Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - Black Ferrari F12 TRS Spotted on Test Track - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

The bespoke and absolutely unique Ferrari F12 TRS, revealed earlier this year atFerrari Cavalcade and later Goodwood FoS, was supposed to be a one-off. But it seems a customer has persuaded the company to build another one for him.

The owner of this TRS has evidently opted for an all-black look, which if we’re honest does not look as striking as the first red example. There is also the possibility that the Ferrari F12 TRS was not a one-off at all, but rather a limited edition Berlinetta – something along the line with the F60 America – released as a concept to gauge the public’s interest.

We shall soon find out all about this black prancing horse and its purpose, but we already know about its mechanical features, which are of course identical to the F12 Berlinetta. There is a V12 engine underneath that bonnet, punching 740 horsepower, all of which is sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and a trick e-differential. Other highlights of the TRS include the lack of a roof and a semi-bespoke interior with special seats and upholstery, but F12 switchgear.

Photos by Alberto Pérez

source: http://www.motorward.com/2014/11/black-ferrari-f12-trs-spotted-on-test-track/

by Arman Barari

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - Ferrari 328 GTS Vs. 996-Gen Porsche 911 Carrera 4S on Scottish Drag Strip - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

Place your bets.

Auto Express is in the midst of running a drag racing series that randomly pairs supercars, sports cars, and performance sedans to race each other down a 1,800-meter stretch of Scottish tarmac. The latest matchup is between an all-wheel-drive Porsche 911 996-gen Carrera 4S, powered by a 320-hp 3.6-liter flat-six, and a Ferrari 328 GTS, packing a 3.2-liter V8 with 270 hp on tap. As you may suspect, the German sports car comes out on top, crossing the line a good second-and-a-half in front of the Italian exotic.

The Porsche and Ferrari feature at the bottom end of the list of competitors that have run down the Edniburgh runway, sitting below a Telsa Model S and Mercedes A45 AMG. At the top of the pile, unsurprisingly, is a Mercedes F1 car which you can watch drag race an SLS AMG here.

source: http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2014/11/24/Ferrari-328-GTS-Vs-996-Gen-Porsche-911-Carrera-4S-on-Scottish-Drag-Strip-7723858/

by 

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - Teenage wakeboard champ Jorge Gill towed by Ferrari F50 along Lincolnshire river - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

Credit: Jorge Gill

Professional wakeboarder Jorge Gill has released a video of him being towed by a Ferrari F50 along a river in Lincolnshire.

In the Youtube clip, daredevil teenager Jorge leaps out of the bright yellow car and fastens a toe rope to the spoiler before plunging into the uninviting water.

With a screech of tyres, the supercar then drags the two-time European wakeboarding champion along the Lincolnshire river, as the Ferrari reportedly hit speeds of around 84mph.

source: http://www.itv.com/news/2014-11-25/teenager-wakeboard-champ-jorge-gill-towed-by-ferrari-f50-along-lincolnshire-river/

by

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - Chinese police seize Ferraris from Hong Kong street racers - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

One of the Ferrari drivers was timed making the 22km trip between Shenzhen and the city of Dongguan in just six minutes, the state-run Global Times said. — Bigstock pic

Chinese police seized a dozen supercars including Ferraris and McLarens and detained a group of middle-aged street racers from Hong Kong, some of whom were caught doing more than 250 kilometres per hour, reports said on Friday.

The group had engaged in two days of high-speed racing on public roads in Shenzhen, the mainland Chinese boom town across the border from the former British colony, where roads are wider, straighter and longer than in the cramped financial hub.

One of the drivers was timed making the 22km trip between Shenzhen and the city of Dongguan in just six minutes, the state-run Global Times said.

Twelve cars were seized by police, the newspaper added, including models by Lamborghini, Ferrari and McLaren.

The Southern Daily, based in Guangdong province, which includes Shenzhen, said all the suspects were Hong Kong citizens aged between 38 and 62. It added that it was the largest and most dangerous street racing case ever seen by police in Shenzhen.

“Those drivers thought they were on a race track,” it quoted a witness surnamed Wang as saying. “They didn’t care about other cars on the road.”Police plan to charge the suspects with dangerous driving, according to the Global Times.

None of the detainees’ names were available, and police could not be reached for comment on what would happen to the cars.

Footage from traffic cameras broadcast on Chinese television showed cars speeding along a highway, weaving between other vehicles.

“We are investigating a case of high speed racing along the riverside expressway,” the Shenzhen public security bureau said on its verified microblog.

Read more: http://www.therakyatpost.com/world/2014/11/14/chinese-police-seize-ferraris-hong-kong-street-racers/#ixzz3JOeV87tU

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special Was Pure Automotive Americana - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

The 1950s were as close as the US will probably ever come to a golden age of Americana. Throughout the decade the nation enjoyed the fruits of victory that came with vanquishing both the Axis and the Great Depression during the 1940s. At the same time, the disillusionment and self-questioning of the 1960s was still years away. It was no wonder, then, that the cars of the 50s reflected such sunny optimism. One of the best examples of this attitude is the 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special.

The Special was the brainchild of arch-designer Harley Earl, who drew inspiration for it from a trip he made to the salt flats in Bonneville, Utah. Earl was an aviation fanatic, and this showed in the cars he built. The Special had a bold, sloping hood that’s Corvette-esque in its shape, with silvered accents over the twin air scoops, both of which were fully functional.

The headlamps were recessed and covered in swept-back glass covers for better aerodynamics. Additional silverized touches marked the fenders and other components. The sleek lines continue throughout the fiberglass body, ending in a classic spare-wheel design in the rear. Though this look would later symbolize everything that was wrong with the 1970s, at the time it was coolness personified.

Perhaps the Special’s most distinguishing feature was its all-plexy canopy with gull-wing doors. The transparent panels swung upwards to admit occupants. This must have been done with aerodynamics in mind, though it seems to compromise the “wind in your hair” feel that’s an essential part of driving a convertible.

The inside of the Special was also aviation-inspired. It had a clean, simple layout with brushed metal casings around the gauges, a speedometer that topped out at 120 mph, and a three-spoked steering wheel. Gear shifter, vent controls, and ignition switch were within easy reach on the metallic console between driver and passenger, both of whom rode in comfort thanks to the twin leather seats.

Under its hood the Special had a 268 ci I-8 painted brilliant red with chrome touches. Dubbed the “Silver Streak,” the motor led the way power-wise for Pontiac at the time. It was built for high compression and fed by four single-barrel carbs built by Carter. This was the same carburetor layout used in the ‘53 Corvette. Officially rated at 230 hp, the power plant actually topped out at closer to 300 hp. It fed power to a four-speed Hydramatic automatic gearbox.

Earl had two units built, one cast in bronze and the other in green. As of 2008, both are still in existence under the careful eyes of private collectors. Like most concept cars, the Special never saw mass production. But elements from its design were used in production models like the ‘55 and ‘56 Star Chief and Chieftain, the ‘67 Firebird, and the ‘68 GTO. Like many of those who were ahead of their time, Harley Earl casts a long shadow indeed, as do his creations.

source: Boldride

by Bill Wilson

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - Listen to Ford's flat-plane crank V-8 roar in the 2016 Shelby GT350 - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

With more than 500 hp deriving from a 5.2-liter flat-plane crank V-8, Ford promises the new GT350will be the best performing Mustang ever made. And with Dodge having unleashed the Challenger Hellcat and Chevy the Camaro Z/28, the GT350 needs to deliver.

In reality the GT350 will be more refined than the Hellcat, and yet not as track-focused as the Z/28. It may line up closer in numbers to that of the Camaro ZL1. While we won't know for a while how well the GT350 drives, Ford has already published a video showcasing how the car sounds: the results, as you can hear in the video above, are pretty darn impressive.

Cross plane crank vs. flat plane crank

But what is a “flat-plane crankshaft?” Imagine a see-through version of a typical V-8 engine: The pistons move in a stair-step fashion — alternating power strokes in a way that maximizes the engine’s smoothness; the traditional V-8 burble comes from exhaust pulses created by so-called cross-plane crankshafts.

In a V-8 with a flat-plane crankshaft, a pair of pistons raise and lower in concert, like two four-cylinder engine banks bolted together. It’s called a flat plane because the connecting rods of the pistons lie 180 degrees from each other, rather than being offset 90 degrees as in a cross-plane.

 Flat-plane cranks fell out of favor because the firing order creates harsh vibrations that have to be dulled with special weights or more expensive engine parts. Yet a flat-plane V-8 can rev higher and produce more power pound-for-pound, which is why it’s usually chosen for racing machines and modern supercars; every Ferrari V-8 is a flat-plane design.

With the 2015 Mustang GT's engine note proving to be considerably quieter than previous GTs, and the Ecoboost four-banger using BMW-style trickery to pump a more evocative soundtrack through the speakers, the GT350 appears to be the antidote we've been waiting for. Detroit never sounded so good.

source: motoramic

by Alex Lloyd

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - [VIDEO] Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta reviewed by EVO - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

EVO’s newest review is showing us the impressive and also the newest model to come out from Maranello, Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta.

Jethro Bovingdon from EVO is trying to put some light onto Ferrari’s newest creation up to date, the 458 Speciale Aperta, on some beautiful Italian roads so if this has caught your attention and especially if you are a Ferrari fan, grab a chair, plug in your headphones and click play on the video posted below. Don’t forget to turn on the volume, too.

As you probably already know by now, the Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta is the roadster version of the 458 Speciale and this has been officially presented to the public a couple of months ago, during the 2014 Paris Motor Show, in a premiere. The model is packing the same 4.5 liter V8 engine under its hood, as the hardtop, which is producing a total output of 605 HP at 6,000 rpm and 540 Nm of torque, available at 9,000 rpm. The 458 Speciale A has gained 50 kg because of the added roof mechanism but it can still accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in the same 3 seconds as its solid roof brother. Only 499 units will be produced.

source: http://www.inautonews.com/video-ferrari-458-speciale-aperta-reviewed-by-evo#.VGGWX_nF-So

by Cristian Gnaticov 

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - Ferrari Test Driver Raffaele De Simone Reviews New California T in Monaco - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

The Ferrari California T may be the brand’s cheapest and “softest” model, but it’s still a sports car that delivers driving thrills.

This is exactly what Ferrari’s head of development test drivers Raffaele De Simone wants to show in a new official video in which he takes the California T to the challenging streets and roads of the Principality of Monaco and southern France.

As he drives the California T on the Rallye Monte Carlo’s most famous stage over the Col de Turini, as well as Monaco F1 Grand Prix’s legendary tunnel and Loews hairpin, De Simone talks us through the new car’sperformance and handling characteristics.

As a reminder, the California T sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds (0.2 seconds quicker than the previous model), with a top speed of 196mph (316km/h), up from 194mph (312km/h).

Obviously, you’re not going to hear any bad things of the car, but it’s an enjoyable video to watch, even just for the scenery and the terrific sound of the 552hp 3.9-liter turbocharged V8 engine. Scroll down to see the California T in action.

source: http://www.carscoops.com/2014/11/ferrari-test-driver-raffaele-de-simone.htmlby Dan Mihalascu

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - The Bike Faster Than A Ferrari - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

An impressively brave Frenchman broke the world speed record for a bicycle on Friday, hurtling from zero to 207 miles per hour in under five seconds. Daredevil bicyclist Francois Gissy wasn’t riding your grandmother’s Schwinn, though. Gissy’s explosive showing last week was assisted by rockets.

Gissy fastened a hydrogen peroxide-powered rocket with three thrusters to the frame of his bike, allowing him to go faster than many sports cars.

The Ferrari F430, in comparison, goes from zero to 62 mph in four seconds. Gissy hit 207 mph in 4.8 seconds.

The 250 meter (about 850 feet) run zipped through Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet in the South of France. Gissy’s bike was built by Exotic Thermo Engineering and designed by Arnold Neracher, a personal friend of Gissy.

“The bicycle is pushed forward by a rocket thruster,” Gissy explained in a post-run interview with Gizmag. “It’s a variant of downhill riding, like on a speed skiing slope, which is relying on a gravity engine. Except that the rocket-propelled variant is much ballsier.”

According to Exotic Thermo Engineering, Gissy’s trip on Friday broke the world speed record for a rocket bike. Gissy beat his own record—last year he rode a similar bike at speeds over 160 mph.

Needless to say, the experience of flying down a track on a bike at such speeds is harrowing.

“You better understand why the wind can do so much damage during powerful storms,” Gissy noted. “I’m lucky my head is still bolted on the body!”

Why a rocket-powered bike and not a more conventional motorcycle?

“I guess I like the craziness of the bicycle too much,” he added. “Maybe when I will get too old I will start to think about the comfort of a motorcycle.”

The fastest speed recorded for a bike without rockets was set in 1995 by Fred Rompelberg of the Netherlands. He hit 167 mph by riding behind a wind-shield fitted dragster, which assisted him by reducing drag.

The fastest bike speed without any assistance sits at 83 mph, but teams are working on breaking that.

As for Gissy, he has no plans of slowing down, and wants to soon crack the 400 km/h (249 mph) barrier. He is working with Exotic Thermo Engineering to find sponsors in order to build another rocket bike they are affectionately calling the “Spine Crusher,” which would supposedly break that speed in less than two seconds.

source: http://www.allvoices.com/article/100002287

by Barry Eitel

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - 650 HP BMW X6 M Drag Races 630 HP Ferrari 458 Spider [Video] - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

The last few weeks have been rather incredible if you stop and think about the drag races we’ve seen. First, we saw a stock BMW M5 take down a much more powerful Audi RS6 and then we were amazed when we saw the same M5 keep up with a Ferrari FF. What could possibly happen in this race?

Here we have a completely different beast racing a Ferrari. It’s an upgraded BMW X6 M that was taken up to 650 HP and he’s taking on a 458 Spider that was also tuned to make 630 HP.

Of course, the Bimmer benefits from all-wheel drive and a couple horses more (and a lot more torque) but the Ferrari has weight on its side despite the apparent lack of power.

In stock guises, the two are close as well, with the Bimmer putting out 555 HP and 680 Nm (501 lb-ft) of torque out of a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 while the Ferrari has 570 HP and 540 Nm (398 lb-ft) of torque coming out of a 4.5-liter V8.

At the same time, the Ferrari is in a completely different league not only due to the fact that it’s lighter by 800 kg (1,763 lbs) but also because it uses a 7-speed DCT gearbox whereas the X6 has a simple Steptronic 6-speed auto. Could we be in for another surprise though?

PLAY VIDEO

source: http://www.autoevolution.com/news/650-hp-bmw-x6-m-drag-races-630-hp-ferrari-458-spider-video-88429.html
by Gabriel Nica

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - A Look Inside Ferrari’s Factory in Maranello, Italy - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

Proudly emblazoned with the iconic motif of the prancing horse, the unassuming walls of theFerrari factory in Maranello, Italy, hides 15,000 square meters of infrastructure that has consistently given the world its most luxurious cars. The engineers at Ferrari painstakingly scrutinize every component of each vehicle to ensure that every one of the 7,000 units sent out into the world is flawless down to the last bolt. It is, after all, in this way that Ferrari maintains its impressive net revenues, amounting to €2.335 million EUR (approximately $2.95 million USD) in 2013, by restricting the supply and leaving enthusiasts around the world lusting after each model, and upping the waitlists for new units to several years in some cases










source: http://hypebeast.com/2014/11/a-look-inside-ferraris-factory-in-maranello-italy
by Gavin Yeung

Race Car Service and Repair Bay Area - First drive: Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta - Zucchi Motorsports Sonoma - 707-334-3700

What is it?

Pretty self-explanatory, really. It's the Ferrari 458 Speciale ­ the quicker, harder, more aggressive 458 variant ­ now with the retractable hard top from the Spider. There are only 499 being made, all for Ferrari ‘collectors', unfortunately. I say ‘unfortunately', because this is one of the greats ­ and I can see it being seen in the same light as the 360 Challenge Stradale and 430 Scuderia before it.

The mechanical bits for the roof add about 50kg over the standard Coupe Speciale (making it 1340kg dry, 1445kg kerb weight), but the rest is pretty much the same. Interestingly, Ferrari says this is the most aerodynamically efficient Spider in its history, with a drag co-efficient of 1.37 that delivers high downforce (Cl 0.485) combined with low drag (Cd 0.355). If anyone can explain those numbers in a way I’d understand, then answers on a postcard, please. I just know, having driven it, that it’s veryfast, hitting 62mph in 3.0 seconds dead and 124 in 9.5. The top end is a possible 199mph, but we weren’t in a position to test that. Or I’d now be in jail, or smeared across the Italian countryside in an abstract manner.

The Speciale? Remind me?

Well, you know how lovely the 458 is to drive? It’s that, but turned up. So it’s a mite less gentle, but a lot more focused. Not quite Porsche GT3 RS levels of commitment, but certainly noticeably sharper.

It contains one of the loveliest engines ever ­ a 4.5-litre flat-crank V8 with natural aspiration. Chucking out 597bhp (up from 562bhp for the standard car), it revs to 9000rpm, with 398lb ft of torque all the way up at 6000. Which means that it’s necessary, or rather your absolute duty, to rev the hell out of it at every opportunity. Bit of engineering for those that need detail: new cams, higher valve lift, redesigned (shorter) inlet manifolds and different pistons. It’s got a slightly bonkers compression ratio of 14:1, and posh materials and general millimetric shaving mean that the engine actually weighs 8kg less than the normal one.

There’s also the usual seven-speed double-clutch gearbox, this time with faster shifts. How they keep getting faster when they’re supposed to be instant in the first place is beyond me, though the Speciale does feel more aggressive, especially in downshifts, and it does exactly what you tell it. I couldn’t shift this fast or well in a manual, so it proves the point.

There are also other weight saving measures for the Speciale Coupe, carried over to the Aperta: lighter glass, lighter bodywork and exhaust, 20kg of mass out of the cabin and forged wheels that save 12kg. Altogether it should weigh about 90kg less than a standard Spider, which never felt like a fatty anyway. There are various active and passive aero flaps that change the car’s behaviour at speed, and bespoke tyres ­ more of them in a minute.

What’s it like to drive?

With the roof up, pretty much like the Speciale. Which is to say, sublime. You can’t beat a naturally aspirated engine for connection and response, and this is one of the greats. A cliché, but you really do wear this car, not just sit in it. And when you drop the roof ­ goodness, it’s a special car. Yes, you can feel a slight shimmy on rough roads, but not enough to spoil the fact that you get every aural ounce of that exhaust and engine’s effort unfettered to your ears. You have to rev it ­ it’s docile-ish at the bottom end ­ but get it going and there’s just nothing like it. Other cars are faster, more brutal, but this is just poetic. Seriously. I got a bit emotional after one Italian hairpin-filled blast and had to sit for a minute and take it in.

Hard work, then?

Not especially so ­ Ferrari’s Side Slip Control and various diff settings look after you ­ but fling yourself into a corner and the way that the car slingshots around the curve is unbelievable. It’s just so solid, and reliable. The grip is immense, and it’ll let you slide out of a curve with just the right amount of counter-steer release. The engine is so beautifully linear and progressive that you’re never caught out. Even the most boost-addicted 800bhp GT-R owner would
appreciate it.

It also steers beautifully and stops like you imagine a supercar should. It even smothers bumps ­ and we hit a lot, these were Italian backroads ­ and felt secure enough to push. A thing about the tyres though ­ at one point I had to stop for a few minutes, and then as soon as I went into the next corner quickly, it was if the tyres had gone cold. Bit slippy.

All the time, the Aperta lets you experience the whole gamut with all senses extended. It’s wonderful.

Is this the perfect 458, then?

In many ways, yes. I’d have the Aperta over the Coupe, simply because of the ability to hear the engine, and the difference in handling/ride isn’t enough to put me off. But, and there is a but, I don’t think the aerodynamically efficient rear end is as nice as the standard car. The rear diffuser is blockier and less elegant, and the two exhausts aren’t as neat as the standard 458's centre-mounted triplet.

There are also some horribly tacky Limited Edition and Engine of the Year plaques in the otherwise lovely cabin, though I suspect three minutes with a screwdriver could sort that. Small things, but they grate a little when you’re talking about a car like this.

source: http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/ferrari-458-speciale-aperta-first-drive-2014-11-04

by Tom Ford