Latest news with #LaFerrari
Motor 1
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Separating From Pininfarina Was 'Difficult,' Says Ferrari Design Head
Back in 2013, Ferrari made the decision to split with longtime external design firm Pininfarina. The move was surprising, given the decades of collaboration and legendary products from the brands. In the years since, Ferrari has grown its own design center, Centro Stile, into a hub for the brand. In an interview with Motor1 , design boss Flavio Manzoni reveals how the split went down, and how Ferrari evolved in a post-Pininfarina environment. Though the last Pininfarina-designed Ferrari, the F12berlinetta , didn't end production until 2017, it was during the development of the LaFerrari when the company decided to part ways with Pininfarina. Manzoni told Motor1 both his internal team and Pininfarina were tasked with presenting a design pitch for the car, with upper management to pick which they preferred. Management picked Manzoni's design, marking the end of Pininfarina-badged Ferraris. Flavio Manzoni, head designer for Ferrari. Photo by: Getty Images "At the beginning it was very, very tough for [Pininfarina] because after more than 60 years of collaboration they had to accept the idea that Ferrari wanted to create [its] in-house design center," Manzoni told Motor1 . "But it was also necessary, because Ferrari was the only car manufacturer in the world without any internal design center, which [was] a bit strange, and also risky." The decision wasn't influenced by opinions in design alone. The very act of building a modern performance car forced Ferrari to take a hard look at the way it designed vehicles. "The other problem was that the level of technical complexity of the cars was increasing a lot," Manzoni said. "So it was necessary to work as a team with synergy, not with the designers working somewhere else and with engineers in Maranello. "The presence of the design center in the in the factory is really important because there are meetings everyday with engineers, aerodynamicists, economists, etc. to converge, step by step, on the best shape possible, considering the incredible performance and objectives that a new Ferrari has to have." Manzoni has been with Ferrari since 2010, responsible for leading the company's in-house design studio since its inception. But once Pininfarina stepped aside, even he was nervous to take on the immense task of designing all future Ferraris. "The beginning was difficult, a lot of pressure," he told Motor1 . The 2025 Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider, a Manzoni-designed creation. Photo by: Ferrari His hard work has paid off, obviously. Since Ferrari went public in 2015, it's grown to nearly nine times its IPO value. The company sells more cars than ever, thanks in part to the Purosangue , its first SUV, released in 2023. The Italian carmaker is also planning to release its first electric vehicle in 2026 . While Manzoni didn't share specifics, he expressed excitement towards working with new technology. "Any project is a challenge," Manzoni said. "Every time there is an opportunity to work on a new technology—for example, all the hybrid Ferraris are new in terms of layout of the components—we had an opportunity to make something different. There's always an opportunity to promote innovation and progress." More on Ferrari Ferrari Is Taking the Memorabilia Market Into Its Own Hands The Ferrari Purosangue Has Magic Suspension. Here's How It Works Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Motor 1
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Ferrari Is Taking the Memorabilia Market Into Its Own Hands
The market for racing memorabilia is a fascinating one. There's endless apparel, tools, parts, and products that go into every single race, meaning a wide swath of opportunity for fans to own a part of history from their favorite team or driver. But unlike cars, which have service histories and supporting documentation, things like used race engines are a bit harder to keep track of. Ferrari didn't much like the current state of the memorabilia industry, so the company decided to take matters into its own hands. While the Italian carmaker has been privately selling gear and used parts for years, it's finally taken a step to codify the history and value behind its memorabilia. Photo by: Ferrari Photo by: Ferrari To that end, Ferrari has formed a team inside its design center to "reframe" stuff like old race car parts and prototype engines, turning them into displayable works of art for buyers. The line of products, called Ferrari Collectibles, features items like engines and body pieces from Formula 1 cars. There are also smaller objects, like valves, pistons, camshafts, and connecting rods. Instead of selling the pieces as-is, Ferrari's design team aims to put each piece on display using stands made of perspex or aluminum, depending on the item's size, shape, and weight. In the case of a LaFerrari prototype V-12, for example, the engine is "exploded," expanded into several pieces and suspended through a series of aluminum supports, as if to show the parts floating in the air. "The use of transparent materials and structural elements gives an effect of suspension and lightness to the object in question," chief design officer Flavio Manzoni said. "This allows it to be contemplated in the essence of its form. This approach is consistent with our way of working in automotive design, where we tend to operate by subtraction rather than adding the superfluous." More than to capitalize on the value of the parts it has on-hand, Ferrari is pushing its new line of collectibles to "steer brand perception," a spokesperson told Motor1 . The company would rather give its customers the peace of mind that they're buying products straight from the source, rather than a third party. The fancy Perspex stands are just the cherry on top. Photo by: Ferrari As with anything with the prancing horse logo, Ferrari Collectibles aren't cheap, and they're tough to come by. Right now, there are just 13 "families" of items available, ranging from front wings and full engines to exhaust headers. Most of the bigger items, like the one-of-three LaFerrari engine mentioned earlier, are sold out. They're priced from $330,000 each. Another engine, sourced from a Schumacher-raced F1 car, sold for $315,000. Not every item is out of reach, though. Tifosi can get their hands on a race-used brake disc for as little as $3,000, depending on its history. Smaller engine pieces, like valves, can be as cheap as $700. While the big-ticket stuff requires a visit to one of Ferrari's boutiques, you can order more affordable collectibles from Ferrari's website . More on Ferrari The Ferrari Purosangue Has Magic Suspension. Here's How It Works Mamma Mia: Ferrari's New Hot Wheels Sets Are Fantastic Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Gallery: Ferrari Collectibles Memorabilia 18 Source: Ferrari Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
The Drive
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Here's Why You Can't Move the Driver's Seat in a McLaren W1
The latest car news, reviews, and features. McLaren isn't the only hypercar maker to incorporate fixed seats in its latest masterpiece; rivals like the LaFerrari and Aston Martin Valkyrie have 'em, too. In the case of the McLaren W1, though, the company didn't force fixed seats to show off, or charge customers even more money for bespoke seat padding. The W1's seats don't move because that helps it stay as light and aerodynamic as possible. A new video from McLaren explains the rationale behind the fixed seat, and it all revolves around the hypercar's new Aerocell carbon-fiber chassis. Back when the W1 was still a blank sheet of paper, McLaren's engineering team knew it had to reach deep to achieve its weight and drag-coefficient targets. So when it came time to design the new Aerocell chassis, the crew was willing to make any changes necessary. 'Fundamental to this project was the aero story,' said Andy Sylvester-Thorne, McLaren's head of body structures. 'That meant we needed to shrink the Aerocell down in the key areas. One of the key facilitators of that was having a fixed seat because that allowed us to shorten the monocoque.' McLaren It's a compounding effect, too. With a fixed chair in place, McLaren was not only able to make the front structure more compact but also reduce the height and angle of the A-pillars and roof, improving aerodynamics. More efficient front-end packaging gained by the seats allowed McLaren to push the front axles even further back. They extend outwards through pre-built holes in the carbon fiber front impact pillars, shortening the dash-to-axle ratio and, again, improving aero. It's all explained in the video below, starting at about the 1:10 mark. Long before Sylvester-Thorne worked on the W1, he was also in charge of designing the chassis for the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, a project that was led by the legendary and famously obsessive Gordon Murray. In other words, he understands what it means to agonize over the tiniest details to get things just right, and it seems that's exactly what's been done with the McLaren W1. Now, when are we going to get that W1 versus Ferrari F80 race? Got tips? Send 'em to tips@ Nico DeMattia is a staff writer at The Drive. He started writing about cars on his own blog to express his opinions when no one else would publish them back in 2015, and eventually turned it into a full-time career.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Evander Kane's 'lucky' Rolls-Royce might just be the secret to his playoff success
Jamie Douglas/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images When you think of playoff rituals, you might picture superstitions, pre-game meals, or lucky socks. But for Oilers star Evander Kane ? His version of a "good luck charm" just happens to cost over $300K, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan . And what makes this story even better? Not only is the car real, but so is the magic Kane brings when he's behind the wheel. Evander Kane showed up to Game 2 in a Rolls-Royce and delivered with a goal During the Oilers' playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights , Evander Kane made an entrance, literally. He pulled up to Game 2 in Las Vegas in a pristine Rolls-Royce Cullinan, all white, all swagger. And whether it was the car or the confidence, Kane ended up scoring that night. Then he did it again in Edmonton and the goal magic struck twice by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Fast forward to Game 4 in Edmonton, and Kane stuck with the same pre-game routine: same Rolls-Royce, same energy, same result. He scored again. So naturally, fans started putting two and two together. Is Kane's Rolls-Royce officially his playoff cheat code? Maybe. Is it the best kind of superstition in the NHL right now? Absolutely. Kane's dream car is even more elite — a $3 million LaFerrari During the NHL on TNT segment, Kane didn't just flex his current ride, he revealed what's next on his luxury wishlist: a LaFerrari . For the uninitiated, the LaFerrari is one of Ferrari's rarest and most powerful cars, blending Formula 1 engineering with luxury design. Only 499 coupes were ever made, and the price tag hovers around $3 million, if you can even find one for sale. That's not just a dream car, that's main character energy on wheels. Hockey doesn't always get enough shine when it comes to style. But Evander Kane is flipping the narrative. His combination of fashion, flash, and on-ice performance is giving 'must-watch' energy this postseason. Between the luxury vehicles and the clutch goals, Kane is reminding everyone he's not just here to play, he's here to own the moment. Also read - NHL fines Max Domi $5,000 but backlash erupts as fans call player safety biased against certain teams Catch Lovlina's story unfold on Game On. Watch here!
Auto Express
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Why did they call it that? The worst car names in history
Whether a car name is good or bad is a matter of personal opinion to an extent, but there are certainly some names where the majority view seems to coalesce around the latter viewpoint. These are the world's worst car names. Let's be clear that car makers don't have it easy when it comes to naming cars. They must find a title for their latest creation that seduces buyers and speaks to the model's market positioning, while running the gauntlet of different connotations and meanings that words inevitably have in different cultures around the world. They also can't use anything that's already been used or trademarked by a rival car brand, or any other company that might object for that matter. Anything that sounds similar or could create confusion with an existing name is also out. With all this in mind, you can understand how some of the stranger car names we've seen over the years come into being. There is, however, no excuse for the most obvious crimes against car naming that we'll delve into below. Why did they do it? Sometimes these things are best left as a mystery but it doesn't make the names themselves any better… Whether it was chosen by AI or a life coach, BYD (also known as Build Your Dreams) is a rather silly name for a car company, and the firm's models don't fare much better. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below While some cars are named after animals to great effect, such as the Chevrolet Impala or Dodge Viper, BYD wasn't able to generate the same emotion when it called its smallest EV the Seagull, after what is in essence a seaside pest. Anyone could be the source of a better name for this electric SUV from Honda – and we mean that quite literally; the e:Ny1 is supposed to be an approximation of 'anyone', meaning it's an accessible EV for all. The Honda's lofty price tag aside, the e:Ny1's name is the least accessible part of it, at first glance looking more like a clumsy and random combination of numbers and letters. It may appear heresy to include a Ferrari on this list (especially a model as highly regarded as the LaFerrari), but the name seems like a bit of a cop-out. Yes, we realise the car is known as LaFerrari because it was, at the time, supposed to be the brand's definitive model, but we think simply calling it the F70 would have tied it in with older halo models and have prevented people accidentally calling it the Ferrari LaFerrari. The Japanese firm has a knack for concocting weird and wonderful car names (we're looking at you, Mazda Titan Dump) and this list would be a lot longer if we included all of them. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below So representing the bonkers thinking of the Hiroshima company is the Bongo Friendee – a small camper van for the domestic market. If the Friendee's name is a bit too friendly for you, Mazda now offers the latest model in commercial Bongo Brawny guise. A car name should be punchy and memorable – things the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé 63 S E-Performance Carbon Edition isn't. Even without the Carbon Edition trim level adding a further five syllables, the four-door super-saloon still sounds rather ridiculous. These days, car branding teams employ experts fluent in different languages to ensure no car ever makes it to market with a rude or offensive name, and the Mitsubishi Pajero is a prime example of why. The rough-and-tough 4x4 actually shares its name with the Spanish word for… well, let's just say it's too rude to write here. As you've probably noticed, Japanese car names don't typically translate well for the European market, and the same applies to those from China, too. When it launched a few years ago, the Ora Funky Cat was derided for its name. With the brand suspecting lacklustre sales could be linked to this, Ora later rebranded the electric supermini as the Ora 03 which, while not quite as silly, does strip the car of some character. With a name like Bipper Tepee Outdoor, Peugeot's van-based MPV sounds more appropriate for a product from Little Tikes rather than a fully fledged car company. Fittingly, when Auto Express reviewed the Peugeot more than a decade ago, we found the interior quality to be just as plasticky as that of Little Tikes' own Cozy Coupé, despite costing an awful lot more. The marketing team at Volkswagen may have been a tad understaffed on the day the Type 181, also known as the Trekker in the UK, was dubbed the VW Thing for North America. We must admit, though, that while it is one of the poorest excuses for a car name in history, it does manage to accurately reflect the bare-bones nature of the model it adorns. Are these the worst car names ever? Head to the comments below to have your say and tell us any we've missed...... Find a car with the experts Ford Fiesta set to return? Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen Ford Fiesta set to return? Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen The Ford Fiesta could be coming back from the dead, and our exclusive image previews how it might look New Renault 4 2025 review: as good as the Renault 5 with the bonus of extra space New Renault 4 2025 review: as good as the Renault 5 with the bonus of extra space The new Renault 4 takes everything that's good about the Renault 5 and adds extra cabin and boot space Kia EV6 now cheaper than ever thanks to new entry-level model Kia EV6 now cheaper than ever thanks to new entry-level model The new Kia EV6 Air Standard Range can cover up to 265 miles on a single charge, and starts from just over £39k
