How to Spot a Fake Ferrari

Italian police broke up a Ferrari counterfeiting business earlier this year, confiscating 22 cars, 14 of which had already been sold to luxury sportscar collectors. The fake Ferraris seized in Italy were used Pontiac Fieros which had been altered to pass for Ferrari Testarossas. The counterfeit industry has grown 1,000 percent in Europe between 1998 and 2004 according to EU Customs and spans beyond designer handbags, shoes, watches, and clothes. Before purchasing a luxury car, do you homework so you can distinguish a real Ferrari from a fake.

1) Who is selling the Ferrari? Do a little homework on who the seller is. Are they an authorized Ferrari dealer? If it is pre-owned, where did it come from? Check out the owner documents, service records, and paperwork. Most fake Ferraris are sold as pre-owned classic models from the 1960s-1980s.

2) Do not be fooled by the exterior. Most Ferrari fakes look the same from a distance- the same tail lights, the same fenders, also the exhaust is the same.

3) The interior of fake Ferraris lack the same quality of real Ferraris. Never buy a car without personally inspecting the car or having a knowledgeable expert inspect it for you. Look under the hood, fake Ferraris will have a different engine, frame, suspension, chassis, roof, hood, trunk, doors, and brakes. If you are not familiar with the famous Ferrari engine, stop by your local Ferrari dealership and become familiar with its features or go to Ferraris official website at www.FerrariUSA.com to locate your nearest authorized dealer.

4) Lastly, if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. No one in their right mind is going to be selling a $300,000 car for $30,000. Everyone loves finding that hidden bargain and feeling like you have just hit the jackpot of all car deals, but do not let your emotions get the best of you. There are a lot of great deals on real luxury cars out there, you just need to shop around and be smart.

While the popularity of replica classic cars resides outside of the United States, it is sure to make its debut here soon with our social acceptance of owning counterfeit goods. This once taboo industry has become a booming global business. Pur Sang, an Argentine company, specializes in building Bugatti Type 37, 35, 43 and 51 replicas that can hardly be distinguished from the real thing. They are sold as replicas but some buyers obviously have no problem adding the Bugatti badge and declaring it to be an original.

By K. Verity.

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Racing Series For Ferrari Owners

If you bought a Ferrari, you likely made that purchase for investment reasons, you tell yourself. And that is likely true, but what is also true is that you bought it because you love to drive a sports car fast, it cannot be denied. If this describes your relationship to your Ferrari, and if you have had some race training and experience, then you might be ready to participate in the North American Ferrari Challenge Series for non-professional racers who are Ferrari owners competing in Ferrari racing against each other.

Ferrari selects a different model vehicle to feature each year of the Ferrari series. For this year, F430 Challenge with a booming 479 hp is the car of choice. The rules stipulate that the drivers compete for fun and in a sense of "fair play." It is not a jumping-off point for the aspiring race car driver; instead, it is an end unto itself. The Ferrari Challenge Series is sanctioned by the Grand American Road Racing Association.

The series will also be host to the Ferrari Shell Historic Challenge. Vintage Ferrari racing is the hook that draws avid fans to the track to see these lovely vehicles. These races are open to unmodified Ferraris as well as race Maseratis built before the 1980s. They are also open to vintage Alfa Romeos that team Scuderia Ferrari raced during the pre-World War II years.

Several of the races in the series will also showcase Formula One vehicles under private ownership and the FXX, a special 800 horsepower prototype. On the same weekends of the Challenge series, Ferrari owners can participate in Ferrari Driving Clinics. Expert instruction is available to help you get the most out of your sports car, and you will spend time in workshops along with time behind the wheel of your Ferrari, with instructors providing tips to help improve your skills and get the most out of your vehicle.

These Challenge races for Ferrari owners are held all over North America. Florida, Virginia, California, and Montreal will provide race tracks that will host the events. They included the Homestead-Miami Speedway, the Infineon Raceway, the Virginia International Raceway, and Le Circuit earlier this season. Upcoming races will be held at the California Speedway and Laguna Seca in August. The Challenge series culminates in a World Finals, to be held in Italy in October. The best owners from Italy, Europe and North America bring their Ferraris together to compete for the glory of becoming the overall champion of all the series.

By Jonathan Blocker.