Limited edition cars named after F1 drivers - Part 2

Arjun
Ferrari 599 GTB Alonso EditionEnter caption
Ferrari 599 GTB Alonso EditionEnter caption

Part 1 of the two-part series on the list of limited edition cars named after Formula one drivers featured 5 cars : [1] Sir Jack Brabham Holden Torana, [2] Chevrolet Celta Piquet, [3] Mercedes Benz SLR Stirling Moss, [4] Fiat Stilo Schumacher Edition and [5] Fiat Seicento Schumacher Sporting Edition.

Part 2 features 5 more such cars:

Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo
Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo

#1 Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo

One of Brazil's greatest ever Motorsport drivers was Emerson Fittipaldi. Fittipaldi was a 2-time Formula One World Champion, 2-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 race and one-time winner of the Champ Car World Series (CART race).

Fittipaldi Motors LLC is a limited production supercar manufacturer with focus on creating super-light supercars that make use of advanced racing technologies, efficient powertrain structures, superior safety mechanisms and autonomous vehicle intelligence. The company’s first supercar is Emerson Fittipaldi’s own concept EF7 Vision Gran Turismo, designed by Pininfarina and engineered by HWA A.G. Emerson Fittipaldi himself is the visionary behind Fittipaldi Motors and serves as company’s Executive Chairman and CEO.

The EF7 concept car was originally released only for the Gran Turismo Sport video gaming franchise. Fittipaldi later decided to bring it into production.

Only 39 units will be manufactured. What's so special about the number 39 one may ask?. Well, it is the number of total victories that Fittipaldi had in his F1 and Indy 500 careers put together. These cars will be track-only cars. Each owner will be personally coached by Emerson Fittipaldi himself. The production of the car is set to start by the end of the year.

The EF7 contains a 4.8-liter V8 engine producing a power of600 hp (447 kW).

The design, according to Fittipaldi is supposed to represent a shark. The car's suspension will be built by HWA AG.

#2 Ascari KZ1

2008 Ascari KZ1
2008 Ascari KZ1

Italian Motorsport legend Alberto Ascari was one of Formula One's first legends. Racing for Ferrari, Maserati and Lancia in his Formula One career, Ascari won 2 World Championships in 1952 and 1953.

Ascari Cars Ltd. was a British automobile manufacturer based in Banbury, England founded by Klaas Zwart. The Company was named in honour of Formula One's first Double World Champion - Alberto Ascari.

The Ascari KZ1 is a sports car made by Ascari Cars Ltd. The initials of the car is named so in honour of Ascari's Dutch owner Klaas Zwart.

The KZ1 was launched at the 2005 Autosport International and came with a price tag of with a price tag of £235,000. Only 50 cars were produced, making it one of the most exclusive sports cars produced.

The car featured a BMW S62 V8 engine producing 500 bhp. The car can accelerate from 0 -100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 323 km/h

#3 McLaren Senna

The McLaren Senna unveiled at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show
The McLaren Senna unveiled at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show

The McLaren Senna is a limited-production mid-engine sports car produced by McLaren Automotive. The car is the third series in the McLaren Ultimate Series after the F1 and P1 editions.

McLaren officially announced the concept in December last year and it debuted at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.

The car was a tribute by McLaren to arguably its greatest driver Ayrton Senna. Senna won a total of 3 World Championships with McLaren F1 Team between 1988 and 1993 including 35 Grand Prix race wins. McLaren Automotive and the Institute of Ayrton Senna (a non-government Brazillian organization) hold the exclusive rights to distribute products under Senna's name.

The car is probably the best of all cars named after F1 drivers. Its 4.0-litre Biturbo V8 engine packs 800 horsepower. The 2019 edition of the McLaren Senna is widely expected to have a maximum speed of 220 mph and is expected to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. The estimated price is rumoured to be $960,000.

The McLaren Senna is a mix of rarity and uncompromising quality—reserved for the uber-wealthy and coveted by the rest.

#4 Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Unveiling of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition
Unveiling
of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automobile giant Nissan brought out this limited edition car to commemorate Sebastian Vettel's 3rd Formula One World title in 2012.

A rare blend of exclusivity and superior levels of dynamism, the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition is a production car with a USP designed for the global automotive industry: It was inspired by and designed in conjunction with, the then Formula One World Champion - Sebastian Vettel.

The car is customized with a tailormade aerodynamic, aesthetic and technical grandeur that draws on Formula One standards.

In transitioning from concept to production, Vettel has been a key influence in the model's design and, as part of the test-driving team, in supplying constant feedback required by the engineers to bring his vision to reality. Only 150 cars were produced with 50 being reserved for residents of Western Europe only. Sebastian Vettel personally met and interacted with the 150 owners. The cars were delivered to the owners in March 2013.

The Infiniti FX Vettel Edition is powered by a 420PS 5.0-litre V8 engine offering balanced high performance up to a speed of 250 km/h and an acceleration time from zero to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. The car retailed for $155,000 USD.

#5 Ferrari 599 Fernando Alonso edition

Ferrari 599 GTB Alonso Edition
Ferrari 599 GTB Alonso Edition

Back in 1951, then Ferrari driver Jose Froilan Gonzales won the British Grand Prix at the prestigious Silverstone Circuit, the automaker’s first ever Formula One win. Sixty years later Fernando Alonso won the same race, hence the special edition celebrating 60 years of Ferrari F1 wins was launched.

The 599 GTB Alonso Edition pays tribute to driver Fernando Alonso who raced with Ferrari from 2010 to 2014. Only 60 of these special 599 GTBs were produced and each one celebrates a very specific moment in Ferrari's rich Motorsport history.

The Special edition cars feature bespoke painted wheels and highly customized interiors. The Alonso Edition is modelled on the 599 HGTE chassis, which is essentially a handling package for the standard 599 GTB. HGTE stands for Handling Gran Turismo Evoluzione, and this ensures tougher suspension.

This car is able to accelerate from 0-100 kph in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 330 kph (205 mph). The car if it comes up for auction anywhere in the world is expected to fetch between $800,000-$900,000.

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Edited by Sripad