All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Auctions, News

1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider sold for $22 million

Recently at RM Sotheby’s auction, one of only two 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider ever produced sold for $22 million. The car was built for a special race that never took place.

In the mid-50s, Ferrari was successful in racing, but to win the FIA ​​World Sportscar championship it was necessary to win the five-day race Carrera Panamericana. For this purpose, Ferrari created the 410 Sport Spider. It is an exceptional car that is the dream of most collectors. The car achieved several major victories and was driven by some well-known names from the world of racing such as Juan Manuel Fangio and the legendary Carroll Shelby. In fact, Shelby scored more wins in this car than any other he drove during his career.

The Ferrari 410 Sport Spider is one of only two ever produced, and is powered by a 24-spark plug 4.9-liter V-12 engine with 400 hp (294 kW) and 403 lb-ft (546 Nm) of torque. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a 5-speed gearbox.

Although it was specially built for the Carrera Panamericana race, the race never took place. Instead, it participated in the World Sports Car Championship in 1956. The body of the car was made by Sergio Scaglietti. It is equipped with an original fuel tank inscribed by Shelby: “Mr. Ferrari told me that this was the best Ferrari he ever built.”

The car recently underwent a full Ferrari Classiche inspection and a detailed report is on file should the next inspector wish to proceed with the Red Book.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

EV, News

2023 Skoda Vision 7S

The Czech car manufacturer Skoda will present its new SUV Vision 7S in a few days. It is a car with a bold design that is different from anything currently offered by the Czech company.

Skoda has released sketches of the upcoming car, which features a redesigned front end, two-row headlights positioned far into the car’s edges, a bumper with seven vertical slats (the central one is orange), an aluminum panel under the front, and taillights that form a T-shaped light signature. in combination with daytime running lights.

This spacious seven-seater offers enough space to accommodate six adult passengers (2+2+2) and a child seat integrated into the center console between the first and second row of seats. One of the novelties is the first time, vertically placed infotainment system.

When it comes to propulsion, the Czech manufacturer announced that the new SUV Vision 7S will be electric, with unknown power and performance.

Car production will begin at the end of the year, while the first copies should be delivered to owners in 2023.

Source: Škoda

News

2023 Lamborghini Urus Performante – lighter and more powerful

Last year was very successful for Lamborghini when it comes to sales. The largest percentage of vehicles sold refers to the Lamborghini Urus. From 2017 to today, Lamborghini produced over 25,000 copies of its luxury SUV, and in the first half of the year, over 5,000 copies were sold. In order to withstand the great pressure from competitors, the Italian supercar manufacturer decided to present a lighter and more powerful version of its popular SUV, the Lamborghini Urus Performante.

More carbon parts such as wide wheel arches, a new front and rear bumper that lengthen the Performante by an additional 25 mm, a roof spoiler with carbon wings, an Akrapovič exhaust system, a new diffuser, a differential that distributes torque more efficiently and a recalibrated front wheel steering system increase the downforce of the car by an additional 8 percent and improves its performance.

Inside, the Dark equipment package brings slightly different graphics to the cluster and intotainment screen. Through the Ad Personam program, numerous customizations and modifications are possible, including red door handles, unique door sills, aluminum details and a wide selection of leather and Alcantara.

Lamborghini Urus Performante is powered by a 4.0L biturbo V8 engine with 657 hp (490 kW) and 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) of torque. That’s an extra 16 hp over the standard Urus, which has 650 hp (478 kW). All these improvements and a weight reduction of 47 kg have improved the performance of the Performante which now reaches 62 mph in 3.3 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds faster than the Urus, with a top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h). It’s mounted on a set of 22-inch wheels wrapped in 285/40 ZR22 (front) and 325/35 ZR22 (rear) PIRELLI P ZERO tires. Drivers can also use Rally mode, which offers better performance on off-road terrain.

When it comes to the price, the Lamborghini Urus costs around $221,506, while the price of the Performante is EUR 218,487 ($217,391.29 according to the current exchange rate).

Source: Lamborghini