Which is More Fun on the Track: Toyota GT86 or Ferrari F12Berlinetta?

This should be a no-brainer; which is more fun to drive, the 730hp V12-powered Ferrari F12Berlinetta or the 197hp 4-cylinder Toyota GT86? Although both are front engined, rear-wheel drive sports cars, they couldn’t be more different. One is a very expensive, extreme Italian exotic and the other is an affordable, highly controllable sports coupe.

While in terms of performance the Toyota doesn’t stand a chance in front of the Ferrari, when the fun factor is taken into account, the GT86 can bring a big smile on the driver’s face. It’s a tail-happy machine thanks to its skinny tires, which make it very enjoyable on the track.

But can it compare with the Ferrari? Autocar magazine tested both cars on the Snetterton circuit to find out.

For one thing, the F12Berlinetta is definitely more challenging to drive than the GT86. The Toyota is playful all the time, while the Ferrari is frisky, just as long as the driver remembers the immense power produced by the 6.3-liter V12 and respects it. It’s the sort of car that keeps drivers on their toes all the time and does not like giving second chances.

For the full review, watch the video below.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

I Couldn’t Say No to this Ferrari F40 with a Custom Exhaust

If you had a Ferrari F40, I bet that you, like me, would not touch it inappropriately in any way, and keep it stock. It’s great just the way it is, and with its performance numbers still being comparable to those of modern supercars and a timeless look, why would you?

However, I think there’s nothing wrong about swapping out its stock exhaust system for a louder one. It doesn’t affect the car in any other way, really, and it’s completely reversible, should you decided to sell it on with the aim to pass it on as a complete original. The results speak for themselves, as the video posted below courtesy of YouTube author NM2255.

He just uploaded an onboard and flame-spitting video featuring an F40 with a custom Tubi Style exhaust. This has a significant effect on the sound note, which comes out really clearly in the high quality HD video. It just sounds rawer than stock F40s we’ve heard before, and it also retains the trademark three pipe design at the back.

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEO

Totaled Ferrari Dino Sells at Contemporary Art Exhibition for $250,000

Have you ever looked at a wrecked car and thought it looked like a work of art? Well, if you answered yes, you're not alone as some people apparently appreciate the aesthetics of a totaled car.

French artist Bertrand Lavier wrote off a Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 and saw in the wreck a work of art. It’s important to say that the artist didn’t intervene on the car (other than crashing it), with the red Dino being a combination of Bertone’s design, Maranello’s craftsmanship and the forces of physics.

Lavier was simply stunned by the beauty of the wrecked car, which is part of the so-called “ready-made” art movement that considers some common objects as art. At this year’s edition of the FIAC, an international exhibition of contemporary art that takes place each year in Paris, the Ferrari was one of the strangest objects on sale.

The Dino was sold by the Yvon Lambert art dealer for $250,000 (€181,185) to an unidentified Turkish collector. It remains a mystery to me why anyone would spend so much money on a totaled Ferrari, when a good Ferrari Dino GT4 can be found for about €30,000 ($41,400) in European classifieds – you can drive it and then wreck it…

The Bertone-designed Dino 308 GT4 was powered by a 3.0-liter V8 engine developing 252 horsepower (255 PS). The mid-engined 2+2 coupe was called Dino to differentiate it from Pininfarina-designed Ferrari V12 models. However, at the public’s request, the Dino name was replaced with Ferrari at the end of 1976. Ferrari produced around 2,800 units between 1973 and 1980.

By Dan Mihalascu

Story References: Bloomberg

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Lazareth Wazuma V8F Quad Sports Ferrari V8 and BMW M3 Gearbox

Some of you may remember French custom car and motorcycle builder Lazareth because of this crazy creation; the Twingo with a mid-mounted Range Rover V8 engine. Although that was a daring project, it pales in comparison with this one, a quad bike powered by a Ferrari V8 engine!

Called the Wazuma V8F Matt Edition (they might as well name it the Quad from Hell), the machine is based on the Wazuma R1, a similar model but with a Yamaha R1 engine. Instead of the motorcycle unit, the Wazuma V8F features a 3.0-liter Ferrari V8 engine mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox sourced from a BMW M3.

The V8 engine produces around 250 hp and has been modified to accommodate the injection system of two Yamaha R1 engines. The electronic management of the gearbox is completely revised, with gear selection being made from the handlebars.

The Wazuma V8F Matt Edition features modified Momo (+Power) rims with Brembo calipers and four 324mm (12.7in) brake discs. The quad has a very specific suspension system consisting of four horizontal shock absorbers, made‐to‐measure by EMC. It rides on enormous wheels shod with slick tyres: 285‐30ZR18 for the front and 315‐30ZR18 for the rear.

Taking into account that the engine produces around 250 horsepower and that the quad only weighs 650 kg (1,433 lbs), performance is ballistic: top speed is around 200 mph (322 km/h). One could only reach that speed on a drag strip, as the one-off vehicle is not street legal in France. However, it is for sale for an unspecified sum.

Taking into account that “regular” Wazuma V8F quads cost around $250,000 (€181,460), it is better not to ask for the price of the one-off Matt Edition unless you have too much money in your bank account…

Scroll down for a video demonstration of the regular Lazareth Wazuma V8F.

By Dan Mihalascu

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VIDEO

Chris Harris Destroys Five Sets of Tires while Reviewing Ferrari F12Berlinetta [w/Video]

When an auto journalist starts a war with an automotive powerhouse like Ferrari, he or she has to expect some consequences. After Chris Harris' 2011 statements that Ferrari “custom-tunes” its media cars, the UK-based journalist found himself banned from driving Ferrari press cars.

It’s not like he suffered a lot though, since in 2012 he bought himself a Ferrari 599 – which he sold almost a year later because it was too expensive to run and maintain. The ban didn’t stop him from reviewing Ferraris owned by other people either, which probably made Maranello realize that it’s hard to keep Harris away from their cars. Especially after an incident that occurred earlier this year, when he “thrashed” a 458 Spider press car that he sub-contracted from a third party.

The following video in which Harris destroys five sets of tyres with the F12Berlinetta on the Anglesey circuit proves that Ferrari has lifted the ban on the British auto journalist.

It also shows that the Italians are still holding a grudge, since Harris is probably the last well-known journalist to get his hands on the F12. Still, the video will no doubt convince you that it was worth the wait.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

Ferrari Tailgater of the Creepy Ford F-Series Kind

Feel free to blame Hollywood, but whenever I see GM and Ford vans and trucks from the 1970s on the road, my mind travels to eerie movie scenes with serial killers and psychopaths. And the driver of this Ford-F-Series isn't really helping to overcome those creepy (fictional?) stereotypes we have, is he now…

A group of car enthusiasts were on hand to film a Ferrari F430 crossing the road (note that the crackling sounds heard in the beginning are from a Subaru Impreza WRX / STI passing through), which it did perfectly fine.

And then, out comes the F-Series van-o-truck with its driver dangerously tailgating the red Italian supercar…

Watch the short clip for yourself right below the break.

VIDEO

Quiz: This Ferrari F430 Scuderia Replica is Based on the… [Answer]

We love ourselves some auto-quizzes and admittedly, this author had to dig deep into the details of this fine replica of a Ferrari F430 Scuderia to pin down the marque and type of model that it rests upon.

The reason why it's not easy to tell the donor car is in this case is because, the exterior is fully covered (a more experienced eye may be able to tell that the roof is a bit off compared to the original), while the same applies to the interior, which is something that we don't often see on replica cars.

Nonetheless, there are a number of telling cues that reveal its origins. All you have to do is look for them in the picture gallery that we've added below and share your findings in the comments section after the break.

Answer: The replica is based on...let the drum roll begin...a European market Ford Cougar coupe with a 2.0-liter inline-four engine (the same model was sold in the United States from 1999 to 2002 as the Mercury Cougar)

Photo Credits: eBay

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What Say You to a Ferrari FF Cross Edition?

In their careful quest to broaden Ferrari's reach without diluting the brand, the Italian company's officials green-lighted the development of a more practical and usable, four-seater model with all-wheel drive, which they christened the FF, releasing it on the market in 2011. The rest is history, as they say.

Ferrari has pretty much declined to enter the SUV segment leaving it to Maserati and its upcoming Levante, but the designer at X-Tomi has a different proposal in mind for the Maranello brand.

It's called the Ferrari FF Cross Edition, and it follows the modern trend of adding SUV styling elements and sometimes a taller suspension to otherwise regular cars. VW's cross range of models and Audi's Allroad vehicle lineup are some examples that pop in mind.

The designer imagined the FF Cross Edition with protective wheel arch extensions, side skirts and bumper trims, all finished in a customary black color, together with different wheels, roof rails and skid plates.

So, after seeing the photo below, what do you think; should Ferrari consider such a model / edition, or would it be better that these ideas remain in the realm of fantasy?

Photo Credits: X-tomi

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Mazda…Dino 246 GT Replica Looking for a New Home at the Price of a 370Z

Both the Ferrari Dino (well, actually, it was aptly called Dino as it was envisioned as a sub-brand for Ferrari's lesser models) and the original Mazda MX-5 or Miata are special cars in their own unique way that have secured a place in automotive history.

So, a car that combines the two should be pretty awesome ride ticking plenty of boxes, right? Well, let's just say that it all depends on your definition of "awesome".

Let's see what the current owner of this Ferrari Dino GT replica built around a 1993 Mazda MX-5 has to say about it:

"Unbelievable build, Must See! Turns heads pictures taken, Horns Honk, thumbs go up what an attention getter it is, You will feel like you hit the Lotto when driving this car!!! You will Get The Supercar looks and Reliability of a Mazda and Great Gas mileage of almost a hybrid..."

Still not convinced? The Diniata is said to have only "88k original certified miles (although the working speedometer shows 39K)". It might be a Mazda in heart, but the eBay asking price has a faint Ferrari scent to it at $29,000 (€21,400).

We're just throwing this out there if you're considering it - while it is true that original Dino's retail for ten times that at around $300,000, you could do yourself a favor and go get a brand new 2014 Nissan 370Z for a few hundred dollars more at $29,900 MSRP.

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