Ferrari introduces 599 HGTE and 599XX; Ultra-hot super car even hotter
And just why should we care about a new Ferrari coming out in such dire economic times? Well, maybe because the super car of super car brands is one of the only carmakers making money these days, and then there’s the sheer joy of distracting ourselves away from les misérables news.
Entertainment value high, the prancing horse brand introduced two new variations on the 599 GTB Fiorano theme in Geneva, the first being the 599 HGTE, short for Handling GT Evoluzione. Yes, most would think the regular 599 would handle fairly well as it is, but the Handling GTE Package will make the car that much better according to Ferrari’s press release.
The second car in the Geneva introduction is the much anticipated 599XX, what Ferrari refers to as its rolling “laboratorio tecnologico.” Created for “a select group of clients,” this technological laboratory “incorporates the most advanced technologies resulting from Ferrari's road-going and F1 research." How new are these features? According to Ferrari, “Many of the technological solutions it carries are being used for the first time and have been developed exclusively for this special car.” Hmmm… we’re curious. Ferrari did something similar with its Enzo, creating the FXX, so the new 599XX should be worthy of a full review when it debuts.
Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo introduced the two cars, next to a full lineup of models available for Geneva show-goers to enjoy. The upcoming F430 replacement, the F450, should be revealed later this year. Expect the 500-plus horsepower mid-engine exotic to appear in Frankfurt. Also at the Ferrari stand is a Scuderia Spider 16M painted in Grigio Titanio, the 430 Scuderia in Rosso Corsa, a Ferrari California in Nero Metallizzato with a Sabbia interior and a 612 Scaglietti. The 612 will be on display in the Atelier, a dedicated area that will allow owners to experience what Ferrari refers to its “virtually endless personalization options” on offer.
The two new cars are featured in red, of course, the 599 HGTE in a new three-layer metallic Rosso and the 599XX in a red hue that fittingly matches the F2008 Formula 1 car. And you’ll be able to see how well Ferrari did mixing the colour as one of its 16th Constructors' World title winning cars will be on display, if you were concerned the booth would be lacking in pizzazz.
GM’s Opel division shows off Ampera; Europe's Chevy Volt
Until recently, it appeared that almost any new Opel product would be considered for North American consumption through General Motors’ Saturn division, but with Saturn in a holding pattern until its brand executives, its dealer group and potential investors come up with a plan to keep it alive, and Opel restructuring to become more independent, it’s impossible to even guess at what the future might hold.
Something like the Ampera, however, would go a long way in boosting the domestic brand’s fortunes. Saturn already has GM’s only compact HEV, the Vue Hybrid, and will soon offer the brand’s first plug-in hybrid based on the same model, but the Ampera takes its lead from an entirely new kind of hybrid electric vehicle, Chevy’s Volt.
A series hybrid designed to use electricity as its primary driving force and an internal combustion engine for recharging the battery pack before depletion, the Volt and new Ampera are “reverse hybrids”, so to speak; while some HEVs, like Toyota’s Prius, can run on electric propulsion alone, these hybrids use electric power to assist the conventional drivetrain.
The Ampera, unveiled at the Geneva Auto Salon, looks like a tear-stained version of the Volt. If you think that Opel went all the way with the Ampera’s design compared to the more conservatively penned Volt, you’re not alone. The Ampera has a shape that immediately separates it from the conventional pack, and lets anyone who sees it know that it’s futuristic, and probably environmentally friendly. If built, the Ampera will be one of the cleanest, greenest cars on the planet, definitely living up to its otherworldly styling.
Veyron Bleu Centenaire is most exclusive Bugatti yet
Just how many 100-year celebratory Veyron Bleu Centenaire models will Bugatti build? In its most exclusive offer yet, the special edition Bug will only be available to one discerning individual. Yes, a one-off Bugatti finished in a special matte and gloss version of the marques racing blue paint scheme thatll be sure to wow the boys at the club.
Younger Bugattisti will remember the colour as the show hue for the first EB110, the pre-Volkswagen AG supercar that revived Ettores illustrious marque prior to going up in flames, the ashes bought up by VW and its chairman Ferdinand Piech, a man many deemed fiscally irresponsible when buying and building up Bugatti, along with Bentley, Lamborghini and the Volkswagen Phaeton, but now often called a visionary.
According to Bugatti public relations man and liaise to the rich and famous Alasdair Stewart, no changes have been made to the already outrageously capable Veyron powertrain which allows an unfathomable 253-mph top speed.
The price de resistance? The one and only Bleu Centenaire can be had for only 1.35 million euros (about $2.2 million CAD; $1.7 million USD).
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