[Video] Ferrari 599 China Edition for 1.2 Million Euros

A one-off Ferrari has been auctioned off for €1.2 million, including taxes. The Ferrari 599 China was snapped up by an anonymous, silent auction participant based in Shanghai.

Chinese artist Lu Hao designed the 599 with pottery patterns from the Song Dynasty before it was shown off at the automakers' fundraising dinner at the Red Gate Gallery in Beijing. The automaer has distributed a 2:23 video detailing the entire process. The video is insightful, but uses somewhat overly dramatic music for a relatively lighthearted affair.

Proceeds from the sale provide funding for Tsighua University auto engineering students and teachers to study at the Politecnico di Milano university in Italy. Scholarship winners will also get the opportunity to intern at Ferrari.

Other items auctioned off included a Michael Schumacher-signed helmet and model car, and race-worn overalls from F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella.

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Ferrari 458 Italia Pricing Revealed

European pricing for the Ferrari 458 Italia will begin at €162,900 excluding tax, according to a leaked pricing sheet obtained by TeamSpeed.com. The document also indicates that UK pricing should begin at £149,246, with value-added tax costing an additional £26,118 in that country.A second sheet, found on Dutch website AutoGespot, indicates VAT in the Netherlands as €30,951, with an additional passenger car tax of €77,271, making the on-the-road cost €271,122.

While these prices are higher than the F430, which this vehicle replaces, they are not as high as expected. Naturally, Ferrari has set option prices for the 458 Italia that could easily add thousands of Euros, Pounds, or Dollars to the pricetag.Metallic paint sets you back €2,350 (£2,153), but if you want the car painted in a signature 1950s or 1960s color, expect to pay another €7,050 (£6,459). If you order the €2,200 (£2,016) electric seats, add another €2,030 (£1,860) to include racing harnesses. Painted brake calipers may look nice inside the €3,500 (£3,207) 20-inch forged alloy wheels, but add another €850 (£779) for the design touch.

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Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE China Limited Edition models will be made

Ferrari will be releasing a limited edition of the 599 GTB Fiorano for the Chinese market. Less than a dozen of the 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE China Limited Edition will be made available for sale.
The limited edition series was developed by Ferrari in partnership with the celebrated Chinese artist Lu Hao. The models come in a two-tone color scheme, featuring a special Rosso Fuoco "fire red" body color mated to a grey roof. The design is also infused with Chinese elements by the artist Lu Hao, inspired by Ge Kiln porcelain and the storied Silk Road (which brought Italian explorer Marco Polo to China) of Chinese literature. Hao uses an ancient Chinese script called "Xiao Zhuan" to engrave a name plaque for each edition as well as mark the car throughout, such as on the engine start button and the rev counter.
The HGTE package (Handling GT Evoluzione) was added to make this limited edition the top performer that it is for a front-engine Ferrari. The model will come with the 599 GTB Fiorano's standard 6.0 liter V12 engine with 620 hp and 608 Nm of torque.

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With Ferrari Alonso could earn 150m euros

Fernando Alonso's new Ferrari contract could see him race for the famous Italian team until the end of the 2015 season, and earn him 150 million euros, according to reports on Tuesday in the Spanish press.
The reports, in the newspapers AS and Diario Sport based mainly on the information of the radio station SER, said Spaniard Alonso, 27, is guaranteed three seasons at Maranello with an automatic option to extend in 2013 and 2014.
In addition to the terms of three years plus two, yet another conditional option to extend until the end of 2015 is reportedly also included. It is believed he will earn about 25 million euros every year.
The document has purportedly already been deposited with the Contract Recognition Board, and could be announced officially at 10am local from the Suzuka circuit in Japan on Thursday.
However, Italy's Corriere dello Sport claimed that while an announcement on Thursday is likely, the official news might also have to wait until Friday.
Former twice world champion Alonso, who has driven for Minardi and McLaren and is moving from his current team Renault, is also expected to take with him some of his preferred engineers.
His replacement at Renault will almost certainly be the Pole Robert Kubica, whose teammate will be the incumbent Romain Grosjean.

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Ferrari 458 Italia Initial Design Renderings by ASI

Japanese tunere ASI is used to taking on risky projects. They have attacked many already-high priced cars, and tried to make them better. Previous cars they have modified include the Bentley Continental GT, called the ASI Tetsu GTR, and the Ferrari 430.

Company CEO Satoshi Kondo has announced that his team of engineers are hard at work on their latest project: an aerokit for the Ferrari 458 Italia. Kondo authorized the release of these sketches, well in advance of the final prototyping, in effort to prevent future accusations of design theft.

A new front end is amongst the expected design changes, featuring with a new nose, larger hexagonal air intakes, and vents in front of the blacked-out wheels. The sketches also show a new wing mounted at the back.

If the company's mods on the F430 are any indication, do not expect a retuned engine. Instead, look for the new body parts to shave weight when compared to the old parts. The ASI F430 received a 27kg weight reduction when it was introduced in June.

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Ferrari Owners Get Together in Sundern, Germany

More than 80 Ferrari models of all sorts and kinds made their way to the town of Sundern in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, for a meeting that was organized by Antonio Capristo, owner of Capristo Exhaust Systems GmbH, a company that specializes on customized exhaust systems for sports cars. Oddly enough, aside from the Prancing Horse supercars, a few Lamborghini and Maserati owners also took part in the event. You can check out all the photos from the Ferrari gathering right after the break.

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Fiat Unleashes 500-Based Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari: Limited Edition Sport Model with Over 180HP

The same Italian supercar maker that's so protective about its name that went as far as to threaten to take legal actions against a Brit that created a 360 Modena limo unless he removed all Prancing Horse emblems, has now given its blessings for the creation of a special edition version of the Fiat 500 Abarth... And unlike last year's special Fiat 500 that is only used as a courtesy car for the Ferrari sales network, the performance-orientated Abarth 695 'Tributo Ferrari' will go on sale.

Fiat said that the new Abarth 695 "Tributo Ferrari" is distinguished by "substantial modifications" developed by Abarth and Ferrari engineers. Starting with the powertrain, the special edition model is fitted with a 1.4-liter turbocharged T-Jet 16v engine tuned to develop "over 180 horsepower".

The four-cylinder unit is coupled to an MTA (Manual Transmission Automated) electromechanical gearbox with race-inspired paddle gearshift that drives the front-wheels.

The hot hatch also gets performance tires that are fitted on 17-inch alloy wheels in a dark finish featuring a Ferrari inspired design. Other upgrades include the more powerful braking system that boasts 284mm multi-section discs Brembo with four-piston calipers and a sportier suspension set up with new shock absorbers.

A "Record Monza" variable back-pressure dual mode exhaust that is designed to improve engine performance and deliver a more sonorous note over 3,000 rpm completes the performance upgrades.

On the outside, the mini is finished in Scuderia Red, with carbon fibre door mirrors and racing stripes, wheels and rear air intakes in 'Racing Grey'. The new Abarth also gets Xenon headlights with dipped and main beam functions.

Inside, special features include the Sabelt bucket sport seats that weight 10 kg or 22 lbs a piece less than the standard seats and are finished in black leather with a shell and seat base in carbon fibre; the black leather steering wheel with red leather inserts and a tricolour hub as well as the new instrument panel specially made by Jaeger and inspired by Ferrari instrumentation.

Other details include the special kick plates, aluminum foot wells and a plate bearing the vehicle series number.

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Ferrari Threatens to Take Legal Actions Against 360 Modena Limo Owner

Ferrari can be pretty anal when it comes to modifying its cars or even using its badges on a vehicle other than its own. Now the Italian supercar-maker is threatening to take legal actions against the British owner of the world’s fastest limousine, a modified 360 Modena that can go up a top speed of 166mph – 267 km/h. According to reports, Dan Cawley, 36, of Cheadle, Manchester, has 14 days to remove all prancing horse badges, Ferrari names and “360 Modena” symbols from the 6m (20ft) supercar-limo.

“What kind of precedent does it set when you can’t do what you like with your own property?” asked Mr Cawley. Ferrari’s lawyers support that since Mr Cawley cut the 360 Modena in half and inserted a 3m (9.5ft) section of hand-built carbon fibre, the car is no longer a Ferrari, so he has to remove the badges and logos or else he’ll face legal action for infringing the Ferrari trademark.

[Thanks for the tip Michelle! – Via: Times]

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