[car fanatics]

Ferrari
Photo credit: Ferrari
June 30, 2012

Ferrari proudly showed not one, but two UK debuts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The mid-rear engined two-seater 458 Spider features a fully retractable aluminium hard-top roof, a world first for a sports car with this layout. The innovative folding hard-top is 25kg lighter than a traditional soft-top while being both quieter and more thermally efficient.

Also making its debut was the new lighter and more powerful Ferrari California 30. The front-mid mounted V8 now has 490hp, an addition of 30hp, with overall weight also being reduced by 30kg, which has been achieved through cutting-edge aluminium fabrication techniques and construction technologies.

Alongside these two UK debuts was the Ferrari FF, the V12-powered four-seater flagship of the Ferrari range. This is Ferrari’s first vehicle to feature the innovative 4RM four-wheel drive system which allows up to 30% of the V12’s 660hp engine to be transferred to the front axle in low grip situations.

All three cars will take to the track again tomorrow where Scuderia Ferrari driver, Marc Gené, will also put the 2010 Ferrari F10 single-seater through its paces up the famous 1.16 mile hillclimb course.

There are also several fine examples of classic Ferraris from the 1950s, 60s and 70s on display at the Festival of Speed, including a very rare 250 MM from 1953, the ex-Carrera Panamerica car still running in its original livery.