Leonardo Fioravanti: Designer of Dreams

 

There are many names to know in the annals of Ferrari design, but if you only remember one (aside from Enzo, of course), make it Leonardo Fioravanti, the designer behind some of Ferrari’s most iconic road cars.

Fioravanti worked at Pininfarina for 24 years, first joining the legendary Italian coachmaker and design firm as a stylist in 1964 when he was just 26 years old. From there he worked his way up to managing director.

For 18 of those 24 years he was general manager of Pininfarina’s research arm, Pininfarina Studi & Ricerche, and later he worked as the deputy general manager of Ferrari. In 1989, he joined Fiat’s Centro Stilo as director of design. How’s that for a resumé?

For the purposes of this article I will focus on Fioravanti’s time with Pininfarina, where he not only designed many of Ferrari’s most iconic models, but also introduced new aesthetics that redefined the brand several times over.

Bringing Ferrari into the Modern Era

In 1968, Fioravanti created the Ferrari 365 GTB, popularly known as the Daytona. This was a radically new shape for Ferrari. Instead of a rounded look, he crafted a body of sharp angles around its front-mounted V12, giving the car a distinctly sleek, thin, modern appearance. The Daytona was a line in the sand that shook off the last vestiges of ’50s influence and launched Ferrari’s road cars into the modern sports car era.

He followed this up a year later with the Dino, a marque all its own named for Enzo’s late son, Alfredo, who succumbed to Duchenne muscular dystrophy at just 24 years old. The Dino remains one of Fioravanti’s most recognizable designs, especially the 246 GT iteration, with its deeply set circular headlamps, duckbill nose, sloping backend and low, powerful stance. The shooting comet air intake on each door panel endured across models for the next 20 years.

Putting the Miura on Notice

In 1973, Fioravanti designed Ferrari’s first mid-engine sports car and defined a silhouette that lived on for years to come. The first 365 GT4 BB was shown in Paris in 1971 as a response to the Miura, but the 512 Berlinetta Boxer that debuted in 1976 was a true showstopper that remained in production for over a decade, with more than 2,300 produced. The sharp nose, yellow running lights, white hood louver, twin tail lights and exhaust pipes on each side, two-tone paint job, futuristic engine cover, and other design elements defined a look and feel that carried Ferrari well into the ‘80s.

Before we leave the 1970s, I must tip my hat to Fioravanti’s 308 GTB. This model is often criticized for not standing out enough against the 512 BB or 288 GTO, but it’s both a bridge and an icon in its own right. I mean, it was cool enough for Tom Selleck in Magnum, P.I. – what else do you want?

 

Photography by: Simon Furlonger Cars

 

The Making of a Masterpiece

In 1983, Fioravanti created what is still for me the most beautiful Ferrari ever designed: the 288 GTO. It is, to quote myself: “A perfectly balanced, aesthetically pleasing design devoid of pomp and flourish…a singular achievement of form-meets-function… The car’s rear end is a clean panel with two pairs of equally sized taillights and a simple “GTO” in that wonderfully ’80s font… Four generous fender flares bulge to accommodate its large racing tires, and together with its tight midsection and sharply cut frontend, they create a muscular stance that looks ready to pounce, even at a standstill.”

And yet with all of this to his credit, Fioravanti was far from done. He had two more era-defining masterpieces up his sleeve.

In 1984, he unveiled the Testarossa, with its raked door panel air intakes that look cooler than the Fonz pulling a comb through his hair. It was a design that launched a thousand bedroom posters and boyhood fantasies, and to this day it still looks boldly futuristic. Just three years later, he teamed up with Enzo Ferrari to create a revolutionary design for the brand’s 40th year that became the automaker’s swan song. The result was of course the F40, a monstrous evolution of the 288 GTO that’s not among my personal favorites, but is undoubtedly a legend and adored by collectors worldwide.

 

Photography by (L to R): Andreas Birner, Simon Furlonger Cars, Thiago Bertoldi, Heritage Classics

 

Did he ever make mistakes? Oh sure, a few: the Mondial. The 348. The P5. But along with Giorgetto Giugiaro and Marcello Gandini (all born within months of one another, oddly), he stands as one of the greatest car designers of the 20th century, perhaps as important to Italian culture as Federico Fellini. What do you think of Leonardo Fioravanti’s work?

 

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Talking With Professional Broker And Ferrari Historian Andreas Birner

1962 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider SWB (#4095GT)

 

Andreas Birner is a professional broker from Germany and worked with a lot of astounding historical Ferraris throughout the years. We asked him about his passion for the brand and how he started out.

Photography: Andreas Birner, Collection Technisches Museum Wien

Could you tell how you became the Ferrari historian and professional broker you are today?

‘‘I became interested in Ferrari in 1985 at the age of ten (I was born on December 26, 1974). I began to “spot” (as we would call it in today’s language) Ferrari when on holiday at fancy places like Monaco or Munich, or I asked my parents to drive me to dealers which had a nice Ferrari inventory. Through some of my first Ferrari books (“Ferrari Legend” by Antoine Prunet and “Ferrari 250 GT Competition” by Jess Pourret) I learned very early that the chassis number of a rare car is very important because it is the key to its individual history.

 

 

In 1991, shortly after I had turned 16, I joined the “Ferrari Model Club” in Germany which published a monthly magazine. My “colleague” Marcel Massini was very active as a writer in that magazine and, needless to say, his articles usually included MANY Ferrari serial numbers and were very precise most of the time. I understood that just taking photos of Ferrari was not sophisticated enough and would have a very limited value of information in the future. Thus I started to compile a database in my computer by serial number, collecting all accessible information on each individual history of a Ferrari. I focussed on Ferrari road cars from 1947 through 1980 because I had the impression that the histories of the important race cars had already been researched by knowledgeable Ferrari historians like Marcel Massini, Gerald Roush, Alan Boe or David Seielstad, to name a few.

But there were so many road cars of which the individual histories were still completely or widely unknown. And I started to write articles for the magazine of the Ferrari Model Club, as well as for the German issue of “Ferrari World” and soon even in English language for “Cavallino” and “Prancing Horse”. Through research, through my articles and through visits to Ferrari events I got to know more and more Ferrari people, and they kept telling me which cars they would love to own in the future and for which cars they were thinking about selling. At the age of 19, I managed to broker my first Ferrari, a 250 GTE. I continued to do so while in university, and eventually turned this passion into my business.’’

 

 

Where does your interests for Ferrari come from?

‘‘My interest was clearly ignited by the design of the cars, especially of the late 1950s and 1960s Ferrari models. The sound and the pleasure of driving them of course added to this; luckily I had found some very relaxed and generous supporters who occasionally allowed me to drive their classic Ferrari sports cars, and thus I was able to experience a 250 GT Coupé Boano and a 365 GTB/4 Daytona from the driver’s perspective at the age of 19, and soon after I was allowed to drive a 330 America, a 365 GTC and a 328 GTS, followed by a 308 GTS QV, another 328 GTS, a Dino 246 GT etc. etc. I am extremely thankful for this incredible support.

One thing which is extremely fascinating about Ferrari to me is the number of different models and variations which were built by this small company! The sheer variety of different models makes the history of this small manufacturer incredibly versatile. The mix of design and history keeps the subject “Ferrari” interesting for me on a daily basis.’’

You sold and bought tons of Ferraris through the years, but is there one that was a highlight for you?

‘‘There were several highlights… [Pictures of these cars are pictured throughout this article, including chassis numbers]

First of all I would like to mention that I sold several 250 GT California Spider SWB, which is my personal favourite model among the road cars. Among them was the prototype for the SWB Cal Spider, s/n 1795GT, which I sourced through a friend in California.

 

 

The greatest race cars which I handled were a 375 MM Spider Pinin Farina and a 250 LM. Another highlight was the sale of an entire collection consisting of several Ferrari and some rare Mercedes-Benz models; I brokered the entire collection from the heirs to an investor.

And the last one I would like to mention here was one of the few 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione “SEFAC HotRod” which I sourced on the U.S. East Coast in 2010 and which I resold in a package with a 250 GT California Spider SWB in 2012.’’

You are given the opportunity to pick three Ferraris. Which three would be in your garage, regardless of the price tags?

‘‘It’s very tough to pick only three for me… I give it a try:

Dino 308 GT4. I simply got smitten by this model, after I had really disliked it at an early stage of my passion. As you know, I currently have two in my garage – a Series I and Series II example. One is medium metallic green, the other one brown. I would keep one of them, no matter which. But whichever 308 GT4 I would own, it would need to have a typical 1970s colour, like the ones which I already own.

250 GT California Spider SWB Competizione, s/n 2383GT [period photo pictured above]; it should be this particular chassis number because s/n 2383GT unites my ultimate dream Ferrari with a German racing history! I would have it restored back to its original silver-grey livery.

F40. The icon. My poster car. Anybody who was born in the 1970s will understand me without further questions. Together with the 288 GTO, these are the ONLY two Ferrari models which I would like to own in red, simply because they were originally only available in red, and originality is very important to me.’’

 

 

You drive a brown Dino 308 GT4 yourself. Could you explain why this particular Ferrari caught your interests?

‘‘I found my brown one via www.mobile.de in early 2013. It was for sale in Como and had been advertised for quite a long time. At this time, my 456M GT was my only personal Ferrari. I wanted to add a classic one which I could afford.  This 308 GT4 was ridiculously cheap, it was soooo 1970s in brown and it looked like a proper example (this wild guess has later proven as being very correct!).

Furthermore, it would allow me to take part in many different events, including the annual Dino Tour of my friend Matthias Bartz. I had been told by knowledgeable people before that the 308 GT4 was actually an insider tip, because of its fantastic handling. And last but not least, I am quite chubby, but the GT4 offers a lot of space and is very comfortable for me to drive.’’

 

 

What advice would you give people that want to become a Ferrari Historian/Broker?

‘‘Start to collect information by serial number in a very professional way. Collecting photos and sorting them by registration plate will not help. Registration plates change, the chassis number is the key to everything. And start to specialise in a few models; in the surprisingly wide Ferrari market, there are still niches for upcoming specialists.’’

 

Japanese GP: Ferrari’s disappointment as Hamilton gets closer to the title

 

A weekend full of mistakes brings discouragement in Maranello as Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel get further away from the title. The disastrous Saturday, which saw Vettel and Raikkonen qualifying in P6 and P4 respectively because of bad tyre strategy, is followed by a dull Sunday, with the Prancing Horse getting P5 (Kimi) and P6 (Seb) at the chequered flag.

 

 

Lights out

The start of the race seems pretty positive for the guys in Red, Kimi maintaining his position and Sebastian being able to easily overtake Romain Grosjean. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas immediately set a fantastic pace on a track which has always been very favourable to Mercedes in the hybrid era. The first few laps cause a bit of frenzy and various contacts and collisions, including Leclerc and Magnussen (the latter retiring), Verstappen and Raikkonen (the first getting a 5-second time penalty), Alonso and Stroll (both getting time penalties). The incident between Leclerc and Magnussen triggers the deployment of the Safety Car at lap 5, returning to the pits in lap 8. Just a lap later, the race changes completely.

The collision

 

 

Despite Max Verstappen (still ahead of Vettel) has already been awarded a time penalty, Sebastian decides to go all in and attack him: the Dutchman, defending the position, closes the space. The two cars collide and Vettel pays the highest toll, spinning (luckily, with no damage) and falling back to P19. From this moment on, the race is easy for Mercedes, being far ahead of everyone else on the grid even after pit stops (as expected, the top teams played it safe with a one-stop strategy, switching for mediums). Lewis Hamilton leads every single lap of the race, and only one final fastest lap from Vettel stops him from getting a poker of records in Suzuka. An honourable mention goes to Daniel Ricciardo, the master of overtaking, who finishes the race in P4 after starting P15.

The title fight

“It’s not over till it’s over”, they say. However, at this point in the championship, with four races to go and a 57-point difference between Hamilton and Vettel, things are looking extremely tricky for the Prancing Horse. Of course, the fight is still mathematically open: there are still 100 points to be distributed, but the Brit might actually close the game in Austin already, if Vettel fails to score points and he finishes sixth or higher. Grid penalties, accidents and DNFs are to be considered in the equation, but it appears that the tifosi might have to wait yet another year to cheer.

 

This Is Why Ferrari Convertibles Are Called Spiders

 

We are used to referring to two-seater Ferrari convertibles with the term spider, or even spyder, but where does this weird comparison come from?

Photography: Christie’s, Richard Hollebrands, Diederik Lieftink, Max Lammers

Here’s a little history lesson

We have to go back to the early 1800s when there were no cars or any sort of motorized transport. The people back then were using horse-drawn carriages to get around. These carriages came in many sizes and had all sorts of purposes, like delivering mail or to transport people and cargo. There were also sportier carriages.

 

 

Those sportier carriages were called ‘’Phaetons’’, and the most luxurious one was the high flyer. You also had the Mail and Spider version of the Pheaton. The Mail Phaeton was primarily used to carry passengers with luggage and it was named mail because it used the same springs as the original mail carriages. The Spider Phaeton was made for the gentleman driver: it was even sportier than the high flyer and had a high and light construction. Because of this tall construction, the carriage looked like a spider. Yep, it’s that simple.

Once cars were introduced, people kept using the word Spider to refer to sporty two-seater convertibles. In the beginning, Spider (or Spyder) was mainly used in Italy. Car manufactures from the States and the rest of Europe often referred to those cars as ‘’Roadster’’. Among today’s prominent manufactures, Porsche uses Spyder, McLaren uses Spider and Mercedes-Benz calls them Roadsters.

Different variants

 

 

There’s no particular difference between Spider and Spyder either. Ferrari used Spyder in the early days (e.g. 250 GT California Spyder), but switched to Spider fairly quick. Ferrari also used Barchetta and Aperta as designation for convertible cars. Barchetta is a term originally used for lightweight open-top racing cars from the late 1940s and 1950s. The name made an appearance in 2000 with the introduction of the 550 Barchetta. Aperta (Italian for ‘‘open’’) is mainly used for highly limited convertible cars, such as the 458 Speciale Aperta and LaFerrari Aperta.

What is your favourite Ferrari convertible?

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Source: Road and Track

 

EXCLUSIVE – Callum Ilott: “F2 would be my plan for 2019”

 

Exactly a week ago Antonio Giovinazzi was finally confirmed as the new Sauber driver, partnering Kimi Raikkonen from the 2019 Formula One season onwards.

With this move Ferrari has confirmed his ability to provide every driver joining their junior program, Ferrari Driver Academy, serious career opportunities. That’s why ROSSOautomobili has started a series of interviews wih the brightest rising stars in Maranello, the young Academy members. After starting it out with Marcus Armstrong, we’ve had the chance of asking a few questions to Callum Ilott, 19-year-old GP3 talent currently racing with ART Grand Prix.

Callum, you have been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy for almost a year now. How would you sum up the experience so far? How would you say it helped your development as a driver?

“Being part of the FDA has been very positive for my development in a number of ways. First, it has given me structure and plan to my activities and preparation. That’s something I haven’t really benefitted from until this season. Now, most of my time is filled with activities from the FDA. That might be time on the simulator, physical training, Italian language lessons or one of the number of training camps we attend together. The support extends to race weekends too. Massimo Rivola, who leads the Academy, is at my events along with Marco Matassa, an FDA engineer to support me. It’s been useful in my rookie GP3 season to have another pair of eyes and ears there. The other aspect I’ve mentioned several times is the ‘family’ approach.

This was one of the things that initially attracted me to the FDA when the opportunity came up last year. All the FDA drivers work and train together and I’ve even got a few drivers living in the same apartment block as me, so there is the chance to socialise together. When you are a young driver, you can be isolated, living at home. At the FDA, there are guys around all the time. It’s different to other programmes but it seems to work.”

How would you describe your relationship with the fellow FDA drivers? Is it particularly influenced by competition or do you prefer a constructive, collective approach?

“Because we work on our development programmes together, it’s more of a collective approach. Of course, some of us are rivals on track and even driving for different teams in the same series, but the culture Massimo and his team have created means we can train and work together. It’s a good life lesson too.”

 

 

If given the chance, how do you think you would perform in F2? You’ve already raced with Trident last year in your home GP, are you still in contact with them for a possible transition or would you continue your path with ART?

My F2 was a real baptism of fire, with no preparation but I loved that car and the extra power! I literally did the deal on the Tuesday before the race and spent a couple of long nights reading the car manual. There wasn’t even time for a run on the simulator and I ended up doing the seat fit in the garage. Pace was good and I enjoyed the car, I think it suited me, having a bit more power. It was just a shame the rear wing element broke in qualifying as I think I could have actually been higher up the grid. I’d had no experience of DRS, pit stops and the Pirelli rubber.

The tyre management is such a big thing and I just needed a bit more experience to know when to push and when to conserve the tyres. It’s been a big learning from this season in GP3 so I’m confident I could do the job in F2 when I get there.

The nice thing from that weekend was that Trident’s team principal Giacomo [Ricci, ed.] was super impressed with my pace and approach. He’s an ex-racer so he knows what I achieved by just hopping in the car and doing what I did.

F2 would be my plan for 2019 but I’ve made no final decision on this. It’s been pretty interesting to see how everyone is getting on with the new car, hasn’t it?

 

 

Is there a driver on the current F1 grid whom you consider an inspiration and/or a role model?

“No, not really. I respect their achievements and I appreciate how much work and effort they have put in to reach there. Getting to F1 is inspirational in itself as it is so tough to reach but no, I don’t have a particular role model.”

Do you have any particular pre-race ritual you like to perform?

I don’t have any real rituals or superstitions around the car. Key for me is staying chilled. I’ll listen to some music in the back of the truck and then it’s a brief warm up before. I keep it low key, conserving energy for the race. Then it’s into the car, final check with the engineers and off to the grid. It’s all about the racing!”

We at ROSSOautomobili wish Callum the best for the final round of 2018 GP3 Serires in Abu Dhabi, thanking him for his precious insight.

 

We Found The Perfect Ferrari Family Car: the Pinin

 

One of my guilty pleasure Ferraris is the Ferrari 412, so when I found out about the Ferrari Pinin, I just had to share it with you.

Photography: Eric Horton, Davide Cironi for Petrolicious,

The very first Ferrari four-door

Ferrari is known for being very forward-thinking and experimental. The Ferrari 408 4RM is the perfect example because it was the marque’s first four-wheel drive car. Ferrari produced this concept in the late 1980s and implemented a similar system into the 2011 Ferrari FF.

 

 

The same goes for this, the Ferrari Pinin – a one-off concept car that was designed by Pininfarina to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 1980. Sergio Pininfarina dreamed of designing a car that could compete with the likes of the Maserati Quattroporte and Jaguar XJ. He started with a 400 GT chassis and didn’t include an engine because it was created purely to show their design abilities. Instead, the design team fitted a mock-up version of the flat-12 that powered the 400 GT. The classy outside was complemented with a classy inside: tobacco-coloured Connolly Leather. The Ferrari Pinin was unveiled at the 1980 Turin Auto Show by Sergio Pininfarina himself.

It almost went into production

Enzo Ferrari liked it so much that he discussed the possibility of putting it into production. The feedback received from a United States tour was positive, but Enzo soon realized he had to compete with car manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Four-door cars were a speciality of those manufacturers and Ferrari only had experience with two-door sports and race cars, which are not suited for daily driving. Enzo was aware he didn’t have the expertise to build a car suited for daily driving, so he dropped his production plans and this remains the only one ever built.

Several times sold throughout the years

After the tour, the Ferrari Pinin was sold to Jacques Swaters. Swaters was a racing driver from Belgium, the former team owner of Ecurie Francorchamps and a businessman. You might recognize his last name. Ferrari introduced Blu Swaters as a shade of blue at the same time the Ferrari 456 was unveiled in 1992. Swaters had the car until 2008, when RM Sotheby’s sold it for €176.000 during their Ferrari auction called Leggenda E Passione.

The new owners – Oral Engineering – were challenged to make the car a running vehicle. They reached out to Mauro Forghieri, an Italian engineer who worked with Scuderia Ferrari in the 1960s and 1970s. As mentioned before, the only purpose of this car was to show off Pininfarina’s design prowess, so in order to incorporate a working engine, the chassis had to undergo a major strength upgrade. They fitted the car with an original 400 GT flat-12 and gearbox and it made its first run in March 2010. Later that year, it was put up for sale later that year but failed to reach the guide price of £480.000 – £550.000.

 

 

One of the best car designs

Sergio Pininfarina passed away in July 2012 and Ferrari wanted to pay tribute to his excellent work and contribution to Ferrari’s heritage. Several iconic Pininfarina designs were displayed at the Maranello Ferrari Museum, including the Pinin, 250 LM, 360 Barchetta and 330 GTC Speciale, among many others.

During a factory auction, the car was sold to an anonymous buyer. Anthony Nobles, businessman and Ferrari collector from California, was intrigued by the car’s design and spent several years tracking down the car. He managed to purchase it in 2017 and it still remains in his possession.

Did you developed a weakness for the incredible Ferrari Pinin during this article? Or do you just don’t get this design?

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Inside Miami’s Craziest Ferrari Collection

 

I visited Garage 26 on a rainy Friday morning in early September. This secret supercar bunker overlooking suburban Miami will finish construction in the next month or two, and when it’s done, it will be home to some of finest private automobile collections in the world.

Photography: Christian Cipriani

As I walked in, I asked a man which floor I was going to. Later that morning, he was introduced to me as the retired Mexican driver Adrián Fernández, who for decades raced Formula Three, IndyCar and LeMans.

“You’re looking for the fifth floor,” he said, stepping over framed awards piled high beside one of his race cars. Today, he co-owns Fernandez Racing, but that morning I found him and an assistant organizing years of memorabilia in his space on the building’s fourth floor.

Wall-to-Wall Supercars

When the elevator doors opened on level five, my eyes met a lineup of Ferraris that could make the Pope curse.

Against a wall of windows sit the Super Six – both the coupe and Aperta versions of the LaFerrari, followed by the Enzo, F50, F40 and my personal holy grail, the 288 GTO. Just a month ago I wrote about never having the chance to see this car in person, and here I was, face-to-face with her.

I said hello to a few other people browsing the collection but they soon left me alone in a roomful of iconic Ferraris. This is as close to church as I get. I had a supremely peaceful morning walking quietly among these magnificent machines, admiring their design, taking photos, running my hands along the seats and bodywork. It was a special experience.

Completing the Super Six

The latest addition to Garage 26 is an exquisite 1985 288 GTO Berlinetta Scaglietti – chassis 56643 – acquired this summer from California. An in-depth report from the incomparable Marcel Massini details the car’s provenance: Sold new through a Hong Kong dealer to Sam Tramiel, the son of Atari founder Jack Tramiel, and collected in person from Maranello, it was observed during the 1985 F1 Grand Prix in Monte Carlo and later relocated by Tramiel to England, where it was sold to a dealer in California and legalized for U.S. roads. This two-owner vehicle arrived in Miami in 2018 with only 7,600 km (just over 4,700 miles) from new. It is one of just 272 in the world.

Sitting beside the 288 GTO is the collection’s 1990 Ferrari F40, purchased new by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen from Grand Prix Motors in Seattle. Today, it still only has about 2,000 miles on it and is in mint condition.

As you turn the corner to a red wall decorated with an oversized Ferrari logo wall and shelf-after-shelf of scale models, the rest of the collection reveals itself. This side is dedicated to limited-edition, track-focused models like the 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia, 458 Speciale, 599 GTO and F12tdf. Squeezed in there are a 550 Barchetta and one of just 80 examples of the 599 SA Aperta. As I opened the door and saw floor-to-ceiling red, I knew this could only be the work of one man.

“Yep,” said the owner. “I bought this car from Michael Fux.”

A Collection of Great Investments

Beyond his collectibles, which also includes a whole wing dedicated to Porsche (918 Spyder, Carrera GT and the insanely beautiful 959, among others), the owner has a significant number of “daily drivers,” like the 812 Superfast, Ferrari FF and more. It’s safe to say he’s dedicated to building one of the world’s best Ferrari collections.

It’s not that he isn’t into other brands, but investments differ from passion purchases. We spoke about Pagani and he said that he was actually in the process of ordering a Huayra Roadster but backed out, and made a good point about why: Paganis cost millions new, so where does the value go from there? I love Pagani, but I don’t know if the brand has been around long enough to prove its potential for significant long-term appreciation the way Ferrari and other brands have.

For now, this collector says he’s content with limited-edition Ferraris and Porsches. And as for the building, it was originally going to be a place where serious collectors could purchase display space for their cars, but now it’s going to be an elegant friends-and-family hangout – a destination for likeminded collectors to appreciate one another’s cars in an atmosphere of luxury, privacy and fun. Sounds like my kind of place.

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EXCLUSIVE: Marcus Armstrong: “My goal is still to win the championship”

 

The European Formula 3 Championship has never been this heated. Race 2 of the Spielberg weekend is over at the amazing Red Bull Ring track, and saw Mick Schumacher take yet another win. However, a young Ferrari Driver Academy member is breathing on his neck to get his hands on the title. Marcus Armstrong, 18 years old, joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and has been proving his worth since then.

ROSSOautomobili managed to ask him a few questions on his future and on his experience in Maranello.

Marcus, you have been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy for almost two years now. How would you sum up the experience so far? How would you say it helped your development as a driver?

‘‘I was first signed to the FDA without a season in cars, so it was clear that I had a lot of room for development and improvement. I was taught the best general approach to perform well and ways to deal with high pressure situations. Also, with the collaboration with Prema we worked hard over the off-season of 2016/2017 to get myself ready to be winning immediately. It is very much a team-work environment, I was lucky enough to watch how Charles [Leclerc, F2 2017 Champion and 2019 Scuderia Ferrari drive, ed.] managed F2 which was a good benchmark of how to do it.’’

How would you describe your relationship with the fellow FDA drivers? Is it particularly influenced by competition or do you prefer a constructive, collective approach?

‘‘I have a good relationship with all the FDA drivers. Unlike many sports, drivers spend a lot of time together away from the track which can be good and bad in some ways. Luckily we have a good group of guys here in Maranello. Of course there is the competition aspect: as racing drivers we are even competitive in a game of tennis!’’

What do you think about the 2019 merger between the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and the GP3 Series?

‘‘I don’t have a lot of information about it. From my experiences this year in F3 I believe it’s a shame to put away such a fantastic car. The downforce and mechanical grip from the car is really quite special for a junior category.’’

 

 

You are currently third in your category’s standings, in your rookie year. How do you feel about your performance so far this year?

‘‘Yes, 3rd with two (now one and a half, ed.) rounds remaining. I always tend to set myself high targets, now my goal is still to win the championship. I got a lot of inspiration from listening to stories of Esteban Ocon when he won F3 as a rookie. I feel like this year we have had some tough luck, in Budapest, Spa, Misano, where we lost 1st’s or 2nd’s to crashes that were out of our control. Yet, we are still in the championship fight. There is still everything to play for so it will be interesting.’’

Is there a driver on the current F1 grid whom you consider an inspiration and/or a role model?

‘‘Charles especially. He obviously came through the FDA and I got to know him on a more personal level so to see the way he operates in the car is something quite special. I also like to watch Esteban, Lance (Stroll, ed.) and Pierre (Gasly, ed.) as they all raced for Prema and my engineer this season took both Esteban and Lance to their F3 titles.’’

Do you have any particular pre-race ritual you like to perform?

‘‘I’m not one for superstitions. I have a routine that I have gotten into: warming-up, stretching, espresso. I have nothing special to do before I get into the car.’’

Thank you to Ferrari for allowing us to ask this talented driver some questions. Follow Marcus on Instagram to keep updated with his development.

Our series of interviews with FDA drivers has just begun. Next up on the list is Callum Ilott, running third in the GP3 Series standings. Stay tuned for more!

 

Smaller Engines And Hybrids: These Are The Future Plans For Ferrari

 

Ferrari revealed plans for the future that may be shocking for real Ferrari fans: 60% of the 15 new Ferraris will be powered by a hybrid system and the forthcoming SUV will have a 6-cylinder engine.

Photography: Wilco Blok, Ferrari

Capital Markets Day presentation

The quick passing of Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne left many in a shock, wondering as to the future plans of our favourite car manufacture. Marchionne was widely known for his straight-to-the-point character and it would be difficult to find a successor with the same managing style.

Marchionne’s successor – Louis Camilleri – shared bold new plans with investors during Ferrari’s Capital Markets Day presentation. Between now and 2022, Ferrari will introduce 15 new models of which 60% will be powered by a hybrid drivetrain. It doesn’t go unnoticed that Ferrari is testing their hybrid systems. Click here to take a look at all the presentation slides used during the Capital Markets Day.

 

 

Our good friend Wilco Blok spotted a GTC4Lusso at the Nürburgring last week. YouTuber Shmee150 spotted the car as well and managed to capture its sound: at low speeds it looks like it’s using an electric system, but when the driver put his foot down, you can hear the V12 kicking in.

The future of the Ferrari range

Ferrari clarified their new strategy during the presentation as well. Enrico Galliera, chief marketing and commercial officer, explained that there are four road-car categories and three race-car categories. The road cars are divided between the Sports (812 Superfast), Gran Turismo (GTC4Lusso), Special Series Models (488 Pista) and Fuoriserie and One-Off (SP38). The racing division is divided into Ferrari Challenge (488 Challenge), the XX Programme (FXX K) and Racing Cars (488 GTE).

The Monza SP1 and SP2 are part of new range called Icona. Ferrari is going to ‘’remake timeless designs of iconic Ferraris with innovative materials and state-of-the-art technologies’’.

60% may sound like a lot, but 40% will remain either naturally aspirated or supported by one or two turbos. For example, the successors of the 488 GTB and Portofino will be powered by a hybrid system but it looks like the 812 Superfast and GTC4Lusso successors will stay naturally aspirated – or become turbocharged.

 

 

We will still be able to enjoy the distinct high-pitching sounds of the Ferrari V12. The only current road-legal Ferrari with a hybrid powertrain is the LaFerrari, and that car still roars like nothing else. These anniversary models (GTO, F40, F50 and Enzo) are often used to introduce a new design and mechanical language, so it’s not a big surprise Ferrari is becoming more environmentally conscious.

The Ferrari SUV is coming

 

 

Even for Ferrari, it’s impossible to ignore the success of the Lamborghini Urus and Rolls Royce Cullinan so they will introduce – most likely towards 2022 – an SUV called Purosangue. To be honest, this sounds more like a new SsangYong, but it’s actually a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Makes perfect sense.

Both renders look amazing in our opinion. The one on the left is created by CarLifestyle and is inspired by the Range Rover Velar. The one on the right is made by Ildar Project – hinting towards the Alfa Romeo Stelvio with a more aggressive designed rear.

After over 40 years of absence, the V6 will make its return to the Ferrari line-up. The Dino 246 GTS was the last car from Maranello to be powered by the iconic Dino-V6.

What do you think of the new plans? Are you happy, or are the Italians going at it the wrong way? Let us know your opinion below in the comment section.

 

This Is Why The Ferrari FF Wasn’t The First Four Wheel Drive Ferrari

The 1988 Ferrari 408 4RM among freshly built Ferrari F40s
The 1988 Ferrari 408 4RM among freshly built Ferrari F40s

 

Thought the Ferrari FF was the first Ferrari with a four-wheel drivetrain? Ferrari designer Mauro Forghieri – mainly known for his successes in Formula 1 – would like to prove you wrong. Meet the Ferrari 408 4RM.

Photography: Ferrari Collection, Petrolicious, Ferrari

An early experiment

The 1980s were very innovating for Ferrari, but executives must’ve looked perplexed when their engineers told them they wanted to build a sports car with four-wheel drive. Forghieri was in charge of this very advanced project, but the fact this car left the factory the same year as the iconic Ferrari F40 is simply amazing. The 408 4RM is not among the prettiest cars Ferrari build, whereas the F40 is.

 

 

The Ferrari 408 4RM is a study model that was built to test four-wheel drive and hydraulic systems. Just two prototypes left the factory: a red example (chassis no. 70183) in 1987 and a yellow one (chassis no. 78610) a year later. The red car was fitted with an all-steel welded chassis whereas the yellow one had an aluminum frame. Both cars had the same weight: 1340 kg or 2954 lb.

The name of the car comes from the engine and drivetrain: 4.0-L [40] 8-cylinder [8] with a 4 Ruote Motrici [4RM]. The latter simply translates as ‘‘four-wheel drive’’ from Italian. The Ferrari 328-derived mid-mounted engine produced around 300 bhp at 6250 rpm with 373 Nm of torque.

Ferrari always built rear-wheel drive sports cars, so the 408 4RM was real blasphemy. In the 1980s, four-wheel drive only existed in the SUV and rally world with the 1981 RAM Pickup and 1979 Lancia Delta S4. The purpose of the car wasn’t to look beautiful; it was a technical experiment to test if four-wheel drive would work for production cars.

The first production 4WD Ferrari

 

 

It took the Italians just shy of 25 years to implement a four-wheel drive system into a production car. In 2011, the Ferrari FF became the first production Ferrari featuring four-wheel drive. The car was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show and intended as a successor of the (rear-wheel drive) 612 Scaglietti. Ferrari managed to sell around 2300 examples before they introduced its successor, the GTC4Lusso.

The four-wheel drive system is called 4RM. Ferrari patented the system so it’s a given fact more cars will be equipped with it, which is 50% lighter than a standard four-wheel drive system. It also distributes power intelligently to each of the four wheels. As a matter of fact, the four-wheel drive is only active in comfort and snow mode. All other driving modes are using the rear-wheel drive layout.

Wondering Wednesday is a two-monthly column by Max Lammers where he explains the many unclear subjects in the World of Ferrari.