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Ferrari News

The dynamic ribbon

Dean Wills private track, Kulnura NSW

Dean Wills, former head honcho of Coca-Cola Amatil. Recognise the name? Well off bloke with his own private “race track” north of Sydney. Ringing any bells yet?

If you’re in Australia, chances are you’ve heard of this mysterious track, home to numerous urban myths. Thankfully for us Wills has put the record straight in an interview with the official Ferrari magazine.

Here’s a grab from the article which cuts through the hyperbole:

‘People are inclined to call it a track, but it’s a private road, a two-way country road,’ says Wills. True, as our photographs reveal. No barriers, no gravel run-off areas, no ripple strips, no garish advertising signs, nothing to suggest Wills’ wonderful road could be construed as a race-track. The road has no crown, flat curbs and regular road signs on each corner. It’s so politically correct that there are even recommended corner speed signs. The strip of blacktop runs through grassy fields, native Australian eucalyptus trees dot the paddocks and the road rises and falls with the undulations of the gentle hills. And, because the road is free of any of the safety measure now mandatory for a track, if you should somehow tire of perfecting the apexes, you can drive it in the other direction for an entirely different learning experience. Motoring heaven.

It’s certainly worth reading the full article (link below). If nothing else it provides a reliable background about the once mythical track.

No doubt Wills worked hard to earn himself the chance to fulfill his own motoring fantasy. We’re guessing many readers will have dreamt of having their own private tarmac ribbon too. Wills has shown it can happen!

[Source: Ferrari Magazine | Thanks to Micky and Dylan for the tips]

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Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bugatti Chevrolet Citroen Ferrari Ford Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Koenigsegg Motor Shows

2012 Geneva Motor Show in pictures – part 1

2012 Geneva Motor Show

After a couple of days for press previews the doors to the 2012 Geneva Motor Show are about to be opened to the public. Figuring you probably can’t make it we’re bringing you our biggest photo gallery ever. That’s right, there’ll be over 200 images from the floor of Geneva for you to enjoy.

We’ve kept things varied and ensured there’s dream cars, like the Ferrari F12berlinetta and Lamborghini Aventador J, as well as everyday stuff like the new Audi A3 and the Subaru Impreza Hatch. Then there’s the Valmet Automotive Dawn. We’re not quite sure what that is and you’ll see it in part 2 of our gallery, to be added later today.

After the break you can enjoy the first installment where we’ve taken an alphabetical approach and presented manufacturers from A–K.

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Bathurst 12 Hour Ferrari

VIDEO: Ferrari’s Mount Panorama lap record

2012 Bathurst 12 Hour

Last November Danish ace Allan Simonsen set a new official lap record around Mount Panorama in Bathurst. Simonsen’s record mark is 2:04.956 and was set at the wheel of the Maranello Motorsport Ferrari 458 GT3.

Just a couple of weeks ago Simonsen was at it again when he took the same car to a new official race lap record in the Bathurst 12 Hour with a time of 2:06.3311. No V8Supercar has beaten either of those times.

After the break you can watch onboard footage of Simonsen’s 2:04 lap.

[Thanks to Stephen for the tip]

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Ferrari

Ferrari launches F12 berlinetta microsite

Ferrari F12berlinetta

Ferrari has just launched a new microsite for the stunning new F12 berlinetta. First you have to listen to Luca di Montezemolo telling you how great the new car is, but soon after you can start to pick colours, change the wheels, listen to sound clips of the new 740hp V12 at full noise and more. Have fun!

[Source: f12berlinetta.com]

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Ferrari

VIDEO: Ferrari F12 berlinetta

Ferrari brings us two promo videos of its stunning new F12 berlinetta. The first is a digital flyover showing the car from all angles. After the break you can see Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa driving a development model around Fiorano.

Oh yeah, the F12 berlinetta can lap Fiorano in 1 minute 23 seconds. Apparently that’s the fastest road Ferrari lap ever recorded.

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Ferrari

Ferrari F12 berlinetta revealed

Ferrari F12berlinetta

Wow!

This is the Ferrari F12berlinetta. We thought it was going to be called the F620, but we were wrong. We thought it was going to be a bit, well, ugly. We were wrong.

The 599 replacement is powered by a new 6262cc V12 engine which is good for 740CV (544kW) at 8500rpm and 690Nm of torque at 6000rpm. The F12berlinetta is the most powerful production Ferrari ever.

It tips the scales at a portly 1525kg, albeit 70kg lighter than the 599, but can accelerate to 100km/h in just 3.1 seconds; 200km/h in a mere 8.5 seconds. Its top speed is bloody fast, Ferrari say it’s north of 340km/h.

A 46:54 front to rear weight distribution ensures there’s just a bit more weight over the rear axle, which is just how you want it in a car like this. Downforce has been helped with the ‘Aero Bridge’ in the bonnet which pushes air towards the flanks of the impressive bodywork.

An F1-style transmission, new-generation carbon ceramic brakes and technological marvels like E-Diff and F1-Trac ensure there’s plenty of toys for the rich boys lucky enough to afford this masterpiece.

The sculptural qualities and dramatic form of the exterior look fantastic in the supplied pics. But will it look as good in everyday conditions? We certainly hope so. Check it out for yourself after the break.

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Ferrari

Ferrari F620 GT to be revealed tonight

Ferrari F620 GT web teaser

The Ferrari website reminds their new F620 GT will debut today. For our Australian readers based on the eastern seaboard you’ll need to be paying attention from 11pm.

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Ferrari

Ferrari F620 GT to be revealed tomorrow

Ferrari F620 GT teaser

Ferrari has published another teaser video for its upcoming F620 GT. The official launch date is tomorrow and we expect that to mean we’ll have details on the car in the late evening Australian time.

Of course, we got an unofficial preview of the 700hp F620 on the weekend, where it was revealed that Chris Bangle-inspired flame surfacing is yet to flicker out.

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Audi Bathurst 12 Hour Ferrari Holden Mercedes-Benz

2012 Bathurst 12 Hour press confrence

2012 Bathurst 12 hour race

We bring you the full audio from the post-race press conference at the 2012 Bathurst 12 Hour race. Asking the questions was Richard Craill, the order of drivers responding is as follows:

  • Team Phoenix (Audi R8 LMS): Christer Joens, Darryl O’Young. Christopher Mies
  • Erebus Racing (Mercedes SLS AMG): Jeroen Bleekemolen, Tim Slade, Brett Curtis, Peter Hackett
  • Clearwater Racing (Ferrari 458 GT3): Craig Baird, Mok Wen Sun, Matt Griffin
  • Racer Industries (HSV Astra VXR): Chris Pither, Elliot Barbour, Scott Pye.

Click the play button below to start the audio.

[audio:http://www.ausmotive.com/audio/B12hr-2012-press-conference.mp3]
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Audi Bathurst 12 Hour Ferrari Mercedes-Benz

Audi wins the 2012 Bathurst 12 Hour

2012 Bathurst 12 hour race

The #1 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS wins from the #20 Erebus Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and the #33 Clearwater Racing Ferrari 458 GT3.

  1. #1 Audi R8 LMS (O’Young, Mies, Joens) 270 laps
  2. #20 Mercedes SLS AMG (Slade, Bleekemolen, Hackett, Curtis) +1:13.2
  3. #33 Ferrari 458 GT3 (Sun, Baird, Griffin) -2 laps +1:16.1

Report to follow.

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Audi Bathurst 12 Hour Ferrari

2012 Bathurst 12 Hour – Qualifying results

Qualifying 1, 2012 Bathurst 12 Hour

The #1 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS (Mies, O’Young, Joens) has claimed pole position for tomorrow’s Bathurst 12 Hour race. On aggregate time they finished one second ahead of the #17 Maranello Motorsport Ferrari 458 GT3 (Simonsen, Farnbacher, Bowe, Edwards). The #33 Clearwater Racing Ferrari 458 GT3 (Sun, Baird, Griffin) was just two one hundredths further back.

Christopher Mies said, “In P1 we have the best opportunity to win the race again this year.” His teammate Darryl O’Young added, “I really respect this track and had to learn it all over again, P1 is a bonus.”

The top five was rounded out by the #23 JBS Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 (Lago, Russell, Park) and the #2 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS (Lowndes, Luff, Eddy).

Craig Baird in the Clearwater Racing Ferrari was the only driver to break the 2:08 ‘balance of performance’ benchmark when he posted a 2:07.55 in the morning qualifying session. Unfortunately for him and his team that will earn them a 50kg weight penalty.

“Some wanker had to make the mistake I suppose,” Baird quipped in the press-conference before explaining he got bamboozled by the dash display in the Ferrari.

Oddly, the 2:08 cap does not apply to the race proper and as a result we’re likely to see race pace much quicker than the qualifying and practice times.

Matt Griffin is confident the times will drop for the top teams tomorrow, “When we’re off the leash we will go quicker [than 2:08], 2:06 maybe.”

Adding some potential spice to the race tomorrow is the weather forecast which is predicting showers during the day.

Dominik Farnbacher is an experienced endurance racer but this is his first time at Mount Panorama and the weather has been dry all weekend. “It’s no problem, I love the rain,” he told AUSmotive.

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Ferrari

Ferrari F620 GT images leaked

Ferrari F620

This is the new Ferrari F620 GT, we’re to believe, and it will be the most powerful production Ferrari ever. Best guesses suggest that translates to around 520kW/700hp, courtesy of a new 6.3 litre V12.

It’s equal parts 599, California and 458, and we reckon Chris Bangle will love it!

We should be seeing official information from Ferrari on the F620 at the end of this month prior to its launch at the Geneva Motor Show.

[Source: GTspirit via WCF]