An internal document has apparently gotten lost somewhere along the information super-highway leading from Maranello to Beijing. The letter, bearing the signature of Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, contains vital information on a new supercar coming from Ferrari. The successor to the Enzo and beneficiary of the FXX program is labeled as prototype "FX150". According to the document, the supercar will be powered by a mid/longitudinally-mounted twin-turbo V8 producing 794 horsepower and 772 Nm of torque (approximately 570 lb-ft) hooked up to a version of the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission already launched on the California codenamed SF3 (presumably for the third-generation SuperFast gearbox) with shift times down to 50 milliseconds. The carbon fiber construction is said to keep weight down to 1300 kg (~2866 lbs), which, when coupled with the nearly 800hp on tap, is anticipated to propel the FX150 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a blisteringly fast 2.7 seconds en route to a top speed of 390 km/h (242 mph). Testing is stated to begin next month with an eye towards releasing the car sometime next year with a price tag between 1.2 and 1.3 million euros, which is even more than the Bugatti Veyron. It's not that hard to fake an official document, however, so click above to check it for yourself.
We've been patiently waiting for a successor to the Ferrari Enzo for some time now, and here's evidence that development of the next supercar from Maranello is underway. Codenamed FX70, the mule is housed in the shell of an F430 Scuderia, though there are a number of clues that what you're looking at is something very special. Take for instance the wheels, which are grossly oversized for the Scuderia. The track is also much wider and out back there's a large center-mounted exhaust. Next Autos reports that Ferrari is working on two separate engine options for the FX70 including a 700-hp twin-turbo V8 and a twin-turbo V12 that could reach 800 hp. Rumors suggest that Ferrari may go with the TT V8 in deference to the climate concerns of our time, though we hardly expect Ferrari to mix in too much green with that Rosso Corsa Red.
BMW's chief executive officer Norbert Reithofer has revealed that the company has axed plans to build a larger sport-ute to top the range currently inhabited by the X3, X5 and X6 crossovers. Reithofer cited economic problems in the United States and Europe as the main reason for the cancellation of the program, i.e. sales of SUVs are dropping like a rock.
Meanwhile, other reports suggest that the green light in Munich has been given instead to a smaller crossover to be based on the 1-Series platform, which would enable BMW to expand its X range with an X1 instead of an X7. Smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient is probably a smarter direction to head in these times than bigger, heavier and greater guzzler.
If you're in the market for a Bimmer, now is the time to buy. BMW is raising prices this year and next to help ease the burden of unfavorable exchange rates between European currencies and the weak U.S. dollar. CEO Norbert Reithofer told reporters that the company would also produce 20,000 to 25,000 fewer vehicles overall in 2009 and sell 40,000 fewer units in the U.S. Disastrous exchange rates aren't team Bimmer's only problem, either. The German automaker leases 60% of its vehicles in the U.S. during a time when sinking residuals are losing automakers billions.
A quick look at July sales figures shows that even the best-run automakers are hurting. Increasing prices twice within a year when people are cutting back likely isn't going to help matters much, but at least just about everybody else is doing it too.
