Ferrari Telemetry Is the Answer to Corvette's Performance Data Recorder

Following Chevrolet’s presentation earlier this month of the Performance Data Recorder available on the Corvette Stingray, Ferrari has unveiled a similar system called Ferrari Telemetry.

Available for the F12berlinetta, 458 Speciale and LaFerrari sports cars, Ferrari Telemetry is a real-time telemetry system aimed at improving driving skills and helping owners re-live their on-track and off-track exploits.

The technology allows drivers to monitor the car’s position and analyze its performance by recording driving sessions and displaying the main data on the instrument binnacle. However, unlike the Corvette’s PDM, a high-resolution camera kit is only offered as an option by Ferrari Telemetry, adding simultaneous video recordings of the route and driving technique.

Ferrari says the system provides drivers “exactly the same technical support” as F1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen get during test sessions on the track and in the actual grands prix themselves.

Thanks to the huge amount of data available and a special Ferrari Telemetry App, drivers can compare their car’s performance over a series of different laps or even the same road route driven several times. You can see how the gadget works in Ferrari’s official video presentation posted below.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spyder Driven by Michael Jackson Up for Auction

If you’re experiencing a feeling of déjà vu after seeing these photos, it’s because this car was featured in 2012 on our website. The Ferrari Testarossa Spyder was not built by Ferrari, although the carmaker did commission Pininfarina to build a one-off model for the late Gianni Agnelli.

The silver-colored one-off really attracted a lot of attention at the time, with coachbuilders seeing a business case for converting Testarossas into convertibles. One of these companies was R. Straman of Costa Mesa, California, which converted a black Ferrari Testarossa for the 1987 Pepsi commercial “The Chopper”, which featured Michael Jackson behind the wheel. The conversion work cost $40,000 at the time.

Available for no reserve at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona (January 12-19), the 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spyder had a major service done in February 2013 by factory-authorized L.A. dealer The Auto Gallery that set the owner back $17,680. The car’s service history dates back to 1998.

Powered by a 4.9-liter flat-12 engine producing 390 horsepower and 361 lb-ft (489 Nm) of torque, the Testarossa coupe was able to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) from a standstill in 5.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h).

By Dan Mihalascu

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VIDEO

Ferrari F12 N-Largo by Novitec Has Wide Body Kit, Extra Power and Sound

The Ferrari F12 is for all intents and purposes, a supercar. Sure, it’s engine is not behind the driver, but it's behind the front wheels and only powers the rears. Should you need more from your F12, though, there are kits like the N-Largo by Novitec to help you achieve that, at least visually.

The most noticeable part of the package are the wider fenders which are very noticeably flared and filled by wider wheels measuring 21 inches at the front and 22 inches at the back. There’s also a new front bumper, different bonnet and a rear spoiler all of which are made out of carbon fiber so as to not add much more weight.

Power is slightly upped too, reaching 770 hp (781 PS) via an ECU remap and a new exhaust that makes it sound sweeter and louder than stock, as the video posted below proves; official photos are also attached.

By Andrei Nedelea

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VIDEO

Ferrari FF Hits Ford C-MAX Taxi Then Fence in Boston

Regardless of where the blame lies – be that the freezing conditions in Massachusetts, the driver of the Ferrari and/or the other car reportedly involved in the accident with the gunmetal FF seen in the above photo, a crashed Ferrari is never a pretty sight.

Here's all that we know about the incident at this time, courtesy of Wreckedexotics: "Ferrari FF collided with a Ford C-Max taxi last night in Boston. Witnesses say the Ferrari was making a lot of noise shortly before the crash."

You never know, but given how expensive it is to fix luxury cars in general, let alone special Italian exotics, and looking at the damages the supercar sustained, we would say that this Ferrari FF is either toast or an insurance write off.

- Do you have more information on the crash? Send us an email or tell us in the comments and we'll update this post.

Photo Credits: Wreckedexotics

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German Used Car Dealer Wants €2.38 Million for the First Production LaFerrari

Here’s one way to make a quick profit of over €1 million: pay €1.3 million ($1.77 million) for a Ferrari LaFerrari and then sell it for €2.38 million ($3.25 million).

Of course, to do that you need to be on Ferrari's top owners list, which is not that easy. Although only 499 LaFerraris will be built, it appears that the owner of the very first production model has already decided to sell the car.

Sporting a No.1 of 499 badge, the first production LaFerrari has surfaced on the website of luxury used car dealer SEMCO from Munich, Germany. The Italian exotic is listed for €2.38 million (including VAT) and has only 200 kilometers (124 miles) on the odometer.

So, for those who can afford a LaFerrari but couldn’t get on the carmaker’s list, this red LaFerrari provides a much simpler albeit pricier way to get hold of one.

The performance of Ferrari's fastest car will certainly make the owner forget about the €1 million premium: the hybrid LaFerrari has a total output of 950HP (963PS) and sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 3 seconds. 

By Dan Mihalascu

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Japanese Tuner Visibly Rivets Widebody Kit onto Ferrari 458 to Great Effect

Taking a supercar and modifying it is a bit crazy, and you really have to know what you’re getting yourself into, as most components are engineered to within very small tolerances to maximize performance, and whenever you alter them, you run the risk of ruining it if you’re not careful.

However, if you don’t like your Ferrari 458 in its stock form, then Japanese tuner LB Performance, a subsidiary of Liberty Walk, may have the unique kit you were looking for.

Applied here to a white Spider model and a dark grey coupe, the kit is meant to enhance the stance by adding extra cladding around both of the wheelarches, cladding which is fastened on with visible rivets that Enzo Ferrari might not have liked, but I sure do…

There are also custom side skirts that give the design continuity, as well as a front splitter and rear spoiler, as well as a lowered ride height and new wheels complete the look.

No performance mods are offered, but aside from a straight exhaust, I personally wouldn’t do anything else at all to it. The complete kit costs around €18,000 or $24,700.

Check out the gallery and flame-spitting video after the virtual jump.

By Andrei Nedelea

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VIDEO

Report Says Turbocharged Ferrari California Replacement is Due this Spring

While it may not be an official bit of confirmed information, the rumor that Ferrari will be turbocharging the replacement for the California folding-hardtop coupe has grown roots, as we’ve heard it so many times – it would make sense in the general context of things too.

Now, MotorTrend adds more to it by announcing a possible release period for the new car. It quotes information from Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa who told them that the car would not only get two turbochargers strapped onto a V8, but that this new car would see the light of day in the spring of next year.

The engine itself would apparently be a modified version of the one that powers the Maserati Quattroporte, which has 523 hp. The car it will power will have the same basic ingredients thrown in - including the roof, but the exterior would be new, as would the inside (we think it could be the vehicle depicted in these patent drawings). A new Chrysler UConnect-based infotainment system is speculated to go in, as well.

It is suggested that, by saying "spring", Felisa was referring to the Geneva motor show, in March, so until announced otherwise, we’re looking forward to that. Sales of the car would start during the latter part of 2014, if said scenario of a spring reveal plays through.

By Andrei Nedelea

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