy is what 'raised a red flag' and prompted further scrutiny," CBP LA/LB Seaport Port Director Carlos Martel said in a statement. The CBP contacted the California Highway Patrol and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. A Ferrari expert eventually identified the car as a 1981 308 GTSi. Once the authorities obtained the correct VIN, the system listed the Ferrari as stolen from a consignment lot in Orange County, CA, on July 19, 1987. Unfortunately, the original owner doesn't get to enjoy having the Ferrari back. The Prancing Horse now belongs to the insurance company because it paid off the claim on the car decades ago. It might be worth trying to buy the Ferrari again, though. The red 308 GTSi still looks like a beauty in CBP's photo, and coupe has only covered 45,000 miles since 1981. Stolen 28 Years Ago, CBP Seizes Classic Red Hot Ferrari Release Date: April 14, 2016 "Red Flag" Prompts FEAR Team Scrutiny LOS ANGELES — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB) Seaport complex intercepted and seized a red 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi, destined to Poland, on April 8. It was stolen 28 years ago, has 45K miles and an estimated value of $50K. red 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi seized by CBP CBP officers at LA/LB seaport seized this 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi, destined to Poland. It was stolen 28 years ago. Falsely manifested as a "1982 Ferrari", analysis of its purported vehicle identification number (VIN) revealed that the VIN was previously used for a 1982 Ferrari 308 GTS exported in 2005, from the U.S.

Ferrari steering wheel may hold key to rocket F1 starts

Ferrari's brilliant getaways at the Australian Grand Prix were key to its early victory challenge – and could well be the result of a unique approach to new start restrictions that Giorgio Piola has uncovered. Although Mercedes locked out the front row of the grid in Melbourne, it was a sensational getaway from Sebastian Vettel that helped the German swoop into the lead by the first corner. As team boss Maurizio Arrivabene said: "The start was super. I have to say both of the drivers, they start like two rockets. After that they were able to take an advantage, and that was good for us." Such great starts from Ferrari are nothing new – just look at Hungary last year – but as Piola's exclusive drawing reveals, the team may well have taken things to an all-new level in ensuring it does not miss any detail in this area. In-built advantage As early as pre-season testing, rivals had been alerted about what Ferrari was capable of by monitoring data from Barcelona. Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: "We saw that in pre-season testing their starts have been really strong." Even ahead of the race, there were rumours that Ferrari knew it would excel in this area. Its decision to not do a second run in Melbourne's Q3 was mainly fuelled by its desire to save a set of super soft tyres for the race. But another suggestion also emerged – that the team knew just how good its starts were so securing the second row of the grid was good enough for it to believe it had a shout of the lead on the first lap. A single paddle As Piola's comparison of Ferrari's 2015 and 2016 steering wheel arrangement shows, the team has been the most aggressive in changing its clutch configuration for this year. New rules mean that drivers can only use a single hand on a single clutch paddle for the race start – even if teams choose to keep a double-paddle arrangement for emergencies. Ferrari has opted for something totally different to its main rivals by abandoning a double paddle arrangement (see red arrows on above left image). Instead, it has a single 'rocker' paddle that stretches all the way across the back of the wheel. Investing in such a dramatic design change clearly points to it having unlocked a decent performance advantage. The exact reasons for this configuration are unclear, but it may be that it allows the driver a greater feel for the clutch bite point – and means he is better able to judge how to deliver the perfect getaway.

Ferrari 458 Speciale A is most powerful Prancing Horse convertible ever

Let all of the speculation finally end because the convertible version of the Ferrari 458 Speciale is here. However, the Prancing Horse isn't calling it a spider; instead it's dubbed the 458 Speciale A, which stands for Aperta or "open" in English. It's also limited to a scant 499 cars, a few more than the 458 first rumored.
Regardless of its name or production numbers, what really matters is Ferrari's claim that this is its the most powerful droptop production model ever. That is thanks to the same 4.5-liter V8 from the hardtop Speciale, with 597 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque.
The aluminum-retracting top doesn't change performance much, while letting the wind blow through the owner's hair at ludicrous speeds. Ferrari claims the setup adds about 110 pounds (50 kilograms) to the overall weight and can open or close within 14 seconds. Acceleration to 62 miles per hour is reported at 3.0 seconds, about a tenth slower than the coupe, and the Aperta can hustle to 124 mph in 9.5 seconds.