RideLust

If you’ve ever seen photos of Jim Glickenhaus’ amazing one-off Ferrari P4/5 then you’ll know that all it takes is money to make your dreams come true. The P4/5 was commissioned from Pininfarina back in 2005 and cost Glickenhaus an estimated $4 million US to complete. It was built off the platform of a Ferrari Enzo, and was a tribute to the 1967 Ferrari 330 P 3/4. I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen the car in person, and I can tell you that it is nothing short of spectacular from every angle. The P4/5 made its debut back in 2006 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elégance in California and from then on has become somewhat of a legend. Read More…

Pass the Akvavit…

Saab will be holding a press conference today and it is rumored that the announcement will be fascinating news for both Saab and BMW enthusiasts.

The two manufacturers have reportedly entered into an agreement for BMW to supply a 222 hp engine to Saab for the 2012 Saab 9-3SS.  The engine is still under wraps as it hasn’t yet been utilized in any current BMWs.  Reports have indicated that this new 9-3 is to be available as a sedan, vert, wagon, and hatchback, and that it has been designed under the helm of Saab’s new design director, Jason Castriota, a former Ferrari P4/5 and Maserati Gran Turismo designer.

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The 1969 Pininfarina Sigma concept looks like it would give the Mach Five a hard time on the track, but the F1 car wasn’t built for speed—it was built for safety. In 1968, Switzerland’s biggest car mag, Automobil Revue, started a campaign to create a safer F1 car. Drivers were dying in droves back then and everybody knew something had to be done. Backed by Enzo Ferrari, Mercedes, and Fiat, Pininfarina and automotive journalist Paul Frère went to work. Their Sigma concept is stunning and includes safety features like fuel cells, seat belts, and an automatic fire suppression system. Three of the cars were made. Pininfarina and Ferrari each own one, Automibil Revue has the third.

If James Glickenhaus gets his way, NART, Ferrari’s North American Racing Team, might be making a comeback. If you don’t know the name, you probably know about his custom Ferrari P4/5, a rebodied Ferrari Enzo one-off that he commissioned from Pininfarina. Now Glickenhaus has dropped to the media that he wants to build another P4/5 car, a “competizione” version, and take it racing, reviving the idea of an American Ferrari team running factory-supported World Sportscar Championship-type cars for the first time since 1973.

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Come live vicariously through us as we, the most prestigious automotive blog in the world, grace the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with our stately presences. We’re sure to be the star attractions – forget the live unveiling of several never-before-seen new cars, and the endless rows of priceless works of automotive art sprawled out on the golf course greens like so many unobtanium sandtraps. Surely Jay Leno and the other celebrities will probably manage to jostle themselves into the photos of our expert appraisals of the class frontrunners, but we won’t be too upset. We’ll take a break from being the life of the Concours every so often to update you, our faithful readers. So check back often, and follow us at http://twitter.com/ridelust and in our Pebble Beach live coverage to catch all of the latest updates.

Opinions vary widely on the new Ferrari. Personally, I think it’s ugly as sin – at least in pictures. Haven’t seen one up close and that often makes a difference. But Edo Competition got their hands on a black California, and boy, have they made the front-mid-engined spyder look pretty sinister. There is always something sexy about a black exterior with a tobacco interior, and draped over that Maserati-like exterior it looks pretty fine. Performance has improved to … more on that in a second.

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McQueen and his Lusso.

Peter Orosz over at Jalopnik, bless his heart, wrote a piece today musing on the $2.3 million ex-Steve McQueen Ferrari 250GT Lusso that he caught a glimpse of it at the Concorso d’Eleganza. He does an excellent job doing it justice, but if you haven’t heard of the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO, stop reading this and look it up immediately. Then come back.

Ferrari 250 GTO - in rosso, of course.

Chery A3

There is a not-so-honorable tradition in China of blatantly copying the automotive designs of other manufacturers.  In the past, for every Suzuki, Honda or Toyota produced, there was an embarrassingly similar Chinese equivalent.  Though the Chery A3 is not exactly awe-inspiring to look at, with the help of Pininfarina, hopefully knock-off car designing is a thing of the past. 

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Pininfarina B0 (B Zero) Electric Car

One of the surprise hits so far from the Paris Auto Show is the unfortunately named Pininfarina B0 (pronounced B Zero) electric car. The car is dedicated to the memory of CEO Andrea Pininfarina, who recently died in an auto accident. The B Zero, which is a full scale production car, not just a concept, is a four-seat, four-door electric hatchback created in partnership with the French company Bolloré.

The first B Zeros (I can’t bring myself to call such a nice looking car the B0) should start rolling off the line in late 2009. Pininfarina always does nice work, but this B0 is particularly impressive. It not only looks nice, it has a really well designed inner structure; for example, the lithium polymer LMP batteries will be located under the vehcile, between the axles to give the B0 a more stable center of gravity. The batteries in electric cars are often one of the heaviest parts of the car. Pics after the jump
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Pininfarina Sinesti Concept Car, Geneva 2008

Beleaguered with financial woes and the unfortunate death of their CEO, specialty automobile designer Pininfarina could use a jolt, and that’s exactly what they plan to give themselves. According to Autopia, Pininfarina is moving forward with plans to produce an all-electric car, which they will unveil later this week at the Paris auto show. Read More…