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The Ferrari Panamerican 20,000
Copyright: Ferrari
A spectacular new challenge to complete the launch of the most powerful Ferrari ever, the 599 GTB Fiorano.Maranello, July 20 th, 2006 – After the enormous success of last year’s “Ferrari 15,000 Red Miles” tour of China by two 612 Scagliettis driven by a team of international journalists, Ferrari is delighted to announce another tough challenge for this year, the Panamerican 20,000.
On August 24th, two gleaming examples of the Prancing Horse’s just launched 12-cylinder model, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, will begin a long journey from Brazil that will take them through 16 countries and across 20,000 miles (32,000 km) to New York where they are scheduled to arrive on November 17th. A total of 50 different international journalists, each one representing the most important publications from all over the world, will take turns behind the wheels of the two sports cars, during the 15-stage, 84-day tour.Every Ferrari naturally conjures up images of the track and motor racing at its finest. As the most powerful production model ever to be built at Maranello, it is easy to imagine the 599 GTB Fiorano going through its paces on the world’s circuits. Uniquely, however, not one but two of this stunning new model are about to embark on an adventure that will take them to the precarious mountain roads of the Andes and the dirt tracks of Central America, along a route so tough that they really will experience the same conditions as the very earliest racing cars.
A new challenge that really will put the cars and their reliability to the test in no uncertain terms.This is far from Ferrari’s first foray into this kind of adventure, however. To celebrate the marque’s 50th anniversary in 1997, a F355 embarked on a massive world tour over five continents with 147 journalists taking turns at its wheel as it passed through their various nations. The “World Tour”, as it was known, was designed not only to communicate how strong the company was but also the reliability of the F355, a model that would prove of enormous strategic value in Ferrari’s development. The “World Tour” proved an extraordinary success and the car arrived back at the very spot in New York from where it had started on March 18th, after a massive 75 days on the road.
The latest and most spectacular Prancing Horse road trip was, of course, last year’s “Ferrari 15,000 Red Miles” tour. This was a feat never before achieved by any other car manufacturer: a 24,000-kilometre dash right across China in two virtually unmodified production 612 Scagliettis. This time 51 Chinese and international journalists drove the cars from the start line in Beijing all the way to the finish in Shanghai over 45 days. En route the cars visited 37 different cities and climbed to an altitude 5,231 meters in the mountain passes of Tibet.The Panamerican 20,000 will be divided into 15 stages over 84 days and will take the two Ferrari 599 GTB Fioranos through 16 different countries. The route will also wind its way through the most famous areas of Pre-Columbian and Native American historical interest. They will visit the Foz do Iguazu falls on the Argentinean-Paraguayan border having first stopped off at the beaches of Rio de Janeiro and Saõ Paulo and then crossed the tropical rain forests around Curitiba. After the Falls, they will drive through the Argentinean pampas before powering up through salt plains of Chile and Bolivia. From there they will make their way along dirt roads to La Paz and through the spectacular countryside around Lake Titicaca, which, at 4,000 meters, is the world’s highest lake. The 599 GTB Fiorano’s entry into Peru will be the first contact with the Inca civilisation: the sacred valley of Cuzco, the peaks that guard Macchu Picchu and the mysterious lines of Nazca. But then it’s on to Lima and back to sea level again. From there the Tour makes its way past the towering volcanoes and deserts of Ecuador to get to Colombia. Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala will make up the tropical South American leg of the Tour and will also provide the first encounters with the vestiges of the Mayan civilisation. One of the most magical views on the entire American continent, the ruins of Palenque, will greet the Tour which, after it passes through Mexico City, will make its way up into the United States via Baja California. The American leg of the Tour will take the cars all the way from Los Angeles to Houston taking in Monument Valley en route, before they drive on to Miami and then Washington.
After that they continue on to Chicago and Toronto (Canada) before finally making their way to the finish line in New York.The Panamerican 20,000 will be receiving invaluable assistance from the various Italian diplomatic services in the states it passes through, particularly with regard to security and customs issues. Its partners on the Tour will be some of the Prancing Horse’s most loyal sponsors: Shell (V Power, Helix and Q, fuel and lubricants), Alcoa (technical partner and manufacturer of the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano’s aluminum chassis), Case IH (a Fiat-owned company worldwide leader in the production of agricultural machinery) Pirelli (supplier of specialist tyres for the different terrains being covered), the Fiat Group (support vehicles), Puma (clothing), Saima Avandero (transport of cars and spare parts), Buonitalia (a company working to promote Italian products worldwide).
Assistance and spares will be provided by six support vehicles: three Fiat cars which will be replaced by three Alfa Romeos in Mexico, and three specially equipped Iveco trucks. As the Tour’s technical partner, Shell will be providing a specially equipped vehicle and its own team of technicians for the entire duration of the Tour.
Around 50 journalists from across the world will take turns behind the wheels of the two Ferraris.
In addition to the journalists, an official photographer and a video cameraperson, a technical assistance and logistics team will accompany the Tour along its entire route.
The www.ferrariworld.com and www.media.ferrari.com websites will feature regularly updated news and high definition photographs from the Tour.
The Tour begins from Fiat’s Brazilian headquarters at Belo Horizonte and will visit the main Case IH plants at Curitiba (BR), Racine and New Holland (USA), and the Iveco facility at Sete Lagoas (BR) to pay homage to these important members of the Fiat Group.
The route and main stages
The Panamerican 20,000 route is divided into 15 stages. The stages also correspond to the changeover points for the various teams of journalists taking part. The Tour gets underway on August 24th from Belo Horizonte and six days later the cars will make their way into Foz do Iguazu 2,000 km away.
From there they head west to Argentina and onto San Pedro de Atacama in Chile which they will reach after five days and 1,800 km of driving through pampas and the first of the salt plains.
This is where the toughest part of the tour begins and will see the cars climb to altitudes of more than 4,000 metres in the Andes. They will head north setting a course for La Paz in Bolivia which they reach on September 7th after four more days on the road and having added another 1,100 km to their mileage as they zoom down the dirt roads through the salt plains.
After 1,700 km and 6 more days on the road, the cars will drive into Lima where they will encounter the vestiges of the ancient Inca civilisation.
The next four stages to Mexico will take them through spectacular landscapes en route to Quito, Pasto, Cartagena, Panama, Managua on an 8,000 km, 18-day dash.
The two Mexican stages, which start from Palenque on October 13th, traverse the lands of the Aztecs and the Mayans as well as Baja California. It will take 10 days to cover this 4,500 km distance.
From Las Vegas, the Tour turns east, calling to Houston and also making its way through Monument Valley and Dallas, before arriving into Miami on November 3rd. This 6,000 km stretch will take 9 days to complete.
At this point, the Tour will move north to Washington before arriving into New York on November 17th having first called to Chicago and Toronto. A 5,000 km dash that will take 11 days in all.
The cars
The two specially-liveried 599 GTB Fioranos (one a Tour de France blue and the other a Rossa Corsa red) will only be very slightly modified to help them cope with terrain in the toughest parts of the route.
They will each be fitted with a special underbody protector made from 4 mm thick duralumin rather than plastic and their suspension set-up will be slightly higher to cope with the difficult road conditions. Apart from this, however, they will be regular production models powered by a 620 hp 65° V12 engine which delivers 62 kgm of maximum torque at 5,600 rpm. Both cars will be equipped also with the electro-actuated six-speed F1 gearbox and transaxle transmission.
The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is the most high performance 12-cylinder berlinetta ever produced at Maranello.
The new model boasts the most innovative and technologically advanced features ever to be used by Ferrari in a mid-front engined two-seater, setting a whole new standard in terms of sportiness, design and exhilarating driving. The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano delivers absolutely stunning performance, putting it right at the very top of its category. In fact, its 5,999 cc V12 engine is directly derived from the one that equipped the “Enzo Ferrari” supercar. It punches out a breathtaking 620 hp at 7,600 rpm, giving the new model a weight-power ratio of 2.6 kg/hp. Both the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano’s chassis and bodyshell are all-aluminum and the most accomplished example Ferrari’s already well-honed skills in this area. Thanks to an inimitable Pininfarina design, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano’s aggressive, elegant styling incorporates cutting-edge aerodynamics to ensure nothing short of absolute excellence in terms of performance. The new car replaces the 575M Maranello of which, like the 550 Maranello unveiled in 1996, 5,700 were produced, a record in their segment for the Prancing Horse.
From the legendary 250 GT to the 275 GTB, the 365 GTB4 and the 575M Maranello, the powerful 12-cylinder two-seater has always been the most symbolic of Ferrari’s stunning sports cars, and the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano is a powerful addition to that list of illustrious names.
Ferrari on the American continentWith around 1,150 cars sold there each year, the North American market accounts for 30% of Ferrari’s output and is thus its largest single market worldwide. Within North America, the largest market is California which accounts for 27% of sales in the US. This is followed by the North East (16%), Florida (11%), Texas (7%) and Chicago (6%).Two new dealerships (one in Silicon Valley, California, and the other in Las Vegas) were added to the Ferrari dealership network in North America in 2005, bringing the total up to 36 (32 in the US and 4 in Canada). However, our existing distributors have also made significant investments in recent years in upgrading their facilities and processes. In 2004, Ferrari North America opened a showroom at 410 Park Avenue in New York to showcase its extraordinary cars at one of America’s most prestigious locations.In January 2006, Ferrari North America also took over responsibility for Central and South America to enhance and consolidate the Prancing Horse’s presence there. The main markets involved are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela which offer a total of 12 dealerships in all. This consolidation will also boost the distribution network and increase customer satisfaction.Ferrari North America Inc., which has its headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and is headed by CEO and President Maurizio Parlato, is now in its fourth year at the helm of Ferrari’s largest market worldwide. Ferrari North America is the only authorised Ferrari importer and distributor in North, Central and South America. It is responsible for all of the marque’s organisational and operational activities in the United States and Canada, including technical training and spares assistance. Ferrari North America also has one dealership on the West Coast, in San Francisco.
The sponsors
Shell.
Long-time Ferrari partner Shell is behind the 599 GTB Fioranos every mile of the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 in a very visible demonstration of the close technical partnership between Shell and Ferrari already familiar to Formula 1 fans world-wide.
Shell is providing important technical support and a suite of performance fuel and lubricant products to support the marathon journey. Shell fuel stations along the route will play a critical role in keeping the Ferrari 599 GTBs supplied with Shell V-Power fuel and celebrating the passing of the Ferrari Panamerican with special events and promotions. A Shell technical support team will accompany the cars from the start in Brazil to the finish in New York. Reflecting Ferrari’s uncompromising approach to performance, the Prancing Horse uses Shell V-Power fuel and Shell Helix lubricant products, including Q (USA), exclusively both in Formula 1 and in its GT cars, such as the new 599 GTB Fiorano.
Alcoa. Ferrari’s strategic partner for the creation of advanced aluminum spaceframe technology. The companies began working together in the 1990’s and have collaborated on four successful generations of spaceframes for Ferrari’s Gran Turismo vehicles, beginning with the 360 Modena. Alcoa currently builds aluminum spaceframes for the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, F430 and 599 GTB Fiorano in Modena. Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and aluminum products. The company supplies all key sectors of the aluminum industry, including aerospace, automobile, packaging, building and construction and commercial transportation. Alcoa is present in 44 countries and employs a workforce of more than 130,000 people.
Fiat Group.
Founded in 1899, Fiat is an industrial enterprise focused on the automotive sector, serving customers in more than 190 countries around the world with an annual turnover of about 47 billion euro. With some 170 000 employees in 120 R&D centres and 189 plants worldwide, the Fiat Group is a global leader in the production of passenger cars (Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo), agricultural and construction equipment (CNH Case New Holland), industrial vehicles (Iveco), production systems (Comau and Teksid) and automotive components (Magneti Marelli). Fiat Group is present in the American continent through 120 companies ( 80 in North America and 40 in Mercosur) with revenues of over ¿ 10 billion in 2005. It employs 41,700 people in 48 plants and 27 R&D centres. One of the pioneer companies in the automobile industry, Fiat Auto has produced more than 87 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, including no less than 400 models. Fiat Auto operates world-wide with the following brands: Fiat, celebrated for value, economy, and innovation and whose mass produced cars and light commercial vehicles are distributed over almost the entire price class spectrum; Lancia means prestige cars noted for their elegant styling, and comfort; Alfa Romeo is famous as a maker of sport and luxury vehicles of style and distinction.
Case IH.
A global leader in agricultural equipment. With headquarters in the United States, Case IH has a network of dealers and distributors that operates in over 160 countries. Case IH provides agricultural equipment systems, flexible financial service offerings and parts and service support for professional farming operations through a dedicated network of professional dealers and distributors. Productivity enhancing products include tractors; combines and harvesters; hay and forage equipment; tillage tools; planting and seeding systems; sprayers and applicators; and site specific farming tools.
Iveco.
Full-range manufacturer of commercial vehicles for transport of goods and passengers, that offers operators a thorough offer of innovative products integrated with financial tools as well as flexible and customized services. Iveco runs 49 production units in 19 countries giving priority to exploitation of talents and resources in emerging areas. More than 4,500 service outlets in over 100 Countries guarantee technical support wherever in the world an Iveco vehicle is at work.
Pirelli.
A group with a long history stretching back over 130 years. The work done by Pirelli Labs in photonics, broadband access and new materials fields as well as its MIRS (Modular Integrated Robotized System) for tyre manufacture are just two examples of the Group’s technological excellence in action. Pirelli Tyre has 24 tyre factories in 12 countries and is one of the world’s foremost high performance tyre companies.
Puma.
A global athletic brand that successfully fuses influences from sport, lifestyle and fashion. Puma’s unique industry perspective delivers the unexpected in sport lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories, through technical innovation and revolutionary design. Established in Herzogenaurach, Germany in 1948, Puma distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories in over 80 countries worldwide. It is also Official Supplier for the Scuderia Ferrari.
Saima Avandero.
A leading Italian group in the international transportation and courier sector. It has turned logistics, transportation and assistance network organisation into an art form. The company manages all aspects of product logistics for its clients (strategic management of collection, warehousing and distribution) and also offers the back-up of an avant-garde computerised and robotic industrial set-up.
Buonitalia S.p.A.
An Italian company established by the Ministry for Agricultural and Forestry Policies in July 2003 to promote, market and raise the profile of the Italian food industry worldwide. Buonitalia aims are to promote, enhance and raise the profile of Italy’s agricultural and food heritage throughout the world by coordinating State promotional policies, provide services to agricultural and food companies to help them market Italian food products internationally, protect Italian products by ensuring the international registration and legal protection of the brands associated with original Italian products.
The Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 gets underway on Thursday with the 599 GTB Fioranos,
symbols of Italian technology and enterprise
Copyright: Ferrari
Maranello, 21 August 2006 – The new challenge facing Ferrari, the Panamerican 20,000, will start on Thursday 24 August. The expedition will begin from the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte in the country of Minas Gerais.The journey will see two Ferrari 599 Fioranos travel over 32,000 km (20,000 miles), with journalists from around the world behind the wheel on alternate stages. The tour will grant Italy significant visibility: Ferrari is known as a symbol of Italy and for this reason the cars will visit embassies in the sixteen countries through which the convoy will travel. There they will meet members of the Italian community and the local media.From Brazil, the convoy will travel through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, the USA and Canada, and end up in the United States at the beginning of October. The expedition will then move on to visit several US states until it reaches Canada, before concluding in New York on 17 November.The Panamerican 20,000 will also play a role in highlighting ‘Made in Italy’ and Ferrari’s international partnerships. In Brazil it will be at the heart of the Fiat Auto’s local activities (Fiat Automòveis is celebrating a 30 year presence in the country and nine million cars produced) with the start line ceremony to be held at Fiat’s plant in Betim, close to Belo Horizonte, which will be attended by 4,000 staff.
An event dedicated to Iveco will follow, as Iveco is providing three back-up and spare parts vehicles, two Daily vehicles and a City Class minibus. Iveco is developing a big presence in Brazil with a range that is continually evolving.
Equally important is the role played by the other Italian partners: Pirelli which will provide three kind of tyres suitable for all environmental conditions among which a new tyre developed especially for Ferrari; Saima Avandero, co-ordinator of the expedition that will ensure the complex customs procedures on a voyage that will cross 17 borders; and, to conclude, Buonitalia that will promote Italian culinary excellence to the world.
Moreover, Shell is behind the 599 GTB Fioranos in a very visible demonstration of the close technical partnership between Shell and Ferrari. Shell is providing a suite of Shell V-Power performance fuel and Shell Helix and Q lubricant products for the Ferraris and a dedicated Shell technical support team will accompany the cars from the start in Brazil to the finish in New York.
The 32,000 km journey will include a number of events related to partnership activities. Two of these will take place during the United States section where visits will be paid to an Alcoa aluminium smelter in Texas and a forging plant in Ohio. Alcoa produces the spaceframes for the 599 GTB Fiorano. Additional visits will be made to the Iveco factory in Sete Lagoas; and to Case IH (a world leading brand which produces the Fiat Group’s agricultural machinery) factories in Curitiba (Brazil), in Racine and New Holland (USA).
The expedition will also have a tourism-commercial aspect thanks to t-shirts specially designed by Puma. Puma is a sponsor of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro and Ferrari licensee and will provide the team’s outfit for the Panamerican 20,000. This will be dedicated to each of the countries visited and through a symbol that will be echoed on the bodies of the two Ferraris as the tour progresses. The first symbol will be the Christ of Corcovado in Brasil finishing with the Statue of Liberty in the USA going through the pyramids, the Maya and the Inca icons and the Canadian Maple leaf.
While the tour is in South and Central America, the support vehicles will be by Fiats produced in Brazil, but once the convoy reaches San Diego in the USA, they will be substituted by Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagons. This change will be made in order to underline America’s passion for the Alfa Romeo brand.
The route and main stages
The Panamerican 20,000 route is divided into 15 stages corresponding to the changeover points for the various teams of journalists taking part. The Tour gets underway on August 24th from Belo Horizonte and six days later the cars will make their way into Foz do Iguazu 2,000 km away. From there they head west to Argentina and onto San Pedro de Atacama in Chile which they will reach after five days and 1,800 km of driving through pampas and the first of the salt plains. This is where the toughest part of the tour begins and will see the cars climb to altitudes of more than 4,000 metres in the Andes. They will head north setting a course for La Paz in Bolivia which they reach on September 7th after four more days on the road and having added another 1,100 km to their mileage as they zoom down the dirt roads through the salt plains. After 1,700 km and 6 more days the cars will drive into Lima where they will encounter the vestiges of the ancient Inca civilisation. The next four stages to Mexico will take them through spectacular landscapes en route to Quito, Pasto, Cartagena, Panama, Managua on an 8,000 km, 18-day dash.The two Mexican stages, which start from Palenque on October 13th, traverse the lands of the Aztecs and the Mayans as well as Baja California. It will take 10 days to cover this 4,500 km distance.From Las Vegas, the Tour turns east, calling to Houston and also making its way through Monument Valley and Dallas, before arriving into Miami on November 3rd. This 6,000 km stretch will take 9 days to complete.
At this point, the Tour will move north to Washington before arriving into New York on November 17th having first called to Chicago and Toronto. A 5,000 km dash that will take 11 days in all.
Race to the Finish at the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 in New York
Copyright: Ferrari
New York, November 17th 2006 – A 20,000 mile race from Brazil to New York came to a glorious conclusion this morning when two Ferrari 599’s crossed the finish line at the New York Stock Exchange.The Panamerican 20,000 was the latest and most persuasive test of Ferrari’s newest model, the 599 GTB Fiorano. On an often grueling 15-leg journey, a team of forty-eight journalists took turns driving from Belo Horizonte in Brazil to the Argentinian pampa; over Andean plateaus and through mountain passes some 13,000 feet above sea level; through the Central American tropics and across Mexico and the United States, with a final stop in Canada before reaching the final destination in New York.This is not the first time Ferrari has embarked on this type of journey. In 1997 it sent the F355 model on a tour around the world. Just last year two Scaglietti 612’s made a tour of all China, the first time any automobile maker has accomplished this feat.Sports fans are used to seeing the Ferrari on Formula 1 tracks, and of appreciating its special talent for racing. But these long road-tests are important in two significant ways. First, they show that today’s Ferrari can be driven in every type of road condition. A case in point: in the past ten years the average mileage accumulated by Ferrari drivers has doubled. Second, they bring the Ferrari closer to an adoring public that goes beyond the ranks of racing fans. The Ferrari is instantly recognizable in the farthest corners of the earth, from the silk road to the shores of Lake Titicaca. This discovery confirms the iconic status of the Ferrari as the embodiment of a dream.On Wall Street today, the façade of the Stock Exchange was decorated with the Ferrari trademark: the prancing horse. A special grandstand was built for the ceremony, and Maurizio Parlato, President and CEO of Ferrari North America, was on hand for a celebratory speech. The finish line was set up in place of great symbolic importance: for over 50 years, the United States has been Ferrari’s number one market, and many of its customers are members of the American business communities.In his remarks, Mr. Parlato emphasized that the cars had proven their extraordinary reliability, having made it though the rugged Andean roads with minimal damage to the tires and rims. The only thing they needed were regular oil changes provided by Shell, which provided roadside assistance for the whole tour.The 599 GTB Fiorano is a two-seater berlinetta with a V-12 engine, the top performer ever developed at the Ferrari factory in Maranello. This new model boasts the most cutting-edge features that Ferrari has ever applied to a two-seater with a front center engine, making it the new benchmark in sportiness, driving feel, and design.The two 599 GTB Fioranos reached the end of their journey in New York with only minor modifications to allow them to travel the toughest roads: for underbody protection a 4 mm.-thick aluminum plate was used rather than standard plastic, and the shock absorbers were slightly raised to handle the roughest roads. In all other regards, they were identical to the other cars in the series, with a 611 bhp Enzo-derived 5,999cc V12 motor, and maximum torque of 448 lb/ft produced at 5,600 rpm. The 599 GTB Fiorano sprints from 0 to 62 mph in an astonishing 3.7 seconds and boasts a top speed in excess of 205 mph. Both cars had a six-speed F1 gearbox, and a transaxle transmission.On this occasion, Ferrari thanks the sponsors that made this adventure possible: especially Shell, a long-time partner of Ferrari also in Formula 1 racing, which provided roadside assistance and a range of high-performance fuels and lubrication; Alcoa, a strategic partner for the production of aluminum chassis that is the standard for the whole Ferrari line today; the FIAT group, which provided transportation using the Iveco support system and escort vehicles of FIAT and Alfa Romeo, a brand that has attracted great interest in the United States; and Case IH – the global agriculture equipment leader – and finally, Pirelli for the tires, Puma for the Panamerican team uniforms, Saima Avandero for the logistics, and BuonItalia.
Ferrari in North and South America
North America is Ferrari’s biggest market-accounting for a 30% share-with sales of approximately 1,550 vehicles a year. The top North American market is California (27% of sales), followed by the North East (16%), Florida (11%), Texas (7%), and Chicago (6%). In 1995 the number of North American Ferrari dealers grew to 36 (32 in the United States and 4 in Canada), when two new locations were opened in Silicon Valley and Las Vegas. Existing dealers also made significant investments to expand their facilities and improve operations. In 2004 Ferrari North America inaugurated a showroom at 410 Park Avenue in New York to exhibit its extraordinary products at one of America’s premium locations.To build up and consolidate Ferrari’s presence in Central and South America, starting in January 2006 Ferrari North America became the lead office for the countries of the area. The main markets are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Venezuela, for a total of 12 sales points. This consolidation will expand the number of dealerships, and increase customer satisfaction.
Panamerican 20,000: The Galleria Ferrari revives the tour of the two Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano crossing the
American continent with a new photographic exhibition
Copyright: Ferrari
Maranello, 14th January 2007 – The Galleria Ferrari starts the year 2007 with a photographic exhibition dedicated to the Panamerican 20,000 – the tour that led the two Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano across the American continent.From 14th January to 31st March a special selection of images will allow the visitors of the Galleria to relive the work done by the two Granturismo cars on their way from South to North America. Just as it was in 2006, when the Galleria showed the images of the Ferrari 15,000 Red Miles, the adventure of the two Ferrari 612 Scaglietti in China.The exhibition will show a selection of fascinating images and objects, which have been collected along the way through the various countries, an unaired film, which tells the journey, and obviously the two 599 GTB Fiorano themselves.The Panamerican 20,000 – which ended after 84 days and more than 30,000 kilometres through 16 countries, from Brazil to Canada, on 17th November in New York – can now be relived thanks to the images taken by Gabriela Noris, the photographer, who immortalized the performances of the two 599 GTB Fiorano on their spectacular voyage through the most difficult and desperate terrain.In the year which celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Prancing Horse, the Galleria Ferrari will play a big part with a series of special initiatives, another exhibition, which demonstrates the close connection between the Galleria and the company and its challenges, which Ferrari fans from all over the world can only find here in Maranello.
The Galleria Ferrari is open every day from 9.30 to 18.00h including holidays.We would like to remind you that at the end of January a special initiative, in collaboration with the Fiorano race track, will continue, where with every ticket to the Galleria purchased you have the possibility to go on a lap in a Ferrari van on the race track.
“Best Cars” 2007 Award
Copyright: Ferrari
Maranello, 1st February 2007 – The readers of the German car magazine “Auto Motor und Sport” – the most renowned magazine in Germany, which has eleven international editions and seven collaboration agreements with as many magazines – such as Autocar (UK) and Quattroruote (Italy) – confirmed the success of two vehicles from Ferrari in the traditional “Best Cars” survey, where the readers are voting for their preferred cars in 20 different categories. This year the awards are given for the 31st time.More than 100,000 readers voted and in the end it was the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, which, with 11,2% of the votes in its category “Imported Sports Cars”, won the award.
The 12 cylinder from Maranello is the best performing Granturismo car that has ever been built by the manufacturer with the Prancing Horse – an synthesis of technological innovation and refined design in a Coupé with a middle-front engine, which has been presented at the Car Show in Paris last year. The 599 GTB Fiorano follows the Ferrari F430, winner of this category in the year 2005.Thus the 599 GTB Fiorano continues to collect national and international awards after the two from important British magazines: Evo (“2006 Evo Car of the Year”) and Top Gear (“2006 Top Gear Supercar of the Year”). The 599 GTB Fiorano also won in the category “Spotscars” in the survey “The car I prefer” 2007 by the Italian magazine Quattroruote.Meanwhile the F430 Spider defended its title it gained last year in the category “Imported Convertibles” with 11.4% of the votes. This 8 cylinder with its middle engine, designed by Pininfarina, lets their owners enjoy driving an open car with the temperament of a sports car from Maranello. Before the F430 Spider this category has been won by the 360 Modena Spider. In the Chinese edition of “Auto, Motor und Sport” the F430 Berlinetta won in the category “Sports Cars” for the second year in a row.Ferrari S.p.A. General Director Amedeo Felisa was present at the ceremony in Stuttgart to accept the awards.
From Arabian Princes to California Governors – Important recognition for Ferrari
Copyright: Ferrari
Maranello, November 16th, 2007- For Ferrari, taking Italy’s flagship brand across the world is both an exciting challenge and an incredible responsibility. It is therefore a great pleasure to receive new awards in important markets like the Middle East and California.In Dubai, the 599 GTB Fiorano has been crowned “Supercar of the Year” in the ‘Car Middle East Award 2007’. The prize was given by a jury led by Shahzad Sheik, and joins the outstanding accolades that Ferrari achieved in 2007 both in competitions and for its GT products.The 599 GTB Fiorano won this award for its unique design and for the unparalleled combination of excellent performance (due to its front-engined V12 configuration, like the most iconic and traditional Ferrari Berlinettas) and high levels of comfort.Simultaneously, at the International Motorshow in Los Angeles, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, visited the Ferrari stand and showed great interest in the F430 Spider and the new 430 Scuderia.The State of California, where Ferrari sales are expected to exceed 600 units in 2007, has always represented one of the key markets for the Prancing Horse, while the Middle East now accounts for more than 300 cars, an increase of around 35% compared to 2006.
In the year of its double World Title win, Ferrari announces that all of its cars will feature
CCM brakes as standard from 2008
Copyright: Ferrari
Bologna, December 5th 2007 – Ferrari has announced to the media and its clients at the Bologna Motor Show 2007 that Brembo brakes featuring carbon ceramic material (CCM) discs will be provided as standard on the entire Prancing Horse range from 2008.
Thanks to technological excellence unparalleled in sports car manufacturing, Ferrari is the world’s first car manufacturer to offer CCM technology as standard across its entire range. The Prancing Horse was also the first manufacturer to introduce CCM brakes five years ago on the Enzo Ferrari model and later began offering them to clients as a personalisation option on other models in the range.
The announcement of this latest development was made today by Ferrari’s General Manager Amedeo Felisa and Brembo Chairman Alberto Bombassei, during the press day at the Bologna Show. Ferrari’s decision comes as a result of the enhanced performance, durability and comfort offered by CCM brakes, their enormous popularity with clients (requests stand at over 85% for certain models), and a desire to underscore its technical leadership.In a year in which Ferrari returned to winning form in F1, taking both the Constructor’s and Driver’s titles, the 430 Scuderia, a special series based on the F430, also makes its Italian debut at Bologna. The new car is an extremely high performance two-seater berlinetta brimming with Formula 1-derived content, and is flanked on the stand by a Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro single-seater to further highlight its close technological ties to the track.
In fact, the 430 Scuderia uses a traction control system (E-Diff + F1-Trac) similar to the F1’s and a gearbox with gearshifting times equal to those of the single-seater of just two years ago. The F430 and the 599 GTB Fiorano, the most powerful production V12 car ever built at Maranello, also grace the Prancing Horse stand. On show too are the F430 Spider, which combines the blistering performance of a thoroughbred sports car with the delights of a drop-top, and the 612 Scaglietti, the current GT flagship which features recently updated cabin and accessories, including the innovative Bose Media System.The Prancing Horse will also be one of the most active protagonists in the Shell Arena, which is devoted to racing and exhibition driving. On Friday 7th December, our test-driver Luca Badoer will be putting a Ferrari Formula 1 car through its paces in a now-traditional exhibition complete with pit-stop simulations. The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli cars will also be out on the track on Sunday for the now-classic culmination of its sporting calendar.Braking system with Carbon Ceramic Material (CCM) discsBraking systems that use carbon-ceramic material discs offer a host of advantages in terms of improved performance, durability and comfort, and are now considered an essential piece of kit for the kind of very high performance cars built by the Prancing Horse.Brakes featuring CCM discs offer much more responsive braking as well as consistently excellent performance in intensive use. One of the most obvious advantages to adopting them is their exceptional fade resistance – fade in fact compromises the driver’s feeling of control when it comes to the pressure required on the brake pedal and responsiveness.
The CCM discs have a longer life under normal conditions, a fact that has clear financial advantages. Furthermore, even with continual track use, CCM brakes offer greater resistance to wear for better durability on track. The CCM braking system also cuts around 15 kg off the car’s total weight which not only improves overall performance but also reduces unsprung mass and thus improves vehicle dynamics and ride comfort.
On the 430 Scuderia in particular, the CCM braking system is specifically designed for the car and has unique brake dimensions which are aligned with the car’s extreme performance characteristics. The diameter of the front discs has been increased (+18 mm vs the F430) which offers an improved effective radius and thus more efficient braking. Combined with specific 6-pot callipers, the front brake discs dissipate the extra heat created by the higher performance delivered by the 430 Scuderia .Ferrari 430 ScuderiaSeven-times World Champion Michael Schumacher also contributed to the development of the 430 Scuderia which makes the most advanced Ferrari Formula 1 technologies available to our sportiest and most passionate clients.
A dry weight of 1250 Kg and the 510 hp punched out at 8500 rpm by its naturally aspirated V8 engine guarantee the 430 Scuderia an absolutely extraordinary power-weight ratio of just 2.45 Kg/hp which in turn means that it can accelerate from 0 to 100 Km/h in a mere 3.6 seconds. The 430 Scuderia has a similar lap time at Fiorano to the Enzo, the Ferrari model that has come to epitomise the Prancing Horse’s philosophy of transferring Formula 1 technology to its road cars.
Thanks to its sophisticated aerodynamics, F1 SuperFast2 gearbox, and E-Diff combined with the sophisticated F1-Trac traction control system, this sporty new mid-rear engined berlinetta effortlessly combines superb handling with blistering performance, resulting in exceptional driving pleasure and handling both on the road and on the track. The integrated E-Diff and F1-Trac systems offers 40% more acceleration coming out of corners than a traditional traction and stability control system.
The 430 Scuderia also boasts the new Racing manettino which puts the emphasis firmly on track-specific sporty driving, giving the driver even more choice in terms of the traction control and vehicle dynamics set-up.The “Carrozzeria Scaglietti” Personalisation ProgrammeLaunched in 1997, the “Carrozzeria Scaglietti” Personalisation Programme allows Ferrari clients to enhance their car to suit their own personal tastes and requirements, making each one truly unique. There are four distinct personalisation areas: Racing and Track, Exteriors and Colours, Interiors and Materials, Equipment and Travel.
However, clients are also welcome to make “off-catalogue” requests. Since the days when Sergio Scaglietti himself first began collaborating with the Prancing Horse, our cars have been tailored to meet clients’ individual needs and nowadays almost 100% of Ferrari production include some personalisation options requested by their owners. The Personalisation Programme was recently further extended to include the 430 Scuderia’s personality. The Racing and Track area in particular boasts carbon-fibre kits which help enhance the new model’s lightness and nimbleness. The headlamp body, boot lid, front spoiler, sill kick panels and diffuser are all available in this high tech material. Wheel rims in the colour now used in Formula 1 are also available and a carbon-fibre helmet specially designed for the model is also available to order.Ferrari ClassicheFounded in 2005 to provide owners of classic Prancing Horse cars with a range of restoration, maintenance and technical assistance services as well as to issue authenticity certificates, Ferrari Classiche has thus far completed certification examinations on over 500 cars, using meticulous research methods and the original designs of the Prancing Horse’s historic cars themselves.Ferrari Financial ServicesSince its launch in early 2007 Ferrari Financial Services has been providing a series of services designed specifically to meet the diverse needs of owners of Ferraris of all kinds from those in the current range to historic and competition cars, including former F1 single-seaters. As a result our clients can now avail of personalised financing services which include, in the case of the 430 Scuderia package, driving courses designed in collaboration with Michael Schumacher who also contributed to the development of the car itself.A year of success and celebration2007 was a particularly important year for Ferrari. Not only did it bring the Company its 15th Formula World Championship Driver’s and Constructor’s titles but also marked the anniversary of its 60th year in business. Fittingly during this Anniversary year, Ferrari was also voted “Best Place to Work in Europe 2007”. End-of-year financial figures records also indicate a record 6,000-plus cars delivered and an operating result in the region of 15% revenues.To put Ferrari’s performance in Formula 1 into context, the Prancing Horse has won no less than seven Constructors’ World titles in the last nine years and six Drivers’ titles in the last eight.2007 was also an important year for the Company’s Brand Development activities with Ferrari Stores opened in Los Angeles, Barcelona, Al Kobar and Abu Dhabi. Further openings are planned for Singapore, Macao and Honolulu in early 2008. With regard to licensing, in addition to excellent performances by our consolidated partners, new agreements have also been signed with Dynastar and Lange (skis and ski boots) and Biciclo (bicycles for men, women and children in collaboration with Colnago).
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