Ferrari smashes Indy road car record, a Risky Porsche for sale, Aston Martin’s 2022 lineup
Welcome to The Manifold, our fresh daily digest of news and what’s happening in the car world.
Watch the Ferrari SF90 Stradale set a new lap record at Indianapolis
Intake: A Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano is now the fastest road car ever to lap the Indianapolis road course. With a time of 1:29.625 over the 2.439-mile circuit, the 986-hp hybrid hypercar lapped quicker than any other streetable machine. Reaching a peak speed of 174.6 mph and aided by 860 pounds of downforce, this prancing horse was definitely at full gallop. In Assetto Fiorano specification the SF90 Stradale gains Multimatic shock absorbers, titanium springs, a titanium exhaust, and carbon-fiber door panels and underbody trays to save around 66 pounds in weight. It also wears Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires which, judging from the onboard video, are seriously sticky.
Exhaust: The most powerful production Ferrari ever made now adds America’s most famous track to its list of lap records. The SF90 Stradale was already the fastest car to lap the Top Gear test track and, unsurprisingly, Ferrari’s own Fiorano. Nürburgring next?
Tom Cruise’s Risky Business Porsche is for sale
Intake: Just yesterday we saw how Tom Cruise hoons the latest Porsche 911 GT3, but it was back in 1983 that he first took to the wheel on the silver screen—and he wasn’t quite so handy. In Paul Brickman’s Risky Business, Cruise’s Joel Goodsen takes his dad’s Porsche 928 for a joy ride, only to leave it parked on a pier at Lake Michigan. The pier collapses, sending the 928 into the murky waters and leaving Joel in potentially serious trouble with his old man. His fundraising effort to repair the Porsche is the Risky Business to which the film’s title refers and, well, if you haven’t seen it, let’s simply say it’s best not discussed on a family-friendly website. Coming up for sale at Barrett-Jackon’s Houston auction is, thankfully, not the car that got submerged, but one of the action vehicles driven by Cruise and co-star Rebecca de Mornay. Cruise apparently first learned to drive a manual in this 1979 five-speed 928, which has since been displayed at the Petersen Automotive Museum and Porsche Cars North America. Signed by several cast members, it was even the subject of its own documentary, The Quest for the RB928. The car has always been stored in climate controlled garage and is said to have been meticulously maintained.
Exhaust: “There’s a time for playing it safe and a time for risky business,” says the film’s strapline. With this car’s incredible provenance, though, snapping it up does look like a pretty safe bet. As Cruise himself notes, “Porsche. There is no substitute.”
Tesla to share Supercharger network with other EVs in 2021, Musk tweets
Intake: According to a tweet from Elon Musk, Tesla plans to grant other EV owners access to its DC Superchargers. The network is comprised of over 25,000 chargers globally and, thanks to a maximum charging rate of 250 kW, a Supercharger can zap your EV with 200 miles of range in 25 minute. That’s assuming compatibility, of course—which is one of the biggest questions begged by Musk’s tweet.
Exhaust: Details remain exceedingly scarce: Which OEMs will be allowed access? When, exactly? Will increased competition for Superchargers tarnish the experience of current Tesla owners? How will Tesla and other manufacturers ensure non-Teslas have the right charging adaptors? (The lack of PR department at Tesla isn’t helping.) As of now, Teslas can use adaptor cables to charge at non-Tesla stations, but the reverse isn’t true. As with most of Musk’s declarations, we’ll simply have to wait and see.
A new high-end configurator headlines Aston Martin’s 2022 MY changes
Intake: Aston Martin has announced the changes that lie in store for its 2022 model-year product lineup. All DB11s equipped with the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 gain 25 additional horsepower, bringing that figure up to 535 ponies and increasing the top speed to a blistering 192 mph. The flagship DBS Superleggera is dropping the latter part of that name, now going by just DBS. Vantage and DBS models will offer new 21-inch wheels, and the DBX SUV can now be had with new Sport Plus seats and wireless charging. All these changes are ready to explore with Aston’s new online configurator, which has ultra high-def 3D rendering tech.
Exhaust: After what feels like a lifetime of shaky footing, Aston Martin sort of kinda maybe feels headed in the right direction. Aston noted that its involvement with Formula 1 has bolstered interest around its road cars, noting that every time a Vantage safety car appears on screen, organic search around their brand (and that car specifically) spikes. These are small changes for 2022, but the configurator in particular should help with brand awareness and, ultimately, sales.
First $2.5M, 1900-hp Pininfarina Battista flaunts red, white, and blue getup
Intake: The first Pininfarina’s all-electric “hyper GT” has made its appearance before the public eye. This Battista is one of 150 units planned, a total which excludes various and sundry special editions that the design house may add. Each one posts power figures to match its eye-popping $2.5 million price tag: 1900 hp and 1696 lb-ft of torque courtesy of four wheel-mounted motors fed by a 120-kWh battery pack with a projected WLTP range of 310 miles. This particular Battista wears a red, white, and blue color palette inspired by New York City: The exposed carbon-fiber bodywork is shot with a blue thread and complemented by a red “Exterior Jewelry Pack” and lots of black carbon accents. The interior features black leather seats with blue Alcantara inserts, white seat belts, and brushed aluminum trim finished in red.
Exhaust: With a new purpose-built Atelier space in its Cambiano facility, Pininfarina hopes to refashion its reputation for bespoke creations in an electric age. All we can say is: For this much scratch, you’d better be getting exactly what you want.
