One of the Lost launch Land Rovers from 1948 has been found and is being restored by Land Rover.

• Land Rover will celebrate its 70th anniversary year throughout 2018, starting with a unique restoration project: the original launch Land Rover
• The first Land Rovers were shown at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show; this original launch vehicle has been missing for the last 63 years
• Recently discovered, it’s the world’s most historically significant unrestored Land Rover
• Experts at Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Coventry will preserve the history and sympathetically restore the famous vehicle in 2018

Land Rover will mark its 70th anniversary with a series of events and celebrations in 2018, beginning with the restoration of the vehicle that started it all – one of the three pre-production Land Rovers shown at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show launch. This gave the world its first glimpse of the shape that would become instantly recognisable as a Land Rover.

For years the whereabouts of this launch Land Rover was a mystery. The demonstration vehicle from the Amsterdam show was last on the road in the 1960s, after which it spent 20 years in a Welsh field before being bought as a restoration project; it then lay languishing unfinished in a garden. 

Following its surprise discovery just a few miles outside of Solihull, UK – where the car was first built – the experts at Jaguar Land Rover Classic spent months researching in company archives to unravel its ownership history and confirm its provenance.

The team behind the successful Land Rover Series I Reborn programme, which allows customers to own a slice of Land Rover history with meticulously restored Series Is, will now embark on their most challenging project yet: a year-long mission to preserve this historically significant prototype and enable it to be driven again.

Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director, said:“This Land Rover is an irreplaceable piece of world automotive history and is as historically important as ‘Huey’, the first pre-production Land Rover. Beginning its sympathetic restoration here at Classic Works, where we can ensure it’s put back together precisely as it’s meant to be, is a fitting way to start Land Rover’s 70th anniversary year.

“There is something charming about the fact that exactly 70 years ago this vehicle would have been undergoing its final adjustments before being prepared for the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show launch – where the world first saw the shape that’s now immediately recognised as a Land Rover.”

The Jaguar Land Rover Classic team will follow a dedicated process to restore the launch vehicle, which has a lot of special features that are unique to the 48 pre-production Land Rovers that were produced prior to the mass production vehicles, such as thicker aluminium alloy body panels, a galvanised chassis and a removable rear tub. The patina of its components will be preserved, including the original Light Green paint applied in 1948.

Previous owners of this historic vehicle are being invited to Jaguar Land Rover’s Classic Works facility to share their experiences and to witness its loving restoration.

This landmark project, representing the earliest beginnings of the Land Rover story – which led to more than 67 years of continuous production of iconic Series I to Defender vehicles at Solihull – is the first in a series of stories and events that will celebrate the past, present and future of Land Rover throughout 2018. Follow the story on Instagram @LandRoverUKPR.

PARIS - Ferrari celebrates the 70th Birthday with a world tour and 70 cars with differing liveries, some on show at Paris.

Ferrari is availing of the Paris Motor Show to announce a series of special initiatives to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the marque’s foundation in 2017.

The celebratory anniversary logo will be unveiled at the event. Its forms are inspired by styling cues of the Prancing Horse cars and the marque’s passion for detail. This is a symbol that encapsulates 70 years of history and points the Ferrari brand to the future. The logo will be used exclusively on a small number of iconic cars.

It will appear for the first time on the LaFerrari Aperta,   the Prancing  Horse’s  latest limited-edition special  series and  a unique  model in terms   of  both  its   technology  and   styling, making  it  perfect  to  celebrate this important anniversary. 

Another important initiative is the announcement of 70 different individual liveries created by the Tailor Made atelier and inspired by iconic models from Ferrari history. These 70 different configurations will be used to create a maximum of 350 unique cars: each can be used, in fact, once on one example of five models in the current range.

A number of these new liveries will be shown on the Paris stand: 

• F12berlinetta: “The Stirling”, inspired by the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, winner of the 1961 Tourist Trophy with Stirling Moss: it sports a characteristic Blu Scuro racing livery complete with horizontal white stripe and number roundel.
• 488 GTB: “The Schumacher”, an homage to the F2003-GA single-seater, winner of the F1 Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships in 2003, in which the legendary German driver took no fewer than six grand prix victories.
• California T: “The Steve McQueen”, inspired by the 1963 250 GT Berlinetta lusso, one of the most elegant Ferraris ever built, which was a gift to the American actor from his first wife, Neile Adams. It features brown body paintwork and a cabin in camel leather with elegant stitching.  
• 488 Spider: “The Green Jewel”, sports the signature green livery of the 365 P2 fielded by the British David Piper Racing team. Piper was a regular and very well-known Ferrari privateer and drove the car to victory in the Nine Hours of Kyalami in both 1965 and 1966 and, in 1966, in the prestigious Trophée d’Auvergne at Clermont-Ferrand.
• A second example of a 488 Spider is displayed in the Tailor Made area. Inspired by the 1953 375 MM bodied by Pinin Farina, it features an elegant three-layer Bianco Italia exterior colour.

2017 will also bring the start of a world tour spanning more than 60 different countries to underscore the Prancing Horse’s global reach. A year-long series of events in Italy and worldwide will see classic Ferraris and modern cars side by side and the celebrations will conclude with an exclusive event in Maranello.

PARIS - 70 years and still the pinnacle of design and speed, now Ferrari launches the LaFerrari Aperta Limited Edition.

• The World Premiere at the Paris Motor Show

Technological excellence, performance, style, exclusivity. These are Ferrari’s unique core values which are perfectly represented by the car launched to mark the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the company. 

Designed for Ferrari’s most passionate clients, the LaFerrari Aperta is the new limited-edition special series, an open-top version of the acclaimed LaFerrari supercar. 

Available with both a carbon-fibre hard top (optional) and soft top, the LaFerrari Aperta boasts the same specification and characteristics as the LaFerrari, combining extraordinary performance with the unique exhilaration of open-top driving. 

It is equipped with the same hybrid power unit as the coupé: an 800 cv 6,262cc V12 engine (specific power output of 128 cv/l, compression ratio 13.5:1) coupled with a 120 kW electric motor for a total power output of a 963 cv. The powertrain control software has been optimised to increase its overall efficiency thanks to the experience Maranello’s engineers gained with LaFerrari. The dynamic control systems integrated with the active aerodynamics remain unchanged. 

The biggest challenge involved in designing the LaFerrari Aperta was to produce a convertible that could be pushed to the same extreme limits as the coupé. The Styling Centre’s input was concentrated on retaining as much of the original LaFerrari aesthetic as possible. The flowing line that neatly divides the cockpit from the car body is unchanged with only those elements above the waistline modified. The resulting impact is of a carbon-fibre ‘flying bridge’ hunkered into the main volume. 

Engineering development focused on the chassis and aerodynamics and produced absolutely astounding results. The LaFerrari Aperta delivers the same top speed of over 350 km/h, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in in under 3 seconds and 0 to 200 km/h in 7.1 seconds. It also delivers the same torsional rigidity and beam stiffness characteristics, as well as dynamic performance levels. Modifications to the aerodynamic set-up ensure that, with the roof open and the side windows up, the drag figure is unaffected compared to that of the coupé.

Special attention was focused on the unique experience of open-top driving. The coupé’s blistering performance feels heightened to superb effect in the LaFerrari Aperta. The absence of the roof delivers a genuinely exhilarating experience with the hybrid power unit providing a heady soundtrack. A sophisticated wind-stop system, designed to improve aerodynamic and acoustic comfort, means occupants can easily carry on a conversation even at high speeds.

POWERTRAIN

The LaFerrari Aperta’s powertrain, which is the same as the LaFerrari’s, uses hybrid technology. It couples an 800 cv 6262cc V12 with a 120 kW (163 cv) electric motor for a total output of 963 cv. Thanks to the HY-KERS system, it is the most high-performance and efficient Ferrari ever built.

Making full use of Ferrari’s F1 expertise with KERS systems further evolved for use on road cars, the V12 is perfectly integrated with the electric motor, seamlessly blending the advantages of both. The high levels of torque available at low revs from the electric motor allowed the engineers to optimise the internal combustion engine’s performance at higher revs, thus providing exceptional, continuous power throughout the rev range and a maximum torque peak of 900 Nm.

Coupled with the F1 DCT, the electric motor was designed employing High Specific Power Density technology which enabled the engineers to drastically reduce weight and volume in relation to available torque. The result is performance figures comparable to those of the F1 car, with the same torque density and the same efficiency (94%) or, in other words, very limited power dissipation.

The batteries consist of 120 cells assembled into eight modules, with a power output that’s the equivalent of 40 traditional batteries but weighing just 60 kg. The batteries are charged in two different ways: under braking - even hard braking when the ABS intervenes, such as when driving on a track - and every time the V12 produces more torque than required, such as in cornering. The Hybrid Power Unit is essentially the HY-KERS system brain and controls power delivery from both the V12 and the electric motor via two inverters and two DC-DC converters. Variable-frequency control makes torque delivery rapid and precise.

An auxiliary engine also replaces the traditional alternator, shaving off further weight and reducing overall package dimensions. 

V12 ENGINE

The 6,262 cc V12 is the most powerful naturally-aspirated engine ever sported by a road-going Ferrari. It punches out 800 cv and spins to 9,250 rpm, to deliver absolutely extraordinary performance, driving thrills and an unmistakable Ferrari sound. These unprecedented results are the product of meticulous honing of the engine’s volumetric, mechanical and combustion efficiency.

To boost volumetric efficiency, the V12 employs continuously variable-length intakes - a mainstay in F1 engine technology until banned by rule changes – which optimise performance as a function of engine speed. Similarly, the torque and power curves are optimised across the rev range. The hybrid powertrain generates  total torque in excess of 900 Nm: the instantaneous torque from the electric motor is employed at lower revs and V12 engine power and torque is optimised at higher revs. The V12’s peak torque of 700 Nm is, in fact, developed at 6,750 rpm. 

Additionally, the entire intake system – from the dynamic air intakes on the top of the rear wheelarches to the intake plenum - was designed to maximise internal fluid-dynamics. The engine also boasts a very high 13.5:1 compression ratio for maximum combustion chamber efficiency.

The engine’s soundtrack plays a huge role in its emotional impact: meticulous tuning has resulted in a full, harmonious sound that’s more intoxicating than ever.  The equal-length 6-into-1 exhaust system was hydroformed using Inconel as in F1 to help keep overall weight down with the additional benefit of very high temperature and stress resistance characteristics.

CHASSIS

To retain the same running gear and performance as the LaFerrari coupé in this new open-top model, Ferrari’s engineers worked on two main areas: the chassis and aerodynamics.

With the chassis, the focus was entirely on the lower section which had to be reinforced because it is subject to different stresses caused by force lines which, in the coupé, converge in the upper part.

The elimination of the roof also demanded a review of the door rotation system. The Aperta has the same butterfly doors as the LaFerrari coupé although, when fully open, they are now at slightly different angle as a result of safety-focused re-engineering demanded by its open-top configuration. This in turn led to modifications to the geometry of both the wheelarches and flanks. Specifically, a carbon-fibre insert, which incorporates an aerodynamic vent, was added to  allow the doors to rotate. However, the insert itself has also become one of the Aperta’s signature styling elements, a flourish that, although absolutely distinctive, does not interfere in any way with the original LaFerrari lines. 

A string of targeted modifications which, despite a small increase in weight, allow the LaFerrari Aperta to deliver the same torsional rigidity figure as the LaFerrari, thus putting the Aperta at the top of supercar category in terms of dynamic performance. 

AERODYNAMICS

The greatest aerodynamic challenge for the Maranello technicians was to retain the coupé’s extreme performance capabilities. Their goal with the LaFerrari Aperta’s design was to achieve the same drag figure as the LaFerrari, even when driving without the hard top in place.

To effectively manage the hot air flow from the radiators through the bonnet, the angle of inclination of the radiators was modified. In the coupé, the radiators are angled to ensure that the air flow hugs the bonnet: in the LaFerrari Aperta, the radiating masses are angled backwards to direct the air flows out along the underbody. This solution results in complete separation of the hot air from the flow reaching the cockpit, keeping temperature levels for occupants comfortable.  

The new layout of the radiating masses made it necessary to create a duct that could channel air from the upper section of the front grille over the bonnet. This solution generates downforce depending on the variations in the flow momentum striking the car.

Furthermore, deflecting the hot air to the underbody also meant that the vortex generators needed to be redesigned. The front dam is now longer while the underbody surface around the longitudinal vortex generators has been lowered to boost the ground effect and thus the car’s ability to generate efficient downforce. 

The aerodynamic package is completed by two small L-shaped flaps on the upper corners of the windscreen which, in the absence of a hard top, generate a coherent vortex that interacts with the flow being deflected towards the rear header rail, diverting it upwards to reduce the compression on the rear section of the cabin, thereby reducing drag. This system ensures that the open-top car’s drag is similar to the coupé version.

In terms of open-top aerodynamic comfort, an innovative integrated system was developed. The high-speed air flow that would otherwise enter the cabin from the top of the windscreen is captured by an angled wind-stop fixed to the parcel shelf. The wind-stop is angled to channel the flow through spaces in the car’s interior structure before exiting at a slower speed behind the passenger seats.  This delivers a level of interior comfort in line with other convertibles in the Ferrari range without increasing drag. 

DESIGN

LaFerrari Aperta retains intact the avant-garde styling of the coupé, a model that represents the peak of the synergies between the engineering and development departments and Ferrari’s Styling Centre. The body’s shape is very sculptural and aerodynamically functional, with an innovative formal language. Its fluid forms lend a sense of huge power, while the F1-inspired nose and the muscular power of the tail section reveal the car’s extreme, sporty character.

Seen from the side the LaFerrari Aperta has a sharp, downward-sloping nose and a very low bonnet which emphasises its muscular wheelarches. The result is strongly reminiscent of the gloriously exuberant forms of late-1960s Ferrari sports prototypes, such as the 330 P4 , a model that was also built in open and closed coupé versions. The ratio of the front and wheelarch dimensions are also very much in line with Ferrari tradition.

The styling is underscored by a discrete model-specific livery with just a few graphic accents in a contrasting colour defining the main styling contours. Equally, the cabin features detailing that coordinates with the livery, as well as new seat upholstery in which leather is combined with Starlite Alcantara. 

LaFerrari Aperta

Technical specifications

HY-KERS system
Total maximum power	963 cv
Total maximum torque	>900 Nm
V12 maximum power*	800 cv @ 9000 rpm
Maximum revs	9250 rpm
V12 maximum torque	700 Nm @ 6750 rpm
Electric motor output	120 kW (163 cv)
CO2 emissions	340 g/km
Performance
Maximum speed	over 350 km/h
0-100 km/h	<3 sec
0-200 km/h	<7 sec
0-300 km/h	15 sec

ICE
Type	65-deg. V12
Bore and stroke	94 x 75.2 mm
Total displacement	6262 cc
Compression ratio	13.5:1
Specific power	128 cv/l
Dimensions
Length	4702 mm
Width	1992 mm
Height	1116 mm
Wheelbase	2650 mm
Weight distribution	41% fr, 59% r

Gearbox
7-speed DCT
Suspension
Front	double wishbones
Rear	multi-link
Tyres (Pirelli P-Zero)
Front	265/30 - 19
Rear	345/30 - 20

Carbon ceramic brakes (Brembo)
Front	398 x 223 x 36 mm
Rear	380 x 253 x 34 mm
Electronic controls
ESC	stability control
High perf ABS/EBD	Performance anti-lock system/electronic brake balance
EF1-Trac	F1 electronic traction control integrated with the hybrid system
E-Diff 3	third generation electronic differential
SCM-E Frs	magnetorheological damping with twin solenoids (Al-Ni tube)
Aerodynamics	active

* with dynamic ram effect