Race Car Preparation Bay Area - History of 1967 Ferrari 330 P4 - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

One of the most revered Ferraris is the 330 P4. It immediately draws attention with curvaceously low lines and a sleek, yet aggressive demeanor. And since only one completely original car remains, it's an elusive sight for many fans. Interestingly, the P4 is also one of the last Ferrari prototypes that still resembles a sports car. The original body was drawn up by stylist Piere Drogo and the factory tweaked his design to be more purposeful every year.

The 330P was built during a very exciting time for sports car enthusiasts. By the time the P4 was lapping the world's circuits, Ford had finally pulled together their GT40 program and made history by beating Ferrari at the 1965 24 Hours of Le Man. However, Ferrari persisted with a much smaller-engined prototypes in hopes that their technical sophistication and superb handling would outclass Ford's big-block might. Technical engineer Mauro Forghieri was responsible for the 1967 challenge.

This P4 was the culmination of a series of rear-engine Ferraris that progressively got larger, as much as weight balance and transaxles would allow. By 1964, these rear-engine cars had worked their way up to Ferrari's largest engine, the long-block, Lampredi V12. By the time the 330 P4 debuted in 1967, Ferrari included such novelties as Lucas fuel injection and intakes that were mounted directly on the cam covers.

The P4's raced alongside both the 330 P3 which was an earlier evolution of the car, and the 412P which was a much less complicated version of the P4 that did without fuel injection and opted for regular carburetion. P4s were outwardly distinct amongst this crowd as they had slight smaller bodies and were built as open-air spyders.

Easily, the P4's best moment came at Daytona when Enzo Ferrari got his sweet revenge and placed 1-2-3 at one of America's most respected sports-car races. Until his death, Enzo kept a picture of the trio on their final lap of the momentous race. Other notable victories included the car's debut 1000 km races at Monza, but the P4s were beaten at Lemans by Ford's superb 7-litre Mk IV.

Three chassis, numbers 0856; 0858 and 0860 were originally made and raced as close coupes. These were all converted into spyders for the Brands Hatch BOAC 500 race. Regulations at the end of the season meant that Ferraris famous P racers had to come to an end in Europe, however two of the P4s were radically prepared for Group 7 Can-Am duty. Afterwards the world was left with only on P4 in its original configuration; because of this, chassis 0856 is now one of the most valuable cars in the world.

Due to its attractive body, tremendous history and massive rarity the P4 has also been a popular kit car. Companies such as Noble have gone as far to make a series production of these replicas and up to 100 have been made with various engines. These cars vary quite a bit depending on the owner's level of detail, but most can fool a Ferrari enthusiast into believing he's seen the real deal from afar.

   source: http://www.supercars.net/cars/556.html

Story by Richard Owen with assistance from Paul Skett

Race Car Preparation Bay Area - There’s a missing link in Ferrari history. - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

We all know that there is least one example of all the cars that won the World Championship still in existence. Except, that is, for probably the most beautiful and original of them all, the Sharknose in which Phil Hill took the title in 1961. The reason it no longer exists is that Enzo Ferrari himself ordered it to be destroyed. Why?

We’ve told you about and shown you photographs of the yellow 156F1 in the colours of the Equipe National Belge – it went through its paces at Monza in early June to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hill’s World title victory. We also told you that the car had been meticulously and patiently reconstructed by Belgian enthusiast Jan Biekens who started off with just the original engine and gearbox. In fact, he rebuilt it mainly from designs and photographs. In other words, the sole surviving example of an extraordinarily successful car is basically a replica. I suppose that if we didn’t have the original Nike of Samothrace, we’d be happy with a faithful replica so that we could still feast our eyes on one of the great icons of sculpture. But that’s quite a different kettle of fish.
To cut a long story short, we decided to investigate why Ferrari decided not to keep at least one of the single-seaters that dominated the 1961 season with 5 victories in 8 World Championship grands prix (it had also won others that weren’t in the event as often happened in those days). Romolo Tavoni, who was sporting director at the time and also one of a group of dissidents that left Ferrari after a dispute with the Engineer in the months after the 1961 Championship, remembers the cars being broken up. “Cut up,” is how he describes it. Others say that the decision was made in the wake of the controversy surrounding the terrible tragedy at Monza in which Ferrari driver Wolfgang Von Trips and a large number of spectators were killed. Ferrari had been attacked on several occasions over racing deaths, including De Portago and Nelson’s tragic accident in the 1000 Miglia, so he may have made the decision in a moment of anger. However, we have to remember too that the rules were going to be changed the following year anyway and the cars would no longer have been competitive.

Angelo Castelli, who worked in the technology side of Ferrari for many years, tells one curious story about what happened to the chassis from those cars – he says they were cut up and put into the cement being used to stabilise the large square of the factory. So anyone visiting Ferrari today quite literally walks over the grave of the glorious 156F1s!

To try to find out why the Engineer made a decision that was odd at the time but almost feels criminal today, we also turned to his son, Piero. He too is at a loss to fully explain his father’s reasoning. But he did give us something to work on. However, as they say in the detective novels, it’s still just a theory. Who built the car? The answer is there in the history books: Engineers Chiti and Bizzarrini who, along with Tavoni and the whole management staff, left Ferrari shortly afterwards after the aforementioned dispute.

So perhaps the reason is straightforward: perhaps Ferrari wanted to destroy the single-seater built by the people he felt had “betrayed” his company. It’s only a theory but one that does make sense.
We’ll never know the whole truth, of course. What we do know, however, is that episode and the split brought a brilliant new technical director to Maranello: Mauro Forghieri. He too went on to build winning cars, albeit very different from the stupendous 156F1.

source: http://magazine.ferrari.com/blog/2011/06/enzo-ferrari-mystery-156f1/

by Antonio Shini

 

 

Race Car Preparation Bay Area - Pagani Huayra Night Drive in Miami [Video] - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

 

A Ferrari 458 Italia is just as easy to drive around town as a Fiat 500… if you exclude the massive fuel consumption and the fact that you have to be careful with speed bumps. Some people say that’s not a good thing, since it takes all fun out of an everyday trip.

If you have close to a million dollars to spend on a car, there might be a solution though, the Pagani Huayra, named after an ancient god and powered by a twin-turbo AMG engine.

But because it’s still such a rare car, we don’t actually know what it’s like to have a normal trip in the Huayra. Now though, thanks to this clip, we do. Even though the supercar is not being driven hard, it’s totally a party on wheels. The engine howls and the car judders as it tries to contain itself to obey speed limits. As the front and rear wings pop up, you realize there isn’t another car like it on the roads of Miami.

 

 

 

source: http://www.autoevolution.com/news/pagani-huayra-night-drive-in-miami-video-69301.html

by Mihnea Radu

Race Car Preparation Bay Area - Alfa Romeo Confirms 4C's 8:04 Nurburgring Lap - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

 

Earlier this month, a couple of reports around the Internet said the Alfa Romeo 4C lapped the Nurburgring track in 8 minutes and 4 seconds, placing the Italian sportscar at the same level with the Porsche Cayman S and the Audi R8.

Although the news was received with a certain degree of skepticism, as the 4C is powered by a rather modest engine compared to the Cayman S and the R8, Alfa Romeo just confirmed that the 8:04 lap is accurate. What’s more, the Italians claim the 4C set a new Nurburgring record for cars with less than 250 HP.

The small sportscar was fitted with special Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tires and was driven by Nordschleife espert Horst von Saurma.

As a reminder, the Alfa Romeo 4C is motivated by a turbocharged 1.75-liter four-cylinder that delivers 240 HP to the rear wheels. Thanks to its reduced weight, rated at around 2,000 pounds, the 4C can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in only 4.5 seconds.

source: http://www.autoevolution.com/news/alfa-romeo-confirms-804-nurburgring-lap-69233.html
by Ciprian Florea

Ferrari Service and Repair Bay Area - FERRARI F12 Berlinetta Review, Test Drive - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

 

 

Enzo Ferrari liked his road cars with the engine up front and the driven wheels at the back. The Ferrari F12 follows this recipe, raising the stake with the “Berlinetta” designation. This is a pretty important particle for Ferrari, since the company was the one to make this name important some 60 years ago.

But nowadays Ferrari is caught up in the marketing game, coming up with amusing designations such as “LaFerrari”. This commercial focus of the brand leads us to wonder whether the F12 Berlinetta is a car that Enzo would enjoy.

Of course, it would be impossible for the F12 to use the man’s no-compromise approach. Nobody but racing drivers would buy one. But the idea is to see whether the F12 pushes things further by a stellar distance. If it manages to reign above all, the way Enzo liked to dominate.

To answer this, we packed our stuff and headed out to spend some time with a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. Our tester must’ve had the glossiest shade of dark paint we had ever seen. This seemed brilliant but, as we would soon find out, the happiness would only last until the first specs of dust landed on the car.

As we opened the bonnet to get a better view of that low-mounted V12, the sky must’ve thought the engine needed some extra cooling. So rain started to came pouring down. It soon stopped, but it was enough to ruin the cleaning the car had just received.

We couldn’t complain though, as the V12’s starting noise gifted us with enough pleasure to withstand any storm. We would meet the rain again later in the day, but the sun made sure we could give this Ferrari a proper test meanwhile.

 

Gone are the days when you could look at a Ferrari and feel like you’re in an art gallery. Nowadays aerodynamics dictates everything. Even so, the F12 Berlinetta manages to be as sexy as its name. We’re not here to judge images, but we can tell you that the F12 is even more appealing in the flesh aluminum.

Get face-to-fascia with a Ferrari F12 in a bright color and you’ll see that you don’t necessarily need Lamborghini’s edgy styling to impress. The cues you see on the F12 come from both Pininfarina and Ferrari’s Styling Center. Naturally, Pininfarina focused more on the face of the car. But what you see is only a fraction of what you get with the Ferrari F12. The rest if all controlled airflow.

Aerodynamics is a pretty tricky discipline - you want your car to be streamlined, with a low drag coefficient, but you also want it to generate downforce. To achieve both, you need aerodynamic efficiency. Well, the F12 is the best Ferrari in history when it comes to this, being double as efficient as the 599.

As soon as the air hits the nose of the Ferrari F12, the car starts playing tricks on it. Those air intakes on the corners of thefront fascia are active. Whenever the front brakes need cooling, these open up to serve.

The rear buttresses of the 599 have migrated to the front of the car. Just ahead of the windshield, we now find an aero bridge. The air flows past the hood and is then sent to the sides of the car through what are actually twin aero bridges.

Not many new cars are smaller than their predecessors nowadays, but Ferrari’s F12 Berlinetta is one of them. They’ve literally shrank it in terms of height, as the F12 is 2.5 inches (6.4 mm) lower compared to the 599. It’s also 2 inches shorter (51 mm), with the wheelbase being 0.7 inches (18 mm) shorter. They’ve even made it 0.8 inches (20 mm) narrower.

The proportions have also changed a bit, as the rear overhand was trimmed by a massive 3.2 inches (82 mm), while the front one is 2.5 inches (65 mm) larger.

Ferrari’s F12 ends with a pair of round lights. While this is a surprising as Bugs Bunny playing tricks on Elmer Fudd, the taillights still an absolute joy to behold. Below, sits a pretty complicated diffuser, as well as an F1-inspired fog light.

Opening the door of our test car, we discovered that somebody had spilled cognac all over the interior. Nobody had actually spread any drinks around the cabin, but the calm shade of the leather and Alcantara gave us this impression. A good start then.

It would’ve been possible to see less, since the Ferrari F12 shares the base trim problem with the Lamborghini Aventador - leave the cabin in standard configuration and it won’t seem worthy of a car that costs this much.

Mainly because it only holds two occupants, the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is generous with them. There’s plenty of space all around, as well as enough stowage compartments to please a high-maintenance girlfriend.

Right behind you there’s a generous rear shelf and you can fold a separator to communicate with the boot. Lower this and the luggage capacity goes from 11.3 cubic feet (320 liters) to 17.7 cubic feet (500 liters). Again, a nice treat.

Then there’s the visibility. Despite the lowered seating position compared to the 599, the Ferrari F12 is rather good when it comes to this. As a result, it’s miles ahead of the Lamborghini Aventador when it comes to being accessible to the driver.

For anybody that’s been in a Ferrari 458 or an FF, the interior of the F12 Berlinetta doesn’t bring any major surprises. For example, Maranello’s fetish for a small gearbox control console on the center of the car is still here. So are the door handles that trick you into believing they’re window switches.

The newest element here is the set of air vents. Made from carbon fiber and aluminum alloy, these immediately show their noble aeronautical inspiration. They’re also easy to use and so are the rest of the controls in the Ferrari F12.

Again, we’re treated with the usual ergonomics exception, Ferrari’s now-traditional steering wheel. This groups multiple controls, including the horn, turn signals, wipers and lights.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - the steering wheel is excellent if all you drive are Ferraris. But if you also spend your time in other cars, you’ll be confused when presented with a situation where you have to react quickly. The paddles are very sweet to look at though. And yes, all the space freed up around them makes them a delight to use.

The guy in the car behind us must be pretty upset right now. We spent quite a few seconds stopped at a green traffic light - we failed to notice it had turned green because we were staring at the hood. The way in which the V12's heat rises through the vents is mesmerizing.

Don't worry fellow motorist, we've got 730 HP to recover the lost time. Usually, such a claim is followed by the car's stumbling, as this much power is never a good asset inside the city. Well, the Ferrari F12 is astonishingly easy to drive for its class. Like all current Ferrari supercars.

The steering is light and those huge carbon ceramic brakes are easy to modulate. Thus, you'll be able to do the urban dance with enough ease. Even the double-clutch transmission knows how to handle the frightening power of the V12.

Whereas a Lamborghini Aventador city drive intimidates its driver just as much as it scares pedestrians away, the F12 is a much more relaxed vehicle.

Don't label it as a Fiat 500 replacement though. When you're barely moving along with the traffic, in second and first gear, the exhaust sound a bit like a loud moose. The sound resonates inside the cabin, reminding us of the McLaren MP4-12C test drive.

And then there's the visibility. This may be decent, but don't expect to get the kind of conditions you need to power your way through an oncoming traffic jam.

However, the F12 doesn't make you look like a clown when parking. Just make sure you gift it with the all-round cameras.

It's still a bit frustrating to drive the Ferrari F12 through the city every day. But the point is that you can.

 source: http://www.autoevolution.com/testdrive/ferrari-f12-berlinetta-review-2013-interior.html#sjmp
by Andrei Tutu

Sir May B. Bach
Mary
Lou Cheeka

Ferrari Service and Repair Bay Area - History of the Ferrari Mondial 500 - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

Aurelio Lampredi designed a 4-cylinder, 2.5-liter for the F1 World Championship; Alberto Ascari won with it in 1952 and 1953. Subsequently a 2-liter/170 horsepower version was dropped in their deDion tube sports car chassis, and named Mondial in celebration. The first Mondials were coupes but then Pinin Farina the spyder; Scaglietti-built six Series I cars. The cars would remain competitive through 1957.

This example was first raced in the 1954 Ethiopian GP (Guido Petracchi) and exhibited in the Addis Ababa Silver Jubilee Fair. It was stored for the next 15 years. it was bought by Colin Crabbe and restored in the United Kingdom in 1980-1981.
The Ferrari 500 Mondial Spyder was produced from 1954 through 1956 with 14 being bodied by Pinin Farina and 16 by Scaglietti. According to many modern collectors, the Pinin Farina bodied 500 is considered to be more valuable and aesthetically pleasing.

There were two series for the 500 Mondial, the Series 1 and Series 2. The Series 1 lasted from 1953 through 1954 with 20 examples being created. During this time Pinin Farina was tasked with providing the coachwork on 14 Berlinettas and Spyders. The designs produced were similar to the 375 MM, produced during the same time. The remaining six examples were bodied by Scaglietti, all in Spyder configurations. These designs were similar to the 750 Monza but instead of a three-liter engine they were equipped with a two-liter unit. In total there were 37 examples of the 750 Monza built in 1954 and 1955, five of which began life as 500 Mondial models.

The Second series was produced in 1955 with Scaglietti outfitting all ten examples in Spyder configuration. This series had a different engine block with larger carburetors and a five speed manual gearbox. Their bodies were slightly modified in comparison to the Series 1.

The 2-liter four-cylinder engine with 2 Weber Carburetors was placed in the front of the vehicle and drove the rear wheels. The 170 horsepower proved its worth by propelling the 1500 pound vehicle to a second place victory in 1954 at the Mille Miglia. A class victory was achieved in 1956 at the 12-Hours of Sebring endurance race. 

The famous Ferrari V-12 engine was designed by Gioacchino Colombo which in 1949 had dominated the Formula 2 class. In 1947 Aurelio Lambredi had joined Ferrari and became Colombo's assistant. By the close of the 1940's, Lambredi was tasked by Enzo to design and built a smaller engine that was more fuel efficient and lighter than the larger 12-cylinder unit. When changes to the World Championship regulations stated that Formula 2 rules would be used, the four-cylinder engine was given a high priority.

The engine created by Lambredi was constructed completely of light alloy and double camshaft heads. Two versions of the engine were created, a 2- and a 2.5-liter version. By 1952 the engine was ready and made its debut in the 500 F2 where Alberto Ascari captured the World Championship with six victories out of seven races. A year later, he captured the title again. In honor of the accomplishment, a 2-liter production car was created and dubbed the 500 Mondial. 

The four-cylinder engine design would last until 1956, where it was campaigned successfully in a 500 TR, meaning Testa Rossa or Red Head because of its red cylinder heads. In 1957 the four-cylinder engine was replaced by a V6 engine.
By Daniel Vaughan
source: http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z8822/Ferrari-500-Mondial.aspx

Ferrari Service and Repair Bay Area - History of the Ferrari 348 - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

Replacing one of the most popular models ever, the Ferrari 348 took over the 308 / 328 lineage that stretches back to 1975. With its high standard of build quality, along with exceptional performance, the Ferrari 348 was a popular choice. Built in Berlinetta, Targa and Spider body styles, the 348 was produced for more than five years between 1989 and 1995. A mid-engined, rear wheel drive v8 powered, the Ferrari 348 was a 2-seat sports car. Several limited edition versions were also made. A factory homologation special was produced, the GT Competizione and in the US-market only Serie Speciale.

The Ferrari 348's achieved some notable success in the competition against the Porsche's impressive 911 RSR's. More than 9000 348's were produced by the time production ended in 1995, in an array of various guises which made the 348 one of the most commercially successful models in all of Ferrari's history. 

A huge monumental departure from its V8-engined predecessors, the chassis on the Ferrari 348 featured a pressed steel chassis with tubular engine sub frame rather than the earlier 308 and 328 models that utilized a tubular steel chassis. The steel chassis was the first Ferrari to universally comply with global crash testing regulations. 

Following a tradition that had begun in 1967 with the Dino 20 GT, the engine was mid-mounted for all smaller capacity production Ferrari's to feature this competition inspired layout. Though unlike the Dino's, 328's and 308's, the Ferrari 348 ad its engine dry sumped Tipo F119D 3.4-liter V8 engine placed longitudinally, like the Ferrari's 288 GTO and the F40. 

Due to the 90 degree V8, the displacement was increased to 3405cc because of a bore and stroke of 85 x 75mm respectively. Not on tap at 7200rpm, the output was increased with 300bhp with compression being set at 10.4:1 and Bosch Motronic M2.5 fuel injection controlling both cylinder banks. Mounted on the rear of the engine, a transverse gearbox eliminated any rear end luggage room. This lack of space was compensated with extra space beneath the front lid. 

Zero to sixty was achieved in only 5.5 seconds, with the top sped of 165 mph. Created by the famous Turinese styling house, the 348's body and interior were created through the partnership between Pininfarina and Ferrari. The five year old Testarossa was the influence behind the 348's body, along with the full width rear grills that covered the tail lights and the straked engine cooling ducts. 

The body of the Ferrari 348 was extremely attractive with its all-steel body. Unfortunately the aluminum trunk and hood were the only downfalls. The Ferrari 348 was available in closed Berlinetta form like the 246, 308 and the 328, along with the Targa topped spider specs. Resembling the previous family of Ferrari's at that period, the interior of the 348 was similar though with a brand new and understated design. 

All Ferrari 348 models were produced with dual-computer, double-redundant Anti-Lock Braking systems. All 348's were shipped with on-board self-diagnosing Air Conditioning and heating systems. Aftermarket options included Traction Control and Launch control that were available through Gemballa, among others. The list of options included a set of leather fitted luggage that was designed by the well-known Italian firm Schedoni, and metallic paint. Following its introduction at the Frankfurt Salon in September of 1989, the Ferrari 348 was ordered in great abundance throughout the globe. 

While European variants of the Ferrari 348 needed to have lightbulbs placed into the dash to activate it, U.S. 348s had functioning on-board OBDI engine management systems. 

During its production several updates were made, and these included different shock absorbers and mounting points, revised fuel injector systems and relocated batteries. Over 8,000 Ferrari 348's were produced during its production. After late 1993 both the TB and TS models were replaced. 

The 348 was revised in this same year with additional power that now reached 312 bhp on the U.S. models and 320 bhp on European models while keeping the same 3.4 liter engine. Body-colored rather than black, the revised vehicles, the 348 GTB and GTS had a rear track that was now one inch wider due to addition of spacers and suspension geometry that was updated to greatly enhance its super-car-level handling, body control and ride. Phasing out the Mondial Cabriolet, the 348 Spider convertible model was also introduced this year.

source: http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10405/Ferrari-348.aspx
by Jessica Donaldson

Ferrari Service and Repair Bay Area - How this Ferrari 250 GTE became Rome's most famous police car - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

We're used to seeing fancy cars gifted to or bought by certain international police forces today, but the story of this 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE goes well beyond a gift. Because Rome's anti-organized-crime unit, Squadra Mobile, was doing a terrific job in the early '60s, the Italian president asked what they wanted as a token of appreciation. The answer, meant as a joke, was "A Ferrari." The president, in all seriousness, got them two.

One was almost immediately destroyed during testing, the other remains in the care of Alberto Capelli today, whose father began attending military and government auctions just after World War II. Petrolicious visited Capelli to hear the 51-year-old tale of the most precious cop car you're going to see for a while, and it involves outlaws, a French gangster in a Citroën, a policeman who was offered a spot on the Ferrari factory team by Enzo himself, and more. It's a fantastic yarn, and you can watch the whole story below.

News Source: PetroliciousCo via YouTube

autoblog

By Jonathon Ramsey

Ferrari Service and Repair Bay Area - A Ferrari Enzo With Straight Pipes Will Make Your Life Better - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

A Ferrari Enzo With Straight Pipes Will Make Your Life Better

A silver Ferrari Enzo is a rare thing indeed... and one with unmuffled tailpipes is, if nothing less, decidedly YouTube worthy. This might be NSFW. 1P

The title of this clip reads like a 60's comic book: "Ferrari Enzo in ACTION - Ride Powerslides Accelerations Revs!" and is a little overambitious as far as describing the "action level". It's also mostly dash-cam recorded so we don't get to see much of the vehicle, but the scenery ahead provides plenty of eye-candy to accompany the melodious wail of the v12 which makes it all worth watching. P

Things get interesting at about 1:25, when the Enzo overtakes a pair of commuters and the road gets twisty.2P

Seems like the driver keeps things reeled in just enough, at least for a guy who owns an Enzo with open pipes, to avoid grandmas popping out of windows shaking rolling pins at him in scorn. He runs past buildings a little hot but cuts his speed when other cars are nearby and only passes with a clear line of sight. Though it does sound to me like he bounces off the rev limiter a few times.P

Who's the real star here, that exhaust roar or the hell-of-a-road backdrop?


source http://jalopnik.com/a-ferrari-enzo-with-straight-pipes-will-make-your-life-1171645041
by Andrew Collins

Ferrari Service and Repair Bay Area - Over 700 Ferraris Gather at Ferrari Racing Days 2013 - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

After year-long abstinence, the Ferrari Racing Days returned to Germany during the last weekend with the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli and Coppa Shell races, laps from the 599XX and FXX programs, Formula One demonstrations from the F1 Ferrari Clienti program and a huge amount customer-owned cars in the paddock.

Fabian Räker, the GTspirit reporter and photographer attending the event, managed to create a small selection of the second Event day, the Saturday where more than 700 customer-owned Ferraris were displayed in the paddock of the Hockenheimring. These impressive gathering included three Ferrari Enzos, three Ferrari F40s, one Ferrari SA Aperta, more than a dozen Ferrari 599 GTOs and reams of Ferrari 458 and Ferrari F430 models.

source: http://www.gtspirit.com/2013/09/07/over-700-ferraris-gather-at-ferrari-racing-days-2013/

 by Fabian | Photography by Fabian Räker

Ferrari Service and Repair Bay Area - Road Test: Ferrari Enzo - Angelo Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

While any car carrying the Ferrari badge is inspirational to enthusiasts, there are certain models that seem even more infused with the magic that has made this the most desirable sports car brand on the planet.

These particular models achieve instant cult status through a combination of looks, performance and rarity, and if they are genuinely exceptional cars, their provenance will only be reinforced as time goes by. However, just the fact that a particular Ferrari model is the most expensive or limited in production numbers does not always guarantee it a place at the top table.

While the F40 was king of the hill in the early ‘90s, and to this day is the stuff of legends, the F50 that succeeded it received a relatively lukewarm reception and has never been seen in the same light. Conversely, the Enzo was the Ferrari of the moment from day one and is still considered one of the seminal supercars of all time.

Officially, Ferrari built 399 Enzos, a tribute to the F399 Formula One racer that swept the board in 1999, winning the Constructors title for Ferrari.

A 400th car was built as a gift to the late Pope John Paul II, and subsequently auctioned by Sotheby’s on behalf of his successor, Pope Benedict XVI. The proceeds of US$1.1 million were donated to the victims of the Tsunami that year.

Unlike the mighty F40, whose values took a tumble in the early part of the 21st Century, before recovering on the back of Ferrari’s relentless F1 winning streak, the value of the Enzo has been consistently creeping upwards, and any perfect example is now a million dollar car.

However, it is a fact of life that very powerful supercars often fall into the hands of clientele whose driving skills fall short of the cars abilities, and sadly around 15 Enzos have been crashed. Of course the cynical will say that this has increased the value of the survivors!

Many Enzos are in private collections and are hardly, if ever driven. Thankfully, not all wealthy collectors see cars as objects ‘d art to be salted away, and some owners actually take their four-wheeled treasures out for an airing, so that both they and onlookers can enjoy them.

Some supercars promise more than they deliver, but the Enzo, designed by Ken Okuyama under the aegis of Pininfarina, drives exactly as it looks, and absolutely as you would expect it to.

If you have driven an F430, its older, bigger brother is not that much different in the way things work. That said, the functions of the later F430’s steering wheel mounted ‘manettino’ switch that allow you to select Road, ASR off and Race, are looked after by three separate buttons on the wheel of the Enzo.

The paddle shifters and the separate Start button are similar, except that the Enzo’s big red button is on the centre console rather than the steering wheel. The one feature that the Enzo has over the F430 is height adjustable front suspension for clearing steep ramps.

Strapped in, seat and mirrors adjusted, I turn the key in the ignition. A pull on both paddles ensures we are in Neutral, and then I push the red button. The 5,998cc litre DOHC V12 bursts into life with a bark from its exhaust that could probably be heard a mile away on a still night out in open country.

The electronic management ensures that the motor settles down immediately, but even this significantly subdued mechanical concerto echoes down the street, its sound components at fast idle not far off what you would hear in the pits at a race meeting. Stealth is not part of the Enzo’s repertoire at any speed!

I pull the right paddle towards me to select first gear, drop the fly-off handbrake to the left of the seat and apply gentle pressure to the throttle. The Enzo moves off smoothly, the immense torque of its V12 just off idle easily neutralising its mass.

Rated at 651bhp at a screaming 7,800rpm, 400rpm short of its cut-out, the race inspired motor has a mighty 657Nm of torque at 5,500rpm. With just 1,365kg to haul, this mega-motor will catapult the Enzo to 100km/h in 3.14sec, to 160km/h in 6.6 sec and on to around 350km/h.

As the oil and water need to warm through, I upshift at 3,500rpm, taking the time to feel how the car moves down the road. The paddle shift arrangement suits me fine and is a far cry from the recalcitrant dogleg manual gearbox in my Daytona, which effectively denies you selection of second gear when cold.

Even limbering up, the Enzo more than hints at what is to come. Its power-assisted steering is light to medium weight, but so full of feedback that you could imagine grading the size of the stones on the road blindfolded. Despite its obvious physical width, the carbon-fibre construction and resultant modest kerb weight means that the Enzo feels light and responsive even at town speeds.

This relatively low mass, coupled to the big, torquey, normally-aspirated motor is a recipe for hair-trigger acceleration, and once things are warmed up, the experience is both mind blowing and addictive.

Press the throttle progressively, and the Enzo surges forward with an instant and incredibly rabid urgency. Even with the electronics in Road mode, upshifts are fast, and the acceleration relentless.

Lifting the throttle slightly to anticipate the next ratio, a technique I use in all cars with clutchless manual gearboxes, allows fairly seamless upshifts. In Race mode though, the upshift speed makes smoothness hard to achieve, and when you are blatting round racetrack, is of less consequence anyway. On downshifts, the electronics blip the throttle for you, making you sound like a hero to bystanders.

The complex soundtrack from behind your head is simply amazing, a rhapsody of intake, exhaust and sheer mechanical activity that changes pitch and intensity with engine speed. But when you are concentrating hard on an unfamiliar road, the flurry of other inputs can overwhelm your senses to the point where even this heroic soundtrack recedes into the background.

With any powerful rear-drive car, warming the tyres properly before applying a lot of throttle is a given. The massive torque and quick throttle response of cars like the Enzo and Carrera GT make it very easy to unhinge the rear on cold tyres.

From experience, I expect this, and a quick flick of the wrist as the wide, red tail moves out of line halfway through a spirited application of power in second gear instantly stops the slide. But it would be all too easy for someone caught unawares to lose the car, even at modest speeds. The handful of Enzos crashed, even at not too far above legal urban speeds is a testament to this.

Once the rubber is properly warmed, mechanical grip is impressive, but you really do have to be aware of the road surface and not over-drive the car into bends. The rear-biased weight distribution means that big understeer is waiting to catch out anyone who enters a tight turn carrying too much speed.

Power oversteer is there for the asking on the way out, but while this is huge fun on a race track, it is not advisable on public roads. Apart from anything else, the Enzo is very wide, and touching a kerb or any other solid object would be disastrous.

It may look brutal, but the Enzo is far from a blunt instrument. A sensitive and communicative partner that you need to feel your way with, it responds best to gentle inputs and clearly dislikes being prodded. This is a car that talks to you all the time, but when it begins to raise its voice, you need to listen.

Drive smoothly and progressively and it will tell you through its steering and the seat of your pants when you are approaching the limit, and therefore how much power the available grip can cope with. Get that bit clear and the rewards are both immense and on several levels. But you need to take your time to learn it.

The good thing is that instant gratification is there at all speeds, and as you get to know the car better, you will uncover more layers of its personality. There is little chance of anyone getting bored with Enzo ownership, even over time.

The last Enzo left the factory in Modena in 2004, but the adulation has not stopped. If anything, it has risen to deafening levels. I am happy to add my own voice to the chorus.

source: http://www.gtspirit.com/2013/01/13/road-test-ferrari-enzo/
 by Ian Kuah | Photography by Ian Kuah