Ferrari unveils new Maranello assembly lines

Ferrari's historic Maranello, Italy, complex has long held a certain mystique for fans of the Prancing Horse. But mindful of the realities of modern manufacturing, the automaker has been focusing on upgrading its facilities and on Wednesday unveiled two new buildings designed to improve production.

At a ceremony, Ferrari executives showed off new assembly lines with workstations that reduce worker movement. The building is lined with large windows that offer a view of the 1960s factory built by Enzo Ferrari.

The company has spent 198 million euros since the late 1990s to improve its facilities, including completely revamping the car-production area, where work began late last year. The assembly facility was designed by Jean Nouvel, a noted French architect who won one of the industry's top awards, the Pritzker Architecture Prize, this year.

Ferrari also unveiled a new restaurant for workers in the "Ferrari Village." The impressive structure features a soaring glass overhang and is surrounded by a square for staffers to relax.
Meanwhile, in product news, the company revealed more details about its much-anticipated new GT-style convertible, the California. Most interesting is that the car will have a "launch control" button that will shoot it from 0 to 62 mph in less than four seconds. The technology is borrowed from Ferrari's racing division and allows maximum torque while preventing the wheels from slipping.

Pininfarina Car Pays Homage To Rolls-Royce

Pininfarina's third model designed and built for a collector will be a Rolls-Royce.

Called Hyperion and based on the Drophead Coupe, this model is an homage to the great pre-war Rolls-Royce cars.

The Hyperion will debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, in Monterey, California, in mid-August.

Hyperion was the name of one of the titans in Greek mythology. Hyperion is also a moon circling the planet Saturn.

Pininfarina declined to identify the private collector who ordered the Hyperion.

In April 2006, Pininfarina unveiled the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti-based "K" built for Peter Kalikow, president of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

In August 2006, Pininfarina debuted the Ferrari Enzo-based P4/5 model, built for former movie director James Glickenhaus.

Special orders from collectors generate significant revenue and high margins for coachbuilders, but Pininfarina always declined to elaborate on the topic.

In Web car enthusiast blogs, Glickenhaus has said he spent more than $1 million to buy a Ferrari Enzo and about $3 million to have Pininfarina convert it to the P4/5 custom unit.