I spotted this larger than life Ferrari F40 in Monterey, after all the Pebble Beach fanfare had come to a close. Meant to serve as a tribute for the brand’s 40th anniversary, F40 was actually the last car commissioned by Enzo before his death in 1988. The slippery, Pininfarina-designed body, whose advanced aerodynamics helped it to become the first road legal production car to break the 200 MPH barrier, is every bit as captivating as it was back in 1987 when F40 debuted as the brand’s unabashed halo car. Yes, after more than 23 years, F40 still manages to look more exotic and progressive than many of today’s exotic sports cars. The owner of this beautiful example was a little squeamish when I approached, camera in hand. He wasn’t too interested in talking shop with me, which in my experience makes him a rare exception to the rule when it comes to owners of exotic, highly collectible cars like this. But I managed to fire off a few shots before the twin-turbo engine roared to life and peeled off, leaving only the sounds of a hand-built Italian V8 in its wake.
[See more →]
The name California might sound familiar but the new drop top is anything but typical for the Italian fabricator of automotive lust. With California, the list of Ferrari-firsts is long – among them, the first front-mounted V8, first 7G dual clutch gearbox, first use of a retractable hardtop, and first multi-link rear suspension. I think there is however a couple of familiar family traits we can all agree have carried over nicely into the all-new model. It’s damn sexy looks and ability to make people want one.
[See more →]
I’ll give you a hint…it was only sold on these shores for one year and needed to change its name as not to conflict with one of the General’s popular models. Weigh in below with a make and model for your free Man on the Move t-shirt.
It’s not the rarest, fastest or prettiest prancing horse to ever come out of Maranello but it might just be the most easily recognizable thanks to an unusually high production volume (Ferrari built 12,000 308 models in all) and one dashing private investigator named Thomas Magnum.
[See more →]
As if legal immunity and ridiculous parking privileges weren’t enough, you can now add grey market importation to the list of cool shit Diplomats get away with in New York City. We’re not sure if this sexy 916-series Spider lives at the Italian consulate or not but it sure does look purty basking in the Mercer Street sunshine. The sighting also makes us that much more excited for the brand’s long-awaited U.S. comeback tour.
[See more →]
From the cheese grater side intakes to the glorious 1980s pop up style headlights, this baby is one of the more exotic models the Prancing Horse has ever put out. So it almost seems tragic to let this sports car icon wither away in the California sunshine. But its beautiful decay is also an indication of how much fun the owner has had behind the wheel. Nothing tragic about that. Although it does need some obvious TLC judging by the cobwebs cluttering the Pininfarina-designed side strakes and leaves caught in the engine cover. Common man, wash your damn Ferrari.
[See more →]
In one day I have attended a Concours d’Elegance dedicated to Ferrari, enjoyed a CNBC Biography about the legacy of Enzo Ferrari and stumbled upon the high octane chase scene in Bad Boys II where Will Smith’s 575MM victoriously chases down gun-toting Jamaican drug dealers driving a stolen tractor trailer. All this media exposure, public attention and unbridled enthusiasm for a brand that has never aired a single advertisement. It seems there is something to these cars from Maranello. Something beyond horsepower, top speed and technological advances. Something that gives young boys goose-bumps and makes grown men cut checks for obscene amounts of money.
[See more →]
We caught this stunning 2+2 sitting pretty on Central Park West. Most mentally sound individuals would think twice about parking their $120,000 Italian sports car on a busy urban street. But most people don’t live in Manhattan, where such careless disregard for high ticket items is entirely acceptable and not-at-all worrisome. Hey, if you have the bankroll to finance such a fabulous automobile than we would imagine your insurance payments are all up to date. We wonder if the Pininfarina-designed body would look silly with a Bumper Badger attached to the back.
[See more →]
