In the news: Two Mercedes-Benz models were recently awarded with the Car Environment Certificate by the internationally renowned environmental institute Oko Trend. The Mercedes-Benz models that were awarded are Mercedes-Benz A 160 CDI and the Mercedes-Benz B 200 CDI which are both manufactured by the Stuttgart brand. The two Mercedes models received top marks during an extensive and critical analysis by specialists at the independent institute.
Both the Mercedes-Benz A 160 CDI and Mercedes-Benz B 200 CDI have achieved well-above-average results in all areas. According to the institute Oko Trend, the two Mercedes models have obtained excellent values in terms of fuel consumption and exhaust/noise emissions plus excel in virtue of its environmentally friendly production, materials and logistics.
The Oko Trend institute was so impress with the two Mercedes-Benz models that it said, “The Mercedes-Benz A 160 CDI may be seen as one of the most eco-friendly vehicles with a conventional drive system. The development phase for this compact car was already based on a comprehensive environmental concept which takes the entire lifecycle of the vehicle into consideration. Numerous specific measures have reduced emissions during the production and operation of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class by approximately 17 percent compared to the preceding model. All in all, Mercedes has set new ecological standards for conventionally powered vehicles with the new A-Class.”
The Mercedes-Benz A 160 CDI has a fuel consumption of 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers with a corresponding CO2 emission of 128 grams. Based on the research conducted by the Oko Trend, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is distinguished by a “high degree of variability and spaciousness, as well as convincing environmental credentials”. The Oko Trend institute has high regards for the power unit of the Mercedes-Benz B 200 CDI saying, “The 140hp diesel is equipped with a particulate filter as standard. Thanks to a high torque of 300 Nm, which is already available from 1600 rpm, this engine allows a relaxed style of driving and early upshifts. A fuel consumption of six liters per 100 km is feasible in practice. All in all, therefore, the Mercedes B 200 CDI achieves a very good environmental rating.” The Institute also stressed the high ecological standards that generally apply at Mercedes-Benz.
Aside from the environmentally friendly standards that Mercedes-Benz is implementing it is also renowned for its high level of safety features. Every component added to a Mercedes vehicle is carefully scrutinized and tested for quality and durability especially in terms of safety parts like Mercedes brakes which are the primary safety features of a Benz car. Mercedes brake parts are manufactured and designed by the carmaker itself to further ensure quality. This is in keeping with the long tradition of the automaker in creating not only top-of-the-line vehicles but also producing high quality auto parts.
The Oko Trend Institute for Environmental Research is founded by the Bergische University of Wuppertal and has been publishing research reports regarding the eco-friendliness of car models since 1997. And last year this financially independent and neutral institute has expanded their analytical activities and started giving their internationally renowned Oko Trend Car Environment Certificate. These certificates are awarded only to vehicles which meet the particularly high environmental standards set by the institute. In making their assessment, the specialists take not only the vehicle specific criteria such as exhaust/noise emissions and fuel consumption but also take into consideration the environmental parameters relating to production, logistics, including the manufacturer’s environmental management systems. And that’s not all; vehicles need to obtain at least 90 percent of the maximum score in all assessment criteria in order to be awarded with the car Environment Certificate.
At present only 15 car models worldwide were given the Certificate and two of them were from Mercedes-Benz: one from the Mercedes compact class and Mercedes compact van class.
Zoom, zoom, zoom… Do you remember the old Mazda RX-7 or the ever popular autocross champion Mazda Miata? Mazda cars have always focused on exhilarating performance, as it is in fact the hallmark of their brand. Mazda was actually the first to put the performance benefits of Wankel’s rotary engine to work in consumer production vehicles; now today the Renesis rotary engine which is found in the amazing new Mazda RX-8 has the title of International engine of the year.
With all of these choices, which is the best choice for you? Well to clearly identify that you need to take a trip down to your local Mazda shop and test drive a few, stop by Mazda parts and service to look over your choice of accessories, as once you have a Mazda you will have to make it your very own. There are so many ways to dress up and make your Mazda stand out in the crowd; it would truly be a shame not to take advantage of them.
Whether you are in Mazda USA, Mazda Canada, or Mazda Japan, you will find a high quality well performing vehicle for your needs. Unfortunately for you United States and Canada folks, you will have to take a backseat on the Mazda Bongo, which will be primarily sold in Japan. We’re talking kitchen units, fold out beds, and elevated roof for heightened adult comfort. Great comfort, decent economy, and a look that will bring you back to the days of tie dye and flowers in your hair, that is what is know as the Mazda Bongo.
Mazda is not all performance cars and hippy vans of course; in fact there is quite a line of classy family coupes and sedans that would great in just about anyone’s driveway. The Mazda Protege, also known as the Mazda 323 has been around since 1976 when it was first introduced as a rear wheel drive economy based compact. Built to last the Mazda Protege is not as of yet extinct, but has been promoted as the all new Mazda 3.
The all new Mazda 3 has a much roomier feel these days, and the engine choices will have you humming the entire way to work. They are all around great cars for everyone from your father to your teenager. The Mazda 3 is a definite winner. But if three is this good; you just have to wonder what the six could be.
The Mazda 626 came in around the same time as the 323, and was considered to be a moderately upscale compact with more flair and comfort than the 323. Just a few years later the Mazda 626 would be called Motor Trends import car of the year, and Mazda was definitely looking like they were going to be around for awhile. Now if a sport coupe was more to your liking then all you had to do was remove the last two numbers, and the Mazda 6 was the car for you.
The Mazda 6 was a rather nice performer compared to the previous 626, and could be woken up even more with its optional 2.2 liter turbo engine. Sold to the consumer at various trim levels the Mazda 6 definitely had a sporty feel; with a leather interior, 3-way adjustable suspension, ABS brakes, and electric sunroof the Mazda 6 was albeit not as sporty as the Mazda RX-7, but was definitely the next best thing. Now if ripping the streets is not your thing and an occasional romp through the trails is more your speed, then the Mazda tribute, which is actually based on the Mazda 626 platform, should be your weapon of choice.
The Mazda Tribute is a small crossover SUV, designed for the city folk with a country heart. With a four or six cylinder engine and firmer ride, the Tribute makes a great all around family transporter. But once again, Mazda did not quit here. Today’s buyer now has the option of the all new Mazda CX-7, which is considered to be “the SUV you never saw coming”. Sleek, Muscular, and performance car handling brings the CX-7 into the next millennium singing “Zoom, zoom, zoom” all the way to the grocery store!
Kevin Dark is an avid car fan. Find out more about his new informational website My Mazda.
DaimlerChrysler AG’s Mercedes-Benz luxury division is commencing a brand new integrated marketing campaign for the company’s all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class entry-level luxury sedan. The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class will roll out in market using the “C-for Yourself” slogan. Moreover, Mercedes will also conduct other marketing campaigns to promote and support the sales of the C-Class including digital media, TV spots, print ads, and other communication activities. Mercedes will also expand the promotion of the C-Class by including a Virtual Mercedes-Benz C-Class model in the Second Life online virtual world.
“Our objective for this campaign is to motivate customers to experience for themselves the superior driving culture offered by the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class.” explains Dr. Olaf Göttgens, Vice President of Brand Communications for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars.
“All communication measures for the C-Class are therefore geared toward direct contact with our customers and potential buyers. Along with our tried advertising methods, we will also be focusing strongly on various forms of direct communication for the C-Class, to be implemented at exclusive driving events. These measures will be accompanied by a C-Class Mobile Marketing Special, a presentation within Second Life and interactive films on the Internet — innovative platforms that will enable us to reach existing and potential customers of our brand in a targeted manner.”
The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class marketing campaign is not exclusive for the German market. Mercedes Car Group is refining the “C-for Yourself” campaign to make it adapt in the requirements of the international market. Early this April, Mercedes will start launching the advertisement campaigns in high circulation publications such as magazines and newspapers. Mercedes will also target cable channels and TV stations throughout Germany by creating 30- or 40-second TV commercial featuring Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 driver and current Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso.
Mercedes will also conquer the online internet market with the launch of the exciting multimedia Mercedes-Benz C-Class configurator, interactive online films, and video podcast.
The interactive Mercedes-Benz C-Class configurator allows the visitors to view the specs and features of the sedan and build their own package for the vehicle depending on their personality. Visitors can select the desired available interior and exterior parts and accessories, technical parts like Mercedes engine types or Mercedes control arm, as well as body colors and interior trims for the C-Class. Meanwhile, the online community will have a chance to be part of Mercedes’ several interactive films. These films show individuals that describe the important details, capability, and performance of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan while they take a ride with the vehicle. Lastly, consumers can download the video podcast from Mercedes-Benz in four episodes that showcase the development process of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
With these various marketing campaigns for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class model, the German automaker aims to “convince customers around the world of the advantages of the versatile product concept behind the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan, including two distinct front-end designs and outstanding comfort, agility and safety.”
Mercedes, a name of comfort, luxury, style and power together. Mercedes is one of the most successful car manufacturers of the world. When you buy a vehicle of Mercedes, there are many things which should be kept while buying it. This car resembles a place in the market. If you want to upgrade this vehicle, then you have to use Mercedes accessories only which comes for its models only. Mercedes accessories and parts are unique which are for Mercedes only. Mercedes Accessories can be bought anywhere, but it is necessary to have original and genuine one. Genuine Mercedes accessories can be found over the internet but not every place.
Mercedes accessories a lot of things such as plate frames, mirrors and mirror covers, custom shift nobs, aluminum pedals, tail light and headlights. There are many interior parts also. Here Mercedes accessories are found genuine and best in quality also at cheapest price than anywhere else. If genuine Mercedes accessories are not installed in your car then it may cause problem for you. There are some common Mercedes accessories, which you can find here are:
- Custom Car Cover for a Mercedes vehicle – Get a Mercedes cover in gray color. The special fabrics used in it keep it cool and also protects from the UV rays and harmful pollution. Due to its double stitched seams it is quite strong. It is very lightweight so it is easy to carry. Both waterproof and non-waterproof covers are found. Price Range – $75 – $85.
- Mercedes Lambo Doors – Lambo doors really changes the look of the car entirely. In this modern age, style matters a lot. With this lambo door it is definitely you are really making your vehicle superb. This comes for C class, SLK and E Class. For C-Class Bolt on Lambo Door (93-09) — $750 – $800. For E-Class Bolt on Lambo Door (96-03) — $750 – $800. And for SLK Bolt on Lambo Door (97-09) — $750 – $800.
- Mercedes License Plate – License Plate surely gives a little different look to your vehicle. License Plates give a final touch to your Mercedes. The shiny look of the License Plate gives an elegant look to your vehicle. Some common types of License plates are: Mercedes Carbon Fiber Plate Frame — $80 – $100. Mercedes Chrome Logo Plate — $70 – $80.
- Mercedes Shift Knob – It a gives a good look in the interior of your Mercedes. It is a small thing but highly effective. This cannot be ignored while upgrading you vehicle. Mercedes W201/W124/W202 AMG Shift Knob — $100 – $120. Mercedes W203/W211 Star Shift Knob — $130 – $140. Mercedes W210 AMG Walnut Shift Knob — $120 – $140.
- Mercedes Pedals – If you are upgrading your vehicle then it is necessary to change the pedals also. Some common pedals are: Mercedes AMG Pedal Set W124 W202 W203 — $140 – $150. Mercedes ML Class AMG Pedal Kit — $240 – $250.
- Mercedes Mirror – Mercedes mirror is an important Mercedes accessory as it gives a fine look on the exterior of the Mercedes Body. Now there are mirrors which come with LED which are connected to the turn signals. Mercedes Black Mirror Cover G Wagon W463 (99-05) — $220 – $240. Mercedes Carbon Mirror Cover C Class W204 (07 +) — $260 – $280.
- Mercedes Trim Exterior – Mercedes Trim Exterior consist of headlight covers, headlight trim and other trim pieces. It comes in various styles but the chrome is best one. Mercedes Door Handle Covers S Class W140 (92-99) – $120 – $140.
- Mercedes Interior Trim Interior – The interior trim pieces are mostly made up of Carbon Fiber. It is necessary for the interior upgrade. Mercedes Sill Plates SL Class 107 (72-89) — $160 – $180. Mercedes Sill Plate SL Class 113 (63-71) — $160 – $180.
This is not the complete list. There are many more things in Mercedes accessories. All you have to do is to find the best one for your Mercedes. And it is sure that you will get one which is best for your model.
To sell my Lamborghini is something I thought I would never have to do. My Lamborghini Gallardo was one of the dearest possessions I had, and the idea of parting with it was, quite simply, very disheartening. But life can be harder than we expect it to be. After my marriage last year, I had to take out a new personal loan and I was sure I could handle it: after all, my wife and I were in well paid careers.
 Nonetheless, neither of us had thought that the current recession would be this daunting. I lost my job, in fact the management decided to pull down the shutters. That was four months ago, and despite a gruelling job search, I had not been able to find a job that suited my qualifications. Anyway, no point moaning about it. I made the decision that I had to sell my Lamborghini.
 To sell my Lamborghini I found it was easier said than done. I had thought deciding to sell my Lamborghini would be the most difficult call, but as it turned out, the process of finding a suitable buyer proved even more difficult. I was just simply clueless about which direction I should go; after all a Lamborghini is a prestige car and needs a specialist buyer. I felt I needed a magic navigator to point me in the right direction. But there were no supernatural powers to guide me, so I had to undertake the research and find out how to sell my Lamborghini by myself. I have now completed the legwork, and have actually managed to sell my Lamborghini for a good price, and I would like to pen the process for others who are contemplating selling their car.
 Considering all available options, it was the online route that appealed to me at first. With the online option there would be more enquiries, easier communication options and therefore better chances of getting the price I wanted to sell my Lamborghini for. Online advertisement option is also cheaper than the print option, and it is easier for buyers, as they can have a look in detail at all the photos of the car that have been uploaded.
 The next step was figuring out a respectable channel for posting the advert. There were various specific motoring website that enable postings. I then had to select which one I wanted to sell my Lamborghini. The websites usually charge listing fees and other charges such as a commission fee, a fee for formatting, etc. The motoring websites also offer handy tips and suggestions which, help to place the advert successfully, and there are online tools to assist with the endeavour. While searching for a motoring website, do check the advert modification clauses and get an idea of the website’s popularity and number of hits a day the website receives. Ensure that the advert includes detailed vehicle description, along with photographs, and if possible a video clip to support the advert.
 However, while I was doing the research on how to sell my Lamborghini, I came across some very interesting websites, that basically did all the legwork for me. They were companies that specialised in buying and selling prestige cars and knew what they were talking about. They gave me a good quote over the phone, pending on the condition of the Lamborghini, when they collected my pride and joy from my home address. It was just a matter of deciding which company to go for.
 Although selling a car through online advertising is a good option, I’m glad I decided to sell my Lamborghini with a prestige car buyer and seller, as they made the experience as painless and hassle free as possible.
David Barber wrote the Article ‘When I Had to Sell my Lamborghini Here’s What I Did’ and recommends you visit http://www.iainmutch.co.uk if you need sell your Lamborghini.
Porsche – a reputation built on quality without compromise
As an experienced driver, you know the importance of keeping your Porsche in tip-top condition. Regular servicing will extend your car’s life and identify defects before they become catastrophic.
Porsche has built its reputation on pioneering designs, performance and lightweight engineering excellence. Booking a Porsche service that is conducted with care and precision is vitally important in retaining the performance of the sports car you are driving.
Porsche facts you may not know
The history of the Porsche name in car design begins with Ferdinand Porsche senior, who was the chief designer at the Austrian manufacturer Austro-Daimler. His flair for designing racing cars and compact cars was demonstrated by success on the circuit. However, in 1929, after the Daimler-Benz merger, his work was frozen as the company decided to focus on larger and more luxurious Mercedes-Benz cars.
Porsche left Daimler-Benz and started up his own design company in 1931, together with his son, Ferdinand junior (or Ferry) Porsche.
Ferry had become associated with car mechanics at an early age and had learnt to drive at the age of 10. Both ran the business that employed a number of experienced designers.
It was not long before they secured some corporate design contracts, such as with Auto Union (the original Audi Company) and Porsche became the design engine behind their racing cars.
In 1934, design work on a compact car was backed by the National Socialist party, who wanted to see an affordable car for working Germans. Originally named the Porsche 60, it became officially known as the Volkswagen (people’s car).
In 1938 Ferdinand Porsche senior left the Auto Union racing team and moved to the new Volkswagen plant to manage production of the Volkswagen that began in 1939. However, the Volkswagen factory had produced few cars when war was declared and this led to production being switched from civilian to military vehicles.
At the end of the Second World War, the Porsche family were asked by the French government to design and build a French version of the Volkswagen, but this met with political resistance and both Porsche’s ended up being arrested for war crimes and, without trial, a hefty 500,000 each was demanded for their release.
Sufficient money was paid for the son, Ferry Porsche, to be released. However, Porsche senior was held for over a year and a half and forced to assist Renault before his son raised the money to have him freed.
Ferry Porsche re-established the design business in Austria and won a contract to design Grand Prix racing cars for Piero Dusio. The Porsche 360 Cisitalia was born.
Porsche successfully designed their own vehicle, the Porsche 356, which was based on the original Volkswagen and received their first order in 1947.
In 1949, Volkswagen had just embarked on its own future (after failed post-war sale attempts), and a former senior manager at Opel, Heinrich Nordhoff, had been brought in to run the factory. He approached Ferry Porsche to help with design at Volkswagen, to improve the ‘Beetle’. In return, Porsche would receive support in the manufacture and distribution of their vehicles plus a share of profits.
So in 1949, Porsche was re-established back in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany. Production of the Porsche 356 was resumed and development of a new engine began – that became known as the Carrera.
These developments enabled the Porsche name to become established as an independent manufacturer of motor cars.
In 1961 work began on the replacement model for the Porsche 356, a new six cylinder engine with the body designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Ferry Porsche’s son.
Originally called the 901, a legal challenge by Peugeot on the format of the name led to the 901 being renamed the Porsche 911.
In 1963, at the Frankfurt International Automobile Show, Porsche revealed the 911 and production started the following year. The Porsche 911 remained true to its predecessor, with an air-cooled flat engine in the rear.
In 1972 Ferry Porsche decided to turn Porsche from a partnership into a public company, Porsche GmbH and stayed on the board until his death in 1998.
Since then, Porsche has continued to refine and upgrade the 911 and introduce turbo engines, the 914, 917, 924, 928, 959 and the Boxter with continued success on the racing circuit and amongst sports car enthusiasts.
With their history of engineering excellence and innovative design, together with their passion for performance, Porsche has successfully earned its reputation as probably the most successful sports car manufacturer.
So, when you book your next Porsche service, you can be confident that Service A Car understands the heritage of Porsche and conducts Porsche servicing with the passion and precision the car deserves to retain its outstanding performance.
Service A Car is the fastest growing independent car servicing specialist in the UK with a network of over 500 garages nationwide.
Aston Martin is the sleek sports car popular for starring in the action block buster James Bond franchise. The sexy silvery gray Aston Martin DBS for instance, was the James Bond car in the 2006 movie, Casino Royale. Although Aston Martin wowed all of us being James Bondâs car, it didnât hit the blockbuster in the car market like the movie did. In August 2006, Bill Ford, who handed the reins over to Mulally last year, put Aston Martin up for sale, saying the money-losing brand may be “an attractive opportunity to raise capital and generate value.”
Ford Motor Company succeeded in selling the Aston Martin Division last March, when the deal was made to a consortium of big time investors lead by racing executive Dave Richards. The group also included John Sinders, a famous Aston Martin collector and two other Kuwaiti firms of Investment Dar and Adeem Investment Co.
“The deal gets Ford liquidity it desperately needs to help restore its higher-volume product lines, and it leaves Aston Martin in good hands, as well.” Dave Healy, an analyst at Burnham Securities was quoted as saying before the Dearborn automaker put its luxury brand up for sale.
In a statement before the sale, Ford CEO and President Allan Mullaly said, “The sale of Aston Martin supports the key objectives of the company, to restructure to operate profitably at lower volumes and changed model mix and to speed the development of new products,”
Ford announced in March that it would receive $848 million and retain a $77 million stake in Aston Martin.
The transaction of the maker of the Aston Martin catalytic converter was completed in the second quarter of this year. Becky Sanch, Ford spokeswoman confirmed that they have not completely given away the sports car division because the automaker retained a stake by receiving preferred stock from Primrose Cove Ltd., the holding company of the group that acquired Aston Martin.
On Tuesday Ford received $931 million in cash and preferred stock for its sale of a controlling stake in the popular luxury brand.
Fordâs Jaguar and Rover divisions, also part of the Ford Premier Auto Group are also being prepared for disposal as Ford continues on its plan to bounce back from its recent financial troubles.
Evander Klum is a Business Administration graduate who hails from Alabama. He enjoys extreme sports and he is also a car racing fanatic. At present, he works as a marketing manager at an advertising agency in Cleveland.
This Car Ferrari was founded by Scuderia Ferrari.the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street legal vehicles in 1947 as Ferrari S.p.A.. Ferrari’s cars are among the most desirable of vehicles to own and drive, and are one of the ultimate status symbols of wealth in the world. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing, especially in Formula One, where it has largely enjoyed great success, especially during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, late 1990s, and 2000s.1929–1946
Enzo Ferrari never intended to produce road cars when he formed Scuderia Ferrari in 1929 as a sponsor for amateur drivers headquartered in Modena. Ferrari prepared and successfully raced various drivers in Alfa Romeo cars until 1938, when he was officially hired by Alfa as head of their racing department.
In 1940, Alfa Romeo was absorbed by the Fascist government of Benito Mussolini as part of the Axis Powers’ war effort. Enzo Ferrari’s division was small enough to be unaffected by this. Because he was prohibited by contract from racing for four years, the Scuderia briefly became Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari, which ostensibly produced machine tools and aircraft accessories. Also known as SEFAC (Scuderia Enzo Ferrari Auto Corse), Ferrari did in fact produce one race car, the Tipo 815, in the non-competition period; it was thus the first actual Ferrari car (it debuted at the 1940 Mille Miglia), but due to World War II it saw little competition. In 1943 the Ferrari factory moved to Maranello, where it has remained ever since. The factory was bombed by the Allies in 1944 and rebuilt in 1946, with the war ended and the Mussolini government overthrown, to include a works for road car production. Right up to Il Commendatore’s death, this would remain little more than a source of funding for his first love, racing.
“Scuderia Ferrari” literally means “Ferrari Stable”; the name is figuratively translated as “Team Ferrari”. (It is correctly pronounced “skoo deh REE ah”.)
shelved plans for an IPO because Fiat Auto has now returned to profitability, thus removing pressure from the group.Enzo Ferrari’s true passion, despite his extensive road car business, was always auto racing. His Scuderia started as an independent sponsor for drivers in various cars, but soon became the Alfa Romeo in-house racing team. After Ferrari’s departure from Alfa, he began to design and produce cars of his own; the Ferrari team first appeared on the European Grand Prix scene after the end of World War II.
In 1949, Luigi Chinetti drove a Model 166M to Ferrari’s first win in motorsports, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Chinetti drove for all except twenty minutes of the Grand Prix race. He soon became the American dealer for Ferraris and established the North American Racing Team, Ferrari’s official racing arm. The dealership is reported to have kept the company in business through sales to wealthy Americans, such as Briggs Cunningham, who bought the first one Chinetti sold through the new dealership.
The Scuderia joined the Formula One World Championship in the first year of its existence, 1950. José Froilán González gave the team its first victory at the 1951 British Grand Prix.
Alberto Ascari gave Ferrari its first Drivers Championship a year later. Ferrari is the oldest team left in the championship, not to mention the most successful: the team holds nearly every Formula One record. As of 2005, the team’s records include fourteen World Drivers Championship titles (1952, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1975, 1977, 1979, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004), fourteen World Constructors Championship titles (1961, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004), 179 Grand Prix victories, 3,445 and a half points, 544 podium finishes, 174 pole positions, 11,182 laps led, and 180 fastest laps in 1,622 Grands Prix contested.
Notable Ferrari drivers include Tazio Nuvolari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Luigi Chinetti, Alberto Ascari, Wolfgang von Trips, Phil Hill, Olivier Gendebien, Mike Hawthorn, Peter Collins, John Surtees, Jacky Ickx, Mario Andretti, Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann, Jody Scheckter, Gilles Villeneuve, Didier Pironi, Michele Alboreto, Gerhard Berger, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Jean Alesi,Eddie Irvine, Rubens Barrichello, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkonen, and Felipe Massa.
The Scuderia Ferrari drivers for the 2006 F1 season were Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa. At the end of the 2006 season the team courted controversy by continuing to allow Marlboro to sponsor them after they, along with the other F1 teams, made a promise to end sponsorship deals with tobacco manufacturers. A five year deal worth a reported $500 million was agreed.[citation needed]
The drivers for 2007 are Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen.
Ferrari road car timeline, 1947-1967 v • d • e Next ->
The first Ferrari road car was the 1947 125 S, powered by a 1.5 L V12 engine; Enzo reluctantly built and sold his automobiles to fund the Scuderia. While his beautiful and fast cars quickly gained a reputation for excellence, Enzo maintained a famous distaste for his customers, most of whom he felt were buying his cars for the prestige and not the performance. Ferrari road cars, noted for magnificent styling by design houses like Pininfarina, have long been one of the ultimate accessories for the rich. Other design houses that have done work for Ferrari over the years include Scaglietti, Bertone, Touring, Ghia, and Vignale.
In 2005, four universities were granted the opportunity to design the next vehicle line-up for Ferrari in a student competition named ‘Ferrari Concepts of the Myth’. Twenty winners were allowed to show off their concepts in a ¼ scale model and present their work to the board at Ferrari to allow for three out right winners to have the chance to work in the Ferrari design studio at Maranello.
As of 2007, the Fiat Group owns 85% of Ferrari, Mubadala 5%, and Enzo’s son Piero 10%. Fiat has shelved plans for an IPO because Fiat Auto has now returned to profitability, thus removing pressure from the group.