Fake Chinese Ferrari !

According to European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, Franco Frattini, the Chinese have “managed” to produce a fake Ferrari model. In the video (click here to see the video in Reuters), you can see Frattini holding a picture of a Ferrari, but unfortunately we can’t see which model.

''A car of this model, Ferrari has produced only 6 cars of this model. This is the seventh one, produced in China'' says Frattini.

The European Commission has announced it's going to crack down on counterfeiting and piracy, with coordinated action and sanctions throughout the continent. The Commission has recommended a minimum sentence is a term of four years’ imprisonment where the infringement is committed under the aegis of a criminal organisation or carries a serious risk to the health and safety of individuals. The amount of the fine will have to be at least EUR 100 000 or EUR 300 000 where there is a link with a criminal organisation or any risk to health and safety. Member States may impose heavier penalties or fines.

The seizure of counterfeited goods at the borders of the European Union increased by 1,000 percent between 1998 and 2004, with 103 million counterfeited and pirated items seized in 2004.

EU PRESS RELEASE

Counterfeiting and piracy: Commission proposes criminal law provisions to combat intellectual property offences

The Commission has today adopted a proposal for a directive to combat intellectual property offences that amends the proposal approved by it on 12 July 2005. It is thus responding to the Court ruling of 13 September 2005 in Case C-176/03, according to which the criminal law provisions necessary for the effective implementation of Community law are a matter for Community law^[1]. Accordingly, the proposal for a Council framework decision to strengthen the criminal law framework to combat intellectual property offences^[2] has been withdrawn and its provisions incorporated into the amended proposal for a directive.

According to Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini, who is responsible for justice, freedom and security matters, the new provisions proposed by the Commission represent the criminal law dimension of the fight against counterfeiting and piracy in Europe. Effective approximation of Member States’ criminal legislation in this field is the minimum needed to pursue together a major campaign aimed at eradicating these phenomena, which are causing serious harm to the economy. Nowadays, criminal organisations are focusing on these activities, which are often more lucrative than other forms of trafficking and on which the authorities do not crack down as much. Counterfeiters and pirates undermine legitimate businesses and pose a threat to innovation. What is more, in many cases the counterfeit goods are prejudicial to public health and safety. For the most recent statistics on counterfeiting listed by Member State please see the link: http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/customs/customs_controls/counterfeit_piracy/statistics/index_en.htm

The proposed measures are designed to bring Member States’ criminal legislation more closely into alignment and to improve European cooperation so as to combat more effectively counterfeiting and piracy, which are frequently committed by criminal organisations, often pose a risk to health and safety, and seriously harm the interests of many sectors in the European economy.

The arrangements will have to be applied to all types of intellectual property right infringements. In the directive, all intentional infringements of an intellectual property right on a commercial scale, including attempting, aiding and abetting such infringements, are treated as criminal offences. The minimum sentence is a term of four years’ imprisonment where the infringement is committed under the aegis of a criminal organisation or carries a serious risk to the health and safety of individuals. The amount of the fine will have to be at least EUR 100 000 or EUR 300 000 where there is a link with a criminal organisation or any risk to health and safety. Member States may impose heavier penalties or fines.
Technorati Tags: Ferrari, fake, China, Chinese, autos, auto+news, automobile, cars, European+Union,

Ferrari 575 GTZ Zagato

Yoshiyuki Hayashi is a famous Japanese car collector, who owns numerous cars of great historical value, including several Ferraris such as the 166MM, the 250 Spider California, two Daytonas – a coupé and a spider – and the Enzo. In the classic tradition of the keen purchaser of exclusive cars who stimulated the creativeness of Italian coachbuilders in the 1950s and 1960s, Yushiyuki Hayashi asked Zagato if it would be possible to create a body for his 575M, in the style of the famous 250GTZ berlinetta.

When Zagato received this request, it informed Ferrari of the project, which would be a good opportunity to celebrate the model’s anniversary, and then created a car that harked back to the 250 GTZ, built around the Ferrari 575. Like its forebear, the 575 GTZ has an all-aluminium body, and, as a tribute to Ferrari and to two-seater Italian sports cars, it has joined the exclusive group of cars that are the fruit of the tradition of custom-built cars.

Like the 250 GTZ, it sports two-tone paintwork with styling cues and volumes that explicitly refer back to the 1950s, and sublimates the character of the many cars built by Zagato to clothe original engineering, with the pure style of traditional sports cars. For Zagato, the project represented an opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250 GTZ of 1956, one of the most outstanding GT cars, which has already gone down in history.

The model, which was also commissioned by a gentleman driver and collector, in the best Zagato tradition, is a sublime synthesis of prestige and performance, elegance and sportiness, to the point that it can boast the highest value of any car in the luxury period sports car market. The 250 GTZ has won numerous competitions and concours d’élégance, and it represents a dream come true, because experts and fans consider it one of the most beautiful cars in the world.

The new 575 GTZ has the Ferrari prancing horse on its bonnet and the Z of Zagato on its side, an expression of eternal Italian excellence in its form and content. It is a winning combination, linking the most powerful, famous engineering in the world with the most refined, fascinating sporting style, both made strictly in Italy.

The concept of sporty elegance, functional design that does not merely follow the trend of the moment but strives for pure performance, and the ultra-light aluminium body are Zagato’s strengths which become a universally recognised value.

Just as in the 1956, the 250GTZ was showed at the most important concours d’elegance, 50 years later, the 575GTZ will be presented in a world premier at Villa D’Este Concours D’Elegance, Cernobbio (Italy) April 22 th -24th.

Technorati Tags: Ferrari+575+GTZ, Zagato, autos, auto+news, automotive, press+release, cars, pictures, images

Zagato Ferrari 575 GTZ

Yushiyuki Hayashi is a famous Japanese car collector, who owns numerous cars of great historical value, including several Ferraris such as the 166MM, the 250 Spider California, two Daytonas ­ a coupé and a spider ­ and the Enzo.

In the classic tradition of the keen purchaser of exclusive cars who stimulated the creativeness of Italian coachbuilders in the 1950s and 1960s, Yushiyuki Hayashi asked Zagato if it would be possible to create a body for his 575M, in the style of the famous 250GTZ berlinetta.

When Zagato received this request, it informed Ferrari of the project, which would be a good opportunity to celebrate the model's anniversary, and then created a car that harked back to the 250 GTZ, built around the Ferrari 575. Like its forebear, the 575 GTZ has an all-aluminium body, and, as a tribute to Ferrari and to two-seater Italian sports cars, it has joined the exclusive group of cars that are the fruit of the tradition of custom-built cars.

Like the 250 GTZ, it sports two-tone paintwork with styling cues and volumes that explicitly refer back to the 1950s, and sublimates the character of the many cars built by Zagato to clothe original engineering, with the pure style of traditional sports cars.

For Zagato, the project represented an opportunity to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the Ferrari 250 GTZ of 1956, one of the most outstanding GT cars, which has already gone down in history.

The model, which was also commissioned by a gentleman driver and collector, in the best Zagato tradition, is a sublime synthesis of prestige and performance, elegance and sportiness, to the point that it can boast the highest value of any car in the luxury period sports car market. The 250 GTZ has won numerous competitions and concours d'élégance, and it represents a dream come true, because experts and fans consider it one of the most beautiful cars in the world.

The new 575 GTZ has the Ferrari prancing horse on its bonnet and the Z of Zagato on its side, an expression of eternal Italian excellence in its form and content. It is a winning combination, linking the most powerful, famous engineering in the world with the most refined, fascinating sporting style, both made strictly in Italy.

The concept of sporty elegance, functional design that does not merely follow the trend of the moment but strives for pure performance, and the ultra-light aluminium body are Zagato's strengths which become a universally recognised value. Just as in the 1956, the 250GTZ was showed at the most important concours d'elegance, 50 years later, the 575GTZ will be presented in a world premier at Villa D'Este Concours D'Elegance, Cernobbio (Italy) April 22 th -24th

Technorati Tags: Zagato+Ferrari, Ferrari+575M, Ferrari+575+GTZ, autos, auto+news, automotive, images, pictures, press+release

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Press Release

Press Release: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Fiorano after the circuit Ferrari uses to hone the performance of its track and road cars; GTB as in Gran Turismo Berlinetta after the most famous Ferrari berlinettas ever built; and 599 to reflect the displacement of its V12 engine divided by 10. The stunning new all-aluminium two-seater that Ferrari is unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show is summed up rather succinctly by its own name and delivers everything that this promises. The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, in fact, sets a new benchmark of excellence in the sports car world.

This new model was designed with several specific objectives in mind: to surpass the intense driving pleasure of such renowned models as the F40, to guarantee stunning performance courtesy of its highly innovative content and technology transfers from the F1 single-seaters, and to deliver superior standards of roominess, comfort, ergonomics and safety. The result is the absolute pinnacle of achievement in terms of thoroughbred Ferrari sportiness and technology.

The new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in an astonishing 3.7 seconds and boasts a top speed in excess of 330 km/h. However, it is still the new model's uniquely innovative content that guarantees superior driving pleasure, handling and sportiness.

THE MUSIC OF THE V12 CREATED FOR THE ENZO

The technical specification of the engine speaks for itself: 5999 cm3 displacement, a specific power output of 103 hp/litre (a first for a naturally aspirated production engine of this displacement).

Twin overhead camshafts per cylinder bank boast continuously variable timing on both inlet and exhaust cams to optimise torque delivery and drivability at both low and high revs. A twin-plate, low inertia clutch in unit with the engine also helps lower the centre of gravity. Chain driven distribution reduces noise and is maintenance-free. The Fiorano's engine delivers a maximum torque of 608 Nm at 5,600 rpm and means that the car pulls well at all engine speeds. The new model's breathtaking sportiness is due in part to record maximum revs for an engine of this displacement (apart from the Enzo). Its maximum power output is 620 hp at 7,600 rpm with a maximum engine speed of 8,400 rpm. Particular attention was also paid to fuel consumption which is the same as in the previous model, under similar use, despite a significant leap in performance. Development work for the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano also focused specifically on the distinctive sound the engine makes, reducing mechanical resonance in favour of a pure V12 soundtrack from both the intake manifold and the exhaust system. This not only enhances driving pleasure but makes for a quieter ride inside the cabin itself.

F1-SUPERFAST GEARBOX

The new generation F1 gearbox that debuts on the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is a further development of the F1 gearbox used on all of the models in the Ferrari range.

The F1-SuperFast system enhances the car's high-performance capabilities by using the elastic energy within the transmission components, together with the integrated electronic engine and gearbox management programmes, to speed up gear change times. The various stages involved in changing the gears are implemented in parallel (non-sequentially) and this results in exceptionally fast gear shifting. In fact, it cuts overall gear-shift times to just 100 ms. The system is integrated with the manettino and the driver is still free to choose between either the Automatic mode or the Launch Control setting which offers smoother starts from standstill.

F1-TRAC

The experience built up over thousands of kilometres of Formula 1 testing and racing by Ferrari's drivers is now being made available to ensure clients have access to cutting-edge road-holding, safety and stability. The system continually monitors the speed of both front and rear wheels and features predictive software that estimates the maximum available grip in advance, compares this information with the vehicle dynamics model stored in the control system, and adjusts its reactions to suit, optimising traction by modulating power delivery.

The result is easier, smoother high-performance driving, thanks to maximum grip out of bends (a 20% increase in acceleration compared to a traditional traction and stability control system) and predictable handling even in extreme situations. The F1-Trac is integrated with the manettino which adapts the car's behaviour to the driving conditions: the Sport setting provides the best balance between stability and performance on the road while Race ensures clients maximum performance combined with consistently brilliant handling. The F1-Trac system is another world first for Ferrari.

SCM (MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL SUSPENSION CONTROL) SUSPENSION

Unlike traditional oleodynamic systems, magnetorheological (MR) fluid suspension systems react instantly to road conditions and driver inputs, thanks to the fact that the dampers use a fluid the viscosity of which is modified by applying an electronically controlled magnetic field.

What this means in practice is greatly improved body control which in turn directly improves handling and road-holding thanks to optimal tyre grip in all road conditions. The result is a much safer and more enjoyable driving experience courtesy of reduced roll and greater control when accelerating, braking and cornering. This is the very first time the SCM (Magnetorheological Suspension Control) suspension has been used on a high performance sports car.

EVOLUTION OF THE MANETTINO

The steering wheel-mounted manettino vehicle dynamics control switch, originally developed for the 1996 Formula 1 season, has been taken a step further for the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

The manettino integrates the stability and F1-Trac traction control systems, the F1-SuperFast gearbox and the SCM (Magnetorheological Suspension Control) fluid suspension. This means that the driver can select the correct setting for the grip conditions at any given time. The manettino's readouts are displayed on the new on-board Multi Display unit so that the information important to each specific setting is instantly available to the driver (e.g. lap times, tyre temperature and pressure or trip computer readouts.)

AERODYNAMIC EFFICIENCY

Lengthy testing in the wind tunnel at Ferrari plus various simulations have yielded exceptional results in terms of both downforce and drag. The optimisation of the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano's underbody, the rear diffuser and flying buttresses have resulted in an aerodynamic load of just 160 kg at 300 km/h. Similarly, the Cd - drag coefficient - is just 0.336.

STYLING, ACCESSORIES AND PERSONALISATION OPTIONS

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is a strikingly sculptural car. The design is so supple, in fact, that each new angle brings something new to light. Its forms say it all about its extreme sportiness yet still retain a unique sophistication.

A balance has been struck in the interior between the car's sporty vocation and the feeling of intimacy and safety that only skilled hand-crafting and detailed personalisation can achieve. The passenger areas of the car are trimmed in sumptuous leather while the driver area and controls boast more high-tech detailing in carbon-fibre and aluminium.

In addition to the steering wheel and manettino, the central rev counter with a choice of red or yellow background and solid aluminium passenger controls, the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano also boasts attractive new styling cues including a central grip to provide extra support for the passenger and new adaptive racing seats featuring carbon-fibre side rests. Other standard accessories include front bi-xenon headlamps and rear LED lights, dusk and rain sensors, dual-zone climate control, electrically adjustable steering-wheel column, hideaway radio/CD player and key with integrated volumetric anti-theft device with motion sensors.

The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano also benefits from an already vast choice of personalisation options available for every Ferrari model. Four areas are covered by this programme: Racing and Track, Exteriors and Colours, Interior and Materials, Equipment and Travel.

The Racing and Track options include CCM (Carbon Ceramic Material) brakes, 20" Challenge one-piece rims with run-flat tyres, four-point harnesses and a cockpit roll-bar. The Scuderia wheel arch shields and coloured brake calipers complete the look for sportier clients.

Interior and Materials options include a new Enzo Ferrari-inspired carbon-fibre steering wheel with LED rev display which can be specified along with a special carbon-fibre trim kit for the door panels, instrument panel, gear stick surround and sill kick panels. Various types of leather trim are also available for the seats and interior too. Travel and Equipment accessories include front and rear parking sensors, iPod-friendly set-up, satellite anti-theft system and a luggage set specially tailored to fit this model.

Technical Specifications

Dimensions and weight
Overall length	183.7 in
Overall width	77.2 in
Height	52.6 in
Wheelbase	108.3 in
Front track	66.5 in
Rear track	63.7 in
Dry weight	3482 lb
Kerb weight	3722 lb
Boot (trunk) capacity	11.3 cu ft
Fuel tank capacity	27.7 US gal 23.1 UK gal
Weight distribution	47% front 53% rear

Brakes
Front	13.9 x 1.3 in
Rear	12.9 x 1.1 in

Engine
Type	65° V12
Bore/Stroke	3.62 x 2.96 in
Unit displacement	30.51 cu in
Total displacement	366.08 cu in
Compression ratio	11.2:1
Maximum power	456 kW (620 CV) at 7600 rpm
Maximum torque	608 Nm (448 lbft) at 5600 rpm
Maximum revs per minute	8400 rpm (with limiter)
Specific output	103 hp/l

Tyres
Front	245/40 19''
Rear	305/35 20''

Performance
Maximum speed	+205 mph
0-62 mph	3.70 sec
0-124 mph	11 sec

Fuel Consumption
Urban cycle	32.7 l/100 km
Extra urban cycle	14.7 l/100 km
Combined	21.3 l/100 km

Technorati Tags: Ferrari, 599, GTB, Fiorano, Press+Release, autos, auto+news, Geneva+Show

2007 Ferrari 599 GTB

2007 Ferrari 599 GTB

These pictures that leaked in the internet where taken during the official presentation of Ferrari’s new 599 GTB, its most powerful V12-engined production car of all time. Here we get to see GTB’s interior for the first time.

The new Italian thoroughbred boasts a class-leading power thanks to its 5,999cc V12 - derived directly from the Enzo Ferrari supercar - producing 620hp at 7,600 rpm for a weight/power ratio of just 2.6 kg per horsepower.

Ferrari has adopted the latest evolution in its tried and tested all-aluminium construction technology for the body and chassis.

Designed by Pininfarina, the Ferrari 559 GTB strays away from the quite subtle (for a Ferrari…) lines of the 575M Maranello.

The new car will be officially unveiled on the 28th of February 2006 at the Geneva Motor Show.

Technorati Tags: Ferrari, 599, GTB

Ferrari 599 GTB

These photo's of the Ferrari 599 GTB have just leaked in the internet. This model, which borrows styling cues from the 250GT will replace the 575 Maranello. Based on a shortened platform of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, the GTB promises to offer more space for passengers is and there luggage. As of the price, 599 GTB will cost more than the F430 and less than the 612 Scaglietti. The driving force behind the GTB is a more powerful version of Scaglietti's V12 6.0 which produces nearly 600 hp Expect a 0-62mph in about 4,0 sec

Ferrari GG50 Concept

Based on the Scaglietti, the Italdesign Ferrari GG50 was made in collaboration with Bridgestone to mark the 50 years of Giugiaro's activity in industrial design.