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Good things come to those who wait. Or so the saying goes, at least. And while that may not seem like something you’d associate with performance automobiles like Ferraris, maybe it should. Because while some will pay a premium to get a Ferrari – any Ferrari – right away, others are willing to wait to get theirs just the way they want it. And when we say ‘just the way they want it’, we mean just the way they want it.

To meet the demands of customers willing to shell out a little extra to specify every last detail of their new sports car, companies like Ferrari have been gradually upping their customization portfolio. Maranello’s latest is called, appropriately enough, Ferrari Tailor-Made, and encompasses a wide array of customization options.

Ferrari breaks them down into three categories: Scuderia (which encompasses motorsport-derived materials like carbon fiber and Alcantara), Classica (with pastel colors from the company’s back catalog, cashmere and velvet trim) and Inedita (with avant-garde materials like denim and matte paint jobs).

The limited-edition 599 GTB 60F1 grew out of the Tailor-Made program, and Ferrari has put together three unique one-offs to demonstrate the extent of the possibilities: a 458 Spider with NART stripes, chamois leather upholstery, quilted fabric and high-tech woven aluminum/fiberglass dashboard trim; an FF in Grigio Ingrid with pinstripe cloth, cashmere headliner and teak-trimmed cargo area; and a California decked out to Lapo Elkann’s specifications in denim with matte Blu Scozia finish.

Of course, with such an array of options, each example coming out of the studio will be completely unique, guided by a personal designer at the Ferrari Styling Centre, and assuredly fetching a hefty premium over the already considerable list price. Follow the jump for full details and check out the images in the gallery for a closer look.

Continue reading Ferrari increases customization options with new Tailor-Made program

Ferrari increases customization options with new Tailor-Made program

There’s no question that Fiat’s “Seduction” ad was a big success. Launched just a few weeks ago to coincide with the North American debut of the Fiat 500 Abarth, the minute-long commercial quickly went viral to amass over two million views. And with good reason. The spot’s got everything: cars, sexy, funny…. So what more could Fiat do with the ad? Pop-Up Video, of course!

The VH1 program was most popular in the late 90s, but was revived just a couple of months ago by the (*ahem*) music television channel. So Fiat handed its precious video over to VH1 for the full pop-up treatment, complete with random snippets of information about its production and such. Follow the jump to check it out, along with the press release and – just because we love our readers so much – a special bonus video from the Abarth PR crew.

Continue reading VH1 does the Pop-Up Video thing with Abarth’s “Seduction” ad

VH1 does the Pop-Up Video thing with Abarth’s “Seduction” ad

We’re firm believers in the fact that there are few things on this green Earth that can’t be improved with the addition of a General Motors small block. Need proof? Take a peek over Jon Sibal’s site for a look at a BMW 1 Series M Coupe powered by a good old-fashioned American lump.

The GC10-V8 is actually a silhouette race car, which means the vehicle makes use of a complete tube chassis which is then covered in whatever sheet metal (or carbon fiber) you like. This machine was built by Global Concept Automobile, and began with a 1 Series M Coupe shell.

The team then applied some seriously-aggressive composite fender arches to cover the vehicle’s meaty race rubber. Sibal says the eight-pot at work in the GC10-V8 is good for a blistering 550 horsepower, and that a three-way Ohlins adjustable suspension takes care of keeping the coupe planted on the tarmac.

The racer has already gotten its feet wet in a couple of endurance races around France this year. Awesome. Head over to Jon Sibal’s site for more information and photos, and be sure to click past the jump for a look at the GC10-V8 in the pits.

Continue reading This BMW 1M makes 550 hp thanks to American muscle [w/video]

This BMW 1M makes 550 hp thanks to American muscle [w/video]

We’ve seen plenty of tablets embedded into concepts and project cars, but Renault looks to be the first major automaker to bring a fully functional and embedded tablet into a production vehicle. And it’s doing it in two new cars due to arrive next year.

At the LeWeb consumer electronics show in France, Renault unveiled R-Link, a voice-activated telematics platform that combines entertainment, navigation and social functions into a single, integrated seven-inch touchscreen display.

The tablet – which we assume is removable, so this isn’t just a glorified touchscreen – can be controlled through either voice commands, the screen or the steering wheel, and Renault claims that 50 apps will be available when it launches on both the new Clio and Zoe models next year.

Navigation is provided by TomTom and Renault is courting developers to bring even more apps to market. However, the French automaker remains mum on specs and the operating system, both of which could pose a challenge to devs. Hit the jump for the release.

Continue reading Renault integrating custom tablet into 2012 Zoe and Clio

Renault integrating custom tablet into 2012 Zoe and Clio

The 2012 Toyota Camry and 2012 Cadillac CTS have joined the ranks of vehicles that have earned the coveted five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The vehicles mark the 15th and 16th models to nab the top rating under the tougher NHTSA crash test standards enacted for 2011 models. Last year, the 2011 Camry took home four stars in the evaluations. Toyota reminds us that the 2012 Camry is built with high-strength steel to help protect the passenger cell against deflection in the event of an accident, and that the vehicle comes standard with 10 airbags, all of which contribute to the new model’s superior score.

The Fiat 500, meanwhile, didn’t fare so well under the range of crash evaluations. The tiny hatchback collected just three stars overall. The side-impact test was particularly cruel to the Italian compact, with NHTSA awarding the vehicle two stars in that category – a somewhat surprising result considering that Fiat went to the trouble of redesigning the 500 for U.S. crash test compatibility. The 500 finds itself in the company of the Dodge Caliber and outgoing Ford Escape as the only models tested so far to receive the three-star designation.

Fiat 500 nets three-star NHTSA safety rating; Toyota Camry and Cadillac CTS get five

It’s been a spell since we caught wind of the rumored BMW X6 fighter from Audi, but Automotive News Europe reports the vehicle is still in development. The publication quotes Walter de’Silva, design chief with the Volkswagen Group, as saying Audi will definitely launch a more athletic crossover positioned between the Q5 and the Q7. Details are understandably scarce at the moment, but the vehicle will likely be designed to help Audi tap into the premium softroader segment where buyers aren’t afraid to pay top dollar for a vehicle. Unless Audi unexpectedly decides to completely scrap its alphanumeric naming scheme, odds are the newcomer will wear Q6 badges when it bows.

Previously, we’ve heard the Q6 will ride on the same bones as the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, though no engine specifics have surfaced as of yet. It doesn’t take otherworldly powers of deduction to realize it wouldn’t be difficult for Audi to produce a hybrid Q6 if the vehicle does, in fact, share a chassis with its Volkswagen and Porsche cousins.

What about other bouncing baby crossovers from Audi? De’Silva said that the company is still investigating whether to introduce a new Q4 to give BMW X4 buyers another option.

Audi exec reconfirms plans for BMW X6 rival

Trident gave a few unsuspecting taxi passengers the ride of their lives in Guadalajara. In a promotion for the company’s new Twist gum, Trident swapped out one taxi company’s standard Nissan Sentra/Tsuru cabs with a Ferrari F430 Spider and a Porsche Panamera. Both vehicles were suitably decked out in yellow with a field of checkers. The cabs even came equipped with all the right lights to be legal, though seeing a cabbie wearing a full-on race helmet would give us a moment’s pause before hopping in inside.

We’re a bit surprised to see just how quickly these performance machines darted around town, though this isn’t the first time we’ve seen wild taxi rides. As you may recall, Red Bull released Scott Speed and his NASCAR racer on Chicago for a little high-octane fun not too long ago. Hit the jump to see the Ferrari and Porsche frolic through the streets of Guadalajara.

Continue reading Guadalajara taxi service ups its game with Ferrari and Porsche

Guadalajara taxi service ups its game with Ferrari and Porsche

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released the findings of its 2010 national fatality and injury rate study. Last year, traffic fatalities fell to 32,885, marking the lowest level since 1949. The decline came despite the fact that American drivers covered 1.6 percent more ground than they did in 2009 by driving an additional 46 billion miles over the course of the year. In addition, 2010 carried the lowest fatality rate ever recorded by the federal agency with just 1.10 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. NHTSA attributes the decline to the agencies tireless efforts to push toward ever safer vehicles, though there are several factors at work here.

While fatalities declined in nearly every vehicle category, including minivans, SUVs and pickup trucks, 2010 also saw a decline in crashes involving drunk drivers. A total of 10,288 people passed away in those incidents, marking a decline of nearly five percent.

There were areas that saw an increase in fatalities, however. Specifically, 2010 was a bad year for pedestrians, motorcyclists and occupants of large trucks. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Traffic fatalities fall to lowest levels since 1949

Traffic fatalities fall to lowest levels since 1949

In another sign of its success, Ford has announced that it will be paying out a quarterly dividend, the first time it will do so in over five years. The five-cents-a-share dividend will begin on March 1, 2012.

According to The Detroit Free Press, the move will cost Ford about $200 million per quarter. Ford is the first Detroit carmaker to pay a dividend on common stock since General Motors suspended its dividend in 2008. GM has been paying dividends on preferred stock this year.

Ford’s stock remains just below investment grade, but Ford officials think resuming paying a dividend should help signal the company’s financial strength.

Continue reading Ford reinstates dividend, first one in half-decade

Ford reinstates dividend, first one in half-decade

The Nissan GT-R has become something of a cult favorite for a number of types of enthusiasts: supercar slayers, import tuners, and especially track-day junkies. Particularly in the UK, where congestion (and a proliferation of speed cameras) prevents stretching out your car’s legs, where there are legendary racing circuits abound and where, subsequently, Nissan has now rolled out a new Track Pack for the recently updated GT-R.

The Track Pack doesn’t touch the engine, so the same 542-horsepower twin-turbo V6 applies. What it does provide is better cooling for the brakes with extra ducting front and rear, lighter six-spoke Rays alloys, a stiffer suspension (whose dampers can, of course, still be softened for road use), and an interior stripped of its rear seats and bolstered in the front for harder cornering.

Nissan UK is pricing the Track Pack at £10,000 ($15,000) on top of the £74,450 ($116,000) purchase price of a stock GT-R, and fortunately, the kit’s addition doesn’t preclude it from being driven on public roads. Although the package is currently only available overseas, we’re hopeful that when the revised Godzilla makes its way to these shores, we’ll have a chance to get our driving gloves on it as well. In the meantime you can check it out in the press release after the jump and the fresh batch of high-resolution images in the gallery.

Continue reading Nissan rolls out new Track Pack for GT-R

Nissan rolls out new Track Pack for GT-R

In a commercial market where “change” is a four-letter word, Ford has a lot of explaining to do.

It is not often that an automaker decides to dump a best-selling vehicle line, one that’s dominated its segment for decades. But Ford’s commercial vehicle team is doing it not once, but twice. Ford had been phasing out its Panther platform for a good five years before it finally ceased production of its Crown Victoria taxi, Police Interceptor and Lincoln Town Car livery offerings in September. Now the company is set to do similarly with its E-Series van, which will eventually be replaced by Ford’s Transit, the venerable European equivalent. Ford divulged a few more details about its commercial vehicle plans at a press event in Dearborn yesterday.

When the final Panthers rolled off the assembly line in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, Ford was left with no direct replacement. Instead, the company plans to sell the compact Transit Connect van in the taxi market, upgraded Tauruses and Explorers as police cars, and a “Town Car” version of the Lincoln MKT crossover to livery operators. All things being equal, these are significantly better products than their Panther-based predecessors, yet in a commercial market where “change” is a four-letter word, Ford has a lot of explaining to do.

Continue reading How Ford plans to phase out the best-selling E-Series

How Ford plans to phase out the best-selling E-Series

We can’t get enough of the Boss Mustang 302, and it appears Ford Racing can’t, either. Mustang Daily reports that Ford unleashed the newest member of the Boss family at the PRI show in Florida; the Boss 302SX. The Boss 302 concept is called the ultimate track car, and its stats tell the story.

The SX package delivers the updated looks of the 2013 model, and adds a bit more kick under the hood. The overhauled 5.0-liter V8 will reportedly crank out over 500 horsepower due to changes that include the same intake manifold as the 2013 Mustang Cobra Jet.

Mechanical upgrades also include an improved oil cooler, fuel system, adjustable coilover suspension and Ford Racing mufflers. Team Ford also made changes at all four corners with lightweight 18×9.5-inch wheels mated to racing slicks. And of course, Brembo brakes have been added all around and the interior features an FIA-spec six-point roll cage to protect whoever sits in the single Recaro seat behind the wheel.

Keep in mind that the Boss 302SX is just a concept for now, but all we can see is a serious track star that is begging for production.

Ford Racing quietly shows off Mustang Boss 302SX

Go Big Or Go Home

I did something terrible the other day. I drove to the hardware store and bought incandescent light bulbs. I stood there in the aisle for a few extra minutes, staring at the compact fluorescents mocking me in their “be green” packaging, thinking about the several burned out incandescent bulbs in my basement and wondering how long the new ones I held in my hand might last. Better grab another box, just to be sure – government mandate has incandescents being phased out starting in January. I kept from making eye contact with the cashier while I paid and slunk out to my car.

So I’m a hypocrite, a self-professed environmentalist who can’t even do this one simple thing to save the planet. But I am just not interested in spending a weekend replacing all the dimmer switches throughout the lower level of my house, and compact fluorescents don’t work in those fixtures.

Which brings us to the 2012 Infiniti QX56. From a certain perspective, this 16-mile-per-gallon, V8-powered, body-on-frame SUV is an incandescent light bulb – a holdover from last decade, before the enactment of necessarily draconian fuel economy standards. But as my esteemed colleague Zach Bowman wrote in his First Drive of the QX, “you can’t tow 8,500 pounds with a Toyota Prius.” Neither can you fit a driver and up to seven passengers into one, not even the new Prius V.

I’d like to point to the technological marvel that solves the fuel-efficient family tow rig conundrum, but the solutions available right now are limited. We’ll get to those alternatives presently, but for now, let’s agree that new technology has a way of only solving part of the problem. So in this case, if you want to tow big stuff and you’ve got a big enough brood that you need three rows of seats – and you’re ready and willing to spend big cash – the QX is as good as it’s going to get.

Continue reading 2012 Infiniti QX56 [w/video]

2012 Infiniti QX56 [w/video]

Time magazine has given the American auto industry the honor of a cover story in the newest issue slated to hit newsstands on December 9. More specifically, the publication has taken a closer look at how Chrysler managed to go from Dead On Arrival to enjoying sales that are up 23 percent compared to the third quarter of 2010.

The company is expected to see sales of $55 billion in 2011. Talk about a turnaround. The piece focuses specifically on Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, his role in pulling the automaker from the gutter, and just how crucial the company’s government bailout was to retaining 40,000 jobs.

Time also takes a closer look at what its like to work with Marchionne by taking the time to speak with Laura Soave. Until recently, Soave was the head of Fiat in North America. Needless to say, the full text should make for an interesting read. You can read a quick blog post on the article at the Time website or wait for the hard copy to come out tomorrow.

U.S. auto industry makes the cover of Time

Lotus may have something special for you if you’re still mourning the loss of the Exige here in the States. According to the DuPont Registry, the British sports car maker may be planning to bring the new Exige S to the U.S. as a track-only vehicle for $85,000-$90,000. If true, that means American buyers will be able to sink their teeth into the same 345-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 European buyers are enjoying right now. If you’re keeping tally, that’s almost 100 horsepower more than the old Exige S260, and that grunt is good for a top speed of 170 mph and a 0-60 dash of 3.8 seconds.

As you may recall, the expiration of a smart-airbag exemption given to small volume automakers as well as difficulty sourcing a new powerplant (the 1.8-liter Toyota engine used in previous models ceased production) conspired to keep the Elise and Exige from American roads after the 2011 model year.

For those interested in a track-only car, the DuPont Registry indicates American that buyers will be able to take advantage of the vehicle’s Dynamic Performance Management system, which provides drivers with three traction control settings. An additional Race Pack system may also bow with the vehicle, providing handy tools like launch control and suspension settings pre-dialed for most tracks.

Sounds like fun.

2012 Lotus Exige headed to U.S. as track-only car

Of the many painful moments in The Hangover, watching the cadre of best men destroy a beautiful 1965 Mercedes-Benz 220SE Convertible over the course of the film was perhaps the worst.

Between Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis bouncing the vehicle off of traffic and the sides of a concrete tunnel and allowing a live tiger to chew on the upholstery, this classic piece of German engineering suffered greatly at the hands of the movie’s script. But this is Hollywood, where nothing is as it seems. As it turns out, the film used three convertibles and two coupes chopped to look like convertibles for the filming.

One of the convertibles and one coupe received the raw end of most of the damage, leaving three survivors. The two drop tops were then auctioned off for charity, and now one is up for sale on eBay Motors. According to the seller, this vehicle was used for most of the interior filming, and while its cabin was thoroughly destroyed during the making of the movie, it was restored to its original perfection after shooting wrapped. The car is supposedly in solidly operable – but not concours – condition. Looks like a great driver to us. The minimum bid sits at $85,000 with a $95,000 Buy-It-Now price, meaning you’re paying a hefty premium for the car’s movie provenance. Head over to eBay Motors as you ponder adding it to your wolf pack.

eBay Find of the Day: 1965 Mercedes-Benz 220SE Convertible from The Hangover

Ferrari is headed to the Daytona 24 Hours with a new Grand Am version of the company’s 458 Italia. The 458 Grand Am borrows heavily from the GT3 version of the supercar, though with an eye towards competition here in the States. Like the GT3, the Grand Am car was prepared for battle by the same house that’s been responsible for race-bred Ferrari models since the 288 GTO: Michelotto Automobili. Expect to see the cars share plenty of safety and performance hardware when the 458 Grand Am bows at the Daytona 24 Hours in January.

Ferrari has picked a star-studded crew for this year’s race. Michael Waltrip will helm the racer alongside Travis Pastrana, Rui Aguas and Robert Kauffman. The Italian automaker is itching for a victory at the legendary American endurance race, but we doubt it competitors will roll over and take second place. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Ferrari 458 Grand Am debuting at Daytona

Ferrari 458 Grand Am debuting at Daytona

Hitting the gas pedal instead of the brake is an altogether too common occurrence, one that often carries deadly consequences. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here. ABC News is reporting that three victims in a crash at a San Diego, CA, restaurant suffered only minor injuries after a woman drove her car through the front door. Surveillance video captured the whole episode.

The driver was pulling into a parking spot when she apparently confused the pedals and plowed into a patron exiting the busy restaurant. After her Honda Accord entered the building, she hit two more diners before swerving to the right to narrowly avoided hitting others. “Officials said the car’s brakes and transmission were working, and the woman was not drinking or doing drugs,” according to ABC.

Watch the entire news report after the jump.

Continue reading Car plows through restaurant after driver confuses pedals

Car plows through restaurant after driver confuses pedals

We’ve grown accustomed to seeing all manner of modified machinery power through the sand in an attempt to get to the top of a hill. We’re even used to seeing vintage German machinery do the deed… that is, if you count sand rails and buggies built using air-cooled Volkswagen Beetle bits and pieces.

What we’re not generally prepared for, however, is a Porsche 911 – considered by many to be the quintessential road-going sports car – joining the motocross bikes, Jeeps and other various four-wheelers at the hill climb. Except for perhaps one place: Dakar. Porsche won the event with a 911 in 1984 and then again in 1986 with the legendary 959.

So, vintage Porsche 911s are clearly up to snuff when it comes to traversing the dunes, so long as they are properly modified to do so. We have no idea what modifications the owner of the 911 has performed other than a cool set of driving lights, but we do know that he made it to the top of a pretty gnarly looking hill.

Watch it go up and back down again the video after the break.

Continue reading Watch this vintage Porsche 911 channel its Dakar roots

Watch this vintage Porsche 911 channel its Dakar roots

One of the first tricks marketing minds use when advertising cars is to surround them with beautiful women. It’s an age-old ploy, and it’s not likely to stop any time soon… because it works, apparently.

Classical music performed by a symphony orchestra, on the other hand, isn’t the typical soundtrack you’d expect to see in a video about cars. Perhaps surprisingly, the pairing actually works rather well, as you’ll see in this latest video.

Titled Mechanical Synfonica, German producer Alexander Sperr and filmmaker Daniel Michaelis combine fast cars with beautiful women and dramatic music, and then wrap the whole shebang up with a chase through Italy’s Stelvio Pass – one of the best driving roads in the world.

Have a look for yourself after the break, it’s well worth your five minutes.

Continue reading Mechanical Synfonica puts beatiful women in fast cars on Italy’s Stelvio Pass

Mechanical Synfonica puts beatiful women in fast cars on Italy’s Stelvio Pass