REVIEW ROUND-UP

What people are saying about recently-reprinted Veloce books ...

The Book of the Porsche 356 by Brian Long
Porsche 928 by Brian Long
Ferrari 312P & 312PB by Peter Collins & Ed McDonough

FERRARI 312PB ENDS AN ERA WITH A BANG

The lastest video from Petrolicious ...

Reprinted by Veloce!
Ferrari 312P & 312PB
By Peter Collins and Ed McDonough

The origin and subsequent history of the 3-litre Ferrari sports cars, which the famed Italian firm designed and built to contest the various versions of the World Sports Car Championship between 1969 and 1973. This series of cars started with the V12 engine and progressed to using the Flat 12 Ferrari engine from the then current Grand Prix car. Includes the developmental and race history, with a full list of all events and individual chassis numbers. More info.

JAY KAY'S BRIGHT GREEN LaFERRARI AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2014

Courtesy Ferrari

Courtesy Ferrari
An amazing Ferrari that made its UK debut at Goodwood was LaFerrari, Ferrari’s new hybrid supercar which boasts an incredible 6.3-litre V12 engine with 800 CV and a unique hybrid system that offers the driver an additional 163 CV at all times. LaFerrari is the latest limited series car from the Prancing Horse with only 499 examples being made and it promises to be the most iconic Ferrari of the modern era. Of the two LaFerraris at Goodwood this year, one of them is owned by Jay Kay, lead singer of Jamiroquai.

Courtesy Ferrari


A green Ferrari? let us know what you think of it ...

REVIEWS ROUND-UP

What people are saying about recently published Veloce books ...

The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO by Joe Sackey
Alpine Renault – the fabulous berlinettes by Roy Smith
Inspired to Design – F1 cars, Indycars & racing tyres: the autobiography of Nigel Bennett

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM VELOCE PUBLISHING!

Image taken from The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO by Joe Sackey.

REVIEW: THE BOOK OF THE FERRARI 288 GTO

The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO by Joe Sackey gets an awesome 5-stars in Auto Express magazine!

Click here for more info about the book.

VIDEO: FERRARI 288 GTO – GROUP B SPEC!

This epic new Ferrari 288 GTO video is a MUST SEE!



Available now from Veloce!
The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO by Joe Sackey.

Over three years in the making, this book covers the background, conception, design, production and aftermath of the iconic Ferrari 288 GTO, including the prototypes, the early production cars, the mainstream production cars in their various specification guises, and the Evolution cars planned for the aborted Group B FIA race series.

The work features nearly 400 relevant photographs, from original production images to the cars as they are today, including the 1984 Geneva Salon where the car debuted, the first ever GTO Reunion in 1985, current salon and action images, right up to the 25th Anniversary Ferrari 288 GTO Reunion held in America in 2009. Also featured are the actual factory production approval sheets, as filed with the Italian government, in an illustrated technical drawing form, along with a chassis by chassis register of every 288 GTO built, including destroyed prototypes, production cars, and GTO Evoluziones – in fact all 284 cars ever built.

This book contains essential resources covering all aspects of the car, including archives, maintenance specialists, restoration specialists, worldwide clubs, parts sources, etc. A comprehensive, beautifully illustrated look at a unique sports car, and a must-have for true Ferrari fans. More info.

Click here for more info about the book.

WIN A VERY RARE FERRARI 288 GTO T SHIRT!

To coincide with the release of the eagerly-anticipated The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO by Joe Sackey, we are offering Veloce readers a unique opportunity to win an extremely rare piece of Ferrari memorabilia. The design on the T-shirts marks an important event in 288 GTO history, when a world record number of the exotic supercar gathered for the 25th anniversary at Montery, California in 2009. Courtesy of Joe Sackey Classics, the premium quality T-shirts come in 2 different styles, and range in size from M-XL, and we have 5 to give away!*

To be in with a chance of winning, simply email prize@veloce.co.uk and answer this question:

How many Ferrari 288 GTOs were built?
To give you a clue, the answer can be found on the book info page here. Hurry! competition closes on Friday 15th November 2013.

*5 winners will be selected at random on 15th November 2013 and contacted via email. 1 T-shirt per person.

Over three years in the making, this book covers the background, conception, design, production and aftermath of the iconic Ferrari 288 GTO, including the prototypes, the early production cars, the mainstream production cars in their various specification guises, and the Evolution cars planned for the aborted Group B FIA race series.

The work features nearly 400 relevant photographs, from original production images to the cars as they are today, including the 1984 Geneva Salon where the car debuted, the first ever GTO Reunion in 1985, current salon and action images, right up to the 25th Anniversary Ferrari 288 GTO Reunion held in America in 2009. Also featured are the actual factory production approval sheets, as filed with the Italian government, in an illustrated technical drawing form, along with a chassis by chassis register of every 288 GTO built, including destroyed prototypes, production cars, and GTO Evoluziones – in fact all 284 cars ever built.

This book contains essential resources covering all aspects of the car, including archives, maintenance specialists, restoration specialists, worldwide clubs, parts sources, etc. A comprehensive, beautifully illustrated look at a unique sports car, and a must-have for true Ferrari fans.

Click here for more info about the book.

NEW FERRARI 288 GTO DESKTOP WALLPAPER!

Want to add a bit of class to your computer desktop? Why not choose from this dazzling array of 5 images taken from the exciting forthcoming book - The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO by Joe Sackey.

Click here to download your preferred size of desktop wallpapers.

The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO
By Joe Sackey

Covers the entire story of the iconic Ferrari 288 GTO, including the prototypes, early production cars, mainstream production cars in their various specification guises, and the Evolution cars planned for the aborted Group B FIA race series. A comprehensive and beautifully illustrated look at a unique sports car.
More info.

LAMBRETTA VS FERRARI F40 DRAG RACE

Stuart Owen racing a full race spec Ferrari F40 over 1/4 mile!



Coming soon from Veloce!

The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO
By Joe Sackey

Covers the entire story of the iconic Ferrari 288 GTO, including the prototypes, early production cars, mainstream production cars in their various specification guises, and the Evolution cars planned for the aborted Group B FIA race series. A comprehensive and beautifully illustrated look at a unique sports car.
More info.

The Lambretta Bible – New Edition!
By Pete Davies

A year-by-year, model-by-model, change-by-change record of the world’s finest scooter from Model A to the GP 200. The story doesn’t end there, though, the focus moves to machines prepared and built by Lambretta Concessionaires. The book ends with a look at the main British dealer specials of the 1960s. Essential reading for Lambretta enthusiasts.
More info.

FIRST LOOK! ADVANCE COPIES OF THE BOOK OF THE FERRARI 288 GTO BY JOE SACKEY

Advance copies of the eagerly anticipated The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO by Joe Sackey arrived at Veloce House this week. We thought we'd share a few photos of the finished book here on the blog ...

This book covers the background, conception, design, production and aftermath of the iconic Ferrari 288 GTO, including the prototypes, the early production cars, the mainstream production cars in their various specification guises, and the Evolution cars planned for the aborted Group B FIA race series.
It features over 400 relevant photographs, from original production images to the cars as they are today, including the 1984 Geneva Salon where the car debuted, the first ever GTO Reunion in 1985, current salon and action images, right up to the 25th Anniversary Ferrari 288 GTO Reunion held in America in 2009. Also featured are the actual factory production approval sheets, as filed with the Italian government, in an illustrated technical drawing form, along with a chassis by chassis register of every 288 GTO built, including destroyed prototypes, production cars, and GTO Evoluziones – in fact all 284 cars ever built.
This book contains essential resources covering all aspects of the car, including archives, maintenance specialists, restoration specialists, worldwide clubs, parts sources, etc. A comprehensive, beautifully illustrated look at a unique sports car, and a must-have for Ferrari fans.

Click here for more info about the book!

THE LAFERRARI UNVEILED AT GENEVA

The wraps are finally off the LaFerrari. The Prancing Horse’s eagerly-anticipated limited-series special, of which just 499 will be built, made its world debut today at the Geneva International Motor Show.

“We chose to call this model LaFerrari,” declared Ferrari’s President, Luca di Montezemolo, “because it is the maximum expression of what defines our company – excellence. Excellence in terms of technological innovation, performance, visionary styling and the sheer thrill of driving. Aimed at our collectors, this is a truly extraordinary car which encompasses advanced solutions that, in the future, will find their way onto the rest of the range, and it represents the benchmark for the entire automotive industry. LaFerrari is the finest expression of our company’s unique, unparalleled engineering and design know-how, including that acquired in Formula 1.

For Ferrari the development of a limited-series special like the LaFerrari represents an opportunity to experiment with all the technological solutions that will later filter down onto the production cars. Of particular significance in this context is the introduction of the hybrid system which, making full use of the Scuderia Ferrari’s F1 KERS know-how, has resulted in a solution that exalts Ferrari’s fundamental values – performance and driving thrills.

The hybrid technology used, known as HY-KERS, represents the perfect combination of maximum performance and lower emissions. LaFerrari in fact emits just 330 g/km of CO2 but without resorting to electric-only drive which would not fit the mission of this model. The HY-KERS system is, however, designed so that in future applications a car can be driven using exclusively electric power for a few kilometres and, during development testing, a full-electric version of LaFerrari achieved just 220 g/km of CO2 emissions on the combined cycle.

The LaFerrari is equipped with dynamic controls that are integrated for the first time ever on a Ferrari road car with active aerodynamics and the HY-KERS system. Thanks to Ferrari’s proprietary logic which govern all the systems, the car can achieve absolute levels of performance, aerodynamic efficiency and handling without any form of compromise in any area. A very advanced and uncompromising approach was also taken with the interior design which features an HMI inspired by F1 single-seaters.

Source: Ferrari

FIVE OF THE ORIGINAL 36 FERRARI 250 GTOS IN THE FERRARI CLASSICHE DEPARTMENT

Restoration and certification work has resumed in the recently renovated Ferrari Classiche department which now boasts a packed workshop of 24 cars with some of the most significant and valuable classic Ferraris ever seen under one roof.

The Classiche department is currently working on no fewer than five of the 36 250 GTOs built, along with two 250 Testa Rossas, including the 1957 car that Phil Hill drove to victory at the 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as three of the 32 250 LMs produced. Other significant cars include three short wheelbase 250 GT Berlinettas, a 1956 500 TR, and the 512 M that came 4th overall at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans.

To date the Classiche department has completed over 60 full, ground-up restorations − several of which have gone on to considerable success in international Concours d’Elegance − and processed over 3800 authentication certification applications. In addition, thanks to the department’s exclusive access to the company’s original technical designs and moulds, Classiche has cast numerous new engine parts, including 25 new V12 cylinder blocks and a similar number of cylinder heads, to help restore cars to original specifications.

Thanks to the services offered by Ferrari Classiche, today Ferrari collectors have access to the most authoritative restoration expertise to return their cars to original factory condition.

Source: Ferrari

FEAST OF TRACK PARADES HEADED BY FERRARI F40S AT SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

As well as a crowded programme of 24 action-packed races showcasing the full spectrum of motor sport history, this weekend’s Silverstone Classic powered by the AA (20-22 July) also hosts some very special parades, all staged on the renowned Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.

With so many enthusiastic motor clubs choosing the Silverstone Classic to honour important milestones in their respective marques’ histories, these parades have become an important part of the world’s biggest motor racing festival and are hugely popular with both owners and spectators.

Last year no fewer than 767 E-type Jaguars took to the famous F1 track to celebrate the iconic British sportscar’s 50th birthday and thus establish a new Guinness World Record. This year a host of other legendary brands will be lining up on the hallowed Silverstone asphalt.

Heading the pack will be a world record gathering of Ferrari F40s. No fewer than 70 examples of the superlative supercar that many believe to be Ferrari’s finest creation will be lapping Silverstone to mark the Italian pin-up model’s 25th anniversary.

In total more than 450 rare and exotic machines will be joining the F40s in Sunday’s dedicated Car Club Parade with many other crowd favourites also celebrating important anniversaries. Notable among these will be a host of glorious Lamborghinis – including Miuras, Espadas and Countachs – to honour 25 years of the Lamborghini Club UK plus 50th birthday processions for much-loved MGB, Lotus Elan and Triumph Spitfire sportscars from the Sixties.

Adding further colour to Sunday’s spectacular show, around 175 classic cars that will have travelled to Silverstone from a variety of start points across the country as part of the AA Grand Tour will lap the track as the grand finale to their various journeys.

Before that Saturday’s busy on-track schedule includes a lunchtime parade featuring hundreds of BMW Z1, Z3, Z4 and Z8 models as part of the UK’s first Z-fest. Then, in the early evening, it will be the turn of more than 130 AC Cobras – another illustrious sportscar turning 50 this year – to take to the Tarmac along with members of the Silverstone Classic Racing Club.

“These stunning parades have become an integral part of the Silverstone Classic and it’s going to be great to see so many fine classics from different eras strutting their stuff on the full Grand Prix circuit,” said Silverstone Classic event director Nick Wigley. “Last year’s amazing collection of E-types raised the bar somewhat but for many the prospect of seeing 70 stunning Ferrari F40s is going to be every bit as spectacular – and that’s just one of the many highlights.”

More info: www.SilverstoneClassic.com

GOODWOOD FoS 2012 PHOTOS

Here are some photos from Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend. Highlights included the stunning Gerry Judah Lotus sculpture, Her Majesty The Queen's Diamond Jubilee collection, Chris Evans magnificent seven Ferrari's, the forest rally stage and the'Young Guns - born to win' theme, celebrating drivers who made a huge impact on motorsport from an early age.

F12BERLINETTA: THE FASTEST FERRARI EVER

The F12berlinetta ushers in a new generation of Ferrari 12-cylinders in the form of a car that delivers unprecedented performance from an exceptional new engine, combined with innovative design that redefines classic themes along with extreme aerodynamics.

Revealed to the world for the first time on Ferrari.com in preparation for its official debut at the Geneva International Motor Show, the F12berlinetta, finished in an attractive new Rosso Berlinetta three-layer colour, represents the very cutting-edge of mid-front-engined sports cars.

This is, in fact, the most powerful and high-performance Ferrari road car ever launched thanks to the incredibly efficient engine – in terms of mechanical, combustion and fluid-dynamics efficiency – which, together with advanced vehicle architecture, aerodynamics, components and electronic controls, guarantee unsurpassed driving involvement whatever the road or track.

Ferrari’s traditional transaxle layout has been revolutionised to match the more extreme performance of the car. The wheelbase has been shortened and the engine, dashboard and seats have been lowered in the chassis, while the new layout of the rear suspension and gearbox enabled Ferrari’s engineers to make the rear volume of the car smaller. The overall result is a very compact car with a lower centre of gravity that is further back in the chassis, and a level of aerodynamic efficiency that sets new standards.

Scaglietti, renowned for its expertise in aluminium materials and construction, designed an all-new spaceframe chassis and bodyshell using 12 different kinds of alloys, some of which have been used here for the first time in the automotive sector, and employing new assembly and joining techniques. This has resulted in a 20 per cent increase in structural rigidity while reducing weight to just 1525 kg (70 kg less than the previous V12 coupé) with an ideal distribution between the axles (54 per cent over the rear).

The F12berlinetta’s 6262cc 65° V12 engine delivers unprecedented performance and revs for a naturally-aspirated 12-cylinder. Its maximum power output is 740 CV which translates to a specific output of 118 CV/l. Torque reaches a peak of 690 Nm, 80 per cent of which is already available at just 2,500 rpm, and which provides an unrelenting surge of acceleration all the way to the 8,700 rpm limit. The engine is mated to the F1 dual-clutch transmission, which has closer gear ratios developed specifically for this car’s performance. The F12berlinetta boasts a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.1 kg/CV.

Fuel consumption has been reduced by 30%, with CO2 emissions of just 350 g/km – figures which put the F12berlinetta at the top of the high-performance league. These results have been obtained by extensive research and development which focused on efficiencies of the whole vehicle: engine, aerodynamics, tyres and weights.

Similarly excellent results have been obtained with the car’s aerodynamic development, thanks to the integration of the design process with extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and lengthy testing in the wind tunnel. Downforce has been boosted by 76 per cent (123 kg at 200 km/h) while drag has been significantly reduced (the Cd is just 0.299). These results come courtesy of two new solutions. The first of these is the Aero Bridge which uses the bonnet to generate downforce by channelling air away from the upper part of the car to its flanks where it interacts with the wake from the wheel wells to decrease drag. The second is Active Brake Cooling, a system that opens guide vanes to the brake cooling ducts only at high operating temperatures, again reducing drag.

The F12berlinetta’s impressive technical specifications are completed by Ferrari’s latest generation carbon-ceramic brakes (CCM3) and the evolution of the magnetorheological suspension control system (SCM-E). As is now traditional with all Ferraris, its control systems (E-Diff, ESP Premium, F1-Trac, and high-performance ABS) are all fully integrated.

The result is that the new Prancing Horse 12-cylinder accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 3.1 seconds and from 0 to 200 km/h in 8.5 seconds. It also completes a lap of the Fiorano circuit in 1’23”, faster than any other Ferrari road car. Benchmark performance and maximum driving involvement are guaranteed by immediate turn-in, with smaller steering wheel angles, and increased cornering speed. Stopping distances have also been drastically reduced.

The design of the F12berlinetta is a result of the collaboration between the Ferrari Styling Centre and Pininfarina and is a perfect balance of uncompromising aerodynamics with harmonious proportions interpreting the typical elements of Ferrari’s front-engined V12 cars in an original and innovative way. A coupé with sleek, aggressive lines whose compact exterior dimensions conceal exceptional in-car space and comfort. The all-new Frau leather interior highlights the balance of advanced technology and sophisticated, handcrafted detailing. In the middle of the light and lean dashboard, there are new carbon fibre and aluminium air vents clearly inspired by the aeronautic field.

The cabin has been optimised to ensure maximum usability of the interior space with additional luggage capacity behind the seats, which can also be easily reached thanks to the large aperture offered by the tail-gate. With the cockpit designed around the driver, typical of all Ferraris, the Human Machine Interface approach is emphasised, grouping all the major commands within immediate reach to guarantee maximum ergonomics for the most involving driving experience.

Source: Ferrari

9 NEW eBOOKS ADDED FOR KINDLE & iBOOKS

Motor Racing at Goodwood in the Sixties (Those Were The Days ... series) by Tony Gardiner
Kindle | iBook

British Police Cars (Those Were The Days ... series) by Nick Walker
Kindle | iBook

British Lorries of the 1960s (Those Were The Days ... series) by Malcolm Bobbitt
Kindle | iBook

Porsche 914 & 914-6 - The Definitive History of the Road & Competition Cars by Brian Long
Kindle | iBook

Art Deco & British Car Design - The Airline Cars of the 1930s by Barrie Down
Kindle | iBook

Taxi! - The Story of the London Cab by Malcolm Bobbitt
Kindle | iBook

Ferrari 312P & 312PB (WSC Giants) by Peter Collins and Ed McDonough
Kindle | iBook

Caring for your scooter - How to maintain & service your 49cc to 125cc twist & go scooter by Malcolm Bobbitt
Kindle | iBook

How your car works - Your guide to the components & systems of modern cars, including hybrid & electric vehicles by Arvid Linde
Kindle | iBook

Visit the eBooks section of the Veloce site.

More eBooks coming soon ... stay tuned.

MICHEL DOVAZ RECEIVES SLEEPING BEAUTIES

Pictured here, Ard op de Weegh and Arnoud op de Weegh as they present Michel Dovaz with a copy of The fate of the Sleeping Beauties.

New! The fate of the Sleeping Beauties
By Ard op de Weegh, Kay Hottendorff & Arnoud op de Weegh
Foreword by former Sleeping Beauties owner Michel Dovaz

The ‘Sleeping Beauties’ – an array of neglected Bugattis, Lancias, Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, Cords and Aston Martins on a rural French estate – have fascinated car lovers worldwide since 1983, when they were immortalised in a sequence of photographs taken by Herbert W Hesselmann. For 25 years, the full story behind the collection and its fate has remained untold ... until now. More info.