The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, brought in to replace the Ferrari 456M, is named after the famous Ferrari coachbuilder Sergio Scaglietti. Scaglietti was the coachbuilder who brought to life some of the most beautiful Ferrari models in the 1950s and 60s. The new 612 features scalloped sides that recall the famous 375 MM he created for Italian film director Roberto Rossellini as a gift to his then-wife movie-star, Ingrid Bergman.
The all-aluminum Ferrari 612 Scaglietti was designed to be a luxurious 4-seat grand-tourer. The overall layout – engine mounted behind the front axle, gearbox positioned with the differential at the rear – ensures an ideally balanced weight distribution (46% front, 54% rear), as well as permitting a lower centre of gravity.
All Ferrari 612 Scaglietti's are fitted with a six-speed mechanical gearbox, with a choice of manual, and F1-style paddle shifts. Newly developed for the 612, the electro-hydraulic system is known as the F1A. It is designed to deliver both fast and ultra-smooth gear changes.
The all-aluminium chassis of the 612 provided the basis of the Ferrari 599 GTB.
McLaren’s new 650S model now comes in three flavors, the standard road going 650S, the competition-spec 650S GT3 for serious racers, and now there’s the 650S Sprint which is aimed at track enthusiasts who still want a little bit of comfort. The 650S Sprint also replaces the MP4-12C-based 12C Sprint as McLaren’s track toy for the super-rich. Compared to the road model, the 650S Sprint features increased downforce and better cooling airflow to the 3.8 litre twin-turbocharged V8. It also features a competition-spec fuel tank and quick-fill cap, a larger radiator borrowed from the GT3 car, a new hood with additional cooling ducts for the radiator, front wing louvres for improved airflow, reduced ride height and recalibrated damping and spring rates, 19-inch center-locking race wheels with either Pirelli slicks or wet tires, onboard air jack system, and an upgraded braking system. On the inside the McLaren 650S Sprint features a stripped-out design with a FIA-approved rol...