2002 Ferrari 360 F-360 Spider on 2040-cars

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ATS rises from the ashes with its gorgeous GT supercar

Here's a name we haven't heard from in a while: Automobili Turismo e Sport is throwing its name back as an entrant in the war of the supercars with its new GT, a coupe that serves as a successor to a never-produced gran turismo car from the 1960s. True to its rarified segment, just 12 models will be produced starting at about $1.33 million, each highly customized to the purchaser's tastes. The coupe is a successor to the 2500 GT, which was revealed at the 1963 Paris Motor Show but never went into production before the entire company shut down in 1964. ATS was launched by Carlo Chiti and Giotto Bizzarrini after leaving Ferrari in 1961 due to a dispute with Enzo Ferrari. The initial aim was to beat Ferrari, and the company managed to produce a Formula One racer and the mid-engine 2500 GT. Despite teasing several models in recent years, the GT will be the company's first new production supercar in nearly half a century. Today's version of the company is being run by ATS's design chief, Emanuele Bomboi, and Daniele Maritan, a former race car driver turned importer and distributor of fast sports cars. The company insists this rebirth "is not a 'nostalgia' operation" and says it has other ideas it plans to develop beyond the GT. Bombi formerly worked for Fiat and Bertone, and it shows in the GT's styling. "The side silhouette of this new Gran Turismo is charged with energy, with clean lines framing arched surfaces," the company says. "The outlines above the wheel are evocative while a clean flowing line divides the car's upper and lower halves. As with the original car's design, the windows provide a focus for the flanks of the car." The new car also borrows its predecessor's front spoiler, which runs the whole width of the car with the same blue Dragon of Bologna logo, with two stripes running along the bonnet. It gets a carbon fiber body and chassis for a curb weight of 2,866 pounds. Powering the GT is a 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 mounted behind the cabin that does 650 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Or, buyers can upgrade to a 700-horsepower version with 553 lb-ft of torque. Either is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the rear wheels. Zero to 60 time is around 3 seconds, and top speed is around 206 mph. Three driving modes are offered — Viaggio, Sport and Corsa — with each configuration changing the colors of the cockpit controls from blue, to yellow and red, respectively. Does that sound a lot like the McLaren 650S to you?

Le Mans-raced 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM headed to auction

Vintage Ferrari models show up on the auction circuit all the time, but few can match this particular '53 340/375 MM Berlinetta Competizione in terms of historical significance. Not only did the machine compete in the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans, but this particular model managed to finish in second place before being disqualified for taking on extra brake fluid during a stop. More importantly, a total of three Formula One world champions have driven this car in competition at events like the Spa 24 Hours, Pescara 12 Hours and the Circuit of Guadeloupe.
The coolest part for us? Umberto Maglioli managed to set a public road stage record with this machine during the Carrera Panamericana by averaging 138 miles per hour over 223 miles. The effort was good enough to land the team a sixth place finish overall, and the record still stands to this day for any road stage anywhere. The 340/375 MM Berlinetta Competizione is up for auction in restored condition at the RM Auction event in Paris this week. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Sebastian Vettel's 13-race losing streak reflects Ferrari's struggles

MONACO — Sebastian Vettel's barren spell with Ferrari stretches to a dismal 13 Formula One races without a win, dating back to the Belgian Grand Prix last August. The veteran driver still holds No. 1 status at Ferrari mainly because of his experience. At times this season he has been slower than Charles Leclerc, his young and highly-motivated colleague keen to make an impression in his first season with the team. When asked if Vettel's performances had fallen below expectations for a four-time world champion, team boss Mattia Binotto defended him and said the problems were not down to the 31-year-old German. "First we need a good car ... which is performing sufficiently well to win," Binotto said. "It may be frustrating for him, no doubt. But first it's our duty to give him (one) that he can perform well (in)." The car is apparently not an issue Ferrari had anticipated. After strong performances in pre-season testing, it was touted as the team to beat, and even five-time champion Lewis Hamilton — winner of the past two championships — said so. But Hamilton and Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas have won all five races this season while Ferrari has a measly three podium places. The team's last win was by Kimi Raikkonen at the United States GP last October, two months after Vettel's victory in Spa. While Mercedes is all about smooth running, Ferrari's car is blighted by a front suspension issue, a deficit in cornering speed and such basic trouble as getting enough heat into the tires quickly enough. Ferrari's passionate tifosi fans, who are waiting for a first drivers' title since Raikkonen in 2007, are not happy with the current standings. Vettel is fourth, nearly 50 points behind championship leader Hamilton, while Leclerc is fifth. "After winter testing our confidence in the performance was higher than today," Binotto said with an air of resignation. "There are a lot of points to recover." Binotto has been with Ferrari a long time and was promoted from chief technical officer to team principal in January. He took over the role from Maurizio Arrivabene after two frustrating years in which Ferrari blew the title race, due to a bizarre combination of panicky errors from Vettel and a string of baffling strategical and technical mistakes within the team. Now there are worrying echoes of 2016 — when Ferrari failed to win a single race and Mercedes crushed its rivals.