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Ferrari's modular next-gen platform is under construction

Ferrari and Altair ProductDesign are teaming up to create a next-generation platform for the automaker's future vehicles, reports Automotive News. The platform will provide Ferrari with a base for several new flagship models, claims Altair in a press release that is no longer available, noting that the engineering and design company has worked with Ferrari for more than 10 years. According to the report, vehicles on the next-gen platform are expected to be lighter and better performing, and the platform will reduce vibration, noise, and harshness. Altair's designers and engineers worked alongside the automaker's manufacturing, design, and engineering teams in Italy to create the platform. Altair currently works with an extensive list of automakers on various design and engineering aspects for vehicle chassis. We reached out to Ferrari to get a better idea of what Altair is bringing to the table, but the automaker declined to comment about its relationship with suppliers or on future products. As previously reported, a modular platform would help Ferrari cut development time and share more parts within its lineup. The next generation of the Ferrari California is the first model expected to utilize the new platform and is predicted to be unveiled sometime next year.Related Video: News Source: Automotive News-sub.req., Altair ProductDesignImage Credit: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Plants/Manufacturing Ferrari Coupe Lightweight Vehicles Performance Supercars

Vettel steals victory from Hamilton in Australian Grand Prix

MELBOURNE, March 25 – Sebastian Vettel made full use of the virtual safety car to sneak in front of Lewis Hamilton and hold off the frustrated champion to win Formula One's season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. The Mercedes engine's infamous 'party mode' that delivered Hamilton a blistering pole lap on Saturday could do little once Ferrari's Vettel nosed ahead when re-entering from pit-lane midway through the race at Albert Park. Pole-sitter Hamilton had appeared set to coast to victory with a clear pace advantage but the race turned on its head with the safety car, which was called after Romain Grosjean's Haas failed and rolled to a stop at turn two. In another bonus for Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen finished third, fending off Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and leaving the unlucky Australian still searching for a first podium in his home race. "We got a bit lucky." Four-times world champion Vettel claimed a 48th overall win and his third in Melbourne following his victories at Albert Park last year and in 2011. "It was needless to say we got a bit lucky with the timing of the safety car," the German, who had started from third place and inherited the lead when Hamilton and Raikkonen had pitted earlier in the race, told reporters. "It's not the easiest track to pass." For Hamilton, the result was a bitter pill to swallow and had echoes of last year's race. Vettel also managed to re-enter in front of him from pit-lane in 2017 before burning away to victory while the pole-sitting Briton was blocked by traffic. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said his team had miscalculated the margin between the cars during the safety car period. "We thought we had enough margin," he told the BBC. "It must have been a software bug in the system that caused us to get it wrong. We are digging deep now to understand where we had a problem." "I don't understand what's happened." Hamilton, who cockily spoke of "wiping the smile off" Vettel's face with his pole lap on Saturday, battled to keep positive. "Even now I don't understand what's happened," the 33-year-old told reporters. "I did everything I believe I was supposed to do." After the pit-lane setback, Hamilton drove hard to reel in Vettel and battled back after taking a slide at a corner that blew out the lead to nearly three seconds. But he finally waved the white flag in the closing laps to preserve the car for future races.

New Ferrari 812 prototype spotted crawling around Maranello

In late 2018 the FerrariChat forum lit up with word that Ferrari planned three special editions of the 812Superfast. We saw one of them last November, in the targa-topped 812 GTS. The second was rumored to go even further with the undress, boasting a speedster-like form omitting the roof entirely as well as most of the windshield. If that arrives, it would slot into an expanding segment of supercar speedsters like the McLaren Elva and mysterious roofless Aston Martin. The third model was spoken of as a hardcore variant called 812 Monza or 812 MM, for Mille Miglia. Instagram user Wilco Blok posted photos taken by Lorenzo Roman that show a blacked-out 812 in prototype form prowling the streets of Modena. This is thought to be our first glimpse of what could be that hardcore variant, which The Supercar Blog now says "is being referred to as the 812 GTO."   This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The changes look mild for the moment, but could stand out when in full dress akin to the massaging given the F12 TDF compared to the standard F12. The prototype 812's front intake has opened up, set into a bumper that's had its creases smoothed over and could be slightly wider. The side sills have been taped over, and the air extractors in the rear fenders behind the rear wheels have been covered. In back, new bodywork protrudes around the exhaust outlets on both sides with what appears to be additional venting. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Autoevolution suspects this Ferrari will be the last to make use of the F140 V12 that the Enzo introduced to the world in 2002. Having started with a 6.0-liter displacement and an output of 641 horsepower and 485 pound-feet of torque in the Enzo, the figures have risen to 6.5-liters with 789 hp and 530 lb-ft in the 812Superfast. The outlet thinks Ferrari will up the 8,500 rpm redline in the hardcore 812 beyond the 9,000 rpm found in the 789-hp LaFerrari, in order to coax a naturally aspirated 850 hp from the 12-cylinder. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Ferrari likes to make splashes at the Geneva Motor Show, so there's a chance that's where we'll find out what the 812 has in store next.