Michael Bay may never win the Best Director Oscar, but he sure does know how to get the most out of his actors during their auditions. U.K. broadcaster Jason Solomons wrote in a recent column that Bay had Ms. Megan Fox wash his (unspecified) Ferrari at his home as part of her audition for her role in the first Transformers movie. And since Bay was doing "official" auditions, he apparently recorded every minute of it.

Solomons reportedly asked Fox if she knew where the footage was, and he says she was unsure where the footage was, adding that she was "concerned" as to where it may be. According to Solomons, Bay all but confirmed the tape's existence, allegedly saying "Er, I don't know where it is either" when asked by the broadcaster. Hmmm.

Since the role of Mikaela Banes required Fox to act as sexy as she already looks, we can see why Bay chose for her to wash a Ferrari as part of the audition, but the fact that the 'audition' took place at his home and the tape has gone missing does seem a bit "casting couch" to us. That said, we can think of few things we'd rather see than Megan Fox, a Ferrari, and a bunch of suds. What we don't understand, though, is why this footage wasn't part of our bonus footage in our special edition Transformers DVD.



[Source: SFGate]

After working up a Lamborghini Murcielago with Edo Competition and then a Ducati Monster with Rever Corsa, the talent behind the Ed Hardy label has cooked up what looks to be a controversial one-off Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano that's even more out there than Lapo Elkann's denim-clad version.

Decked out in decals of pin-up girls, skulls and crossbones, rolling dice and such, the Ed Hardy edition Ferrari – apparently worked up as a promotional tool for German retailer Mode Stern – is even more outlandish than the Audigier-designed VIF1 Escalade and the Empire Mercedes CL63 which have popped up on the internets recently. What isn't immediately clear is if this is an actual paintjob or just another shrinkwrapped exotic? Us? We know what we're hoping for...



[Source: AutoPlus.fr]

What do you do when you're heir to an enormous industrial empire? Well, pretty much anything you want. Like order up a Ferrari made to match your favorite pair of jeans.

Nope, this isn't the latest splurge by Paris Hilton; the car you see here is reportedly owned by one Lapo Elkann, grandson of the late billionaire industrialist and Fiat chairman Gianni Agnelli. Evidently not satisfied with a Diesel-edition Fiat 500, the notorious playboy ordered up his latest ride from the family-owned company decked out in a custom two-tone matte paint job. The body is painted in baby blue, the roof, mirrors and pentagram wheels contrast in a darker shade. Inside, the party continues with denim upholstery replacing the usual sumptuous leather. Taste being subjective and all, if you're retching at the site of this kitchy ride, just remember: it could be worse. This guy could be running the company – and Chrysler along with it. Come to think of it, perhaps this is some sort of perverse keep-it-in-the-family nod to the AMC Gremlin X Levi's Edition?

Check out the images in the gallery below and the video after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Patrick!



[Source: Autogespot]

Ferrari normally tests its future supercars wearing body panels from the prior version, and so earlier spy shots of the upcoming F450 have all been of mules wearing F430 body panels. Today that ends, as our snoops have caught an honest-to-goodness F450 prototype in its own skin. While still covered in camo that obscures the details, it's evident that the body is taking shape and close to finalization.

While we've reported that the F450 may feature a turbocharged, direct-inject V8 engine and possibly a mild hybrid system based on patents filed by Ferrari, Autocar is reporting that the Prancing Horse intends to launch the F430 successor without those advanced technologies. While Ferrari may unveil a hybrid F450 concept at the LA Auto Show later this year in order to be the first to establish a road-going version of the KERS system used in Formula One, the thought is that customers might not be ready for such a green version of the exotic automaker's best-selling model and that new European emissions standards can initially be met by substantially cutting weight and further developing direct injection for its current crop of engines. Stay tuned as we inch closer to the F450's unveiling later this year.



[Photos: KGP Photography]

It's just about that time of the year when we start gearing up for Monterey car week, and the various events have started to announce what exactly we can look forward to at all the shows, races, and auctions. The Pebble Beach Concours, the pinnacle of the week, has already pronounced Bentley and Bugatti as the featured marques for 2009, and it looks like quite a few historic Ferrari motorcars will be joining them on the 18th fairway.

The world's most prestigious car show will bring together some of the most influential Ferraris of all time including 10 of the 25 1949 166 MM Touring Barchettas and all four of the remaining Ferrari TR 59s. The 166 MM is perhaps the cornerstone of Ferrari's road racing heritage, winning the Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1949. The 59 TR, an evolution of the legendary 250 TR, was also successful on track, capturing victory at its debut at Sebring in 1959 and at Le Mans a year later. Both cars have also inspired designs from Ferrari and other companies for the last several decades. You can learn more about both cars in the press release after the jump, and be sure to browse through our high-res gallery of the 59 TR below.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Pebble Beach Concours via 0-60]

We'll have our own images from last weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed for you in a jiffy, but until then we thought we'd share with you the fun that Ferrari had on the Earl of March's state. The Italian exotic car maker brought three stallions to the party: the new California, 599 GTB Fiorano with the HGTE package and the limited edition Scuderia Spider 16M. While all three models participated in the legendary Goodwood hillclimb, the Scuderia Spider 16M put on a particularly impressive show, covering the 1.16-mile hillclimb in just 59 seconds.

After the jump you'll find in-car video of the Scuderia Spider 16M's hillclimb run, along with equally cool but slightly slower vids of the California and 599 gTB Fiorano. We've also included a gallery of high-res images showing exactly how much fun Ferrari had at Goodwood this year. Enjoy.



[Source: Ferrari]

As temperatures rose between Ferrari and its fellow constructors in the Formula One Teams Association, Le Mans class endurance racing provided a convenient alternative for Ferrari and FOTA chairman Luca di Montezemolo to wield against his adversaries. He was even invited to ceremonially start the race this year, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the marque's first win there while hinting that the Maranello squad had alternatives at its disposal. But now that the war appears to have come to an end (notwithstanding Max Mosley's infamous intransigence), Montezemolo has stated that Ferrari won't be returning in full force to Le Mans just yet.

Ferrari's president said that his company couldn't shoulder the enormous parallel burdens of racing in both F1 and Le Mans, though he did admit that the prospect of returning to Le Mans with a full factory racing effort was tempting, saying "sooner or later we will want to go back with an official car." In the meantime, privateer teams like GT2 champions Risi Competizione will continue to field race-prepped customer F430s, but we'll have to wait a little while longer for Ferrari to take on the likes of Audi and Peugeot with a full-on LMP1 works effort.

[Source: Autosport]

We're unsure about the logic behind messing with one of Ferrari's amazing creations, let alone a limited edition model like the Scuderia Spider 16M. But German tuning company Novitec Rosso has no qualms about putting their own creative mark on the cars from Maranello. Their most recent creation is this twin-supercharged Scuderia Spider 16M that puts out 696 horsepower at 8400 rpm and 503 lb-ft torque at 6300 rpm. Capable of hitting 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and topping 205 mph, it's easily one of the fastest convertibles in the world. The Italian drop top also gets larger wheels and tires, sport springs with a hydraulic lift system, black taillights, side markers and reflectors, a leather/carbon fiber steering wheel, and carbon fiber shift paddles. Full details in the press release after the jump.




[Source: Novitec via AutoGuide.com]

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the Formula One waters, Max Mosley goes and sends a nasty-gram to Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) chairman and Ferrari head honcho Luca di Montezemolo threatening to back out of his promise to step down from his throne as leader of the FIA if he doesn't get a full apology ASAP.

It seems that Mosley is none too pleased by the way that FOTA have portrayed the events leading to the agreement between the teams and the FIA to run the 2010 Formula 1 season as previously scheduled. Says Mosley:

If you wish the agreement we made to have any chance of survival, you and FOTA must immediately rectify your actions. You must correct the false statements which have been made and make no further such statements. You yourself must issue a suitable correction and apology at your press conference this afternoon... [G]iven your and FOTA's deliberate attempt to mislead the media, I now consider my options open. At least until October, I am president of the FIA with the full authority of that office.

There's plenty more where that came from. Click past the break to read Max Mosey's letter to Luca di Montezemolo in its entirety.

[Source: Axis of Oversteer | Photo: makeroadssafe CC 2.0]

After all of this year's soap opera stories in Formula One, it appears there will be a unified championship series next year after all. According to The Times UK, controversial F1 boss Max Mosley has been "forced into a humiliating climbdown as president of the FIA," and his reign is over effective today.

Apparently, with the Formula One Teams Association's (FOTA) plan to build its own breakaway series and take most of its highest-profile (and highest-dollar) draws away with it, the FIA realized that something had to be done. Eight teams, including Ferrari, McLaren, BMW Sauber, and Brawn GP had pulled out of the series over concerns relating to a new £40m budget cap (around $66m USD).

With Mosley's departure effective immediately, F1 teams and the sanctioning body have agreed to cost cuts with the goal of getting spending outlays back down to the that of the early Nineties within two years.

Mosley has agreed to end his 16 year term at the FIA and not seek re-election to another office.

[Source: Times UK | Image: Mark Thompson/Getty]