Official: Ferrari F149 to debut in October

[blue8]

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/219099/ferrari_f149_confirmed.html

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo surprised both the audience and the Ferrari PR department at the Geneva press conference by announcing Ferrari will reveal their new front-engined V8 GT car (known internally as the F149) at this year’s Paris motor show in October.

Those expecting an entry level Ferrari will be disappointed to hear the new F149 GT car will be priced above the basic F430 (priced at £138,500 here in the UK) when it goes on sale in 2009. Pervious reports that this car was to be a new Dino type Ferrari, priced sub £100,000, have proved to be very wide of the mark.

Ferrari are still being cagey with the details but we do know the car will be a brand new design and will feature versatile architecture, which is taken to mean a choice of either 2+2 or 2 seat plus a luggage bench inside the cabin. Expect to see a conventional steel roof as standard, with either a glass or folding roof as an option.

Engine is expected to be a revised version of the F430’s 4.3litre V8 with slightly more power thanks to new direct injection technology and new throttle bodies which should deliver lower CO2 emissions as well. This will be linked to the new gearbox that could be the DCT gearbox we know Ferrari have been working on.

It’s exciting times for Ferrari, with this new model Ferrari are hoping to gain a new set of customers who have always been put off by the mid-engined layout of it’s V8 models up to now.

I hope this turns out great :-)

[styla21]

I don't really understand the purpose. Doesn't the 599 already cover the front engine GT category, or the 612 for the Tourer?
The 430 is the "entry-level" Ferrari.. I'm not convinced it is a good idea to confuse the model lineup!

[MidEngine4Life]

^ Thats exactly what I was thinking. Personally all I could ask for in that front engine gt car category is one that looks good lol. I really dont like the 599 and the 612 I like even less

[blue8]

http://images.worldcarfans.com/2008/4/2/9080402.009/9080402.009.1M.jpg
The car that still officially doesn't exist was spied again. If you have not seen it yet, one of our spies caught the prototype Ferrari Dino while undergoing some testing on a track. This thing has been denied so many times by Ferrari, most recently by president Luca di Montezemolo and former CEO Jean Todt at the Geneva Motor Show. While at that show, the two did announce that a new Ferrari will debut in Paris later this year, but no further information was available.

What we do know, according to GrandPrixLegends, is that Mattel will distribute a scale model of the new Dino in 2008. What is still possible is that the car we think will be the next Ferrari Dino is actually a GT420 or 470. Believed to be based on the front engine Maserati GranTurismo, this new Ferrari likely has a V8 engine with 400 horsepower. Initial production will likely be of a coupe, with a convertible coming down the road. Pininfarina is speculated to be in charge of design. The spy shots show a prototype car so heavily padded, it may be meant to look like the mule caught by Automedia last September.

That car was based on the body of a Ferrari 599.

The name "Dino" holds special significance to the Ferrari family. Enzo Ferrari's son, Alfredino "Dino" Ferrari passed away in 1956 from muscular dystrophy. He was 24 years old. Enzo designed a Dino-badged car, produced from 1968 to 1976, with a V6 in the rear.

A new Ferrari Dino could cost anywhere between €100,000, on up to €115,000, pending final design and the current high Eurozone inflation rate. Some experts have said that Ferrari could sell 4,000 units of a new Dino annually once production is approved. If Ferrari can build a high quality Dino, but still maintain high margins, this car could significantly benefit Ferrari's bottom line. Expect to see this car on the road by 2009.

More pics: http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080402.009/mini1/ferrari-dino-spied-testing-again
This prototype looks so odd. I wonder what they're keeping under all that weird bodywork...:?:

[RC45]

I think when this "Mazeeraty with Ferrari badges" is released, there will be a collective sigh of disgust ;)

Ferrari are just releasing this car to make some more cash from the "But its only a Maser... I wouldnt be seen in anything except a Ferrari" crowd.. :P

[nthfinity]

I think when this "Mazeeraty with Ferrari badges" is released, there will be a collective sigh of disgust ;)

Ferrari are just releasing this car to make some more cash from the "But its only a Maser... I wouldnt be seen in anything except a Ferrari" crowd.. :P

It's actually worse then that....

Ferrari expanding their markets around the world (read India, China, Russia) are going to reduce dealer allocation in the US (currently about 25 new Ferrari's a year) ....

on top of that, This seems to add insult to injury to the notion of a new Ferrari supercar coming out before 2012, when things change; as the Factory's capacity is maxed out right now.

Much speculation of what the next Ferrari super will be....
FXX development has been of a big displacement N/A V12... to which it seems that owners of this car believe, and "know" that is what the next super will be... as well as a smaller physical size.

Others insist that it will be a smaller displacement E85 crap burner twin turbo; again, with a smaller physical size.

But nobody will know unless Ferrari expand their resources... as it is quite obvious they have no plans on continuing to be a niche Auto manufacturer.

Ferrari are the new Porsche, while Porsche are the new Audi.

In recapping.... the F149 is a mistake to add to the market, regardless how it looks or performs.

[RC45]

And Audi are the new Chevy? ;)

[Mattk]

The name F149 sounds like what you'd call a slightly defective F150 truck. Ferrari should really just stick to a few really good models/concepts and work on making them better.

[Carbodiox]

I am disgusted