Dartz FR is taking the world by storm with their amazing wrap jobs, with their recent chrome red Bugatti Veyron catching our eye. This time around, they’ve taken a Ferrari F430 and wrapped the entire exterior with black leather vinyl.

Yep, forget matte black, this 4.3L V8-equipped Italian exotic now roams the streets garnering plenty of looks and stares thanks to its unique finish. The F430 project was a collaboration between Dartz FR and MS Motors, one of their partners in car sales and custom parts.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen leather-wrapped cars, having spotted this leather-wrapped BMW X6 in the past. We’re certain it won’t be the last either, but we’re curious as to when (not if) this “craze” will hit the Stateside and how popular it’ll become.

[Source: GT Spirit]

GALLERY: Dartz Leather Wrapped Ferrari F430

A parade of some of the world’s most exotic and expensive cars turned into a serious game of bumper cars after a dim witted motorist drove her $468,000 Bentley Azure into several other exotics outside the Place du Casino in Monte Carlo.

The driver smashed her car into a $140,000 Mercedes-Benz S class. After hitting the Benz, the driver didn’t brake quickly enough and hit a $262,000 Ferrari F430, a $149,000 Porsche 911 and a $262,000 Aston Martin Rapide. The total value of the cars involved in the accident is over $1.2 million. The unfortunate reality of getting into a car accident in a city like Monte Carlo is the vast amount of tourists who are not afraid to snap off photos. Despite the combined value of the cars involved in the accident, the cost of repairs is expected to reach somewhere around 70,000.

Gallery: Monaco Crash

[Source: Herald Sun]

Just one more reason why the iPhone is awesome – it doubles as a Ferrari. There’s a new app in town that turns your iPhone into a virtual Ferrari, complete with all the sounds and sights that come along with driving one.

The official Ferrari app gives you the opportunity to “drive” your dream Ferrari. You get the rev of their engines, all which were registered directly at the Fiorano track. You can clock your speed on the exact reproduction of the Ferrari California, F430, F430 Spider, 430 Scuderia, 599 GTB Fiorano and 612 Scaglietti speedometers. And to make this interactive experience amazing, just tilt your phone to speed up and slow down, and switch gears using on-screen controls.

There’s a lot of sound engineering brilliance used to ensure that the Ferrari app gives users an “I’m in the driver’s seat” experience, including loop sounds recorded at constant RPM, bi-cubic sample interpolation and RPM Parameter Scaling. You don’t have to know what those things mean – all you have to do is download the app and take it out for a test drive to get blown way by the attention to sound detail the smart folks at Ferrari have put into it to give fans an virtual ride they’ll never forget.

You can download the app for $1.99 at the iTunes store and we’d love to hear your thoughts on the Ferrari app.

Apparently having your run-of-the-mill Ferrari F430 Scuderia Spider isn’t cool enough anymore. To be really cool, you have to shell out $650,000 for this full carbon fiber model. Yes, the entire body is made of carbon fiber… and so are the wheels. The body itself was crafted by Carrozzeria Zanasi, Maranello’s premier bodywork specialist. Needless to say it’s flawless inside and out, and even in the engine bay – due partly to the fact that this Scud only has 126 miles on the odometer.

In addition to the carbon body this F430 Scuderia sports Tubi titanium exhaust tips, reupholstered interior featuring Alcantara and leather, full-screen navi, front and rear view cameras and the already mentioned carbon fiber wheels.

Apparently the car is sitting at a dealership in Beverly Hills, CA right now (we’re assuming a Ferrari one given all the Ferraris in the photos) – so we wouldn’t be surprised if we see this baby rolling on the streets of Southern California some day soon… because well, you know, $650,000 is chump change in Beverly Hills.

GALLERY: Carbon Fiber Ferrari F430 Spider 16M

[Source: TopSpeed]

CEC Wheels has just announced their fleet of six vehicles attending this year’s Bullrun Rally. Starting from New York City and ending at Las Vegas, Nevada, we’re fairly confident this year’s Bullrun (which has just gotten underway) will be full of crazy antics. This year’s all star lineup from CEC Wheels consists of a pair of Mercedes-Benz C63s, an Aston Martin Vantage convertible, a pair of Ferrari 430s (one of them being a Spyder) and our favorite of the bunch, a Black Series-converted Mercedes-Benz SL63.

But let’s not overlook one of these Ferrari F430s. At a quick glance one may think it’s simply flat black, but on closer inspection this stallion sports a wicked carbon-fiber wrap. It’s got quite the sinister look and feel to it. The pair of C63′s don’t stand out to us, and neither does the red Spyder F430. (Aren’t we snobs?).

The Black Series-converted SL63 is worth taking a closer look at. The flat white exterior is definitely a nice change of pace from the matte black we’ve seen everywhere over the years. Our biggest complaint though is the ride height, but we’re sure CEC dialed-it in before they departed this past weekend on July 10th.

We’ll be sure to follow-up this week as things surface related to this year’s Bullrun.

GALLERY: CEC Wheels Six Car 2010 Bullrun Team

[Source: CEC Wheels]

With Ferrari‘s 458 Italia on the horizon, one would expect to be seeing renders of F458 Italia body kits and other modifications. But as with all Ferrari models, owners tend to hold on to their famed stallions leaving room for aftermarket manufacturers to continue building on “older” generation platforms. And by no means if the F430 really an older model. Arguably it’s more pleasant on the eyes than the F458 Italia, but that’s a matter of personal preference.

Super Veloce Racing is a product line from Auto Veloce based out of Japan; and the Japanese for the most part have been doing an impressive job in customizing Italian exotics. But what’s clearly obvious on this kit is the influence from Lamborghini’s models. Some might be quick to call “bull” on putting this kit on their Ferrari, but in many ways its just a more extreme version of the front-end found on the F430 Scuderia.

We think the kit would look and flow a lot better fully painted but we’re fans of the most aggressive and race-inspired look in the rear. It’s an interesting blend of Italy’s most famous exotics and hopefully someone Stateside has the money to bring the kit over so we can check it out in person one day.

[Source: Jon Sibal]

GALLERY: Super Veloce Racing Ferrari F430

We have been following the ASI Ferrari F430 design since its initial concept stages and we were excited to finally spot a finished product in person. ASI is famous for some very wild creations, includig a matte-white widebody Bentley Continental GT, which debuted at the SEMA Show several years back.

Unveiled in the Forgiato booth at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, the ASI Ferrari F430 is certainly more impressive in person than in any photos we’ve seen up until now. The aggressive yet clean styling further accents the already curvaceous lines of the Ferrari F430, while some of the more wild parts of the aero kit lend a race car-like feel to the car. Plus, there’s a nice set of Scuderia stripes to add to the package.

With the F458 Italia on the horizon, believe it or not, the F430 will soon begin to look dated and so tuners like ASI are eager to produce parts that will help owners stand out – for better or worse.

GALLERY: ASI Ferrari F430

As expected, Ferrari-tuner Novitec Rosso has released a power-package for the drop-top F430 Scuderia Spider 16M. Thanks to two superchargers the Scuderia’s already impressive engine now puts out 696hp at 8400 rpm and 503 ft-lbs of torque at 6300 rpm. That is an increase of 186hp and 156 ft-lbs of torque.

Novitec claims a 0-62 mph time of just 3.5 seconds with 124mph (200km/h) coming in just 9.7 seconds. Those autobahn-loving Germans at Novitec even give a 300 km/h (186 mph) time of 23.8 seconds. Top speed has been increased from 196 mph to 205 mph.

Due to the Scuderia’s stunning exterior, Novitec decided to leave the body of the Ferrari well-enough alone. However, those looking for a new set of wheels are certain to love the larger 20×8.5-inch front and 20×12-inch rear NF3 rollers, that allow for 235/30/20 and 325/25/20 Pirelli rubber. A height-adjustable suspension is available, which can raise of lower the front axle by 40 mm (1.6-inches) – perfect for making sure you don’t leave any paint behind while exiting the parking garage.

GALLERY: Novitec Rosso F430 Scuderia Spider 16M

Official release after the jump:

N E W S  R E L E A S E

Some Like It Even Hotter:
NOVITEC ROSSO Tunes the Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M
696 hp / 512 kW, 682 Nm and More than 330 km/h

How can you make a Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M, built in a limited edition of just 499 vehicles, even more exciting and more exclusive? Easy, just take it to NOVITEC ROSSO, the world’s leading refiner of the sports cars from Maranello.

There the open-top lightweight model is fitted with the NOVITEC ROSSO RACE Bi-Compressor engine with 696 hp / 512 kW.  It propels the Ferrari to a new top speed of more than 330 km/h. Numerous uncompromising sporty options such as 20-inch wheels, sport springs, a lift system for the front axle and exterior and interior accessories round out the product lineup.

NOVITEC ROSSO compressor technology has been the proven recipe for added driving fun for many years. For the eight-cylinder four-valve engine of the Scuderia Spider 16M NOVITEC ROSSO has now developed a custom version of its RACE Bi-Compressor engine.

The 4.3-liter V8 is supercharged by two cogged-belt-driven high-performance compressors with a maximum boost pressure of 0.48 bar. Each cylinder bank is fitted with a generously dimensioned water-to-air intercooler.

A specially manufactured heat-insulated intake manifold with larger cross-sections provides the engine with pre-compressed air. High-performance air filters and larger injectors round out the engine conversion on the intake side.

For a perfect symbiosis of maximum power yield, exemplary running smoothness and durability beyond reproach, the NOVITEC ROSSO engine specialists precision-match the new components with a newly programmed electronic engine management system.

Just as important are the larger cooling circuits for water and oil as well as dedicated cooling circuits for both compressors and the intercoolers.

The extensive NOVITEC ROSSO RACE Bi-Compressor conversion, available for 47,000 Euros for this and all other F430 Spider models, offers unique performance. With a power output of 696 hp / 512 kW at 8,400 rpm the NOVITEC ROSSO conversion surpasses the production engine by 186 hp / 136.9 kW. Peak torque grows from standard 470 Nm to 682 Nm at 6,300 rpm.
Driving performance improves just as impressively: The tuned Scuderia Spider 16M sprints from rest to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds, and reaches 200 km/h after just 9.7 seconds. The 300-km/h barrier is shattered after just 23.8 seconds. Top speed for the open-top mid-engine sports car increases from 315 to more than 330 km/h.

For further optimized handling of the lightweight sports car NOVITEC ROSSO offers an update from the standard 19-inch tires to three-piece 20-inch wheels. The NOVITEC ROSSO NF3 double-spoke wheels in size 8.5Jx20 in front and in size 12Jx20 in back widen the track and thus allow even higher cornering speeds. The custom-tailored high-performance tires in size 235/30 ZR 20 in front and in size 325/25 ZR 20 on the rear axle are provided by technology partner PIRELLI.

NOVITEC ROSSO sport springs lower the center of gravity and further improve agile handling. For added daily utility of the Scuderia Spider 16M NOVITEC ROSSO offers a hydraulic lift system for the front axle. At the push of a button the front is raised by 40 millimeters and makes navigating obstacles such as curbs, speed bumps and garage entries easier. The front axle reverts to normal position at a second push of the button or automatically once the car reaches a speed of 80 km/h.

To give the Spider exterior an even more striking appearance NOVITEC ROSSO offers blacks taillights, side markers and reflectors.

The lightweight-construction interior can be refined with exclusive NOVITEC ROSSO options as well. The ergonomically shaped leather/carbon-fiber NOVITEC ROSSO sport steering wheel features a flattened lower rim for easier entering and exiting. The NOVITEC ROSSO carbon-fiber shift paddles are longer than their production counterparts and make manual gearshifts of the F1-SuperFast2 transmission even easier.

Special interior color requests can be fulfilled by NOVITEC ROSSO in any imaginable color combination.

Copyright free! Please send us a copy of the published article. Thank you!
For additional information please contact:

Novitec Rosso GmbH & Co. KG
Hochstrasse 8
87778 Stetten
Germany
Phone:     +49 / (0) 82 61 / 75 99 50
Fax:         +49 / (0) 82 61 / 73 88 20
E-mail:     info@novitecrosso.com
Internet:     www.novitecrosso.com

Ferrari has announced that it will auction off the rights to the very last F430 to roll off the assembly line and donate the proceeds to help citizens of the Abruzzo region that was devastated during the April 6th earthquake in Italy.

Rights to the car will be on the block at a special Ferrari-themed RM Auction this Sunday, however, the car itself will not be built until the end of the year.

The 490hp F430 will come with a special two-tone paint job using the traditional colors (red and blue) of Aquila, the city hardest hit by the earthquake. The owner will then be invited to the Ferrari factory in Maranello to chose the remaining options on the car. Ferrari has said it will toss in several pricey options from its Carrozzeria Scaglietti catalog.

The Italian exotic will come with a certificate signed by Ferrari Chairman, Luca di Montezemolo and a special dedication plaque.

This news also marks the first admission by Ferrari that F430 production will end this year, making the arrival of a concept to succeed the impressive exotic at the Frankfurt Auto Show this Fall almost certain.

Official release after the jump:

Press Release

Maranello, 12 May 2009 – Ferrari has announced that it will offering a very special car at
the RM Auction due to be held this coming Sunday. The car, the very last F430 to leave the
production line towards the end of this year, will be auctioned to raise funds for rebuilding
in Abruzzo, central Italy, which was devastated by the earthquake on the 6th of April.
Ferrari will liaise with the local authorities to ensure that the funds will go towards the
most needy.

The F430 will feature a special two-tone livery which recalls the traditional colours of
Aquila, the city most hit, and will be consigned with a certificate signed by Ferrari
Chairman, Luca di Montezemolo, with a personalised dedication plate to commemorate
the generous donation.

The client adjudicating the car will be invited to Maranello to choose the final
specifications and Ferrari has also offered to equip the car with a number of options from
its extensive Carrozzeria Scaglietti catalogue.

First launched in 2004, the F430 represents the peak of Ferrari’s development of the mid-
engined V8 berlinetta. Every inch of the car was inspired by the engineering research
carried out at Ferrari’s Gestione Sportiva F1 racing division. The result is a highly
innovative car that offers outstanding performance thanks to cutting-edge technology,
such as the electronic differential (E-Diff ), initially developed by Ferrari for its F1 single-
seaters, and the manettino switch on the steering wheel which directly governs the
vehicle’s dynamic set-up.

Technical specificationsTechnical specificationsTechnical specificationsTechnical specifications
Engine type   90° V8
Total displacement  4308 cc
Compression ratio  11.3:1
Maximum power  360.3 kW** (490 CV) at 8500 rpm
Maximum torque  465 Nm (343 lb/ft) at 5250 rpm
Gearbox   F1 paddle shift
Kerb weight   1450 kg (3196 lbs)*
Length    4512 mm (177.6 in)
Width    1923 mm (75.7 in)
Height    1214 mm (47.8 in)
Wheelbase   2600 mm (102.4 in)
Maximum speed  over 315 km/h (196 mph)
0-100 km/h (62 mph) 4.0 s
Fuel consumption 15.2 l/100 km* (combined cycle)
CO2 emissions  345 g/km* (combined cycle)

* European market version
** For reasons of homogeneity, engine power is expressed in kW, in accordance with the International
System of Units (SI). The brake horse power (bhp) can be calculated as follows: 1 kW = 1.34 bhp