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The story of the 1996 Ferrari F50 that was stolen from a Pennsylvania dealership, lost for five years, then crashed by two FBI agents, has gained some plot twists. The story begins in 2003 with Tom Baker, an airline pilot with a love for all things Ferrari and a serious talent for slick talking. It ends with an insurance company locked in litigation with the Department of Justice, trying to recover the $625,000 it paid Algar Ferrari/Maserati for the now-worthless Ferrari.

Baker, an airline pilot, realized he’d never be able to afford one of Maranello’s finest, and hatched a plan to live his dream by illegal means. Turns out the Pennsylvania F50 wasn’t Baker’s only heist. Baker started relatively small, convincing North Carolina Ferrari dealer Steve Barney to let him take a 1989 Ferrari 328 GTS for a test drive, never to return.

According to Barney, Baker worked a perfect con, making fast friends with the dealer. Barney, who was battling cancer at the time he met Baker, said the con man told him he was a radiologist, even taking the time to look at his X-rays and asking what medication he was on. One day, Baker asked to test drive the 328 GTS. Barney obliged, and never saw Baker again.

Continue Reading Followup: More fascinating backstory behind the FBI-wrecked Ferrari F50…

[Source: Philly.com Image: Ferrari]

Continue reading Followup: More fascinating backstory behind the FBI-wrecked Ferrari F50 is revealed

Followup: More fascinating backstory behind the FBI-wrecked Ferrari F50 is revealed

Europe’s longest ice road stretches 16 miles across the Baltic sea and connects mainland Estonia with the island of Hiiumaa. This may be the only road on the planet where seat belts aren’t just a bad idea, they’re illegal. If the ice gives way here, you need to be out of your car so quickly that removing a seat belt could be a potentially lethal waste of time.

The BBC decided to see for itself what kind of crazy you have to be to willingly accept commuting on a surface like the ice road. Apparently, Estonians love it for being much cheaper than the available ferries, which sometimes get jealous and run in to the frozen road. Still, Jeep Grand Cherokee at the ready, the BBC’s intrepid journalists set off on a journey into the frozen unknown.

Not only are safety restraints against the law on the ice road, it’s illegal to go any slower than 25 mph, which seems somewhat counter intuitive. Most of the time, the slower you can go on a slick, unpredictable surface the better, despite what Bentley may tell you. On frozen water, though, tires create dangerous vibrations between 16 and 25 mph that could crack the ice, leaving you up to your neck in the deadly cold Baltic. Thus, the recommended speed on the ice road is a pretty brisk 43 mph.

That may not seem like much, until you learn that the road is full of potholes and bumps, as well as being laced with wide gashes in the ice bridged by rough-hewn lumber. Between the dips, potholes, bumps, gashes and shaky bridges, the road is a fairly sensitive beast, which means cars over 2.5 metric tons are also banned.

Despite all its follies and hidden dangers, the route is widely traveled during Estonia’s long winter, and sometimes stays open as late as March. Even with a relatively high traffic volume, there were no accidents on the road during the 2010-2011 season, which came to a close at the end of last month.

[Source: BBC News Image: Raigo Pajula/AFP/Getty Images]

The BBC drives the one road where seat belts are illegal

Concurrent with its debut at the New York Auto Show, Toyota has released two videos (one long, one short) of the Scion FR-S Concept. While neither of them show the “friggin’ really sweet” Scion in motion, you do get a tantalizing glance at the promised front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe’s spectacular Lexus LF-A-aping curves.

In true car porn fashion, there’s no curve left unexplored, and there’s more than one longing look at the concept’s lewd 20-inch centerlock wheels and massive 18-inch carbon ceramic brake rotors. There’s no indication how much of this will actually make production, but we can almost guarantee Toyota will have ditched the 18-inch brakes by the time the 2.0-liter four cylinder-powered FR-S goes on sale, whenever that is. Check out both videos after the jump.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Scion FR-S Concept shows off its curves

Video: Scion FR-S Concept shows off its curves

Chrysler has officially announced that the company’s 2012 300S model will be the first of its products to carry a new eight-speed ZF transmission. We’ve been waiting to see the gearbox show up in a production vehicle since the smallest of the Big Three first made news about the transmission’s development last year, and it looks like the wait is finally over.

At first, the eight-speed will only be found in the new 300S with the company’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. Check the boxes for all-wheel drive or the more impressive 5.7-liter V8 and it’ll be all five-speed, all the time for you.

Chrysler is currently in the midst of retooling its transmission facility in Kokomo, Indiana to build the new gearbox here in the States. Until that happens, each of the new cog-swappers will be purchased directly from ZF in Germany. Hence the limited availability.

In addition to the new transmission, the 300S packs a Beats by Dr. Dre ten-speaker stereo system and unique piano-black interior accents along with the standard goodies found in the Luxury Package. That means Nappa leather, a rear-view camera, rain-sensing wipers and a power tilt and telescoping steering column are all part of the deal. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading New York 2011: Chrysler 300S first to get new eight-speed transmission

New York 2011: Chrysler 300S first to get new eight-speed transmission

The fourth generation 2012 Subaru Impreza has arrived, and to paraphrase Huey Lewis, the first thing you might notice is that it’s hip to be square… er. Underneath its skin, the new Impreza says a few things that Americans aren’t so used to – nor so fond of – hearing, like the fact that it has a smaller-displacement engine with less horsepower.

If that’s the step backward, though, there are more than two steps forward: It’s lighter, faster, more frugal, stiffer, nicer inside, has a better suspension and more interior room, all the while being the same size as the previous generation. Said Subaru Production Line Manager James Todd, “it’s all upside.”

We’ll let you decide that. But in the meantime…

Continue reading 2012 Subaru Impreza: Deep Dive…

Continue reading 2012 Subaru Impreza: Deep Dive

2012 Subaru Impreza: Deep Dive

Mercedes-Benz is showing off its Concept A-Class in both New York and Shanghai. Now comes word that the baby Benz is officially earmarked for sale in the United States. The crew from Car and Driver cornered the German automaker’s higher-ups and got the good news. No word yet on a timetable for the arrival of the production version, however we do know that Mercedes is working on additional bodystyles.

While we certainly won’t get all of the dramatic styling touches of the Concept A-Class, the version for the masses will take cues from the aggressive front-end. After the initial launch, Mercedes-Benz will bring us a five-door hatchback and a shapely-sedan modeled in the CLS vein.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Chris Paukert / AOL

[Source: Car and Driver]

Report: Mercedes-Benz A-Class confirmed for U.S.

A Jeep Grand Cherokee that’s electronically limited to 155 miles per hour? A Jeep (JEEP!) that runs from 0-60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds? We must be talking about the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. No longer stuck drooling on our computers, we have finally had the chance to drool on its deep red paint in the flesh here at the New York Auto Show.

Jeep President and CEO Mike Manley had said he would have a hard time keeping a smile off his face when the SRT8 comes out. His glowing praise of the super-sport utility vehicle is to be expected. However, it’s hard to argue with the numbers and the smiles on our own faces after seeing the thing. Under the hood sits a new 6.4-liter Hemi V8, which produces 465-horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. That’s an improvement of 45 units in both categories.

Compared to the standard Grand Cherokee, the SRT8 wears a host of sporty exterior upgrades. Glowing LED lights and chrome accents pop in the front fascia. Under the bulging fenders sit a set of somewhat fussy 20-inch wheels wrapped with sticky Pirelli P Zero run flat tires while, out back, the massive four-inch exhaust tips promise a menacing bark.

Sports-car inspired touches continue inside the 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8. Paddle-shifters sitting on the steering column help the driver gain an extra ounce of control. That driver will be held in place thanks to the leather and Alcantara-covered seats. Sitting between the speedometer and tach is the Performance Pages display, which is an invitation to constantly try to set new “high scores.”

The 2012 Grand Cherokee SRT8 is the fastest Jeep ever produced. Mr. Manley cited that, though the top speed is limited to 155 mph, “you may know somebody…”. We hope that we’ll get to know this SRT8 real soon. High-res gallery below, press release waiting after the jump.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading New York 2011: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 roars onto the stage and into our hearts

New York 2011: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 roars onto the stage and into our hearts

The current Ford Taurus may only be two years old, but the Blue Oval folks haven’t wasted any time enhancing its design, powertrains and levels of content. The 2013 model year mid-cycle refresh encompasses more aggressive styling tweaks for both the base Taurus and high-end SHO, and Ford’s executives aren’t afraid to admit that they’ve used the Audi A6 as the benchmark car in the Taurus’ segment.

Under the hood, a new 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-four is available in the non-SHO Taurus, and the powertrain is estimated to achieve up to 31 miles per gallon on the highway. The standard 3.5-liter V6 now has bigger stones as well, ringing up at 290 hp (+27). The disappointing news in all of this, however, is that the SHO’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 has not been enhanced in any way – it still produces 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Sorry, folks – no 400-horsepower SHO for now.

Ford says it has fitted an upsized master cylinder to the brake system for improved response and feel, and the brake pads are new as well. From our vantage point, the SHO’s brakes have been its weak link, so we’re hoping these alterations result in a meaningful bump in performance.

The updated 2013 Taurus range is making its official debut here at the New York Auto Show, and we’ve just returned from seeing the cars live in the metal. Click through our high-res image galleries below to see Ford’s refreshed flagship for yourself.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

Continue reading New York 2011: 2013 Ford Taurus and Taurus SHO bow in the Big Apple

New York 2011: 2013 Ford Taurus and Taurus SHO bow in the Big Apple

The Toyota FT-86 is continuing its long, painful march towards production at the 2011 New York Auto Show. As previously rumored, the rear-wheel drive wonder may sail under the Scion badge if and when it actually shows up on dealer lots, at least that’s what Toyota seems to be hinting at with this latest concept car. Photos of the Scion-badged FR-S Concept have leaked their way to the interwebs ahead of the vehicle’s debut later today. From the looks of things, the newest concept is a slightly more subdued version of the FT-86 II Concept we saw under the lights at Geneva. Those ridiculous LED accents have been stripped from the nose and the front fascia no longer looks as if it were lifted from the Buddy Club catalog. (Note to Toyota: We would have been perfectly happy seeing the original concept on the road as a production model.)

Unfortunately, there still appears to be an awful lot of concept floating around this machine. Note the ridiculously large wheels, bizarre door handle placement, miniscule side mirrors and Transformer-inspired rear valance. Given that entire star systems have been born, flourished and imploded on themselves since the FT-86 first bowed at the Tokyo Motor Show way back in 2009, we can only stand so many more concept unveils before we write this car off as all smoke and mirrors. That, or by the time the production car finally goes on sale, perhaps it’ll arrive at dealers with a mid-cycle refresh.

[Source: SpeedHunters]

Scion FR-S Concept leaks ahead of New York unveiling

2011 has been an up and down year so far for General Motors. High incentive spending, $100-per-barrel oil and potential supply disruptions due to the Japan earthquake have been a major downer. Even the automaker’s stock price, which jumped to $39 per share after the IPO opened at $33 per share, is down 18 percent on the year.

But in spite of all that ails The General, sales have been very strong, and at the end of the day the car business is all about moving metal. Here in the States, Cadillac, GMC and Buick have been on fire, and on a global basis Chevrolet has been very strong. How strong? Mlive.com reports that The BowTie brand had its best first quarter ever, with sales up 15 percent globally compared to 2010.

Best-ever first quarter sales is a great way to kick off Chevy’s 100 Year Anniversary as a brand, and a lot of the success has come due to the rapid growth of the Chinese market. GM sold 2.3 million vehicles in China in 2010 and plans to increase that total to five million units per year by 2015.

The first quarter also marked the first time the Cruze became the best-selling Chevy on a global basis. GM moved 150,650 copies of the sedan through March, up 117 percent compared to the first quarter of 2010. With a hatchback variant of the Cruze on its way, The General’s C-segment offering will likely only improve in the months ahead. We’re thinking GM is hoping the same can be said for its stock price.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

[Source: Mlive.com]

Chevy boasts best-ever first quarter global sales

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 will make its official debut on the floor of the 2011 New York Auto Show today and, according to Chrysler, it’s the fastest Jeep ever built. How does 0-60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds on its way to a governed 155-mph top speed sound? For those of you who live your lives a quarter mile at a time, the big Jeep will down the strip in the mid-13-second range.

Even with performance numbers knocking on supercar territory, not to mention a 465-horsepower 6.4-liter Hemi V8, Jeep claims the new SRT8 gets 13-percent better fuel economy than its predecessor. To keep the gas mileage respectable, Jeep has employed a new active exhaust system that lets Chrysler’s cylinder-deactivating Fuel Saver Technology operate over a wider RPM band. The fuel economy numbers are so good that the SUV can now travel up to 450 miles on a single tank before needing another drink of dinosaur juice.

Straight-line numbers and (relatively) impressive MPGs aren’t this big SUV’s only trick. Thanks in part to Jeep’s new Selec-Track system with five distinct drive modes (including Sport), Chrysler says the new Grand Cherokee SRT8 will also hold on for a .90-g skid pad performance. Even better, it can haul itself down from 60 mph in an abrupt 116 feet.

Inside there’s a list of standard features as long as your arm, including SIRIUS satellite radio, a DVD and MP3-capable stereo and new steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Options include a 19-speaker, 825-watt Harmann-Kardon stereo complete with a 10-inch subwoofer, a dual-pane tinted sunroof and a power liftgate.

Look for the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 to hit dealerships this summer, and stay tuned for live shots of the new SRT8 direct from the 2011 New York Auto Show floor later today. In the meantime, there’s more details in Jeep’s lengthy press release after the jump.

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 arrives as quickest Jeep ever made

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 arrives as quickest Jeep ever made

The redesigned 2011 Chrysler 300 took a leap forward in refinement, but the large sedan’s makeover didn’t come with an SRT8 variant. No worries, though, because the all-new, more powerful and damn sharp-looking 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 is debuting today at the 2011 New York Auto Show.

There’s a lot to go over on this new 300 SRT8, but we wouldn’t waste a vowel before talking power. Gone is the 425-horsepower 6.1-liter Hemi V8, replaced with the the Pentastar’s new 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine that first appeared in the new Challenger SRT8 392. The new V8 produces 465 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, up 40 ponies and 45 lb-ft versus the outgoing engine. What’s more, that upgraded output is also more usable for 2012, as Chrysler tells us we can expect an additional 80 lb-ft of torque at 2,900 rpm, which translates into more thrust from a standstill. How much? Official estimates are 0-60 “in the high four-second range,” and a quarter-mile time of fewer than 13 seconds. The transmission of choice will be the carryover five-speed automatic, though paddle shifters will join the automatic to give drivers a couple options for gear selection.

Continue reading 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 ready to pounce…

Continue reading 2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 debuts with new 465-horsepower 6.4L V8

2012 Chrysler 300 SRT8 debuts with new 465-horsepower 6.4L V8

Autoblog Podcast #226 features Chris Shunk, Zach Bowman, Dan Roth and AOL Autos Editor-in-Chief David Kiley. We start with the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle and then talk about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. Staying with the auto show theme, we talk about the Buick Envision that has shown up in Shanghai. Your feedback in our Q&A module winds us up, and we’ve embedded that in the post below, as well. Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #226: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, New York and Shanghai Auto Shows

• 2012 Volkswagen Beetle
• 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
• Buick Envision Concept

In the Autoblog Garage:
2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco
2011 Dodge Avenger Heat

• Runtime: 01:23:12

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #226: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, New York and Shanghai

Last weekend’s World Supersport race at Assen was a rough one. Both Sam Lowes and Alexander Lundh took away broken bones after separate incidents that caused marshals to bring out the red flag each time. Lowes highsided his machine while jousting with championship-leader Luca Scassa and eventual race-winner Chaz Davies. Despite the brutality of the crash, Lowes only suffered a broken collar bone and a mild concussion. He’s expected to be back in the saddle for the next series event in Monza.

Lundh, meanwhile, managed to find himself tangled up in an incident only two laps into the first restart of the race. The racer lost control of his machine after Marko Jerman highsided in front of him. Shortly after going down, Lund was hit by a third bike, resulting in a broken wrist. Jerman, meanwhile, escaped with only bumps and bruises.

The two red flags cut the race down to just 16 laps, and the third start allowed Davies to jump out ahead of the pack and maintain his lead. Head over to TwoWheelsBlog for a full rundown of the finishers and hit the jump for a look at some of the carnage.

[Source: TwoWheelsBlog]

Continue reading Video: World Supersport race in Assen sees two red flags, carnage galore

Video: World Supersport race in Assen sees two red flags, carnage galore

Porsche has announced changes to its 2012 Cayenne that provide more power, increased efficiency and a few options that weren’t available before.

When it comes to power, the Cayenne Turbo already packs a 500-horsepower punch, but if that isn’t good enough for you, Porsche is now offering a kit that boosts power to 540 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque; an improvement of 40 ponies and 37 lb-ft. That increase comes courtesy of a pair of new turbochargers with titanium-aluminum turbine wheels and engine electronics adjustments. The added power will net you a 0-62 time of 4.6 seconds (from 4.7 seconds) and a top speed of 176 miles per hour. Porsche also improved brake cooling to help stop this raging locomotive, and the optional Ceramic Composite Brakes now feature larger front discs to boost stopping power.

The diesel-powered Cayenne has also received a significant upgrade, with a cleaner diesel engine that is more powerful and efficient than before. Output has been bumped by five ponies to 245 hp, and the automaker claims the oil-burning SUV consumes only 7.2 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km. That’s 39 imperial mpg, or roughly 32 mpg in U.S. mpg. The added performance also improves acceleration, with a quoted 7.6 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour, or .2 seconds quicker than the 2011 Cayenne diesel. Engine improvements include a new turbocharger, an amazing 44 pounds of weight savings (just from the diesel engine!) and a 10-percent increase in direct injection pressure.

Porsche also announced minor changes meant to improve the Cayenne Hybrid’s driving characteristics and the addition of Lane Change Assist to the 2012 Panamera. There’s a slew more detail changes outlined in the Porsche press release that you’ll find after the break.

Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche offers 540-hp kit for Cayenne Turbo, improves Diesel’s efficiency

Porsche offers 540-hp kit for Cayenne Turbo, improves Diesel’s efficiency

Audi had no problem selling its entire allocation of R8 GTs after the car debuted at the Paris Auto Show. It shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, the GT is Audi’s ultimate version of the R8 with a 560-horsepower V10 engine and extensive use of carbon fiber components. The Four Ringed Automaker claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of a touch under 200 mph. Only a limited number will be produced as well, with a scant 333 available worldwide.

Those lucky few customers will soon be getting their hands on the cars, as Audi has announced it has recently started deliveries of the R8 GT. The very first customer, a UK resident, took possession of his new car painted in Phantom Black. Color us jealous. Audi’s PR on the delivery of the first R8 GT is after the jump. Feel free to ignore that entirely, though, if you find yourself caught up in the high-res image gallery below… we understand.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading First Audi R8 GT delivered to customer

First Audi R8 GT delivered to customer

Elaborating on our previous details from the New York unveiling of the 2012 much-altered Beetle, Volkswagen North America CEO Jonathan Browning has told Autoblog, “We’re aiming to essentially go after the Mini so far as market positioning and price offerings.”

That means a price range from $20,000 to $24,000 when the coupe launches worldwide in late September, and between $25,000 and $29,000 for the 2013 convertible. These price ranges take into account the three engines on offer at the start of deliveries: the 2.5-liter five-cylinder, 2.0-liter TDI diesel, and 200-hp 2.0-liter TFSI. There’s no telling what the price will be on the hot Beetle R foreseen for mid-2013 with the newest 261-hp “W28″ turbocharged inline-five from the Scirocco R.

Wheels available at launch will range from a standard 17-inch set to optional 18-inch and 19-inch, the latter set being the size shown on all of the Beetles that you’ll see in our photos from the 2011 New York Auto Show.

VW global branding boss Luca De Meo tells us, “We want to avoid the almost total lack of rollout planning that the former New Beetle suffered. That car had a couple of pretty good years and then it fell dramatically. We want to keep offering new things that are significant this time around so as to keep the car fresh.”

Though Volkswagen could rely on its vast worldwide manufacturing network to build the Beetle for Western Europe, China, and North America, bosses in New York say that all Beetle manufacturing will remain exclusively at the Juarez, Mexico plant.

Live Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Volkswagen gives price points for 2012 Beetle, targets Mini

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is still outselling the Ford Mustang, netting 19,972 sales through March compared to the Mustang’s 15,419. Both cars handily outsold the Dodge Challenger, which itself is selling fairly well with 9,742 units through the same period. This is the second year running (well, so far this year at least) that the Camaro has managed stronger sales figures than the Mustang, having overtaken it last year for the first time since 1985.

GM figures the Camaro’s success could be attributable to its relative newness in the pony car stable, having debuted in 2009. The Mustang has only undergone slight changes to its outward appearance since its 2004 redesign, though it’s been kept well freshened in the engine bay. To help boost Camaro sales, Chevrolet says the V6 will get an 11-horsepower bump by this summer, taking the base Camaro to a total of 323 horsepower.

With such a big sales head start, it seems unlikely the Camaro will be caught before the end of the year, despite Ford’s revised powertrain options for 2011 and the limited-production Mustang Boss 302 hitting dealerships soon.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: The Detroit Free Press]

Chevrolet Camaro sales still outpacing rival Ford Mustang

The Ferrari brand is among the most exclusive and revered in the world, but how much is it worth? Bloomberg reports that Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne feels the Prancing Horse is worth more than 5 billion euros, or $7.3 billion in U.S. dollars. That’s a big chunk of change for an automaker that cleared only $430 million in 2010 on sales of $2.73 billion, and the total represents 63 percent of the entire Fiat group’s estimated worth of $11.4 billion.

The reason for Marchionne’s high valuation of the Italian exotic car maker is its “sacred brand” status. Like an NFL team that sells for $1 billion only to average $20 million in profits per year, Ferrari is so highly regarded that it could sell for well beyond its cash-generation capabilities would indicate. If Ferrari were valued at $7.3 billion, that would be 17 times its annual earnings. Luxury brands average about 12.7 times annual earnings.

Marchionne has every reason to value his prized property as high as possible, but analysts and banks don’t seem to agree with the CEO’s assessment. Estimates are that Ferrari is worth about $4.3 billion. But at the same time, banks appear very eager for Fiat to issue an IPO for Ferrari, which could be an indication that there is serious money to be made.

Fiat has mentioned the possibility of offering an IPO for Ferrari as a way to generate cash and eliminate debt, though the automaker claims no decision has been made to put up the brand for public sale.

In other news, Marchionne told Bloomberg that he has put in an order for a white Ferrari FF. Yeah, we can see why Marchionne places a high value on the Ferrari brand. It’s good to be the CEO.

Photos copyright (C)2011 Lorenzo Marcinno / Carrstudio / AOL

[Source: Bloomberg]

Marchionne: Ferrari worth $7.3 Billion, with a B

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz Concept A appears to be, quite literally, all show and no go. At its big debut at the Shanghai Motor Show, the car eschewed its 200-horsepower BlueEfficiency powerplant in favor of a four-suitpower unit, courtesy of Mercedes brass. After a star-studded introduction, including a version of Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes-Benz” by rapper David Banner and English pop singers Estelle and Daley, the car broke down before hitting the stage.

That made for a seriously awkward few seconds, as four Mercedes execs, dressed to the nines in designer suits, had to push the car onto the stage. That embarrassing spectacle put a bit of a damper on the hype surrounding the highly-anticipated premium compact.

The 2011 Concept A is likely to donate around 85 percent of its styling to the 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which is slated to debut next year. There’s even talk of a 350-horsepower AMG version sometime thereafter. We have to admit we’re excited to meet the all-new A-Class, but that’s based on the assumption that it will move under its own power. Top tip, Pieter!

[Source: CDNLive Image: CDNLive]

Mercedes-Benz A-Class breaks down at debut, pushed on stage by execs