Autoblog

Click above to view the LRX concept in hi-res

Is it just us, or is every carmaker celebrating its sixtieth anniversary? The end of WW2 in 1945 and the resumption of industrial activity across Europe certainly played a big role, but the coincidence is still staggering. Ferrari celebrated its 60th last year. Saab celebrated sixty years the year before, while Bentley celebrated 60 years at its Crewe factory. Lotus is marking its 60th anniversary this year a few years early, while the Ford F-Series pick-up is blowing out its sixty candles. Porsche is also counting sixty years in business. Add to those celebrations that of Land Rover, which premiered its original Series 1 off-roader in 1948.

Land Rover, now under new ownership from Tata, is planning an array of birthday celebrations around the world. The Goodwood Festival of Speed will mark the occasion by showcasing Land Rover as its featured marque this year, where the iconic off-road outfitter will unveil a new automotive sculpture by artist Gerry Juddah. In its sixty year history, Land Rovers have arguably scaled more mountains and traversed more wilderness than any other motorized vehicle in the history of mankind.

[Source: Land Rover]

click above image to view high-res pics of the 2008 Ford F-150 60th Anniversary

The original Ford F-1 pickup went on sale way back in 1948. The post-war market fell in love with it, and the Blue Oval's most successful vehicle ever was born. Over 33 million examples have been sold, making it the best selling vehicle of all time. It's been the best selling truck in America for 30 years, and for 26 of those years was the best selling vehicle overall. There's no argument that America loves its trucks, and Americans love the Ford F-150.

At the Texas State Fair today, Ford will introduce a special 60th Anniversary special limited edition package for the F-150 and Super Duty to celebrate the truck's big birthday. We're a bit underwhelmed by the truck that Ford is showing, however, since it's basically just a badge job. Commemorative 60th Anniversary badges adorn the exterior and interior of the truck, with a special laser engraved plate on the center armrest showing the serial number of each of the 7,500 F-150s and 2,500 Super Duty's sold with the special package. The trucks will be offered with a two-tone paint job that either lays Dark Shadow Gray over Ebony over does the reverse. There'll be lots of chrome, too, as the trucks include the XLT Chrome package with a chrome grille, running bars and exhaust tips, while the Super Duties also get chrome wheels.

Being the F-150, you can get the 60th Anniversary special limited edition package on a dizzying array of configurations, which we'll let you peruse in Ford's press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

click above image to view more pics of Ferrari's record-breaking parade of cars

Last Saturday, Ferrari finally got its wish and set the Guinness World Record for the Largest Parade of Ferrari Cars. It wasn't easy, requiring 385 cars to drive a distance of at least two miles with each car being no farther than two car lengths apart. The process for Guinness World Record certification also dictated that a representative be on hand to verify the attempt, as well as count the total number of cars at the beginning and end of the parade lap. Ferrari estimates that over £60 million worth of Italian automotive exotica was on the Silverstone Circuit at once, including everything from a 250 California Spyder to a 250GTO to F40s, F50s, Enzos and ultra-rare FXX. The record attempt honors Ferrari's 60th Anniversary, as well as the 40th Anniversary of the Ferrari Owners Club of Great Britain, the latter of which provided most of the cars for the record-breaking lap of Silverstone.

The event was also one of the final stops on the Ferrari 60 Relay, which will end on June 23rd when the convoy rolls into Maranello after schlepping the 60th Anniversary Relay Baton all the way around the world.

Some great pics were released of the record attempt that can be viewed in the gallery below.

[Source: Ferrari]

click above image for larger photos of the 60th Anniversary Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

Ferrari is a truly amazing car company. With an illustrious history that spans the last 60 years and then some, the company currently sits at or near the top of both motorsports and the commerical arena in which it sells its Italian exotics. This year is Ferrari's 60th anniversary, and it's celebrating the milestone in a very Ferrari way, which is to say unlike anyone else. The festivities begain at the Italian embassy in Abu Dhabi today where Ferrari owners set out on a relay that will ultimately involve over 10,000 cars on a trip across China, Japan, Australia, South Africa, American and all of Europe. The trip is actually a relay, in which a special baton will be carried that bears 60 enamel symbols representing the 60 most important events in Ferrari's history. It's topped by a platinum and diamond prancing horse – very fitting.

At the start of the relay this morning, Piero Ferrari, son of company founder Enzo, gave a speech in which he also announced that the company will build and sell 60 very unique 612 Scagliettis. The cars will be offered in a two-tone livery with available colors that have graced the marque's most memorable models from year's past. Each will have a trick electrochromic glass roof, of which the degree of opacity can be infinitely adjusted by the driver. What will make each 612 the rarest of collectibles, however, is a small enameled symbol, presumably matching one of the the ones on the relay baton, set in the center tunnel of each car. We're guessing you won't be able to arrive at your Ferrari dealer and plunk down a deposit for one of these. Chances are you'll be invited by the company itself to purchaes one. I wouldn't hold your breath for the opportunity, however.

Check out Ferrari's full press release after the jump.

[Source: Ferrari]