The Paparazzi Strike Again: Ferrari 599 roadster resurfaces

Photos of topless super-models parading around sun-drenched southern Europe -- the paparazzi never tire of snapping them, we never tire of seeing them, and like so many celebrity gossip magazines, here at Autoblog we never tire of running them. Take, for example, this particular Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano spotted now for the second time sashaying around Italy with its top half off. Not only is the regular car a rare treat to behold, but this one lets slip the promise of something more. Although it hasn't appeared completely topless, this test vehicle is wearing an ill-fitting roof that suggests it may show the way for an upcoming convertible 599. That could mean a soft-top like the F430 Spider, a folding hard-top like the California or a rotating flip-top like that featured on the 575M-based Superamerica. Meanwhile, it could also mean a "regular production" model or a rare special edition for the Italian automaker. With the California just making its debut, the 16M Scuderia Spider just around the corner and the initial batch of spy shots just hitting the web, we asked the people at Ferrari what they were working on. Their response was that they're testing a lot of different ideas and that nothing had been given the green light (yet), so we'll just have to hold on and hope the higher-ups get out their stamps of approval. [Source: Autogespot]

 

Faster than a Speeding Ferrari: Montezemolo invests in Italian TGV

Luca di Montezemolo is already president of Ferrari and chairman of the entire Fiat group, but he isn't about to stop there. Together with Diego della Valle from the famous driving-shoemaker Tod's, the hereditary Marquis di Montezemolo is investing in a new company called Nuovo Transporto Viaggiatori (NTV) that plans to start a new high-speed rail service across Italy with a new train design that could put the final nail in Alitalia's coffin. Called the Automotrice à Grande Vitesse (AGV -French for "high-speed self-propelled carriage"), the new bullet train is being built by Alstom, the same company that built the French TGV. But the newer Italian version will use even more efficient engines, located right in the train cars, eliminating the need for a separate locomotive. The AGV is anticipated to reach speeds of 225 mph, which could rival the Enzo and the F2008 for the fastest vehicle Montezemolo has ever thrown his weight behind. [Source: NYT Wheels]

 

Seven-figure Ferraris on the block in Gstaad

Crisis? What crisis? That could be the title of the upcoming auction in Switzerland, where London-based auction house Bonhams is preparing to put a series of multi-million-dollar Ferraris on the block. Among those going under the hammer on December 20 at the Palace Hotel in Gstaad is a the 1955 121 LM Spyder Scaglietti, raced at Le Mans and the Venezuelan by the late, great Phil Hill, and anticipated to fetch $4-5.5 million. A '51 212 Export Spyder by Carrozzeria Motto ($2.4-3.2 million), '58 250 GT TdF Aluminum Competition Berlinetta ($3.5-4.3 million) and an Enzo ($1.1-1.4 million) are also up for grabs, along with the unique Ferrari motorbike we reported earlier. Follow the jump for the press release and check out the Bonhams website for more pics. [Source: Bonhams via Luxist]

 

Ferrari F1 going racing with... Tata Motors?

An historic event will take place at the start of the 2009 Formula 1 season as Italian Ferrari grand prix cars will be emblazoned with the logos of an Indian automaker for the first time ever. Tata Motors, a subsidiary of the Tata Group, has purchased rights to sponsor Ferrari's F1 racing efforts. Details of the duration and the dollar amount have yet to be revealed. This isn't the first time Tata has been involved with F1, however. A few years back, it was a sponsor of both Jordan and Williams' F1 efforts. The partnership is not as left-field as it might initially seem, as Fiat (which owns the Prancing Horse) has a few joint ventures with the Indian automaker. Ferrari, being a very small manufacturer of roadgoing supercars, requires sponsorships such as this to continue racing in such expensive series as Formula 1. For Tata, placing its corporate logos on Ferrari race cars outwardly associates them with one of the most prestigious marques in the world, a move they doubtlessly see as key in their push to become a global automotive force. [Source: Times of India]