Car Porn Deluxe- "One Fast Goat Edition "- Ferrari 599 GTO and Dario Benuzzi

The legendary Ferrari test driver Dario Benuzzi takes for a ride onboard of the 599 GTO. Enjoy!

Ferrari 599XX production-derived sports car record at the Nordschleife - 6:58.16

The Ferrari 599XX is the first ever production-derived sports car to break the 7-minute barrier on the classic 20.832 km Nordschleife circuit, lapping in 6 min 58.16 sec. Now some might question the definition of "production-derived ", but this is a pretty awesome lap. Enjoy!


[via World Car Fans] 

Michael Skeen, VIR, Ferrari F430 and one Fast Monte Carlo

Some fun video of Mr. Michael Skeen working through the field at a NASA Mid-Atlantic event in a Ferrari F430 Challenge car. The Ferrari sounds amazing, and there are some surprisingly fast cars in the field including what appears to be the world's fastest Monte Carlo. Enjoy.

Car Porn Deluxe - "okay I get it already" edition - Ferrai 458 Italia Official Video

A "track mouse" versus "country mouse" exhibition of the Ferrari 458 Italia. I know which one I would vote for. Enjoy!

An (Old) Man's Dream Comes True - Fisichella to Ferrari for 2009

So it looks like Giancarlo Fisichella is having the best week ever...Pole at Spa with Force India, followed by a Podium at Spa with that same Force India, and now he is joining Ferrari for the remainder of the 2009 Season.

This should be good news for the Tifosi, based on how Fisi challenged Kimi for position for most of the race, in his non-KERS equipped Force India-Mercedes. In the same car, Fisi will likely give the Finn some much needed competition.

Of course this news puts to rest any opportunity to see Michael Schumacher back in an Ferrari F1 car, so maybe Michael's neck injury was worse than reported. Full story below.

(Via F1-Live.com)

It as been confirmed this afternoon that Giancarlo Fisichella has been released from his contract with Force India to join Ferrari for the remainder of the season, starting next weekend with the Italian Grand Prix.

“I am very grateful to Vijay Mallya for allowing me this opportunity to drive for the Scuderia Ferrari,” said Fisichella. “It is true that it has always been an ambition to do this, and for Vijay [Mallya] to have allowed it to become a reality is very generous. I hope in my turn I have helped Force India grow up and be on the right path to achieve their own ambitions. They are now a very competitive team and I wish them all the very best.”

With Felipe Massa, currently recovering from injuries sustained in Hungary, out of action for the remainder of the season and test veteran Badoer failing to shine at both Valencia and Spa Francorchamps, the Italian team were left with little alternative other than to look elsewhere for the remainder of the season.

"Giancarlo and his management team approached me yesterday with the proposal from Ferrari," stated Force India team principal Vijay Mallya. "For any Italian driver, a Ferrari race seat is a long-held dream and for Giancarlo it was no exception. No one should stand in the way of this.

"Furthermore the agreement will secure Giancarlo's long-term future with Ferrari and it would be incorrect to jeopardise this, particularly when Giancarlo has made such a vital contribution to Force India. "

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali was keen to praise the outgoing Badoer as well as welcoming Fisichella to the Italian team.

“We have chosen Fisichella because we can expect him to make a valuable contribution in this final part of the season,” said Domenicali. “Giancarlo has shown, throughout his long career that he is fast and competitive and we are therefore proud to be able to run an Italian driver in our home race.”

For Badoer, his final two Grand Prix were something of a ‘thank you’ from Ferrari for his long standing service to the team as test driver. "We wish to thank Luca Badoer for the team spirit he demonstrated in these circumstances," said Domenicali. "It is a shame he was unable to show his true worth in these last two races, tackled under conditions which anyone would have found difficult.”

Ferrari is third in the constructors’ championship and heading to its home race at Monza and will be looking to extend their 12 points cushion over the recovering McLaren Mercedes team.

Force India is expected to promote test driver Tonio Liuzzi to the race team in place of Fisichella with an announcement “in the coming days”.

Here's the proof in the pudding...Fisi's qualifying lap at Spa.

Car Porn Deluxe - "Tell me the why" edition - Ferrari 458 Italia

If you a have a quarter of a million saved up for your next new car purchase, you could do a lot worse than to put down a deposit for one of these. Just the sound is worth $100,000. Enjoy!

(via FerrariWorld)

Schumacher withdraws from F1 Comeback - Badoer now Massa's replacement

So I guess all of the rumors were true. Apparently Michael has announced that he will not be able to step in for Massa because of recurring pain due to a prior neck injury. Ferrari has announced that Ferrari Test Pilot and all-around nice guy, Luca Badoer will fill in for Felipe Massa untill he recovers.

No word yet on Formula One's condition or if it has a chance of recovery. It's currently listed in Critical but Stable condition.

(Via AP) – 2 hours ago

MILAN — Ferrari says Italian Luca Badoer will replace Michael Schumacher at this month's European Grand Prix at Valencia after the seven-time world champion called off his much-anticipated Formula One comeback.

Badoer is a Ferrari test driver whose name was first floated by Italian media after Felipe Massa's crash took him off the race circuit.

Schumacher, 40, agreed to drive in Massa's place, but announced Tuesday he has canceled his return to F1 as a result of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident earlier this year. He says he informed Ferrari officials Monday evening that he would not be able to step in for Massa.

Schumacher, who retired after the 2006 season, says his neck cannot stand up to the stresses of Formula One racing.

Ferrari 458 Italia Interior

Although it looks a little Honda-y, I have to say that the view from the cockpit looks like a compelling enough reason to consider the newest Ferrari. Aside from the power, torque and aerodynamics. Enjoy!

Ferrari's Newest Child - Welcome to the 458 Italia

While there is not yet a price set or a firm release date for Ferrari 458 Italia, the often rumored replacement for the Ferrari 430, the pictures and specifications for the car make me want to sell the house and dog, clean out my 401K, and put down a deposit.

The 4.5 liter motor is food for 570 european horsepower and 398 ft/lbs (torques to Clarkson). All in a package that weights a hair over 3000 lbs with race seats and forges wheels.

You can usually expect that the car will beat the factory estimate of 0-100kph in 3.3 by a half second, but that might come close to defying the laws of physics.

Ferrari 458 Italia – Technical specifications

Dimensions

Length 4527 mm (178.2 in.)

Width 1937 mm (76.3 in.)

Height 1213 mm (47.8 in.)

Wheelbase 2650 mm (104.3 in.)

Dry weight 1380 kg (3042 lbs)*

Weight/power ratio 2,42 kg/CV (7.16 lbs/kW)

Weight distribution fr/r 42%/58%

Engine

Type V8 – 90°

Displacement 4499 cc (274.5 cu in.)

Maximum power 570 CV (425 kW)** @ 9000 rpm

Maximum torque 540 Nm (398 lbs/ft) @ 6000 rpm

Specific power output 127 CV/l

Compression ratio 12.5:1

Tyres

Front 235/35 ZR20 8.5"

Rear 295/35 ZR20 10.5"

Performance

Maximum speed >325 km/h (>202 mph)

0-100 km/h - 3.3 sec

Fuel consumption + emissions

Fuel consumption*** 13.7 l/100 km

Emissions*** 320 g CO2/km

Gearbox

Dual-clutch, 7-speed F1

Electronics

E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high-performance ABS

* With forged wheels and Racing seats

** Including 5 CV of ram effect

*** Combined cycle (ECE+EUDC)

Get well soon Felipe Massa!

With Felipe in the hospital recovering from brain surgery let's remember brighter days. Get well soon Felipe!

Kimi Raikkonen - King of Comedy

So Kimi may not be the most expressive pilot on the Formula 1 grid today, but as this send-up/tribute shows, the ice-man can keep a straight face while making us smile.

The image at 1:56 makes me laugh again and again. Enjoy!



(via theratterdotcom)

Car Porn Deluxe - "Better to Best" edition - Ferrari 599GTB HGTE

Some might ask if Ferrari's $30,000 HGTE option makes the Ferrari 599 better and while I doubt that anyone who buys one will know the difference, it does make it markedly cooler. If you can afford it, please buy one -- It will make the world a better place. Enjoy! (worldcarfans)

(worldcarfans)

Car Porn Deluxe - More Money Than God Edition - Ferrari at Goodwood!

In car video from the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Thanks to World Car Fans for the sights and sounds from the event! Enjoy!

Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE

Ferrari California Part 1

Ferrari California Part 2

Formula One Preview - Monaco - Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen recaps the first five races of the year--with his trade mark monotone making 2009's rough start sound even more depressing. On a side note, although I'm not sure if it's Kimi's attitude or the way he wears the hat, but he looks a little like a short-maned James Hunt. Enjoy!

Car Porn Deluxe - Audi R8 V10 in Maranello

Bringing a red, mid-engine car to Maranello is likely the next bad idea on the list after, "bringing a knife to a gun fight." Let's see if Audi has this same sense of humor if Ferrari leaves F1 and goes endurance racing.

Enjoy!

Car Porn Deluxe - Win a Dream Date with Felipe Massa and the Ferrari 430 Scuderia

A fun romp around Interlagos with Felipe Massa (who looks about 10 years old) in a 430 Scuderia.  Not sure if Felipe is just showing off for his passenger, if this is old hat, or both, but I love his antics behind the wheel with lots of "look mom no hands" motoring.  Enjoy!

Formula One- Bahrain Preview - Ferrari brings out its big PR guns

As Ferrari has yet to score a single point in the Formula One world championship, (tied with Force India)  it's not surprising that Scuderia Ferrari has moved away from trotting out drivers and team managers to provide the preview for an up-coming race, and instead is using their PR guy, Luca Colajanni to try and build a buzz around a season that Kimi Raikkonen is saying is already over.  

It sounds like the plan is to struggle through the Bahrain weekend, with changes to the car expected for Barcelona.  Enjoy!

Formula One - Chinese GP Preview - Ferrari's Serious Side

Mr. Stefano Domenicali, Head of Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, engages in some serious talk about the 2009 season, what his expectations are for the team, and the specific challenges encountered at the Shanghai circuit.  All I know is that he comes across as a very serious guy, and I'm guessing that requests from his office at Ferrari are handled in a similar fashion to those from the Vatican.  Enjoy!

Car Porn Deluxe - Ferrari 430 Scuderia at Fiorano- Driver Michael Schumacher

Yes it's true the rich are different than the rest of us.  One perfect example is that I've never been asked to travel to Marenello to ride in a Ferrari 430 Scuderia, while Michael Schumacher winds it out around the Fiorano test track.  For the rest of us, enjoy!

Ferrari 1-2 in Malaysian GP Practice -The Earth is back to happily spinning on it's axis!

Good News!  It looks like the end of the world as we know it has been postponed. Ferrari is back to the top of the timesheets on Friday.

Practice 2 results

Pos  Driver       Team                       Time              Laps
1.  Raikkonen    Ferrari               (B)  1:35.707            40
2.  Massa        Ferrari               (B)  1:35.832  + 0.125   38
3.  Vettel       Red Bull-Renault      (B)  1:35.954  + 0.247   40
4.  Rosberg      Williams-Toyota       (B)  1:36.015  + 0.308   39
5.  Webber       Red Bull-Renault      (B)  1:36.026  + 0.319   36
6.  Barrichello  Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  1:36.161  + 0.454   37
7.  Button       Brawn-Mercedes        (B)  1:36.254  + 0.547   31
8.  Nakajima     Williams-Toyota       (B)  1:36.290  + 0.583   35
9.  Kovalainen   McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  1:36.397  + 0.690   40
10.  Piquet       Renault               (B)  1:36.401  + 0.694   35
11.  Hamilton     McLaren-Mercedes      (B)  1:36.515  + 0.808   30
12.  Trulli       Toyota                (B)  1:36.516  + 0.809   34
13.  Buemi        Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  1:36.628  + 0.921   32
14.  Glock        Toyota                (B)  1:36.639  + 0.932   29
15.  Alonso       Renault               (B)  1:36.640  + 0.933   20
16.  Sutil        Force India-Mercedes  (B)  1:36.875  + 1.168   36
17.  Kubica       BMW-Sauber            (B)  1:37.267  + 1.560   38
18.  Bourdais     Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B)  1:37.278  + 1.571   30
19.  Fisichella   Force India-Mercedes  (B)  1:37.432  + 1.725   27
20.  Heidfeld     BMW-Sauber            (B)  1:37.930  + 2.223   37

practice 1 results

Pos  Driver        Team                      Time              Laps
1.  Rosberg       Williams-Toyota      (B)  1:36.260 +         27
2.  Nakajima      Williams-Toyota      (B)  1:36.305 + 0.045   25
3.  Button        Brawn GP-Mercedes    (B)  1:36.430 + 0.170   20
4.  Barrichello   Brawn GP-Mercedes    (B)  1:36.487 + 0.227   22
5.  Massa         Ferrari              (B)  1:36.561 + 0.301   21
6.  Raikkonen     Ferrari              (B)  1:36.646 + 0.386   18
7.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes     (B)  1:36.699 + 0.439   16
8.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault     (B)  1:36.703 + 0.443   23
9.  Vettel        Red Bull-Renault     (B)  1:36.747 + 0.487   25
10.  Glock         Toyota               (B)  1:36.980 + 0.720   27
11.  Trulli        Toyota               (B)  1:36.982 + 0.722   26
12.  Fisichella    Force India-Mercedes (B)  1:37.025 + 0.765   20
13.  Kubica        BMW Sauber           (B)  1:37.039 + 0.779   18
14.  Piquet        Renault              (B)  1:37.199 + 0.939   20
15.  Sutil         Force India-Mercedes (B)  1:37.241 + 0.981   18
16.  Alonso        Renault              (B)  1:37.395 + 1.135   12
17.  Buemi         Toro Rosso-Ferrari   (B)  1:37.634 + 1.374   22
18.  Heidfeld      BMW Sauber           (B)  1:37.640 + 1.380   17
19.  Bourdais      Toro Rosso-Ferrari   (B)  1:38.022 + 1.762   19
20.  Kovalainen    McLaren-Mercedes     (B)  1:38.483 + 2.223    7