Top 10 Summertime Toys

One of these sexy drop-tops could be the perfect reward for your hard labor. There are plenty of options, from affordable to extravagant, so you don't have to blow your retirement savings.

Buying a car purely as a personal indulgence may be more within reach than you think. The article list of Top 10 Summertime Toys includes racy convertibles that start at about $20,000 and go up to more than 10 times that.

But exactly how much wealth do you have to amass before you can safely justify purchasing even a moderately priced convertible purely for the sake of enjoyment?

First, have enough money invested to fund your retirement until at least age 95, possibly even longer, says John Wasik, personal finance columnist and author of The Merchant of Power. “If a dream car purchase puts you into debt, then it's unwise,” he says. “Financing a depreciating asset is always a bad idea, but if a sports car makes you feel alive and you aren't financing the thrill with money you'll need later, then by all means you should put the pedal to the metal.”

We’ve concocted a list of entertaining convertibles in a wide range of prices that serve as rolling rewards for a life well lived. Far from being rational choices, ragtops convey a sense of freedom and emotion that no other vehicle can offer, which makes them popular choices as personal extravagances.

If price is a primary concern, there are affordable convertibles like the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Pontiac Solstice, both of which made our top 10 list of summer reward cars. Mid-range drop-tops like the BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class step up the luxury and performance without busting a decent-sized budget. Then there are special roadsters like the Dodge Viper SRT10, Ferrari F430 Spider and extremely rare Spyker C12 LaTurbie, an automotive testament to one’s net worth and, perhaps, need for attention.

An Emotional Choice

A car can speak volumes about its driver, says Dr. Charles Kenny, a psychologist who has conducted research for the likes of General Motors, Nissan and Toyota. He says that most car purchases fill an emotional need, whether the buyer cares to admit it or not.

“Single women do not usually want to drive four-door sedans, no matter how nice or how luxurious,” says Kenny, who is president of psychology firm The Right Brain People. “They feel that driving a four-door car says to others that they are committed, taken, settled down and are older and stodgy.”

On the other hand, those who buy ultra-luxury models might expose a need for status and uniqueness, while sports car owners may seek to impart youthful exuberance and rejuvenation. “Buying, owning, being seen in and driving fast, exciting sports cars is a way for people to reassure themselves and tell others that they can in fact be in control of their impulses — like driving too fast and doing almost anything else you can imagine to excess — while still having fun, escaping and expressing themselves,” Dr. Kenny says.

Though research shows that some drop-tops, like Volkswagen’s New Beetle Convertible, tend to have a higher percentage of female buyers, the quickest and costliest convertibles attract more of a testosterone-fueled following. See our feature on the Top 10 Luxury Vehicles Driven by Men for more on this topic.

“Men are drawn to higher-priced, ‘performance’ cars, with 41 percent citing looks and design as a key consideration,” says Doug Scott, Senior VP at the market research firm GfK Automotive. Women, on the other hand, want more conservative, value-oriented models that are fun yet affordable and practical, he says.

Chicago attorney Kathleen Zellner bucks the trend. As an avid car buff, her personal fleet currently includes a 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG and a 2006 Porsche 911 Turbo. In a reluctant nod to practicality, as well as to her husband’s bird-hunting hobby, she also drives a Lexus LX 470 SUV.

“Driving sports cars is one of the things I’ve done to reward myself — it’s where I’ve allowed myself to be extravagant in an otherwise extremely disciplined and structured life,” Zellner says. “Plus, it’s a way to stand out in what is a male-dominated business — I like to show the guys I’m every bit as skilled a driver as they are, and probably more so.”

Renting Versus Owning

Fortunately for those who can’t afford (or can’t justify buying) a costly sports car, a growing rental market for upscale rides can help even those with more moderate salaries scratch the itch to feel affluent for a day.

For example, Altitude Dream Cars in Denver, Colo., will rent you a Lotus Elise for as little as $299 a day, or a Porsche Boxster for $349. If you want to make the ultimate impression, a Lamborghini Gallardo will set you back a staggering $1,395 for a 24-hour period. Still, that’s around $179,000 less than actually buying one to impress the former homecoming queen at your high school reunion. Click here to read more about exotic car rentals.

Regardless of how much you spend on a flashy, fun roadster, owning or even just renting one is a great reward. “Driving a good car is one of the few things in my life that I don’t overanalyze and worry about,” Zellner says. “It’s just something I enjoy.”

To make this list, cars had to be convertibles with only two seats. We left out four-seaters because of their bias toward practicality under the premise that two-seat roadsters make no such pretenses — they’re the embodiment of automotive style and encourage driving purely for the sake of enjoyment. The list reflects ForbesAutos editors’ subjective opinions based on collective reporting and test-drives.

10. Most Underrated Roadster

2007 BMW Z4
MSRP: $36,400 - $52,100

The Z4 carries all the visceral appeal of classic European roadsters, yet it tends to get lost in a crowded market. It's extremely satisfying to drive, practical enough for daily use and surprisingly calm with the top down.

Everything about the Z4 warrants a closer look, whether in the quick 215-hp 3.0i, quicker 255-hp 3.0si or quickest 333-hp M Roadster version, each of which delivers progressively sharper handling.

9. Best Budget Ragtop

2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata
MSRP: $20,500 - $26,520

A modern version of the classic roadsters from the 1960s and '70s, the MX-5 Miata remains one of the most entertaining rides at any price. An optional power retractable hardtop keeps the fun rolling when the temperature dips.

The MX-5 Miata packs a lively, 170-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a short-throw six-speed manual gearbox among its three transmission choices. It also hugs corners like few others, making it a real value in terms of driving enjoyment per dollar.

8. Best Flash for the Cash

2007 Pontiac Solstice
MSRP: $21,500 - $27,115

Though not quite as polished as the Mazda MX-5 Miata, the two-seat Pontiac Solstice delivers exotic-car curb appeal thanks to curvaceous, low-slung styling. But don't expect a lot of storage space.

The base Solstice backs up its good looks with decent performance from a peppy 177-hp four-cylinder engine. The turbocharged 260-hp GXP version is more satisfying.

7. Most 'Affordable' Luxury Roadster

2007 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
MSRP: $43,350 - $62,500

Combining elegant styling and deft German engineering, the SLK doesn't force you to compromise comfort and luxury — even in cooler months. A retractable power-operated roof makes it a true four-season convertible.

Buyers can choose from 228-hp and 268-hp V6-equipped models, as well as the hot-blooded SLK55 AMG that features a burly 355-hp 5.4-liter V8 engine shoehorned under the tiny hood.

6. Best Car for Weekend Racers

2007 Lotus Elise
MSRP: $46,270

The diminutive Elise looks and acts like it belongs on a racetrack more than a roadway. Lightweight aluminum construction allows this two-seater to wring maximum velocity out of its 190-hp 1.8-liter Toyota-sourced engine and hit 60 mph in just under 5 seconds.

Serious racers should opt for the $2,495 Track Pack, which includes Bilstein dampers, an adjustable front sway bar, a rear control-arm brace and provisions for a bolt-in harness bar, all designed for hardcore track driving.

5. Best Modern Classic

2007 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
MSRP: $52,590

The Chevrolet Corvette is the quintessential American sports car; anyone who grew up during the '50s, '60s or '70s probably lusted after a 'Vette. Now is a great time to get one — the current version is arguably the best ever, yet it stays true to the original.

A 400-hp 6.0-liter V8 engine catapults the Corvette to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Besides grinning on the straights, you'll smile when the roads turn twisty thanks to its tight suspension. A burly exhaust sound and coarse nature keep that classic muscle-car persona alive.

4. Best Brute

2008 Dodge Viper SRT10
MSRP: $85,000 (estimated)

With its 600-hp V10, firm suspension, massive wheels and minimalist cockpit, the aggressively styled Viper SRT10 is all about visceral appeal and raw performance. It makes no apologies for its brutish nature, which can definitely be intimidating.

Its 8.4-liter V10 engine generates enough muscle to catapult the Viper to 60 mph in less than four seconds, while bulked-up brakes will bring it back to a standstill from that speed in just 100 feet.

3. Best Attention Getter

2007 Ferrari F430 Spider
MSRP: $192,484

Few cars scream excess and sex appeal more loudly than a red Ferrari. The F430 Spider is currently the only Ferrari with a drop-top. Though engineered for speed, it's actually comfortable for casual cruising, too.

Like a work of art, the F430's mid-mounted 4.3-liter V8 engine sits beneath a glass cover. It's not just for show, though, and generates 490 hp for a 0-60 mph time of around 4 seconds.

2. Best Display of Wealth

2007 Spyker C12 LaTurbie
MSRP: $345,625

We're hard pressed to find a car as rare and impressive as the Spyker C12 LaTurbie, which hails from Holland and could make a Porsche seem mundane. The workmanship of its interior is stunning, with aeronautical details that evoke the company's history of building planes.

Hand-built in limited numbers, this dramatically sculpted Dutch treat exploits a mid-mounted, Audi-sourced 500-hp W12 engine to register a 3.9-second 0-60 mph time and a wildly illegal top speed of 196 mph.

1. Best All-Around Performer

2007 Porsche Boxster
MSRP: $45,600

With classic, uncluttered styling, a comfortable interior, commodious cargo space and stellar performance, the Porsche Boxster excels in every aspect. Thoughtful design — like not one, but two trunks and an easy-to-use top — make it practical enough for daily use.

The base model is more than fast enough, with its 245-hp 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine behind the seats. The S version takes performance to a higher level with a 3.4-liter 295-hp six-cylinder. Also key to the Boxster's appeal is long-standing reliability.
(C)Forbes

Top 10 Sports Cars

Domestics top the list of the 10 most popular sports cars on MSN Autos for the first quarter of 2007. Led by the iconic Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Corvette follows in second place while the new Saturn Sky takes the bronze.

For sports car enthusiasts, there may never be enough horsepower. Porsche gives its 911 a power boost with the addition of the GT3 and 911 Turbo, each packing substantially more than 400 horsepower. And for that added kick, Porsche has equipped the 911 Turbo with a button that can momentarily increase its maximum torque by 45 lb-ft to a neck-snapping 505 lb-ft.

Italian-made Lamborghini gives its "bullish" Murcielago a new designation—LP640—and adds 60 more horsepower to its already potent V12 engine for 2007.

Four domestics, three Japanese imports and three European imports make up the top ten list.

The list of the ten most popular sports cars on MSN Autos is based on visits to the site's vehicle research pages during months January through March of 2007.

1. Ford Mustang
The legendary American pony car has continued to be a hit after going retro a couple of years ago. Available in a coupe or convertible, the rear-wheel-drive Mustang has a starting price of under $20,000 with the base 210-horsepower V6 coupe. The high-performance GT version is equipped with a 4.6-liter 300-horsepower V8 which can run to 60 mph in just 5 seconds and to 100 mph in 12.5 seconds. An even more powerful version is available in the 500-horsepower supercharged Shelby GT500, the most powerful factory-produced Mustang ever built.

2. Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet's world-class high-performance sports car is now in its sixth generation and available in a coupe or convertible. For 2007 the Corvette adds steering-wheel-mounted audio controls with Bose premium audio systems and a larger glove compartment. A standard 6.0-liter 400-horsepower V8 engine delivers 400 lb-ft of torque at 4400 rpm, while the limited-edition Z06 has a 505 horsepower 7.0-liter V8 that produces 470 lb-ft of torque— the fastest production Corvette available. The Z06 also gets impressive fuel economy at an estimated 16 and 26 city/hwy mpg.

3. Saturn Sky
When the Sky debuted for the 2007 model year, no one would have guessed the aggressively styled roadster came from Saturn. The Sky and the Pontiac Solstice are siblings—sharing the same GM Kappa platform, engine, transmissions and other major components. The Sky has more contemporary styling and offers a softer ride than the Solstice. A high-performance version called the Sky Red Line is available featuring a turbocharged 260-horsepower 2.0-liter engine, dual exhaust with polished aluminum outlets and unique exterior and interior features.

4. Mitsubishi Eclipse
A redesigned Eclipse debuted for the 2006 model year with bold new styling, and adds a convertible version for 2007 called the Spyder. Also for 2007 the Eclipse adds a standard anti-theft system with hood switch, a Sun & Sound Package and seven new colors. The front-wheel-drive coupe is longer, wider, roomier and more powerful than its predecessor. Under the hood is a 2.4-liter 162-horsepower 4 cylinder in the GS and a 3.8-liter 263-horsepower V6 in the GT. The automatic cloth top in the Spyder folds completely out of sight in about 19 seconds.

5. Nissan 350Z
The Nissan 350Z received its first major update in the 2006 model year, which includes a revised exterior and an enhanced interior. A new Grand Touring Coupe featuring the 18-inch front/19-inch rear wheels, and front and rear spoilers were also added to the lineup. For 2007 the 350Z is updated with the next-generation VQ35HR engine that produces 306 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque, featuring a twin air intake system that helps reduce airflow resistance and increases horsepower. The front hood design and front-seat mounted side-impact supplemental airbags on the roadster are also new for the 2007 model year.

6. Porsche 911
Porsche gives its 911 lineup a power boost with the addition of the 911 Turbo and GT3 for 2007. The GT3 has a 415-horsepower 3.6-liter boxer 6-cylinder engine and comes standard with on-demand traction that's derived from Porsche's Carrera GT. The 911 Turbo features a twin-turbocharged 480-horsepower engine and a high-tech all-wheel-drive system. For 911 Turbos equipped with the optional Sports Chrono Package, pushing the Sport button allows the turbochargers to increase maximum pressure by 2.9 psi for up to 10 seconds, which increases the maximum torque by 45 lb-ft to a whopping 505 lb-ft.

7. Lamborghini Murcielago
This Italian exotic is always a favorite among MSN sports car enthusiasts. Originally named after a fighting bull, the Murcielago receives a new designation, a more aggressive look and more power for 2007. The Murcielago LP640—derived from the Italian description of the engine position (longitudinale posteriore) and horsepower output—is offered as a coupe and a roadster. Pushing the LP640 is a 640-horsepower 6.5-liter V12 engine that delivers 487 lb-ft of torque, which gets transmitted to the road via permanent all-wheel drive.

8. Mazda MX-5 Miata
The Mazda MX-5 Miata hit the U.S. market in 1989 and has become one of the top-selling two-seat convertibles in the world. An all-new third-generation Miata debuted for the 2006 model year with new styling, improved steering, suspension and brakes that make the roadster more fun to drive. For 2007 a power retractable hardtop is available for the first time, and offers the same amount of trunk capacity as the folding soft-top. Hardtop versions also receive chrome trim around the grille opening, bright headlight bezels, a chrome band in the door handles and a white-lens center high-mounted stop light.

9. Pontiac Solstice
One of the main rivals to the MX-5 Miata is the Pontiac Solstice. With a starting price around $22,000, the Solstice has a 2.4-liter dual overhead camshaft 4-cylinder engine that produces 177 horsepower. If that's not enough power to satisfy, a high-performance GXP version is available featuring a 2.0-liter Direct Injection Turbo with Variable Valve Timing in a DOHC 4-cylinder aluminum engine that produces 260 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The GXP is also styled differently with front and rear fascia extensions and high-polished stainless steel dual exhaust outlets.

10. Ferrari F430
The Ferrari F430 made its debut at the 2004 Paris Motor Show replacing the 360 Modena. Styled more aggressively than its predecessor, the Italian sports car was introduced for the 2005 model year. The F430 is powered by a 490-horsepower 4.3-liter V8 engine and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, delivering 343 lb-ft of torque at 5250 rpm. Available in a Coupe or Spider, the F430 can reach 0 to 62 mph in 4.0 seconds and a top speed of over 196 mph, according to Ferrari.
(C)MSN

New Sexy Maserati

New automatic sedan Quattroporte



For most successful people in corporate America, the average day is like a German or Japanese sedan: hard-charging, constant and complex. Competent? Yes. Thrilling? More like the perfect shade of gray.

The people at Maserati set out to change the sedan's rep three years ago with the Quattroporte. And they just might have succeeded, were it not for the decision to build that original model with a paddle-shift gearbox (Maserati figured that if such a transmission is enticing in a Ferrari, why not put it in a sedan? Because an overly involving gear-shifting system that has a herky-jerky automatic mode doesn't suit a full-sized four-door, that's why.)

Now - finally! - Maserati has added a true automatic to the Quattroporte but kept plenty of Ferrari DNA: The Prancing Horse builds the V-8, paints the bodies, and shares many suppliers (leather, brakes and so on).

I had fallen for the Quattroporte's lines from afar: Sophia Loren sex appeal, knee-weakening proportions, exotic details and an hourglass shape that belies its interior roominess. But how could a car bigger and cheaper than a Ferrari possibly deliver a similar kind of over-the-top thrill and hedonism? And had Maserati truly solved its transmission transgression?

After one week and more than 1,000 miles in a Bordeaux Pontevecchio (metallic maroon) version, I can tell you that the Maserati delivered. I drove from Los Angeles to Phoenix and back in two days, and here's what happened.

First I noticed that the car, a respectable 4,247 pounds, felt nearly as light and playful as a two-seater. While I was revving her up and slaloming through traffic, an unmistakably operatic growl reached my ears - a symphony of V-8 and exhaust notes only Italian engineers could compose (go to emotionmeetsbusiness.com to hear it).

The steering was direct, the suspension (in sport mode as opposed to normal or snow) was taut but not bone-breaking, the throttle response immediate, the braking - as proficient as a Ferrari Enzo - firm without any fade.

And then there were the tactile highlights: a Poltrona Frau leather-wrapped two-tone dash, dramatically widow's-peaked in the center. Supportive seats that also heat, cool and massage at your discretion. A mahogany steering wheel fitted so perfectly with leather inserts for my hands that it felt like built-in driving gloves.

Between you and me, the whole package provoked some rather adolescent behavior: doing doughnuts in an empty parking lot (its 49-front/51-rear weight distribution is best in class); gloating at admiring strangers; taking the long road home to log a few more smile-inducing miles.

I wasn't even overly bothered by the Quattroporte's quirks: buttons on the instrument panel whose purpose was inscrutable. Two different ways to release the parking brake. A small trunk. Maserati must figure out a better navigation system (I'm still waiting for the perfect one from any manufacturer) and retrofit for Bluetooth and iPods (hurry up and get Ferrari's new integrated Bose system, please).

Overall, Maserati's quality has improved substantially in the past few years. Is it at Lexus level? No, but I can only report that I had no problems on my watch. Most Quattroporte buyers are former Mercedes S-Class owners, so confidence in the brand is growing.

What it really comes down to is that the Quattroporte is full of passion, performance and personality. Is it for you? That depends: Do you pine for another decent day at work - or a Bellini at sunset in Venice?
(C)Fortune

Summer Auto-Events Schedule

The action heats up for car lovers this summer, leading up to an array of events surrounding the Pebble Beach Concours d’Élégance in August. Here are a few of the many auto-related activities scheduled for the coming weeks.

July

JULY 1 Nascar Lenox Industrial Tools 300, New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon, N.H. $70-$110. nascar.com

JULY 1 Formula One; Magny-Cours, France. $95 general admission. formula1.com

JULY 1 Le Mans 1,000 Km at Nürburgring, Germany. The Le Mans series, run by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, returns to action in its first race since the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. $27. http://www.lmes.com/

JULY 6-8 Watkins Glen Grand Prix, Watkins Glen, N.Y. In addition to Sunday’s Indy car event, drivers from the Indy Pro Series, Historic Grand Prix and Grand-Am Cup Series will compete on the 3.4-mile course during the weekend. $70 for a three-day pass, which includes reserved seats on Sunday. (866) 461-7223. theglen.com

JULY 7 Nascar Pepsi 400, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla. $50-$140. nascar.com

JULY 7 American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix, Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Conn. Drivers in the American Le Mans series return to racing stateside. $65. (860) 435-5000. limerock.com

JULY 8 Formula One; Silverstone, England. Sold out. formula1.com

JULY 14 All American Car Show and Musclefest, Saratoga Auto Museum, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. One of many events on the museum’s lawn this summer. $5 registration fee for each car. (518) 587-1935. saratogaautomuseum.org

JULY 15 Nascar USG Sheetrock 400, Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill. $195-$260. nascar.com

JULY 15 Art Center Car Classic, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, Calif. One of the top schools for automotive design puts on its annual car show. $55. (626) 396-4216. artcenter.edu/carclassic

JULY 15 Forest Grove Concours d’Élégance, Forest Grove, Ore. More than 300 antique and collector cars will be displayed on the campus of Pacific University. $15. (800) 359-2510. forestgroveconcours.org

JULY 21 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Colorado Springs. The 12-mile course ends at the 14,110-foot summit of Pikes Peak. $40. (719) 685-4400. ppihc.com

JULY 21-22 Waterfest 13, Raceway Park, Englishtown, N.J. Billed as the largest Volkswagen-Audi car show in North America, Waterfest features show cars, a drag race and an autocross school. $15 on Saturday, $20 Sunday. (845) 352-3155. waterfest.net

JULY 22 Formula One; Nürburgring, Germany. $127-$362. formula1.com

JULY 22-26 National Corvette Restorers Society annual convention, Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center, Marlborough, Mass. $10 a day for nonmembers. (513) 385-8526. ncrs.org

JULY 27-29 William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. Concours d’Élégance, the Breakers and Chateau-sur-Mer, Newport, R.I. The drivers Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney will be honored at the weekend celebration. $25 for a one-day pass. (401) 847-1000. newportmansions.org

JULY 28 Mecum Hawkeye Classic Auction, Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines. $10. (815) 568-8888. mecumauction.com

JULY 29 Nascar Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. $35-$150. nascar.com

August

AUG. 2-5 National Street Rod Association Street Rod Nationals, Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville. Billed as the world’s largest street rod event, with more than 11,000 vehicles registered in 2006. $12 each day. (901) 452-4030. nsra-usa.com

AUG. 3-4 RM Auctions Vintage Motor Cars at Meadow Brook Hall, Rochester, Mich. Held in conjuction with Meadow Brook Concours on Aug. 5. Auction preview is Friday, sale Saturday. $80 catalog admits two. (800) 211-4371. rmauctions.com

AUG. 5 Meadow Brook Concours d’Élégance, Meadow Brook Hall, Rochester, Mich. This year’s concours features the Class of ’57. $25. (248) 269-7672. meadowbrookconcours.org

AUG. 5 Formula One; Budapest, Hungary. $192-$689 Sunday grandstand pass. formula1.com

AUG. 5 Nascar Pennsylvania 500, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pa. $45-$80 grandstand pass. nascar.com

AUG. 9-12 Silver’s Hot August Nights Auction, Reno-Sparks Convention Center, Reno, Nev. Silver Auctions holds a sale in the midst of Reno’s annual celebration of classic cars and rock ’n’ roll. $12 a day, $30 for a four-day pass. (800) 255-4485. silverauctions.com

AUG. 12 Nascar Nextel Cup at the Glen, Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, N.Y. $10-$135. nascar.com

AUG. 14-15 Automobilia Monterey, Embassy Suites Ballroom, Seaside, Calif. The largest showing of automotive memorabilia in America, including a silent auction. $10. (831) 659-1551. automobiliamonterey.com

AUG. 15-19 Blackhawk Exposition Sale, Peter Hay Golf Course at the Lodge, Pebble Beach, Calif. Free. (925) 736-3444. blackhawkcollection.com

AUG. 17 Concorso Italiano, Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course, Monterey Bay, Calif. A showcase of Italian vehicles. $100. (425) 742-0632. concorso.com

AUG. 17 The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, Quail Lodge Resort, Carmel, Calif. This year’s event includes a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet. $200. (877) 734-4628. quaillodge.com

AUG. 17 Bonhams & Butterfields Important Sale of Collectors Motor Cars and Related Automobilia, Quail Lodge Resort, Carmel, Calif. $75 for catalog admits two. (415) 861-7500. http://www.bonhams.com/

AUG. 17-18 RM Auctions Sports and Classic Car Auction, the Portola Plaza Hotel and Monterey Conference Center, Monterey, Calif. $40 event pass, $100 for the catalog. (800) 211-4371. rmauctions.com

AUG. 17-19 Monterey Historic Automobile Races, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif. Indy Roadsters will be highlighted. $125 for a three-day admission. (800) 327-7322. montereyhistoric.com

AUG. 18 Woodward Dream Cruise, Woodward Avenue, Detroit. More than 40,000 classic and custom cars line a 16-mile stretch of Woodward Avenue. Free. woodwarddreamcruise.com

AUG. 18-19 Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach 2006 Auction, Pebble Beach, Calif. $30 for single admission, or $100 for a catalog admitting two to both days. (310) 899-1960. goodingco.com

AUG. 19 Pebble Beach Concours d’Élégance, Pebble Beach, Calif. The main event of Pebble Beach Automotive weekend. $150 in advance, $175 at the gate. (831) 622-1700. pebblebeachconcours.net

AUG. 19 Nascar 3M Performance 400, Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich. $45-$110. nascar.com

AUG. 24-26 Corvettes at Carlisle, Carlisle Fairgrounds, Carlisle, Pa. $12 a day. The annual celebration of all things ’Vette, in its 26th year. (717) 243-7855. carsatcarlisle.com

AUG. 25 The Morgan Adams Concours d’Élégance, Denver. Features vintage aircraft as well as collector cars. $100. (303) 758-2130. morganadamsconcours.org

AUG. 25 Nascar Sharpie 500 Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tenn. $104-$133. nascar.com

AUG. 26 Formula One; Istanbul. $89-$510. formula1.com

AUG. 28-SEPT. 3 Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival, Auburn, Ind. Admission varies by event. (260) 925-3600. acdfestival.org

AUG. 30-SEPT. 4 Kruse Auburn Classic Car Auction, Auburn, Ind. 5,000 cars expected at this year’s sale. Free to $20, depending on the day. (800) 968-4444. kruse.com

(C)NYT

Ferrari F430 - Machine Is a Dream. Wait Is a Nightmare.

Ferrari is on a roll.


These days, we take for granted that auto enthusiasts with very deep pockets line up for whatever the Maranello factory deigns to produce, but this wasn’t always so. Consider the unloved 348 of the late 1980s and early ’90s, which has depreciated enough that an irresponsible family man could ask himself, “Do I buy the loaded Honda Odyssey or the used Ferrari?”

I’m going to venture a guess that the F430, the entry-level car in the Ferrari line, will never depreciate into minivan territory. In fact, for the moment, it’s not depreciating at all. While new F430s list for about $185,000, my unscientific eBay research found that used F430s are going for around $300,000.

This thing must cause meltdowns in the mainframe at Kelly Blue Book. Used-car appreciation? Does not compute!

The F430’s unlikely worth in the used-car market comes down to two factors. First, it’s a brilliant car, as I’ll explain. Perhaps more important, Ferrari refuses to build enough cars to satisfy demand.

Because nothing whips rich people into a frenzy quite like telling them they can’t have something, the line for F430 ownership is like the wait for Space Mountain — as soon as you turn a corner and think you’re there, you discover the line just keeps going.

Last summer, a Boston-area Ferrari owner, Dennis Liu, told me he was on the waiting list for an F430. He’s still waiting. “I’ve been on the waiting list since 2004,” Mr. Liu said. “And the delivery date is always nine months away.”

It bears mentioning that Mr. Liu is president of the New England chapter of the Ferrari Club of America. Even he can’t conjure an F430.

If the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association embraced Ferrari’s self-restrained approach to production, a Fenway Frank would cost as much as a plasma TV, and you’d have to order it two years in advance.

Ferrari had 1,000 orders for the $650,000 Enzo after the car was unveiled in 2002, but the company stuck to its decision to build only 399 cars (plus one for the pope). By my math, that means it left $390,000,000 on the table in the name of exclusivity and almighty demand. With those 600 never-built Enzos, Ferrari essentially invested $390 million in its own legend.

“It’s not a case where we can produce as many cars as we want to,” said Maurizio Parlato, president and chief executive of Ferrari North America. That said, Ferrari could produce more cars than it does.

“There’s a magic relationship between volume and price,” Mr. Parlato said. “We have very sophisticated market intelligence working for us.” That intelligence says Ferrari needs to find its growth in untapped markets.

“Ferrari has increased production capability for emerging markets — China, Singapore, Australia — while maintaining exclusivity,” Mr. Parlato said. You’d have to be some kind of snob if you live in Palm Beach and you’re upset about a few extra F430s tooling around Shanghai.

Of course, stoking demand with limited production doesn’t make sense unless the demand is there in the first place. With all the hoopla over this car, you’d think it would be nearly impossible for it to live up to expectations. But the F430 manages to deliver, despite the baggage inherent in its status as the It Car of the prancing-horse brand.

This car plays in the realm where performance numbers are everything, and on that front it duly hangs with the Porsche 911 Turbos and Corvette Z06s of the world (as well it should, considering its price).

But the F430 is more than a cold-blooded G-force generator. It’s a total experience, one that dopes every pleasure receptor in your brain with automotive giddiness. Achieving that abstract goal is always trickier than hitting hard performance targets — call it the alchemy of desirability.

You get the impression that in designing the F430, Ferrari’s every decision was framed by the question, “How can we make this more like a Formula One car?”

So the 4.3-liter, 479-horsepower V-8 got a motor with a high-pitched, hard-edged wail that’s unlike anything else you’ll hear from a car with license plates. That high-strung motor is mounted behind the passenger compartment and ahead of the rear axles, just like a Formula One car.

The F1 sequential manual transmission does away with a clutch pedal, instead giving the driver shift paddles on either side of the steering column, just like a Formula One car (although traditionalists can still order a six-speed manual). The steering wheel features Ferrari’s “mannetino,” a small rotary switch with six settings to tailor the car’s electronic aggressiveness, from a snow-and-ice mode (as if!) to race, to the position beyond race that Ferrari’s people politely asked me not to engage, as it disables all traction and stability control and could easily lead to a Code Red Disgraced Journalist Situation.

Pat yourself on the back if you can guess what also has a mannetino: the Ferrari Formula One car!

In some vehicles — a Dale Earnhardt edition Monte Carlo springs to mind — racecar affectations come off as marketing silliness. Here, you get the idea that they’re not only a tangible link to the real open-wheel deal, but they enhance both the F430’s performance and the experience of driving it.

In some ways, this car is amazingly civilized — consider the interior bedecked in leather and carbon fiber, the ride quality that is counterintuitively supple, the downright practical nine-cubic-foot trunk up front.

(The F1 transmission even has an automatic function, but I’m proud to say that I can’t tell you how it works because I never tried it. If you’re too lazy to twitch your fingers for a shift, you shouldn’t be driving a Ferrari.)

But the beast within is always just beneath the surface. A nudge of the throttle recalls Russell Crowe’s line in “Gladiator”: “At my signal, unleash hell.”

The F430 feels even faster than its 0-to-60 time (four seconds) suggests, because everything it does, it does dramatically. The exhaust system has flaps that bypass the mufflers, essentially plugging that trademark howl into a giant megaphone.

One habit I got into with the F430 was digging deep into the throttle and then pulling back for an upshift a few thousand r.p.m. short of the redline. This seems to trick the engine computer into dumping loads of fuel into the intake ports in anticipation of a run to 8,500 r.p.m., because when the F1 transmission clicks off the shift, it’s accompanied by a rifle-shot report, a supersonic whip-crack from the exhaust that prompts you to look in the mirror to see if the car behind you is engulfed in a contrail of flame. That never got old, frankly.

Some of my colleagues in the motoring press tell me that on a track, the F430 can be drifted, tail-out, balanced on the razor edge of adhesion. I can tell you that on the street, its handling imparts a sense of invulnerability that finds you wondering why everyone else is dawdling down off-ramps when obviously they’re perfectly negotiable at 80 m.p.h.

The steering has a quick ratio but isn’t nervous — you’re not constantly correcting your path, but should you decide to change lanes you need only glance in the proper direction and you’re there. The car evinces careful engineering to nurture this ferocious-yet-livable split personality.

For instance, this may sound as lame as pointing out that there are no cup holders, but I also came to truly appreciate the sharp turning circle. When you’re parking a violently red $200,000 Ferrari, it’s nice to pull into a spot without doing Austin Powers back-and-forth corrections for half an hour. Because, believe me, people are watching.

On the debit side of the ledger, the F430 is really expensive. And, with the F1 transmission, it’s hard to parallel-park on a hill because you have to stab the throttle and guess how far the clutch will engage. I feel about as critical as Paula Abdul, here, but that’s really about all I’ve got.

The F430 can tone down its act enough to play the role of daily driver, but when you let it off its leash there are few cars out there with a more raw-edged devotion to driver involvement. I have a feeling that when Dennis Liu finally gets his F430, he won’t be disappointed.
(C)NYT

AMG: Passcode to Absolute Power in a Mercedes-Benz

Muscle cars are inseparable from America and the ’60s, their innocence sweetly harmonized by the Beach Boys, their more sinister side chronicled in films from “Bullitt” to “Grindhouse.”

But while they burned rubber in their time, only a handful of muscle cars, the ultrarare L88 Corvette among them, could actually top 400 horsepower.

Today’s revival of the old horsepower wars still features familiar Motown combatants like Corvette, Mustang and Charger. But it is Mercedes-Benz, once known for conservative sedans and sleepy diesels, that is overwhelming the competition. Forget 400 horses: the AMG division of Mercedes is the new King of Zing, churning out models that top 600 horsepower.

In recent months, I sampled AMG’s four-alarm buffet in every imaginable style and portion, and my taste buds are still on fire. Among them was the E63, at first glance just another E-Class sedan, the Ford Taurus of upscale suburbia. Yet with 507 horsepower under its hood, the E63 is one of several Jekyll and Hyde AMGs. It can give that young hooligan at the stoplight in a Mustang a paddling he won’t forget — and then revert to being an upstanding citizen for a trip to the local boutiques.

Founded in 1967 as an independent racing shop specializing in Mercedes cars, AMG — it took its name from the initials of its founders, Hans-Warner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, and from Mr. Aufrecht’s birthplace of Grossaspach, Germany — the company used racing success as a springboard to develop speedy production Benzes. Its first American model arrived in 1995, the C36 AMG sedan.

Since joining the DaimlerChrysler fold in 1999, the performance division has seen annual sales quadruple to about 20,000 cars worldwide. And while these cars seem tailor-made for the autobahn, Americans snap up by far the most, roughly 40 percent.

To see what these mad scientists have wrought, consider that competing performance model lines, which include BMW’s M and Cadillac’s V series, tend to offer two or three models with about 400 horsepower on average. In contrast, AMG currently offers 16 models. Eight of them have or exceed 500 horses. Three more deliver 604 horsepower. By late 2008, the line will grow to 18 models.

Yet what is a bit strange about this market assault is how Mercedes seems determined to bolt an AMG engine onto every last car (and truck) in its lineup, whether or not it makes sense under traditional rules of performance. Craving a 503-horsepower family S.U.V. or crossover? Step right up for the ML63 and R63. How about a nuclear-powered station wagon with a tiny pair of rear-facing seats? Mr. Cleaver, your E63 wagon awaits.

Then there’s the S65. This 2.5-ton super sedan, with a twin-turbocharged 12-cylinder engine of 604 horsepower, can outrun a Ferrari F430 from the stoplight to 150 m.p.h. — in just 21.1 seconds, according to Car and Driver magazine — as passengers get massaged by their seats while humming along with Wagner coming from the Harmon Kardon sound system.

Yet once I had my fill of mashing the gas and watching the scenery go all hyperspace, the S65 ultimately ranked low on my list of favorite AMGs. Its size prevents this autobahn limo from ever feeling like a sports sedan. At $185,000, this expensive AMG costs as much as his-and-hers versions of the S550, essentially the same fine sedan but with a mere 380-horsepower V-8. When I drove the S65, I had the impression that almost no one could tell it apart from the $88,000 version.

If it’s extra attention you seek, an AMG may not be for you anyway. Cognoscenti can spot their larger wheels, racier bodies and AMG badges from a hundred yards. But many of the lavishly engineered goodies are found under the skin — not only in engines, but in suspensions and brakes so powerful that even the burliest AMGs stop as quickly and surely as many lightweight sports cars.

To buyers, that subtlety can be part of the attraction. While many AMGs will scorch the road like a screaming yellow Lamborghini, they’re more likely to fly under the radar. And unlike the crude-riding muscle cars of yore, the AMGs are as smooth and refined as any top luxury car, stuffed with the latest toys and safety technology.

Still, some well-heeled buyers will blanch at the AMG’s price premiums over garden-variety Mercedes. Those range from an additional $19,000 for the SLK55 roadster to an eye-popping $96,000 extra for the S65.

No doubt the roughly 400 financial titans worldwide who will spring for an S65 this year are probably buying it with pocket change. But in trying to apply rational thought to which Mercedes will truly emerge as butterflies from the AMG cocoon — in style, performance, attitude and price — a few do stand out.

Among the most seductive are a pair of sedans stuffed with Deutsche dynamite, the E63 and CLS 63. They’re two of many models blessed with AMG’s new 6.2-liter V-8 that’s simply one of the fiercest V-8s ever bolted to a production automobile.

This hand-built beauty, with a 7,200-r.p.m. redline, derives part of its advantage from sheer size: even the sophisticated 10-cylinder engines of BMW and Audi, at a respective 5.0 liters and 5.2 liters, can’t match the Benz in cubic inches, torque or acceleration.

The engine also represents a welcome change in AMG’s performance philosophy. The brand is moving away from supercharging — pumping air into the engine to boost power — in favor of naturally aspirated engines so strong that they don’t need artificial enhancement. The V-8s produce as much power as before, without the upsetting power surges of some supercharged AMGs.

I drove the CLS63 from New York to Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, where I also tested other AMGs on a road course that integrates a banked curve and straightway from the speedway’s Nascar oval. And like every other model with the new V-8, the CLS has a way of turning even everyday streets into your own personal racetrack.

Already a somewhat impractical high-profile car, the swoopy CLS made an ideal patient for the doctors at AMG. The operation included the 507-horsepower V-8; an AMG-modified seven-speed automatic transmission, sport seats and amazing brakes with six-piston calipers up front.

While the E63 looks stealthier than the CLS, it proved to be the most entertaining sport sedan I’d ever driven from Mercedes. The surprisingly neutral handling matches its killer V-8. According to Car and Driver, the E63 runs from 0 to 60 in just 4.2 seconds, a half second quicker than the BMW M5.

Both CLS and E63 cost about $27,000 more than their basic V-8 versions. But they’re priced competitively with luxury performers like the BMW M5 or Jaguar XKR. At the other end of the scale is the new CLK63 AMG Black Series, basically a street version of the current Formula One safety car minus the flashing roof lights. The CLK is the first Black Series car sold in the United States, lighter and racier than your everyday AMG (the first order of business is tearing out the back seat to cut weight).

This apparently costs you a great deal of money. Its price of $138,375 is almost enough to buy three copies of the base-model CLK 350. But don’t listen to me: its run of 350 copies for the United States is nearly sold out.

The SL55 ($132,775) and SL65 ($189,375) make some sense, at least by super-rich standards. Hopped-up versions of what’s already a fantasy GT convertible, the basic SL550, they’re a blast to drive. AMG also supplied the supercharged V-8 for the Mercedes McLaren SLR, a scissor-door supercar with a $452,750 starting price (not including gas guzzler tax), up to 650 horsepower and a 209 m.p.h. top speed. A roadster version goes on sale this fall.

Some models seem silly and superfluous. Prime among these is the R63, a racy take on Mercedes’ misbegotten minivan, the slow-selling R-Class. On styling alone, the ML63 S.U.V. whips the R-Class version. But while the nearly $90,000 ML63 accelerates as quickly as you’d expect with 503 horsepower under the hood, it falls short in the critical fun-to-drive department, lacking the zesty handling of a serious performance S.U.V. like the Porsche Cayenne.

Still, AMG’s approach is nothing if not democratic. To wit, why should two-seat sports car buyers have all the fun? Volker Mornhinweg, the Mercedes-AMG chairman, said that the array of choices had helped fuel the exponential growth of AMG.

In fact, my sleeper-model AMG is also the smallest and least expensive: the SLK55. The original SLK was widely derided as soft and feminine. But its current incarnation, the current second-generation SLK350 is a surprisingly legitimate sports car. Bulked up with a 355 horsepower 5.4-liter V-8, the handsome two-seat SLK 55 feels like the modern offspring of a Cobra and a Benz SL. And its $64,600 price isn’t out of line compared with less-powerful models like the Porsche Boxster S.

O.K., granola-eaters, I know what you’ve been dying to ask: What about the gas mileage? Actually, it stinks. E.P.A. economy ratings often fudge the truth, but the AMGs’ numbers may make an oil sheik blush. The CLS63’s rating, for example, is 12 m.p.g. in the city and 18 highway; when I flogged the gas pedal, mileage dipped to 11-12 m.p.g.

Now, on one hand, I feel that any modern car should be able to beat the mileage of a ’72 Cadillac Eldorado. On the other, it’s hard for me to work up much indignation toward cars like these AMGs, especially when I’m the one driving and grinning like an idiot. If they’re indeed socially irresponsible, it’s in the manner of a charming lout whose style and chutzpah lets him get away with anything. If that means I should be hauled off to the Albert Gore Re-education Camp in fast-warming Siberia, then so be it.
(C)By LAWRENCE ULRICH

Ferrari sets new Guinness World Record

Ferrari and the Ferrari Owners Club GB joined forces at Silverstone on Saturday 9 June, 2007, to set an incredible new Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest Parade of Ferrari Cars’, with an astonishing parade of 385 Ferrari cars, more than triple the previous record.


With road and race cars from every decade of the Prancing Horse’s proud and unique heritage, Ferrari owners from the UK and all over the world joined together to create an amazing spectacle to celebrate Ferrari’s 60th Anniversary and the Ferrari Owners Club GB’s 40th Anniversary.

With several rare and extremely valuable cars in the Guinness World Record parade, ranging from a 250 California Spider and a 275 GTB/C through to the ultra-desirable 250GTO and the ultra-exclusive FXX, as well as several examples of Ferrari’s iconic supercars, the F40, F50 and Enzo, a conservative estimate of the value of the cars in the parade on Saturday would be in excess of £60 million – a perfect number to mark the company’s anniversary year.

Massimo Fedeli, Managing Director of Ferrari GB Ltd, said: “What an amazing sight… We are proud to have the support of so many Ferrari owners today in setting a new Guinness World Record. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Owners Club, our Sponsors and everyone who has been working behind the scenes for months to achieve this fantastic record.”

Peter Everingham, Secretary of the Ferrari Owners Club GB, was equally effusive: “I’m so proud to have been asked by Ferrari to help set a new Guinness World Record. What our members achieved here today on the Club’s 40th Anniversary is quite remarkable – with over 1000 Ferrari cars from every era here this weekend. We have so many enthusiastic owners, and I want to thank them for their support as we couldn’t have achieved this without them. I’m sure this one will take some beating.”

In order to comply with the Guinness World Record’s rules for such an attempt, the cars must all travel over a minimum 2 mile distance, no more than two car lengths apart, and must be counted at the beginning and the end of the parade. With a starting grid of Ferrari cars stretching from Becketts all the way to Copse on the Silverstone Circuit, the cars completed one full lap and covered a distance of 3 miles, driving two abreast around the entire circuit.

At the head of the parade was a 599 GTB Fiorano driven by Bruno Senna, nephew of three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna, driving in the Ferrari Challenge as a guest driver this weekend, and a specially-liveried 612 Scaglietti which was driven by PC Paul Atkin who recently joined the Ferrari 60 Relay as it toured around the UK. Behind the lead cars were a fleet of Fiorano Ferrari F430 cars driven by Ferrari GB’s VIP guests and sponsors who all had the unique opportunity to participate in setting a new Guinness World Record. Then came the extensive stable of Prancing Horses from the Ferrari Owners Club GB which made up the bulk of the 385 cars on track on Saturday.

After double-checking her count, both at the start and the end of the parade, Nadine Causey, Adjudicator for the Guinness World Record, presented Massimo Fedeli and Peter Everingham with a Certificate to mark the occasion.

Ferrari’s 60th Anniversary worldwide celebrations culminate on 23 June when the Ferrari 60 Relay baton, which has been carried around the world by enthusiastic Ferrari owners from every country, arrives in Maranello, Italy, the historical and present home of the Prancing Horse.

Top 10 Cars Priced Higher Than $100,000

The trend of spending more than a $100,000 on a new exotic car is growing rapidly.

Cars.com decided to compile a list of Top 10 Cars Priced Higher Than $100,000. “The selection process for these cars was fairly straightforward. Cars on the list all have a sticker price between $100,000 and $200,000 and go above and beyond pedestrian luxury cars in terms of style, performance and attitude,” said Cars.com editor David Thomas. Check out the list below.

1. Bentley Continental Flying Spur — The two-door Bentley Continental GT broke things open for the British coach builder with its most famous owner — Paris Hilton — getting them plenty of free publicity.

But it’s the four-door Flying Spur that is the epitome of how much exotic luxury you can get for your money — about $170,000 of your money.

Even though Bentley is churning out more Continentals than any other model, they’re still hand-built and can be custom ordered, down to the wood grain and leather pigmentation

2. Aston Martin V8 Vantage/Vantage Roadster — The V8 Vantage coupe and convertible are sultry, British and fast.

For a mere $110,000, the coupe is a major head-turner that will stand out in a crowd of Porsches and even Ferraris.

The Aston has subtle elegance with a ton of performance squeezed out of its V-8 engine.

3. Audi R8 — This new kid on the block is Audi’s first take on the semi-exotic sports car.

Its modern styling and impressive performance, about on par with the Porsche 911 Turbo, make a value statement at $109,000.

The huge grille, mid-engine layout and sporty cockpit scream business; the bold stripe on the side shouts eccentricity.

4. Porsche 911 Turbo — It may look like Porsches of the past, but the new 911 turbo is the highest attainment of Porsche-ness ever built.

$122,000 might seem like a major investment, but a 911 Turbo never goes out of style; unless Porsche goes against almost 50 years of tradition, a 911 will look like a 911 for decades to come.

Even if the next-generation Turbo outdoes this one in performance, passers-by will never know.

5. Bentley Continental GTC — The GTC’s motorized canvas roof might seem like something from your grandpa’s old Buick, but it’s the look with the top down that seals the deal.

If you think an average convertible is an impractical buy, what does that say about this one, at $189,990?

How, then, did it make the list? You just can’t have too many Bentleys in your stable.

6. Ferrari F430 — Yes, you too can own Ferrari’s “entry-level” F430 for under $200,000.

It’ll probably hold its value — it starts at $168,005 — better than most of the cars on this list, and some say this might be the easiest Ferrari ever to drive like a pro.

You can’t put a price tag on that.

7. Mercedes-Benz S600 — This one almost didn’t make the list, but we’ve seen too many of this $139,900 sedan on the streets and parked in front of fancy restaurants to let it slip out of the top 10.

Plus, it has a powerful V-12 engine and a very upscale cabin, complete with mood lighting.

That’s why it comes in at No. 7, even if it looks like its less-stellar S550 sibling.

8. BMW M6 Convertible — Its style might not be for everyone, but the M6 convertible hits 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds.

That means it’ll only take a minute to dry your hair after you leave the beach.

Of course, we wouldn’t recommend tracking sand in a new, $104,900, V-10-powered BMW, unless your detailer is on speed dial.

This is probably the least attractive car on the list, but we’ve run into more than one luxury owner who covets the 6 Series above all else. Loyalty — and the engine — put it in at No. 8.

9. Lamborghini Gallardo — Lamborghinis are brutish and powerful, and they look like nothing else.

At $175,000 for the hardtop and $195,000 for the roadster, the Gallardo stretches the $200,000 budget.

They’re native Italians, but are most often seen in high-profile areas like South Beach and Hollywood.

As those areas suggest, it’s all about the looks; the cabin is sparse, the ride is harsh and the exhaust is more than boastful.

Good thing it has the performance credibility, or it would be all show.

10. Maserati Quattroporte — The Quattroporte holds the No. 10 spot on the list because it was one of the first near-$100,000 cars to really sell in significant quantities, leading other automakers to believe they could get away with attaching six-figure price tags to fancy cars.

It’s still one of the most inexpensive Italian exotic cars you can buy, at $110,600, and this year it sports a traditional automatic transmission.

Plus, you can feel like one of the guys from "Entourage."

Ferrari Turns 60 With a Factory Sale

Ferrari cleans out its garage, so to speak, with an auction at its track near Maranello, Italy, on May 20. You can call it a factory sale or you can call it more grandly the Leggenda e Passione auction, as RM Auctions does.

A sale at the factory suggests surplus stacked on the loading dock or samples outside a Seventh Avenue loft. But when the factory is Ferrari’s, you don’t just drive up in your van. Ferrari allowed RM Auctions to handle the sale as part of the automaker’s 60th-anniversary celebration and to call attention to its new services of certifying and restoring vintage Ferraris.

The auction is the first sale in Europe for RM Auctions, the Canadian company that is collaborating on this sale with Sotheby’s.

The star of the event is a 1962 Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Testa Rossa, the only 4-liter and the last racing Testa Rossa by Ferrari. It was driven by the endurance racers Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien.

The other stars of the sale are cars well known to Ferrari buffs, well traveled to shows and concours and often auctioned. Built in runs of 10 or a dozen, these are cars that buffs know by their chassis numbers.

Some are simply legendary pieces of engineering and design, like the most powerful Ferrari of its era, the 1953 Ferrari 340MM, with a 4.1-liter, 300-horsepower V-12. Some are famous for their drivers, like the 1970 Ferrari 512 S raced by Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team twice at Sebring or the 1966 Ferrari Dino 206 SP. An alloy-body competition version of the short-wheelbase 1960 250 GT will also be offered, as well as a prototype of the F40 supercar.

Those with a more modest bidding budget will be drawn to the actual garage items — perhaps one of the more than 100 lots of racing memorabilia from the Ferrari archives — the real basement tapes.

The show is also aimed to highlight Ferrari Classiche, the specialist division established for documenting, authenticating and restoring vintage Ferraris. In less than a year, it has carried out nearly 500 certifications and restored 84 cars at its workshop. There could be a big headline from the sale. RM may earn bragging rights to the top price ever paid for an automobile sold at auction.
By PHIL PATTON