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Ferrari vs. Ferrari: Cut convertibles unloved by collectors?

The New York Times' Wheels blog has a really interesting story on a pair of Ferraris that are set to be auctioned off in Monterey during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. While the two cars are similar on the surface, their differing histories and Ferrari's attitude towards one of them has led to a sort of experimental auction process.
On the one hand, we have one of ten 1967 275 GTB/4 NART Spiders, in the classic Rosso Corsa and appearing at RM Auctions and seen above. On the other, we have a Fly Yellow version that started life as a 1965 275 GTB Coupe, and was converted into a NART Spider. Called a "cut" car, this particular replica is one of about 100 GTB Coupes that were converted into convertibles to satiate the climbing demand for ultra-rare Spiders.
This will mark one of the first times that an original NART Spider will go toe to toe with a replica of itself at auction, and will answer a number of questions about just how important provenance is in the collector car world. Head on over to The Times blog for the full story.

Race Recap: 2013 German Grand Prix is old beginnings, new endings [spoilers]

Just like at Silverstone last weekend, the German Formula One Grand Prix started with Lewis Hamilton putting his Mercedes-AMG Petronas on pole. The only thing missing at the pointy end of the grid was his teammate Nico Rosberg, who lined up beside him in England but back in 11th in Germany because of a team error in qualifying. So instead it was Vettel in the first Infiniti Red Bull in second, his teammate Mark Webber in third, the Lotus duo of Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean.
Again, just like at Silverstone - and Canada - Daniel Ricciardo used his magic beans to impress with the Toro Rosso, lining up in sixth, followed by Felipe Massa in the first Ferrari, Fernando Alonso in the second. Jenson Button in the McLaren, Nico Hülkenberg finished up the top ten.
When the lights went green, it didn't take long for the race to become a black-and-blue affair...

Ferrari reveals extra 'speciale' 458

Ferrari revealed this creamy white riff on the 458 on Tuesday. But don't get too excited: It's a one-off creation built specifically for a British owner. Called the 458 MM Speciale, the supercar debuted at Fiorano, where Ferrari chief test driver Dario Benuzzi and the unnamed owner turned laps. The 458 MM Speciale is based on the 458 Speciale and uses its natural aspirated V8 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. This one-off is painted a shade of white called Bianco Italia. The Italian flag colors are used for stripes that run down the center of the car. Designed by the Ferrari Styling Center, the car has blacked-out A-pillars that create a visor look, updates to the aluminum bodywork, and carbon-fiber composite bumpers. There is also a new side air scoop, new air intakes, and the radiators are mounted at different angles to aid cooling. There's a tasteful spoiler in back, and the speedster rolls on eye-catching wheels with a custom cluster pattern. Inside, the owner chose an upgraded audio system and Cioccolato leather with white stitching. The controls are accented with satin white rings. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ferrari 458 MM Speciale Design/Style Ferrari Coupe Supercars