The Potamkin Auto Gallery

April 29 (Bloomberg) -- The security gate snaps out of the way and I fulfill a dream: I pull a blood-red Ferrari out of the entrance of the Ferrari factory. Better, it's the new 458 Italia, the successor to the immensely popular F430 sports car.

Almost nobody has driven the mid-engine monster, and fewer still have motored out of the same entrance where founder Enzo Ferrari himself, wearing an ill-fitting suit, arrived every morning, to be met by a dog named Dick.

Still, the village of Maranello, west of Bologna, is less romantic than I'd imagined. It is dominated by the car factory and tourism amounts to entrepreneurs selling rides in rag-tag Ferraris and pizza restaurants festooned with the Ferrari logo.

No worries, the romance is soon in full bloom as I fly into the nearby hills, the delirious sound of the 562-horespower V-8 ringing the car like a halo, causing curious locals to break cover from road-side houses.

An ancient woman gives me a sharp look -- uh oh -- then breaks into a smile so wide it seems to crack her face in two.

Ferrari mostly offers two types of car: front-engined, V-12 grand-tourers aimed at cross-country treks; and mid-engined V-8s destined for back roads and racetracks. The 458 coupe is the latter and will likely cost at least $220,000.

It signals a massive leap forward from the best-selling F430, thanks to technology from Formula 1 racing. The cab- forward shape, with long sloping flanks and triple exhaust pipes, was fashioned by aerodynamics rather than style. Special venting directs air through and around the car.

Tech Marvels

The list of tech marvels is as long as a congressional bill and I would go on, but I see a straightaway.

I flat-foot the gas pedal and this morning's engineering rundown is ripped rudely from my mind. The Italian landscape breaks into jagged little pieces of color and I hastily depress the carbon-ceramic brakes to find myself manically giggling. The power and speed are absurd.

The 458 transports you to 60 mph in some 3.2 hair-burning seconds (mamma mia!), comparable to Ferrari's limited-edition, $600,000-plus supercar, the Enzo, launched eight years ago. It goes around Ferrari's test track in the same time as the Enzo, too.

How can this be? For one, maximum engine power is achieved at a boggling 9,000 revolutions per minute. Most cars redline at less than 7,000 rpm, so that's the equivalent of the Dow suddenly shooting to 18,000 -- it's just not supposed to happen.

The direct-injected, dry-sump-lubricated V-8 is under glass and positioned behind the seats. The obscene howling noises that it makes at 9,000 rpm would shame a dying opera diva.

Massa Mode

The driver can dial in the level of Jekyll versus Hyde with a five-mode system on the steering wheel, called the manettino. Choose from quiet boulevard cruising to general sport mode all the way up to Felipe Massa master.

For the slim roads outside of Maranello, I rather unwisely choose the race setting. In this mode the engine sounds insatiable even at idle, and the stability and traction control allow plenty of leeway. In other words, the electronic systems will give you enough rope to hang yourself, so you had better know what you're doing.

I find a slithering road coiling tightly down a mountainside, complete with chickens wandering alongside. The slip sliding, tire squealing and breath holding commence. At the bottom, I decide I've scared myself, so turn around to give it another go.

Steering is sharper than any other car I've ever driven; most turns are made with a wiggle. Even hairpin corners are achieved barely moving your hands.

No Stick

The seven-speed double-clutch transmission is actuated by paddle shifters behind the wheel. Fast, smooth and fun. Purists are howling, but the 458 will not, repeat not, be offered with a manual. Ferrari says it simply won't equip such a forward- thinking machine with antiquated technology.

Another F1 cue: All of the controls, including lights and blinkers, are now found on the steering wheel itself, so you never have to take your hands off.

Too bad the interior is plain and without whimsy. Even the navigation screen is on the driver's side, leaving the passenger with nothing to look at but a featureless panel and the onrushing scenery.

At day's end, headed back to the factory, I reflect that the 458 is so far beyond the spectrum of any other car that I've recently driven -- Lamborghinis, Mercedes and Porsches -- that it's almost alarming.

Fast Corners

While the car itself is wonderfully compliant, under full attack corners may arrive more quickly than an average driver can process. They say it's extremely hard to hit a 100-mile fastball thrown by a professional. Imagine if you were inside the ball. 

Review by Jason H. Harper

Oh, so that's why Porsche calls it the 918.

Well, not really, but the number is pretty close to the quantity of potential customers that Porsche says have expressed a serious buying interest so far in the 918 Spyder hybrid wondercar that was shown a month at the Geneva auto show. The count to date is around 900, Bloomberg News reports.

If Porsche hits 1,000 -- and executives think it will -- the German automaker says it will make a decision about producing the car. Let's just say we're keeping our fingers crossed.

"I'm confident that we will soon reach the threshold of 1,000," Porsche's development chief, Wolfgang Duerheimer, said in an interview at the Beijing Auto Show over the weekend with Bloomberg. "We need 1,000 seriously interested people to make a sound business case." What will it take to get them seriously fired up?

The 918 Spyder can run on about 14 miles on electric power alone -- and goes really, really fast. That's because instead of having some puny little back-up engine, it has a 500-horsepower V-8 engine. Think zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds.

Not bad. But it's easy to express interest when you don't know the price. And we're not sure what Porsche has in mind for that just yet.

NEW YORK, April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- As plans solidify for runway shows at Lincoln Center for the Spring 2011 Collections this September, Mercedes-Benz USA announces the renewal of its title sponsorship for FashionWeek over the next 3 years, which includes the twice annually organized Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in New York plus Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek SWIM in Miami, both events produced by IMG Fashion.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100429/NY95615 )

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100305/MERCEDES-BENZ-LOGO )

"The industry support and innovation being utilized to transform Lincoln Center into the new home of Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek is a testament to New York City's premier status among the greatest fashion capitals of the world," said Stephen Cannon, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA.  "Our commitment to the event's success will continue as we officially renew our three year agreement with IMG to remain title sponsor."  

For nearly a decade, Mercedes-Benz has supported premier fashion events that create a connection between fascinating car and fashion designs that speak to the desire for individual style. Mercedes-Benz involvement in FashionWeek dates back to 2001 and its three year commitment extends its title sponsorship through 2013.

"Mercedes-Benz commitment to the fashion industry is truly humbling," said Peter Levy, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of IMG Fashion Worldwide.  "As a long term partner of IMG Fashion globally, Mercedes-Benz has shown a tremendous amount of vision in its support of Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek as we undertake this exciting move to Lincoln Center."

Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek New York draws international attention and over 100,000 visitors to New York City, including approximately 3,000 members of the press and fashion industry from around the world.  IMG Fashion, The City of New York and Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) have long sought to identify a new home for Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in New York. With the support of Lincoln Center, the event will commence September 2010 at its new home in Damrosch Park on the Lincoln Center Campus. In addition to the new address, the event will unveil modernized production capabilities, digital services, better accessibility for attendees through both public and private transportation, and increased resources on-site and in the surrounding areas.

"As a leader and innovator in the auto industry it makes sense for Mercedes-Benz to be involved with the best events that allow us to create unique Mercedes-Benz experiences for our customers," said Lisa Holladay, Manager Brand Experience Marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA.  "The renewal of the Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek title sponsorship combined with the facilities at Lincoln Center provides a new platform to support the advanced needs of the fashion industry, while also providing additional opportunities to showcase the Mercedes-Benz brand."

ABOUT MERCEDES-BENZ

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse line-up in the luxury segment with 12 model lines ranging from the sporty C-Class to the flagship S-Class sedans and CL coupes. In 2007, Mercedes-Benz USA became the title sponsor of IMG Fashion's Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in New York and Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek Swim in Miami.

MBUSA is also responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans in the US. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com, www.maybachusa.com and www.mbsprinterusa.com.

SOURCE Mercedes-Benz US