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Buongiorno Roma! What the beautiful GT means for Ferrari's future

The new Ferrari Roma was seen in the flesh during its unveiling in Rome yesterday, and I can confirm that it is not only one of the most beautiful Ferraris in recent memory, but one of the handsomest of any contemporary sport or luxury car. Its details are predictably rich, well rendered, and pointedly, alluring and accessible. But it is not just the details in a car from the famed Italian sports car manufacturer, and one that is expected to start at around $250,000. "If you now go in the market, and you ask someone who can afford (a Ferrari) — because this is not a cheap product —why don't you buy a Ferrari? They are tempted, but most of them are a bit afraid. 'I don't know if I can drive it, it's very aggressive,'" said Enrico Galliera, the brand's chief marketing officer, in an interview with Autoblog. "And that's one of the major answers. It's not, 'It's too expensive,' or 'I don't want to have fun driving.'" There's a kind of fear of the brand's reputation for aggression and showiness. The Roma is intended to soothe these concerns, and entice new clients into the Ferrari stable. This is accomplished by making everything at once more sophisticated, more mature, and more enticing. On the inside, one is especially drawn to the big, curved and crystalline LCD instrument panel and large center screen, the cozy and coddling leather seats, and the new aviation-inspired metal toggles that act as the transmission selector. Less impressive are the capacitive haptic "buttons" on the steering wheel, but judgment will be reserved on those until we have a chance to experience them while driving, instead of just while sitting on a stage making embarrassing vroom-vroooooommmmmm noises. But it is the outside that really has me drooling. This is not just because the Roma has classical rear-drive GT proportions, with a fiendishly long hood, a selfish not-quite-four-place cabin that the brand describes simply as a "2+," and a truncated Kamm-back tail. It is because the design is so improbably clean, devoid of the strakes, scoops, spoilers, or even ancillary lines that corrupt so many modern cars. Especially evocative is the treatment of the front and rear, both of which are impossibly low, without ever feeling threateningly so. It all feels of a piece, and there's not a bad angle. "We want to transmit this idea of harmony, and a beautiful dynamic in balance," said Ferrari head of design Flavio Manzioni.

Lego provides one of the cheapest ways to own a Bugatti Chiron

Just over a month ago, we got a look at one of the latest Lego Speed Champions sets when Ford revealed the GT and GT40 kit. Now we get to see the rest of the lineup, and it's chock full of F1 and supercar goodness. The official Lego images show that the Bugatti Chiron, Mercedes-AMG GT3, Ferrari FXX K, and F1 cars from Ferrari and Mercedes all made the cut. Each set gets some unique features and most include interchangeable wheel covers. The Chiron comes with some tiny cones suitable for desk slaloms and the Mercedes-AMG GT3 gets an alternate nose. The FXX K comes has the most impressive selection of accessories, though, as it includes a dyno and engine run stand. The F1 sets are divided similarly, but with Mercedes getting more extras. The Brick Fan also reports that the Mercedes kit may be exclusive to select stores. The Ferrari kit only comes with a starting light, but the Mercedes set includes a garage, starting lights, and winner's circle. It'll be up to you whether you put Hamilton or Rosberg in that winner's circle. According to The Brick Fan, these kits are set for release in winter 2017. Since the Ford GT set has a release of March 1, we expect the rest will hit stores in the next couple of months. They're sure to be great additions to anyone's existing Lego garage. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Lego Speed Champions sets News Source: The Brick FanImage Credit: Lego / The Brick Fan Toys/Games Bugatti Ferrari Ford Mercedes-Benz Lego Bugatti Chiron ferrari fxx k

New Ferrari 488 variant spied at the 'Ring

Most Ferrari models eventually give birth to various special-edition or short-run variants. The Ferrari F12berlinetta gave way to the F12tdf. The Ferrari 458 Italia signed off with the wonderful 458 Speciale. It looks like the Italian automaker's current mid-engine V8 offering, the 488 GTB, is ready to spawn a variant of its own. Exactly what the model might be remains to be seen. There are plenty of rumors surrounding the car. This could be a focused, track-ready version in the vein of the 458 Speciale. If that's the case, look for more power, less weight, and improved aero. The car should pack bigger brakes, a stiffer suspension, revised tuning, and a bare-bones interior. There are also rumors that the car will pack a KERS system similar to the one run on Ferrari's Formula 1 cars. That should provide an extra bit of electrical boost. A car like this is almost a given. The past few mid-engined Ferraris have all had a high-performance variant. Then again, this car could also be the lower-powered, less-expensive Ferrari Dino that's been whispered about for a while. If that's the case, look for a lower horsepower V8 (or even a V6, if Ferrari would be so bold). It would likely stack up against the McLaren 570S and Lamborghini Huracan 580-2. This may come as a shock to some, but Ferrari has made no bones about expanding production. A relatively low-cost model could easily boost sales. The car in these photos gives no real indication as to what it may be. There's thin plastic camouflage covering most of the car. As always, it's difficult to tell what may have changed, but it looks like there have been revisions to the front bumper. The glass over the engine cover has been draped with a thin sheet of plastic, hiding what rests beneath. Ferrari has been mum on the model, but this isn't the first time we've seen the car out. Look for more news this fall. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ferrari 488 spy shots View 14 Photos Image Credit: Car Pix Spy Photos Ferrari Coupe Performance Supercars ferrari dino ferrari 488 ferrari 488 challenge