Toyota MR2 Turned into Ferrari F430 Replica Showcased at Meeting Alongside the Real Thing

This isn't the first time we've seen a Toyota MR2 dressed up as something else, in this case a Ferrari F430 Spider, but the story here is that the owner of the replica took it to a classic / sports car meeting of some sorts in The Netherlands parking it close to the real Italian deal. Talk about having faith in your creation... See all the pictures after the break.

Via: Autoblog.nl , Autojunk.nl

Paris Show: Ferrari California HELE gets Stop- Start Tech, Emits 23% Less CO2

Visitors to the 2010 Paris Motor Show may have noticed a rather innocuous looking, black-topped Ferrari California on display at the automaker's stand. This is the Ferrari California HELE, which stands for High Emotion Low Emissions. Think of it as a Ferrari for the environmentally conscious.

Featuring a host of technological jiggery including intelligent fan and fuel pump control, adaptive gear shift and "electronically controlled variable displacement"...air conditioning, the California HELE is said to reduce CO₂ emissions by 23% over its non-HELE sibling.

That's 270 g / km down from 299 g /km. The California HELE also features a stop / start system that can restart the car's engine in an impressive sounding 230 milliseconds.

Ferrari is also introducing some new two-tone finishes - no doubt for the 599 GTO wannabes - and water-resistant leather for its California range. There's no word on pricing or launch dates, or in what markets the California HELE will be sold. No doubt buyers will pay a premium over the non-HELE base model.

By Tristan Hankins

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

MPH Show Website Polls Brits on their Ultimate Driving Partner and Cars

We've already reported on the upcoming Top Gear Live show at the MPH: The Prestige & Performance Motor Show at Earl's Court this November. Now the organizers' website has polled some 2,500 men and women on their preferences for dream cars and dream passengers. Details after the jump.

If you are into girls, your choices are U.S. singer Katy Perry, U.K. singer Cheryl Cole, U.K. TV host and model Holly Willoughby, former Friends cast member Jennifer Aniston or Hollywood star Halle Berry.

These lovely ladies will be riding shotgun in either a Lamborghini Gallardo, Spyker C8 Aileron, Bugatti Veyron, McLaren MP4 12C or Pagani [Zonda] Cinque

If, on the other hand, you are into guys you can choose from Twilight star Robert Pattison, action man Jason Statham, the needs-no-introduction Brad Pitt, ex-footballer David Beckham or Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney.

These fine gentlemen will be your co-pilot of choice in a Ferrari 458, Aston Martin One-77, Lamborghini Gallardo, Alfa 8C Competizione or Bugatti Veyron.

Oddly enough, I had to Google two of the girls, yet knew who all the men were. Speaking of which, I have to ask: Katy Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Robert Pattison and David Beckham? Really?

I think I'd rather cruise around with Mayor of London Boris Johnson or Octomom Nadya Suleman then any of them. And that's saying something. At least the polled seem to have better taste in cars than company.

By Tristan Hankins

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

VIDEO: C&D Pits Lexus LFA Against Ferrari 599 HGTE

In 1971, one of the greatest one-on-one boxing matches took place in New York's Madison Square Garden: the bout between Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier. So big was this event, advertisers dubbed it, 'The Fight of the Century'. Now, two different contenders take to the ring (uh...tarmac). The reigning champion: the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE. The challenger: the Lexus LFA. Video after the jump.

One is a purebred, Italian racehorse with decades of motor racing heritage under its belt. The other is the new kid on the block: the young hood with its 'doof doof' music and unshakable will to win.

So maybe I went a bit too far with the boxing analogy...

The real scoop here is U.S. magazine Car and Driver putting the V12-powered 599 GTB HGTE and V10-powered LFA through their paces on the narrow, sodden backroads of Wales. Technical editor Michael Austin is behind the wheel of the Ferrari while executive editor Mark Gillies is in the Lexus. Their goal: to find out which of these two, similarly priced front engined, rear-wheel-drive GTs is the best?

Watch the video and decide for yourselves.

By Tristan Hankins

VIDEO

Supercar Imola - Ferrari Sports Car Concept by John Mark Vicente

 Supercar Imola Ferrari Sports Car Concept by John Mark Vicente

The another design by John Mark Vicente: the Ferrari Imola, after the sublime Bugatti Renaissance concept. According to the author, his Ferrari concept car is inspired by the Ferrari F70 created by Randy Rodriguez and the Dino Competizione by Sacha Selipanov.

This time, an Italian one that could give plenty of ideas to the designers at Ferrari. Imola is a spider without windscreen and has a future hybrid Ferrari V6 engine. The designer used triangular and trapezoidal shapes to create the head and tail lights and the grille.

The enormous rims and semi-slick tires underline the aggressiveness of the vehicle. This supercar is ready to take on the road monsters like Ariel Atom, Caparo T1, KTM X-Bow and especially the Lotus Elise.

 Supercar Imola Ferrari Sports Car Concept by John Mark Vicente

2010 Ferrari Sports Cars 612 GTO Concept Cars

 2010 Ferrari Sports Cars 612 GTO Concept Cars

Sasha calls himself 'the angry car designer' for some reason, and has no time for fools. A pure conceptual study for a top-end Ferrari, possibly a future generation of the 612 Scaglietti, Selipanov design proposal appears to borrow bits and pieces from certain supercars like the Aston Martin One-77 as well as Maranello’s own 458 Italia.

The Ferrari 612 GTO concept is the work of Sasha Selipanov, an extremely talented, and also incredibly irate, automotive designer based in Berlin, Germany.

The 612 GTO concept is a proposal for the next generation 612 Scaglietti, but with a high-performance GTO twist and completely revised aesthetics. Sasha calls himself 'the angry car designer' for some reason, and has no time for fools.

For the 612 GTO concept Sasha has used influences from the classic Ferrari 250 GTO - which is evident in the triple air intakes molded into the hood.

2010 Ferrari Sports Cars 612 GTO Concept Cars

2011 Ferrari Sports Cars 458 Challenge 4497 cc V8 Engine

 

 2011 Ferrari Sports Cars 458 Challenge 

Coming just a few months after the 2010 Frankfurt Motor Show unveiling of the Ferrari 458 Italia on which it is based, the Ferrari 458 Challenge introduces a number of important modifications to adapt it for competition use. Ferrari 458 was presented the 2010 Frankfurt Motor Show. Lately, the Ferrari 458 Challenge has made its world premiere debut in Maranello during the Annual Dealer Meeting.
With the new 458 Challenge, Ferrari is offering its sportier clients - professional and gentlemen drivers alike - a car that is extremely responsive, with great performance and superb handling. This mid-rear V8-engined berlinetta will allow Ferrari Challenge participants to enjoy to the full the exhilarating cut and thrust of the race weekends on the world's leading circuits, as well as the passion that has always been an integral part of Ferrari's one-make championship.
The Ferrari 458 Challenge introduces a number of important modifications to adapt it for competition use. This car use the direct injection 4497 cc V8 remains strictly in production tune, with an output of 570 hp at 9,000 rpm. That said, modifications have been made to the gear ratios and calibration of its dual-clutch F1 gearbox to assure gamier torque at bluer revs. The Ferrari 458 dispute are as well equipt with the E-Diff electronic differential already employed on the road-going adaptation, a 1st for Ferrari’s track-only automobiles.

 2011 Ferrari Sports Cars 458 Challenge

For a Ferrari Challenge model is the adoption of the F1-Trac traction control system, the most sophisticated of its kind. The F1-Trac system constantly monitors levels of grip for maximum high-performance road-holding. Two specific track-biased calibrations – wet and dry – have been developed for this application.
Important work has also come in abbreviating the auto angle. This centered both the exterior and interior with Ferrari’s engineers boiling down particularly about abbreviating the thickness of the bodyshell panels and on using lightweight cloths, such carbon-fibre and Lexan.

Ferrari Sports Car FSX Concept Four-Door Supercar Sedan

It is intended to be a car for people who enjoy going on road trips with friends or family, but also like the feeling of driving a sports car. It looks to have 4 doors which is pretty unexpected because that there exists any other Ferrari car with more than two doors. This Ferrari FSX Concept also comes in these photos with a really cool design for the rims which really fits with this Ferrari FSX Concept.

Ferrari Sports Car FSX Concept

The FSX has floating A and C pillars that direct the airflow around the top of the car, into the engine bay, keeping the V12 engine cool. To provide downforce, air is passed through the revolving rear spoiler. Also at the front of the ride there’s an adjustable splitter, that directs air in the split radiators placed on each side of the Ferrari supercar.

This is a really cool, the FSX is a Ferrari concept car, but also interesting concept because it comes with a high tech design, or a concept design or any other way you want to call it. The Ferrari FSX Concept is a 4 door pretty unexpected sedan, it it comes with a high tech design and was designed to fit neatly into the Ferrari lineup. 

The vehicle is a four-door sedan powered by a naturally aspirated mid-mounted V12 engine. The FSX is a Ferrari concept car designed by Academy of Art University (San Francisco) graduate, Paul Kim. This is cool vehicle is Ferrari FSX Concept, the full name is Ferrari Sedan Xperiment. The name “FSX” stands for Ferrari Sedan Xperiment, because this is pretty much what this vehicle stands for, an unusual design experiment.

2009 Ferrari F430 Car Design

2009 Ferrari F430 Red Car Design

Ferrari F430 2009 Interior Car Design

2009 Ferrari F430 Spider Car Design

Ferrari F430 Show Car Design

Ferrari F430 Scuderia Car Design

Ferrari F430 Black Edition Car Design