When the Ferrari P4/5 Competizione was first revealed to the world decked out in full carbon fiber, there was hardly any doubt in anyone’s minds that James Glickenhaus had a real winner with the bespoke Ferrari.

And now the P4/5 Competizione has set a new record, clocking in the fastest lap time by a Ferrari model at the Nürburgring during a qualifying session at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. With a lap time of 6:51, the Competizione bested the Ferrari FXX’s time of 6:58.16, which is impressive considering the FXX is a special-order race car as well.

Of course this isn’t an apples to apples comparison considering the FXX did it in arguably more ideal conditions. But it’s hard to argue against what Glickenhaus and his team have done in building the F430-based Competizione into one hell-bending, track machine.

And of course Glickenhaus was proud to see all his hard work come to fruition. As for the lap time? He only had one thing to say: “If Ferrari wants to come here and challenge it…”

We’re excited to see how the Competizione does in in the 24 Hour race.

[Source: Jalopnik]

In an effort to help showcase Ferrari products to the huge Chinese market, the Italian automaker has opened up an exhibit in the Shanghai Expo Park.

The exhibition showcases Ferrari’s cars, history, technology and passion to visitors, and hopes to solidify the link between China and Ferrari. China is a huge market for all automakers, and every one seems to be working at full strength to gain popularity in the country.

“For millions of people around the world, Ferrari represents the pinnacle of Italian culture,” said Piero Ferrari, Vice Chairman of Ferrari “It is a symbol of passion, success and the constant pursuit of excellence. It has always been our wish to share Ferrari’s unique history and culture with the people of China who have shown great affection for the Prancing Horse and with whom we share core values such as respect for tradition and a tenacious spirit of innovation.” Ferrari said.

The exhibition will run all-year long, and will focus on different elements throughout the year. These elements will include: Ferrari in China, Green, Product, Design and Racing. The display will have a variety of text, images and videos on display, but what will really bring in viewers is the number of items that will be brought in from the Ferrari Museum in Maranello.

Among those items from the museum are cars chosen for specific reasons: the 348 TS as the first Ferrari to enter the Chinese mainland market, a 275 GTB4, a 365 GTB4 Daytona; the 750 Monza sports prototype and the FF, Ferrari’s first four-seater four-wheel drive model.

New and impressive technologies will also be on display including Ferrari’s HY-KERS system which combines a traditional Ferrari V12 engine with two electric motors.

Check out the gallery below to see more about the Ferrari Exhibit.

GALLERY: Ferrari Exhibit in China

Hearing any Ferrari out on a racetrack is automotive bliss; but seeing and hearing the rare FXX Evoluzione race car out on the track is simply something else.

A pair of FXX Evolutions took to Monza Race Track during the Ferrari corse clienti and both appear to be equipped with the Evoluzione kit which takes power from 790-hp to a ridiculous 860-hp. Both vehicles sound every bit the rare race car that it is. Owners fork out close to $2-million to have the opportunity to own one but are only allowed to drive it on special track days approved by Ferrari. How’s that for exclusivity?

The FXX is based on the Ferrari Enzo, but has its V12 motor stroked to a 6.3-liters rather than the 6.0-liter seen in the street-legal Enzo. When equipped with the Evoluzione kit, the 860-hp Ferrari makes the Enzo’s 651-hp seem paltry. Undoubtedly for these Ferrari owners, the high price to pay for just a few days of driving time is well worth it.

Watch the amazing video after the break of two Ferrari FXX Evoluzione models tearing up Monza.

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[Source: GT Spirit]

Coming off a very successful start to the year that already generated a 42.1 million euro profit, Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo is confirming a hybrid Enzo by the end of the year.

It might have seemed a stretch before that the Enzo could be a test baby for new technology, but it seems that’s exactly what’s happening. Ferrari already gave official confirmation that a hybrid drivetrain was coming this year, but this is the first official confirmation of such a system going into the next flagship, the successor to the famed Enzo.

“We have a complete new model range brimming with technological innovations, and which deliver significant reductions in fuel consumption and emissions, down by 30 per cent on average. At the end of the year, we’ll also be unveiling the new Enzo, a limited series model and our first ever hybrid car,” said di Montezemolo.

With rumors that the new Ferrari supercar will reach somewhere around 920 hp between its electric motors and V12 gas engine, there will be little else to compete. Even the Porsche 981 Spyder, which is said to slot in around the 700-hp mark, might struggle to compete.

So, this is exactly what we’re looking at: a car with the same V12 engine currently found in the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, but amped up with an electric motor to offer dizzying power. Does this look good enough to be Ferrari’s next spectacular supercar and successor to the Enzo? It certainly does.

Ferrari has the Chinese government feeling steamed after one person’s actions at a launch event for it’s year-of-the-dragon edition 458 Italia. Evidently, doing donuts on the Great Wall is uncouth. Who knew?

Footage in the clip below shows one of the special 458s hooning around, leaving tire marks on the Great Wall. The shenanigans occurred during an event put on by a Chinese Ferrari dealership.

While it seems unlikely that the actions were planned, there isn’t much information available beyond the fact that one of the dealership’s employees got behind the wheel at some point during the demonstration and behaved with little maturity or discretion.

Consequences for the childish stunt and who they will fall on are still also unannounced, but retribution can’t be far off. Thankfully it was caught on camera, so we can all join in lambasting the driver.

[Source: USA Today]

The Ferrari 458 is being recalled again, but not for catching on fire this time.

A small group of Ferrari 458 models, as well as convertible California models have been issued a recall notice by the Italian exotic automaker due to an issue with the engine crankshaft. In total, 206 cars did not receive a properly finished crankshaft, which could result in excessive vibration and eventually damage to the engine.

Owners are being contacted and will be asked to visit their Ferrari dealer in order for the necessary recall work to be done.

[Source: AutoCar]

Later this week, Ferrari will honor Queen Elizabeth II by bringing a parade of historic cars to the Diamond Jubilee. 

While the Italian automaker doesn’t seem intimately linked with British royalty, it is tied through its badge to high-level horsemanship. Not only will there be scores of Ferrai owners showing their cars off on the Windsor Castle ground, but the automaker will be escorted by the 4th Mounted Carabinieri Regiment performing the famous Historic Carosello, which the company helps support financially.

According to a release by the company, the Carabinieri and Ferrari share in an reverence for Italian tradition. True as that might be, it seems like a bit of a departure from tradition to have cars involved in a show of horsemanship.

Regardless, it’s a chance for the company to distinguish itself and its clients. It’s a good thing Lamborghini doesn’t try to do the same thing — a fighting bull would be much more threatening. The only place that sort of thing seems even remotely feasible is in Pamplona.

The event will take place from May 10 through 13, and Ferrari will be represented by Luca di Montezemolo on the final evening where the Queen will be attending. Ferrari’s grandiose appearance will be choreographed to music and will showcase both the horses and rider’s skill.

Conversation about a Porsche 550 successor swings back and forth between production dates and delays. According to the latest from the brand, the newest projected year could be 2017.

While it’s probably little more than hot air, a senior Porsche strategist told Automobile that the brand is still planning a 551, though there is a lot left to chew before it reaches that dish.

“We need to concentrate on our cash-cows before entering a new segment where profit margins are notoriously critical,” an unnamed source said. “But once we are done with the 918 Spyder, the 960 [Ferrari-fighting] supercar, and the new Panamera, a window will open between 2016 and 2018 which may be wide enough to get the Mimo[551] project under way after all.”

The 551 was previously thought to be on tap for 2014, but the sails died on that ship, leaving people uncertain of the project’s future. Moving forward will mean parent company Volkswagen’s decision to develop the MSB platform, which would underpin sports cars across VW’s subsidiary company lines. Everything from the 551 to the Lamborghini Aventador’s successor, to the Porsche 960 supercar.

That platform would allow for front- mid- and rear-engined cars all to be designed on the same underpinnings. Once the MSB architecture is in place, companies under VW ownership will be better able to progress toward new sports cars.

[Source: Automobile]

Welfare, food stamps and a revolving door of sex scandals are among the many things the U.S. government provides its citizens on a regular basis, but you might be pleased to know they have a hand in used exotic car sales too.

That’s right. When drug lords, smugglers other illegitimate businessmen are arrested, their assets are often seized. At some point, the high-end toys that inevitably collect are auctioned off — perhaps to buy hookers for the Secret Service.

In any case, one such auction is upon us and true to form there are some fantastic finds for sale. The list includes two Lamborghini Murcielagos, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Maserati Quattroporte and a Ferrari F430 among several others.

While most of them seem to be reasonably well kept, there are a few defects. For example, the Maserati’s instrument panel doesn’t work. There are also a couple of beaten-up Cadillacs: an Escalade with a leaking transmission among other problems, and and Escalade EXT with an inoperable dash panel. Most of the interesting cars seem fine, though.

The auction takes place May 16 in Riverside Calif. Have a look through our gallery below to see what’s available. Every one of the cars available was seized by a government agency including the U.S. Customs & Border Protection, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, and Secret Service.

GALLERY: Government-Auctioned Exotic Cars

Most people think of low, wide-sitting coupes when the Ferrari name makes its rounds, but in this special case it’s a motorcycle bearing the iconic badge.

In a tribute to Enzo Ferrari, David Kay Engineering built the bike which aside from its unique licensing is completely unimpressive. Still, as the only officially Ferrari-licensed bike in the world, you might think people would pay top dollar for it as a collectible item.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. As an unfortunately plain bike, riding enthusiasts seemed unwilling to bite, at least at at the original £180,000 reserve it held during a 2008 auction.

Four years later, the bike finally sold for a comparatively miniscule £85,000, which is almost $138,000. While that’s no small sum, the figure is also a far cry from the original asking price.

Regarded round the world for its exotic supercars, Ferrari counts itself among the automotive elite — and for good reason. That’s why it came as such a compliment when Ferrari boss, presumably Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, stood speechless in front of the SRT  Viper.

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne described Montezemolo’s reaction as exactly that during a radio interview on a Detroit station, though he never referred to the Ferrari chairman by name, only by title.

“The car is a superb machine,” Marchionne, told WJR-AM radio. “I had the chairman of Ferrari down here for the board meeting last week and he had a chance to look at the car, and he was speechless. I mean, for Ferrari to admit that the car is a unique vehicle is a hell of a compliment to the work that’s gone on here. So I’m delighted. I mean, so far, knock on wood, we’re doing well.”

With an undeniably enthusiastic reception at last month’s New York Auto Show, there’s no question that the SRT Viper is becoming a media darling. It’s Italian-influenced design and aggressive 8.4-liter V10 with 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque will be more than enough to put a crick in your neck if you aren’t careful off the line. That’s nothing new for the potent road snake, but its curvaceous styling seen by many as Ferrari influenced is.

GALLERY: 2013 SRT Viper

If nothing else, driving a Ferrari 458 Spyder commands attention, but tuner Novitec Rosso insists that’s not enough. It just announced a new tuning package that makes the car lighter, faster and more aerodynamic to allow a 200 mph top speed.

A double front spoiler, rear diffuser, rear spoiler, side skirts and loads of other add-ons, all made from carbon fiber, give the modified Ferrari a sportier look while functionally serving to generate additional downforce.

Despite their size (21 inches in the front and 22 in the rear), the new wheels don’t weigh the car down and lend an even more wedge-shaped appearance.

Novitec Rosso also swapped the suspension for a hydraulic system that can raise the car roughly 1.5 inches to safely navigate curbs, something anyone used to driving an asphalt-hugging sports car will appreciate. In its standard mode, which the car resets to at 50 mph automatically, the car sits roughly 1.4 inches lower than a normal 458.

A carbon fiber air box and special exhaust help the cars 4.5-liter V8 to make 608 hp, a 38-hp increase over a standard 458.

GALLERY: Novitec Rosso Ferrari 458 Spyder