Jeremy Clarkson takes to the wheel of the incredible McLaren MP4-12C as it meets its deadliest supercar rival, the Ferrari 458, in a full track test. Check the video above, as the two supercars battle it out for TopGear.
Today Neiman Marcus has released the 85th edition of their iconic Christmas Book and as usual the listings include anything from special edition clothing to tech gadgets, bags, accessories, down to the more extravagant pieces, including a boat and the above 2012 Ferrari FF Bespoke.
“The NM exclusive edition of the 2012 Ferrari FF jumps from 0 to 60 in less than 3.7 seconds and reaches top speeds of over 200 MPH. The top-of-the-line model features 651-horsepower and a V12 engine, a proprietary, lightweight 4WD system (4RM™), as well as a 7-speed, dual-clutch transmission for seamless automatic shifting. Each car is identified by a numbered interior plaque and unique exterior color, “Grigio Caldo.” The interior features soft-touch, semi-aniline leather with a matching custom luggage set. It comfortably seats 4 adults and features a class-leading 16 cubic feet of trunk space. The vehicle comes with Ferrari’s 7-year maintenance plan, and enrollment in the 2012 Ferrari Winter Driving Experience in Aspen, Colorado. 10 available.”
The special edition Ferrari, priced at 395′000 USD, can be pre-ordered from Neiman Marcus starting October 27th, 2011, and will be delivered Spring 2012.
Ferrari are to unveil their new two-seat super car at the Geneva Motor Show next March. It’ll replace their 599 GTB Fiorano, and be more powerful and lighter, becoming one of the company’s fastest-ever models. Currently dubbed as the F152, it’s been sighted near Ferrari’s base in Maranello, Italy – check our gallery to see it. It’s said that a new engine and transmission, developed from the Ferrari Four (FF), are being put through their paces.
The new 599’s spec is to include a 6.3-litre V12 direct-injection engine, producing 700bhp – 88bhp more than the current model. Unlike the FF, it won’t feature four-wheel drive – all the power will be sent to the rear wheels through the FF’s seven-speed twin-clutch transmission, with an F1-style electronic differential.
It’s slick styling draws inspiration from the 458 and FF, with a strip of LED daytime running lights at the front, a 599 GTO-inspired diffuser at the rear and dramatic buttresses either side of the rear window. Sales of the new car will start in late 2012, and the price is set to increase from the current car’s $333,730 to around $354,198.
Taking a classic car and making it look modern is one thing, but it’s definitely something else to make a new car to look like a classic. This concept’s been pulled off with the Ferrari 340 Competizione, that’s been built to pay homage to the 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico. Having been limited to only three examples, the Competizione is a one-off that started as a Ferrari 456 GT and kept its 470hp, 5.4L V12 and six-speed manual. Added features along development included new aerodynamics, suspension, brakes, an interior and aluminum bodywork, with modern detailing that’s reminiscent of the 340 Mexico.
High-end bicycle manufacturer Colnago have released a bicycle with fellow Italians, Ferrari. Together they’ve produced the CF8, that’s inspired by technologies developed by the car make. The CF8 has a carbon fibre frame which weighs just under seven kilograms and has a lamellar interior that provides superior steering precision. Other features include an electronic gear change activation, anatomical handlebars and carbon fiber wheels. The Colnago for Ferrari CF8 is a limited series of two hundred pieces available exclusively from Colnago.
Today Ferrari announced their 458 Spider, a convertible version of their 458 Italia sports car. The 570 horsepower racer comes with a foldable aluminum hardtop roof, which folds into a space in front of the engine in just under 14 seconds. That of course seems long, considering that this beast goes from 0-100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. Except for some other minor design changes and upgrades, the car looks pretty much the same as the 458 Italia. A release date has not been announced yet.
See the new roof top in motion in the video here below.
As part of record label EMI’s campaign to support the Japanese Red Cross, Daft Punk are auctioning off the black 1987 Ferrari 412 featured in their film “Electroma.” The set of wheels comes complete with a signed California “HUMAN” plate. Place your bid here, and be sure to check out all of EMI’s other Japan relief auctions on eBay, which include the Beastie Boys’ Japanese MTV Moon Man Award, amongst other items. All auctions end April 21, 2011.
Ferrari is offering up what is likely the most expensive book (at face value) ever published. By any means, The Official Ferrari Opus Enzo Diamante edition is what they’re calling “the most exclusive book in the world.” The book weighs 37kg, is bound in the finest leather (in the colour of your choice) and features a 16 x 12cm 32.3-carat diamond-encrusted silver Prancing Horse studded with approximately 1500 stones (clarity ‘VVS-VS1’, colour is ‘F’)… and it’s strictly limited to one copy per country. So if you want one, you better get on it.
In an interesting collaboration, Canadian retailer Livestock has gotten together with Ferrari and Puma on a sneaker collaboration. The collaboration consists of overall 4 shoes in 4 different colorways.
“With Ferrari as inspiration, the colour palette was easy, Red, Black and Yellow. Classic Ferrari colours. For the interior of the shoe we used a leather insole and perforated pig skin for the lining. The footbed has a Livestock race track screened onto it with corners being named after things related to Ferrari, Livestock , F1, and Puma. With our branding covered on the insole and the lace locks, and Puma’s branding being in the classic spots, we decided that the Ferrari shield logo would fit perfect on the back of the shoe. One of the signature details of the suede is the perforated size marker on the tongue.
We decided this is the perfect place to pay homage to one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, who also happens to be Canadian, Gilles Villeneuve, #27. When the day comes for Livestock and Puma team up and campaign a car in the Ferrari challenge, I hope to wear the number 27. To wrap up the motor sports theme we used all black soles and had them scored to take on the feel of a race tire and packaged the shoes in a helmet bag. This collection of shoes has been offered to select retailers around the world, Puma’s List dealers and is being produced in very limited numbers.
As always with almost all of the Puma List shoes, there will be one more colour way that is exclusive to the designing store, in this case it’s us. This final shoe is based on the Livestock X PUMA Honda S2000 race car that we won last years Improved Production2 championship with.
Keeping it clean and inline with the car’s colours the shoe is all white. The ferrari logo is not used on this one instead it is replace with the #46, our race number, picked in tribute to Valentino Rossi, the greatest motorcycle rider of all time.”
For the last collaboration of the pack, Livestock also produced a nice video. Check that out here below.
A better look at all sneakers from the collaboration follows after the jump.
In crazy car news, we show you today this Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Desert Camo version. Of course at first everybody thought Nigo was in town, but it turns out it is a local owner, spotted here in Frankfurt, Germany. Once again a brave move to apply a desert camo colorway to such an expensive and exotic car, as if one does not attract enough attention with a regular colorway on the car. What do you think? Is this better or the recent Nigo 300 SL that we presented a while back? Via Autoblog.
More images of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Desert Camo follow after the jump.
