Ferrari’s not alien to the use of carbon fiber. They’ve used it to most of their higher tier cars like the F50 and the Enzo. However, the company’s not keen on using the material fleet-wide.

This comes as an announcement from Ferrari boss Amedeo Felisa. While rivals McLaren, Mercedes, Lambo, and BMW preparing to use the material extensively, Ferrari’s taking the conservative route.

“We will only use carbonfibre on very special cars which have a very low rate of production and which are not for everyday use, such as the new Enzo,” Felisa said.

According to Felisa, the long-term use of carbon fiber on vehicles has yet to be known. Felisa wants Ferrari to maintain its fleet’s repair-ability by sticking to more conventional materials.

“The fact is that nobody today has a real understanding of what happens if you damage a carbonfibre structure,” says Felisa.

Ferrari’s quite busy in developing new cars for the next five years. One of the more eagerly anticipated cars will be the next Ferrari Enzo.

Company boss Amedeo Felisa hinted on a few details in an interview with Autocar. Felisa said that the new Enzo will most likely pack a twin-turbo V8 when it comes out in 2012. Ferrari has been experimenting on turbo-charging, making it their crusade to solve turbo lag.

“There are no plans for a six-cylinder engine today,” Felisa said. “Ferrari will not build a six-cylinder engine until customer attitudes towards smaller engines change.”

Ferrari’s also “forced” to experiment with hybrid technology with increasing legislation for better economy. Felisa claims that their work on hybrids is largely to protect their use of the V12. Hybrids are sought to augment the efficiency of their V8s and V10s.

However, it can stake a claim at being the fastest production-derived sports car to ever lap the ‘Ring at an astonishing pace of 6:58:16.

The 599XX is derived from the 599 and is the basis of the 599 GTO. It’s powered by a 6.0L V12 that dishes out 700 hp. Its F1-derived gearbox gives it shifting times of 60 milliseconds.

Check out the video below:

We always like configurators especially since we don’t have the hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy ourselves Ferraris and McLarens. So configurators gives us a virtual taste of customizing our “own” supercars.

With the unveiling of the 599 GTO, Ferrari has deemed it fitting to make a configurator online as well. The 599 GTO’s configurator has the same features found in previous Ferrari configurators.

The configurator allows users to tweak the exterior (with paint colors and paint setups) and the interior (seats and consoles customizable with leather and Alcantara bits).

You can also take a snapshot of one setup, build another one and compare the two settings.

Ferrari has teased us long enough with the Ferrari 599 GTO. At last, they’ve unveiled it for everyone to see. Check out the fastest ever road going car to come out of Maranello.

The 599 GTO is powered by a 6L V12 that dishes out 661 bhp and 457 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed transmission that, combined with Ferrari’s electronic wizardry, shifts in 60 milliseconds. The powertrain enables the car to go from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds and go all the way up to 208 mph.

Aside from the power, aerodynamics gets part of the credit with the car’s ability to generate 144 kg of downforce at 120 mph thanks to the new nose, front spoiler and lower wing. The also uses lightweight materials to give the car a power-to-weight-ratio of 448 bhp/ton.

The car packs Ferrari’s latest driver aid systems and, combined with the tuned cassis, Ferrari claims the the car has “the almost complete absence of understeer.” Fancy that.

Source: Autocar

Oh Alonso, you lucky bastard. Not that you ever needed freebies with all the money you’re making driving F1 cars. It appears that Fernando Alonso will have another company car when he doesn’t fancy driving the Maserati GranCabrio.

Alonso’s 458 will be a white one with black interior. And to deter thieves, he’s even got his name and signature on the headrests of the front seats.

I hope Alonso realizes the irony here. The 458 Italia’s development involved his F1 rival Michael Schumacher just before the German switched sides to Mercedes.

I just hope that every time Alonso drives the 458, he gets to realize how Michael Schumacher will always be the better driver. I like Ferrari but for some reason, I don’t seem to like Fernando Alonso.

Source: Autocar

The Ferrari California still seems liked it’d be the mangy dog of the current lineup due to its front engined layout and its styling that seems to have been produced by a Corvette making mad angry tailpipe sex with a Z4.

Novitec Rosso, however, thinks that they can do better using the car as a base. And the first thing that they did – slap on a supercharger. The California packs a 4.3L V8 which dishes out 460 hp. With the supercharger, the car now gets 606 hp.

Now, performance-wise, the 460 hp doesn’t really give the California that much punch because of the structural reinforcements convertibles have. The car is now able to do a sprint from 0-62 mph in just under 3.8 seconds.

Other engine mods include a custom intake manifold, larger injectors, a performance exhaust, sport catalysts, and tweaked engine electronics.

To help all the other parts cope, the car also gets tuned suspensions and high-performance tires.

This is it, people. The end of the world is nigh for purist petrolheads – Ferrari is considering offering hybrids for all of their models! Ferrari and Fiat chairman Luca di Motezemolo announced that the Italian supercar maker is looking into offering hybrid versions of cars fleetwide within four years tops.

“This is a first step of a long project and we want within three years, maximum four, to have a hybrid Ferrari car ready for every single product of our range. This is our goal. In three years we aim to cut emissions by a minimum of 35 percent,” di Montezemolo announced to reporters.

Automakers are pressure to take into consideration economy and emissions due to the growing green legislation that require lower fleetwide figures. The legislation can limit their markets in Europe and the United States if automakers decide not to comply.

Ferrari showcased a green 599 GTB HY-KERS at the Geneva motor show. It showcases Ferrari’s developments in the hybrid front. The standard GTB Fiorano’s equipped with an electric motor together with its gasoline engine.

Now if Lambo does the same thing then maybe the green revolution has indeed won.

Ferrari just recently launched the 458 Italia so we can expect a few lulls in their release cycles. They can sure keep teasing us though.

The company just announced that they will be making a 599 GTO slated for later this year. Ferrari aims for the car to be a “more focused” version over the GTB (pictured) and HG TE models.

As for the power figures, the car is expected to dish out not less than 650 bhp and added torque is to be expected . The car will be put on a diet as well to lose a few more kiloframs.

We just hope that the road cars they’re building will be any good. For some reason, there’s an inverse relationship between the quality of their road cars and their F1 cars and it looks like they built one heck of a car for this coming season.

For no geek gearheads out there, GTO stands for Gran Turismo Omologato which means the car’s “homologated” or certified by several racing bodies to be qualified for racing.

Day 3 of Formula One testing and it’s Fernando Alonso’s turn to take the Ferrari out for a spin on his home track in Valencia.

The Spaniard did not disappoint his fans, clocking the fastest time of the day and keeping the Ferrari roll going. Looks like the Massa-Alonso tandem will be hard to beat with that new Ferrari of theirs.

Surprisingly, it just might be BMW Sauber’s season as well as Pedro de la Rosa came in second again in the lap time board continuing its second place streak from Day 1. Kamui Kobayashi clocked in second in Day 2 as well.

Michael Schumacher clinched 3rd yet again in his Mercedes. We can all just hope that he’d find his pace to match the Ferrari boys this season.

Jenson Button came in 5th in the day which gives doubt to his real skill as a driver. Lewis Hamilton was fast enough to clinch 3rd in Day 2.