I took one look at the photo.  One glance at the stats of 562 horsepower and 202 mph top speed.  I breathed out a soft “Hello, lover“.   Some girls may get soft eyed at infants but this girl loves the sexy lines of a sleek machine.   The sensual feeling of sliding down into the leather seats, shutting the door, and feeling that sensation of the car enveloping you.   The wide wheel base, fat tires, and low center of gravity and I’m in heaven.

Ferrari F458 Italia.

So Ferrari has brought us the 458 Italia. It’s the first all-new mid-engined production Ferrari in a decade, replacing the F430 which itself was based on the 360 Modena. It’s set to debut at the Frankfurt auto show in a couple of weeks, but Ferrari’s already given a sneak peek at this gorgeous beast.

The 458 Italia represents a significant step forward from the already blindingly fast F430, adopting the latest lessons gleaned from Ferrari’s campaigning in the Formula One world championship. Under its curvaceous bodywork lies an all-aluminum chassis, powered by a new 4.5-liter V8 with direct injection, producing 562 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, revving all the way up to 9000 rpm and driving the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

This is enough power to accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.4 seconds en route to a top speed of 202 mph. Inside the all-new interior features controls centralized on the steering wheel, from which the driver can control everything, and a warning system that alerts the driver when his ride is ready to roll.

~ Raine Devries

Alfa Romeo 8C Spider.

Typically Alfa Romeo positions their models to be competitively priced and the company has a good reputation as it’s owned by the same parent company as Ferrari and Maserati.  However, the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione had a limited production number of just 500 and they literally sped out of the dealerships.

Word is that there are 500 more to come that could be even more posh.

The second run will be convertible 8C Spiders.  If you are in the U.S., we wish you luck in acquiring one because only 35 are destined for these shores — oh yes, at a price of $299,000 each.

But in the age old story of supply/demand, we know that they will be gone at the snap of your fingers.

Exotic cars are much like computers:  Wait 6 months and something more powerful and dynamic will be on the market.

Ferrari has revised the 599 HGTE which was upgraded from the existing 599 GTB Fiorano.  The HGTE packages was first shown at Geneva and showcased improvements in the performance, handling, and styling.  Yet, rather than dangling this prize like a carrot before the noses of existing Ferrari owners, the manufacturer is making the HGTE package available to them and their luxury V12′s.

First launched in the U.K., the packages can be had for £17,213 and has a completely revised suspension, tires with better grips, and new exhaust system.

For owners of models equipped with the F1-derived sequential gearbox, you will need to budget an additional £2490 to handle the upgrades to the transmission shift times and throttle response.

Oh, and don’t plan on this being a weekend adventure for you and your daring garage monkey friends.  The kit should be installed by a certified Ferrari dealer!

Dashing Fiat heir Lapo Elkann is something of a dandy and while we generally admire his taste and what the Italians call sprezzatura, we’re not too crazy about his new custom two-tone blue Ferrari with an interior upholstered in pairs of old jeans.

Last time we checked Lapo was cruising around in a much more understated matte black Maserati Gran Turismo. The Ferrari, a 599 GTB Fiorano, is matte baby blue with a darker blue roof and rims with Italian flag details. There’s also something resembling a bullet hole in the back. This isn’t exactly as atrocious as the Brothel Prince’s Louis Vuitton Rolls, but it’s definitely in the same orbit.

We appreciate that you’re too rich to give a damn, but sometimes Lapo old sport you go a bit too far.

Ferrari just opened its first store (above) in the UK in London‘s fashionable Mayfair, second in size only to their Milan flagship.

Located in a beautiful historic stone building, the store features a Ferrari Formula 1 racing car on display and carries the full line of Ferrari by Panerai watches, sunglasses, luggage, clothing, model cars and even Ferrari-branded bicycles – everything but actual cars. Ferrari’s Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen presided over the opening of the chic boutique, billed as not just a store but an “homage to the history and spirit of Ferrari’s twin souls of racing and luxury.”

Ferrari plans to open 40 retail stores worldwide to capitalize on customers who want a bit of (relatively) affordable Ferrari magic.

Gotham Dream Cars is one of the premier exotic car rental and touring company that has a fleet of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, Aston Martin and Maserati supercars, is planning their first ever Legends Dream Car Tour on June 9 and 10. Sports car and luxury auto enthusiasts will enjoy an exciting and scenic drive in the New York area, switching between five Lamborghinis led by one of the most famous test-drivers of all time, Valentino Balboni of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

The four-hour event will take participants on more than 150 miles of open road as they experience the newest Lamborghinis including the Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder and the Murcielago LP 640 Roadster. Space for the exclusive, adrenaline-packed event is extremely limited.

With the economy being how it is, you might not see many of these cars outside a showroom or car event, but they are still beautiful to look at, and many are interesting pieces of modern engineering.

Though no matter how beautiful, these cars have sticker prices that will shock you.

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 – $1.2 Million Dollars

Introduced in 2005, my dream car, the Bugatti Veyron, is the most powerful, and most expensive street-lega, production cars in the world. With a proven top speed of over 253 mph. Part of the reason for the incredible speed is the 16 cylinder engine that produces as much as 1000 horsepower. It was introduced in 2005. The car is named for racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hour Le Mans in 1939. Another interesting fact is that at the Veyron’s top speed, the fuel economy drops to 3 miles per US gallon. Read the rest of this entry »