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Friday, 1 March 2013

Consumer Reports kinda, sorta likes the electric-powered Fiat 500e

Consumer Reports kinda, sorta likes the electric-powered Fiat 500e Last month, Consumer Reports decidedly panned the Mitsubishi i after a test drive of the small electric vehicle. The magazine doesn't dislike everything little and battery powered, though, and was quite a bit kinder to the Fiat 500e, saying it is "actually kind of a cool little car."

Consumer Reports kinda, sorta likes the electric-powered Fiat 500e

Consumer Reports kinda, sorta likes the electric-powered Fiat 500e

Consumer Reports kinda, sorta likes the electric-powered Fiat 500e

CR released a two-minute video for the Fiat test drive (available below) and complimented the car on its styling, with kudos given to its interior color scheme, special wheels and grille. CR noted that the car has little in the way of back-seat room and storage, but said it wasn't any worse than the regular 500 compacts.

Consumer Reports kinda, sorta likes the electric-powered Fiat 500e

As for performance, CR admitted that it was hard to figure out whether the 111-horsepower 500e would regularly hit its stated 80-mile single-charge range because the test drive was done in cold weather, but did say the car felt quicker than the non-turbo 500 because of the torque generated by the electric motor. In fact, CR went as far as calling the 500e "a hoot to drive." The publication criticized the Mitsubishi i for its sluggishness as well as for what CR said was the model's cheap finish.Consumer Reports kinda, sorta likes the electric-powered Fiat 500e

Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an "idiot"

Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an "idiot"Chris Harris gets to abuse his fair share of cars that we can only dream about driving, so why not add the Ferrari 458 Spider to that list. After somehow borrowing the keys to a Ferrari-owned 458 Spider, Harris spends about five minutes driving the 570-horsepower, open-air supercar like an "idiot" (his words, not ours).

Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an "idiot"

Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an idiot

Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an idiot front view

Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an idiot

Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an idiot rear view

In reality, it's impressive to watch the $257,000 (base price) 458 Spider being drifted and pushed hard into every turn. Not surprisingly, the car handles the "bad behavior" very well, but what is amazing is how easy it is for Harris to talk to the camera despite the top being down and the engine being at full throttle almost the entire time.

Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an "idiot"

If you like watching Ferraris get sideways, you will most certainly enjoy Harris' video, which is posted below.Watch Chris Harris drive the Ferrari 458 Spider like an "idiot"

Ferrari F150 Enzo-successor takes some loud laps at Fiorano

Ferrari F150 Enzo-successor takes some loud laps at Fiorano The video shows the new supercar testing around the 12-turn, 1.877-mile track with an Enzo, and it is interesting to hear the differences between the 651-horsepower Enzo and its reportedly 950-hp hybrid successor. Scroll down to watch the newest Ferrari going through some track testing, and be sure to turn your speakers up.

Ferrari F150 Enzo-successor takes some loud laps at Fiorano

From recent spy shots to leaked information, we're starting to get a good idea about just how amazing the unnamed successor to the Ferrari Enzo will be, but now we've finally gotten to see some video of the car testing at the Fiorano Circuit in Italy. This video not only gives us an earful of the car's screaming engine and rumbling exhaust note, it also affords us a view of the car without its fish-face camouflage that it has been caught wearing recently.Ferrari F150 Enzo-successor takes some loud laps

Are you the Enzo-succeeding Ferrari F150

Are you the Enzo-succeeding Ferrari F150 We've brought you no end of spy shots and rumors surrounding the new Ferrari hypercar, often referred to as F150, that is destined to succeed the Enzo as the Italian maker's top offering. Now, one new and highly speculative rendering has come to light whose origins are interesting, even if the final product is still pretty much a stab in the dark.

Are you the Enzo-succeeding Ferrari F150

The rendering you see here was created by an organization called goldRush Rally, which published the image on its Facebook page. The claim is that this rendering was based on a "snapshot of a plaque with a sketch of the new supercar." We certainly won't speculate as to what kind of "presentation" a luxury-rally throwing company like gRR would be invited to – to say nothing of why there was a plaque bearing the image of a supercar that has been so well cordoned off from public eyes – but we'll roll with it because we love the internet.

Even if the story is completely true (big if), we're fairly certain the details of the rendering miss in some places relative to the real deal car. The front wheel wells, for instance, seem comically thin around the top, and hold wheels that are way out of proportion with the spy shots and videos we've seen so far. More promising, however, is the detailing of the door and sill of the F150 – portions of the car that have consistently been covered in spy shots.

Are you the Enzo-succeeding Ferrari F150

For what it's worth we're virtually certain that the source photograph for this rendering was taken in front of the Maranello Palace hotel just down the street from the Ferrari factory, and likely started as one of the many F150 test mules that have been photographed there. One small win for authenticity, at least.Are you the Enzo-succeeding Ferrari F150

Le Mans-raced 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM headed to auction

Le Mans-raced 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM headed to auction The coolest part for us? Umberto Maglioli managed to set a public road stage record with this machine during the Carrera Panamericana by averaging 138 miles per hour over 223 miles. The effort was good enough to land the team a sixth place finish overall, and the record still stands to this day for any road stage anywhere. The 340/375 MM Berlinetta Competizione is up for auction in restored condition at the RM Auction event in Paris this week Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Cernobbio, Italy on May 25. Check out the full press release below for more information.

Le Mans-raced 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM headed to auction

Le Mans-raced 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM headed to auction

Le Mans-raced 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM headed to auction

Vintage Ferrari models show up on the auction circuit all the time, but few can match this particular '53 340/375 MM Berlinetta Competizione in terms of historical significance. Not only did the machine compete in the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans, but this particular model managed to finish in second place before being disqualified for taking on extra brake fluid during a stop. More importantly, a total of three Formula One world champions have driven this car in competition at events like the Spa 24 Hours, Pescara 12 Hours and the Circuit of Guadeloupe.

Le Mans-raced 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM headed to

Ferrari F150 Enzo successor is Geneva bound

Ferrari F150 Enzo successor is Geneva bound We've already heard some interesting tidbits about the new machine, including the fact that each model will come with a driver's seat tailor made for the buyer. Ferrari says we can also expect to see a quicker 0-120 mph sprint than the old Enzo with 40 percent fewer emissions. Stay tuned for live photos from the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

Ferrari F150 Enzo successor is Geneva bound

Ferrari has announced the automaker will debut the company's "most powerful HyperFerrari [sic]" at this year's Geneva Motor Show. The news came courtesy of Instagram, where the Italian automaker posted a familiar-looking rendering with a quick note. Details are still remarkably scarce, though Ferrari says the successor to the Enzo throne will be able to "turn into a corner" as quick as a Formula One car thanks in part to the fact that the road-going machine will feature as much downforce as an F1 competitor. From what we've heard so far, the Enzo replacement will boast over 800 horsepower from the combination of a V12 engine and a HY-KERS system.

Ferrari F150 Enzo successor is Geneva bound

Watch this Ferrari Enzo get thrown around on farm roads

Watch this Ferrari Enzo get thrown around on farm roads But still – using an Enzo for a tarmac rally stage is something we would not have though of, and there's a fair bit of water and mud, too. As Joseph Campanella used to say way back when, "What will they think of next?" Check out the video below and prepare to gaze in equal measures of shock, wonder and horror

Watch this Ferrari Enzo get thrown around on farm roads

Tax the Rich, the YouTubers who seem to have sprung from some mischievous corner of the V for Vendetta universe, have somehow acquired a Ferrari Enzo for their latest trick. Last time we checked in with them, they were opposite-locking a Rolls-Royce Phantom at high speed all over a wet, muddy field. Perhaps knowing that if they repeated that with the Ferrari they'd end up with a dead stallion and a field full of carbon fiber parts, they kept the action to a mostly paved farm access road.Watch this Ferrari Enzo get thrown around on farm roads