2012 Ferrari 458 Coupe on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ferrari to debut new twin-turbo California in the spring

Ferrari hadn't made a turbocharged engine since the F40 ended its production cycle in 1992. But that all changed when it helped Maserati develop its new 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8. That turbo engine has so far been shoehorned into the Quattroporte, along with its 3.0-liter V6 cousin that also powers the smaller Ghibli. But soon it'll wear the Prancing Horse badge as further details emerge on the next-generation California.
Set to arrive in time for the spring (likely to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March), the new California will reportedly ditch its naturally-aspirated V8 in favor of a reworked version of the Quattroporte's twin-turbo unit, which at 523 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque is already considerably more muscular than the current California's 483 hp and 372 lb-ft.
The new California will likely be closely based on the outgoing model, but benefit from revised aluminum sheetmetal and an updated cabin with a new infotainment system - two areas in which the current model has scored low marks.

Race recap: 2016 Australian F1 Grand Prix a rowdy start to season

The three brief Formula 1 tests ahead of the current season belied how much had gone on since the last race in November: Infiniti subbed out for Tag Heuer, Renault is back, the all new Haas F1 team, a revamped Manor, three brand new drivers and two returning drivers, a raft of regulation changes among the newly tilled soil. The four engine manufacturers spent a combined 67 tokens among the 138 in the kitty, Renault using just seven of their 32. The only conclusive proof to come from the annual intermission was the otherworldly capability of Mercedes-AMG Petronas. The Silver Arrows didn't even try the super- and ultra-soft tires, focusing on reliability instead of speed. The result? They ran more than 19 race distances, obliterating the lap totals of every other team. There are certainly a few people who enjoyed the complicated new rolling-elimination qualifying format fast-tracked to approval just a few weeks ago. They were wildly outnumbered by those who thought it was awful, including the same team heads who voted for it. We'd probably have to go back to the debacle at the 2005 Indianapolis Grand Prix for an equivalent fiasco when Michelin pulled its teams over safety fears, leaving six cars out of 20 to qualify. In Australia, within 24 hours of the conclusion of qualifying, the new format had itself been eliminated. Nevertheless, qualifying also taught us what didn't happen over the winter: any other team progressing enough to outduel Mercedes. After admitting that he dropped off after winning the championship last year, then getting questioned in the press for some dubious off-season activities, Lewis Hamilton proved he can still turn it on when he wants to. The Brit smoked the Albert Park track in 1:23.837, more than three-tenths of a second ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg in second place. Ferrari did make strides during the off-season, but only enough to keep the same gap it had to Mercedes last year: Sebastian Vettel lined up third, a half-second behind Rosberg, teammate Kimi Raikkonen another four-tenths back in fourth place. Max Verstappen said Toro Rosso is the best of the rest, the Dutchman taking fifth place in front of Felipe Massa for Williams in sixth and Toro Rosso teammate Carlos Sainz in sixth. Daniel Ricciardo – who wasn't smiling after qualifying – kept Red Bull and its new "Tag Heuer" engines in the conversation with eighth on the grid.

Ferrari fined 50,000 euros after Kimi Raikkonen runs over mechanic

MANAMA, Bahrain — Ferrari was fined 50,000 euros ($61,385) on Sunday after one of its Formula One mechanics was hit by Kimi Raikkonen's car and suffered a broken leg during a Bahrain Grand Prix pitstop. Raikkonen, who had been in third place, was told to stop immediately and retired in the pitlane while teammate Sebastian Vettel went on to win. At an IndyCar race in Phoenix over the weekend, meanwhile, Alexander Rossi and Sebastien Bourdais both also were penalized when they made contact with their mechanics. Ferrari said the mechanic on the left rear wheel, named only as Francesco, had been taken to hospital with a suspected shin bone and fibula fracture. He was knocked over as the Finn was wrongly given the signal to leave with only three tires replaced and the other still to be removed. "I go when the light is green. I don't see what happens behind and unfortunately he got hurt," said Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion. "My job is to go when the light says so. Hopefully, he's OK." The Finn was left sitting in his car for a while before stepping out while the mechanics focused on their stricken team mate on the floor. Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne wished the mechanic a speedy recovery in his post-race statement. "I am sorry for Kimi who could certainly have finished on the podium," he added. It was the second time Ferrari had been penalized for an unsafe release over the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. It was fined 5,000 euros after Raikkonen was sent out of the pits with a loose wheel in Friday practice. Race stewards said that in Sunday's incident the car was released "in a manner endangering team personnel and causing injury." Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Getty Motorsports Ferrari Racing Vehicles F1 Kimi Raikkonen sebastien bourdais