Drive Your Dream Blog

In the world of exotic car enthusiasts, the release of a new Ferrari is a major event. That’s why the Ferrari F149 is making such big news on the web – that and Ferrari’s brilliant marketing campaign.

Rather than simply release the car with the usual fanfare, Ferrari has chosen to tease sports car aficionados by slowly revealing the new model in a series of sound clips, still photos, and video clips.

The official F149 website, which launched last Friday, currently features the sound of the car’s engine. On Tuesday, more will be revealed. Rumor has it that Ferrari will be releasing pictures of the new F149.

“It’s a really great marketing campaign,” says Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental company. “Slowly releasing information about the car really builds excitement among the Ferrari faithful. I can’t wait to see it.” It will be interesting to see how close the artists conception above is to the car as it is released.

The car, which was originally called “Dino,” has had a few names over the course of its development. For some time, the name was “Piccolina,” which means “little one.” The official name of the vehicle will likely appear sometime soon on the F149 website.

No matter what it’s called, the Ferrari F149 will be an impressive car. It is expected to feature a folding hardtop, the first from the Italian carmaker, and a direct-injection 4.3 liter V8 engine, also a first. The car will have a front-engine/rear-drive configuration, and is likely to use Ferrari’s six-speed automated manual transmission. Thanks to Chris Poole for a great article on the F149.

“I think the hardtop is going to be a great feature,” says Sturgeon, who also owns a business that specializes in fantasy car driving tours. “I will be interested to see how a V8 Ferrari compares to the F430 F1 that is one of our most popular Ferrari rentals in Dallas.”

The Ferrari F149 is reportedly being developed as competition for the Aston Martin DB9 and Bentley Continental GT, although it is likely to be offered at a price point well below these other exotic cars.

Sturgeon hasn’t said whether his Dallas sports car rental firm plans to acquire a Ferrari F149, but he insists, “The new F149 is exactly the kind of exotic car our customers love to drive.”

The Ferrari F149 will be revealed at the Paris Auto Salon in October, and US auto enthusiasts can expect to see the 2010 model on the streets of Dallas, TX by late 2009.

Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer in the Twin Cities. Visit her website for information about her freelance writing services.

The F2007 is the fifty third single-seater built by Ferrari specifically to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship.The project, known internally as the 658, represents the Scuderia’s interpretation of the technical regulations that apply for 2007, with changes principally concerning safety, through the introduction of more stringent front and rear crash tests and the addition of a composite material structure to provide lateral protection to the sides of the driver.

These modifications have led to a significant increase in the weight of the car, in the region of just under ten kilogrammes.The F2007 chassis has been significantly modified when compared to the 248 F1. The design was revised to accommodate a new front suspension that represents a major conceptual innovation, mainly in terms of aerodynamics. The shape of the side-pods and their openings are also revised, based on modifications to the cooling system, which also implies exits for the radiators on the upper part of the bodywork, while the engine air intake is also substantially different. The car has a longer wheelbase than its predecessor. The rear of the car is much narrower, taking advantage of the more sculpted shape of the gearbox housing, which again this year is made from carbon fibre. The gearbox itself, which is still mounted longitudinally, is fitted with an innovative quick-shift system (seven plus reverse). The rear suspension is similar to that on the 248 F1, but a significant development programme is planned in this area, in order to get the most out of the system, based on making progress in understanding the behaviour of the 2007 tyres. The front and rear aerodynamic configuration is also expected to change considerably before the start of the World Championship. The position of the rear view mirrors seen on the 2006 car remains unchanged and the same goes for the exhaust system.

Mix five parts Bentley, one part Bugatti, one part Ferrari, and stir. Then dump your $356,000 exotic down the drain. What you see here is a Bentley Continental GT featuring a Bugatti hood and horseshoe grille shoved between Audi Q7 headlights, with Ferrari-like rear end grafted on for good measure. LEW’s 100-horsepower boost for the Conti’s W-12 can’t outrun this car’s ugliness. Unveiled at the Essen motor show, the car-called Big Bang-will cost European buyers 270,000 euro, or approximately $356,000

After wrapping this beautiful Modena, a 360 Spider to be precise, into a lamp post at an intersection in Perth, Australia you begin to wonder about the which side of the road you should be driving on. By the looks of things, it was just the front end that was wrapped around the pole, while the rest of the car looks fine. But there’s bound to be some structural damage to the 360’s aluminum frame, and you can try to fix that, but she’ll never be the same.