Unveiled to commemorate Ferrari’s 16th Formula One Constructors’ Championship in 2008, the Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M is a very limited production vehicle, with only 499 examples to be built and owners taking deliveries starting in 2009.

As a convertible version of the Ferrari F430 Scuderia, the 16M borrows most of its styling cues from its attractive and shapely sister but the comparisons end there.

Under the hood, the 16M has slightly less power than the Scuderia, with its 510-horse 4.3-liter Ferrari V8 doing the heavy lifting. It tears up the track, running from 0-60 in only 3.7 seconds with a top speed nearing 200 mph.

Despite its extra curb weight, 16M has more power than the Scuderia coupe. At around 3,200 pounds due to the peripherals involved with having a convertible top, this car is no delicate flower, but it’s very, very fast.

With its swooping yet modern lines, the 16M is a car that will be beautiful long past the end of its production cycle.

Despite its hefty weight, 16M is still more than 150 pounds lighter than the standard F430 Spider, which helps it considerably in the twisties.

As a special edition car, you’ll be hard-pressed to ever find a 16M on public roads, but if you get the Ferrari Racing Series for Need for Speed SHIFT, you can have one all to yourself.

When the Ferrari 599 was introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, it had mighty big shoes to fill, replacing the much-ballyhooed 575M Maranello, arguably the most beautiful and fun-to-drive Ferrari ever built.

Both Pininfarina and Ferrari did their due diligence designing and engineering the 599 and it appears their hard work has paid off, with one of the most fun Ferraris ever manufactured.

Its 6-liter V12 has an aluminum head and block and is mated to a six-speed ‘F1 SuperFast’ manumatic with paddle shifters. A butter-smooth six-speed manual is also available as an alternative to the slushbox.

Slushbox or not, this car hauls – as if there was any doubt, it’s a Ferrari – with the most powerful production engine ever built by Ferrari boasting 611 (!) horsepower and 448 lb/ft. of torque, helping the 599 run 0-60 in a miniscule 3.7 seconds, making it one of the fastest production cars on the planet.

With a top speed that exceeds 205 mph – or 330 km/h – the 599 is a car that could probably excel on the track just as much as it does with mere mortals on public roads.

Apart from speed and power, there’s so much to like about the 599 and it starts just by looking at it. Pininfarina did an outstanding job of combining classic Ferrari styling with modern car looks.

With its aggressive, low-slung stance, air vents in the front fenders behind a massive prancing horse badge which only Ferrari could pull off, risks were taken in designing 599’s curves, but we can’t find a single piece of sheet metal out of place here.

You won’t be able to procure one of these for any less than the $320,000 sticker price, but if you download the Xbox 360-exclusive Ferrari Racing Series for Need for Speed SHIFT, the cost is much more reasonable, with the added convenience of not having to dip into your retirement savings to pay for insurance.

Designed for racing on GT2 circuits, the Ferrari F430 GTC is a replacement for the 360 GTC, which was based off the elegant Modena line that did well in several championship races, most notably taking second place at the 24 Hours Daytona in 2003.

F430 GTC continues on the track set by its predecessor, but there are some noticeable differences: its styling is more aggressive, harkening back to the unique ‘shark nose’ Formula One racers of the 1960s which garnered championships for Ferrari in 1961 and 1964.

Its rear end is styled similar to the Enzo supercar, with bulging tail lights giving off hints as to where engineers got their inspiration.
Its V8 engine is slightly less than four liters in displacement, which may seem small by North American standards – a $40,000 Dodge Challenger R/T has a 5.7-liter mill – but for a Ferrari racecar, it’s more than enough.

Packed into that race-bred treasure trove are 440 horses that prefer to gallop than prance, with peak output at 7000 rpm, to go along with 339 ft/lbs of torque at only 5200 rpm.

With its supermodel looks, the F430 GTC also sports a supermodel’s waistline, with a total weight of less than 2,500 pounds, giving it an impressive 0.39 horsepower/kilogram ratio. Its weight is the minimum allowed to compete in FIA GT races.

Apart from being a racecar, the major cosmetic differences between the GTC and standard F430 are the large rear wing and carbon fiber gills on its front fascia.

So far, the GTC has been successful on the track, scoring class championships in the American Le Mans Series, FIA GT, and the 24 Hours Sebring race.

This car is a no-nonsense racing machine and if you want to take it out with Need for Speed SHIFT’s Ferrari Racing Series, we suggest a strong racing harness and more than one pair of underwear.

source

http://shift.needforspeed.com/

If you’re the type of person who wants everything you own to be one-of-a-kind, one of the closest examples in the automotive industry is the Ferrari F50 GT.

Only three F50 GTs were built, one prototype and two others, which were sold to selected Ferrari customers back in 1996 for around $1 million each.

Originally engineered for the BPR Global GT racing series – now known as FIA GT – Ferrari abandoned the F50 GT project after too many homologation production cars, such as the Porsche 911 GT1, which were backed by factory teams, started racing in the series, eliminating its privateer spirit.

None of the three F50 GTs built ever competed in racing events, despite its seemingly limitless potential, especially with such a light chassis; the GT was nearly 1,000 pounds lighter than the road car it’s based upon.

Speaking of potential, the F50 GT sported a 4.7-liter V12 which from the factory produced 750 horsepower, but with no information about tuning, we are only left to speculate about how much it could’ve made.

For the few who were fortunate enough to drive an F50 GT, performance was outstanding. The car tears up the tarmac, burning from 0-to-60 in only 2.9 seconds, with a top speed of 236 mph.

Differences between the GT and standard F50 are numerous: F1-style carbon disc brakes, a significant drop in ride height, massive 20” Speedline wheels, which required the wheel-wells to be re-engineered, a roof-mounted air vent as and vents carved into the hood to help the engine and radiator breathe, adjustable Koni race dampers as well as a hollowed-out interior for racing purposes and to reduce weight.

Ferrari also removed the massive rear spoiler from the F50, opting for a one-piece attachment which could be adjusted. Another benefit to removing the standard F50 wing was the flattened out rear deck for the berlinetta.

Let’s face it, unless you’re as lucky as you are rich, you’re not going to get your hands on an F50 GT in your lifetime; however, if you download the Ferrari Racing Series for Need for Speed SHIFT, you’ll get closer to driving one than anyone else.

The Ferrari Racing Series is available for Need for Speed SHIFT starting February 18 for a cost of $9.99. Here are some shots of the cars in the pack to tide you over until it’s out.