Ultra-Rare $2.5 Million Ferrari F60 America Is a Supercar You’ll Never See

by Gabrielle DeSantis

For the most part, Ferraris are rarely seen on the road. With high prices and relatively low production numbers, chances are you won’t see a prancing horse on your way to work. However, within this world of supercars, a few models stand out with their extreme exclusivity. Today we’ll be taking a look at exactly that with the Ferrari F60 America.

Introduced originally back in 2014, Car and Driver reports that this supercar has a production run of just 10 cars. In fact, this model completely sold out before the news of its existence first broke. As you might imagine, it carried a $2.5 million price tag.

What is the Ferrari F60 America and why is it special?

Ferrari F60 America | Ferrari

Despite its massive price tag and limited production run, the Ferrari F60 America is based on a “regular” production model, the F12betrlinetta. As a result, the special edition model gets the same naturally-aspirated 730-hp V12 upfront and traction going to the rear wheels exclusively. According to Car and Driver, this allows the F60 America to shoot to 60 mph in around 3.1 seconds.

Despite its F12berlinetta base, the F60 America has a completely distinct look. This means you get a completely redesigned exterior. From the sculpted fenders to the rear arches behind the driver, this Ferrari looks completely unique.

However, the big differentiator and the main reason this model is special is that it has no roof. Since the regular production model only exists as a coupe, this rare model was the only way you could experience that V12 powertrain at the time without a roof. However, this car’s interior is where things truly get weird.

It has a true two-tone interior

An image of a Ferrari F60 America in a photo studio.
Ferrari F60 America | Ferrari

If you thought the Ferrari F60 America’s exterior was a bit extreme, the interior steps things up considerably. That’s because it features a true two-tone layout, literally. The driver’s seat features red leather, while the passenger seat features black leather. This goes beyond the seats as well. That’s because all of the trim designed for the driver is also finished in red, while the passenger’s side of the dashboard is finished in black.

The goal with the Ferrari F60 America’s interior color scheme was to pay homage to the brand’s older racing cars that featured an asymmetrical interior. Setting these details aside, the rest of the interior is quite similar to that of the F12berlinetta.

How much does a Ferrari F60 America cost?

An image of a Ferrari F60 America in a photo studio.
Ferrari F60 America | Ferrari

RELATED: Missing Ultra-Rare Ferrari 375 MM Is a $10 Million Treasure That Vanished

The two main reasons why you’ll likely never see a Ferrari F60 America on the road surround its price and rarity. With just 10 units produced for the 2015 model year, this model was essentially designed to be a collector car. Even a minimal amount of mileage or damage could severely affect the value of this supercar.

However, as Motor1 reports, one of these machines came up for sale in 2019. While the seller didn’t disclose an asking price, chances are it was well above the original $2.5 million asking price. Since then, no other examples have traded hands publicly.

The post Ultra-Rare $2.5 Million Ferrari F60 America Is a Supercar You’ll Never See appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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Consumer Reports: Best Acceleration & Fuel Economy in Compact Cars

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Those looking for a car with solid fuel economy might not care about acceleration as much. However, the cars on this list by Consumer Reports have both solid fuel economy and performance all in one. The compact cars on the list all have an overall mileage of more than 30 mpg and a 0-60 mph time of less than or equal to 10.5 seconds. If you are looking for a car that is still fun to drive while minimizing trips to the gas station, read on.

Consumer Reports chose the Toyota Corolla LE Hybrid, Hatchback, & LE

The Toyota Corolla made the Consumer Reports list for fuel efficient cars | Robert Hradil/Getty Images

Look no further than Toyota! Toyota Corolla is on the Consumer Reports fuel economy and acceleration list a few times for the compact-car section. The Toyota Corolla LE Hybrid, Hatchback, & LE are all fuel-efficient options with fast acceleration. The Corolla Hatchback has an overall fuel economy of 36 mpg and a 0-6 mph time of 8.7 seconds.

The Corolla LE has an overall fuel economy of 32 mpg and a 0-6 mph time of 8.5 seconds. Seeing that the Corolla made the list of compact cars with three different trim levels indicates that this small Toyota meets the criteria.

At the top of the list was the LE Hybrid. The fuel economy came in at 48 mpg while the 0-60 mph time was 10.3 seconds. That means the LE Hybrid was the fastest and most fuel-efficient of the compact cars. Not bad, Toyota.

Good fuel economy and acceleration, the Kia Forte LXS (2.0L)

The Kia Forte LXS (2.0L) came in at 34 mpg and 8.3 seconds for the 0-60 mph time. Besides the Toyota options above, the Forte came in only third on the list. This small car was labeled a Green Choice by Consumer Reports, but only got a score of one out of five for reliability. It also came in 12 out of 14 on the list of compact cars. Either way, the Forte can really scoot while saving you cash at the pump.

The Hyundai Elantra SEL fits the bill

The Hyundai Elantra SEL has a 0-60 mph time of 7.9 seconds. The overall mileage came in at 33 mpg, which isn’t bad. Consumer Reports ranked the Elantra number six out of 14 cars on the list of compact cars. It was also one of the brand’s Green Choices for the overall fuel economy. It has a predicted reliability of three out of five, and owners seem satisfied with the Elantra so far.

Is the Nissan Sentra SV a good car?

The Nissan Sentra SV has an overall fuel economy of 32 mpg and a 0-6 mph time of 8.5 seconds. On the Consumer Reports list of compact cars, the Sentra came in first out of 14 cars. It scored fairly well on the road test, and CR found it reliable. Overall, the Nissan Sentra SV trim has the best of both worlds.

What is the difference between Civic EX and EX-T?

The answer is fuel economy! The Honda Civic LX and EX-T both appeared on this list. For the LX, the overall mpg was 32 with a 0-60 mph time of 8.7 seconds. The EX-T was just under that with 31 mpg and 7.1 seconds 0-60 mph. CR ranked the Civic number five on the list of compact cars. The predicted reliability came in at a three out of five while the predicted owner satisfaction for the 2021 model was four out of five.

RELATED: Fuel-Efficient Used Compact SUVs Recommended by Consumer Reports

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Overnight Boat Camping Trips Can Be a Blast if You’re Prepared

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The RV market is continually aflame with newcomers, both on the customer and manufacturer sides. Because of this boom, prices have gone through the roof, especially for anything in the overlanding camper or adventure travel categories. However, there is another type of RV out there that is often overlooked; boats. Overnight boat camping trips can be just as fun and adventurous with a little bit of preparation. 

Boat camping | Discover Boating

Boat camping is the next frontier of adventure travel 

While Instagram is littered with #vanlife posts, there is an adventure travel segment that remains largely untapped. Boat camping is the ultimate summer getaway that can remove you from the hustle and bustle of real-life and put you alone in some of the most remote places in the world. However, like camper van travel, preparation and planning is the difference between beautiful and lasting memories and disaster. 

What do you need to plan an overnight boat camping trip? 

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Discover Boating is a site that is all about empowering boaters of all stripes. They have a long list of ideas for things to plan for and keep in mind while preparing for a boat camping trip. 

Just like with RVs, Boats come in all shapes and sizes. Depending on which kind of craft you use, the camping style may vary a bit, but the overall goal remains the same. Although, no matter which kind of boat you use, this kind of adventure travel is unique and exciting. 

For adventure travel, always remember; location, location, location

small sail bot heading out into the lake
small sail boat | Michal Fludra/NurPhoto via Getty Images

RELATED: How Much Range Does a Tesla Model Y Lose When Towing a Boat?

Adventure travel comes with a certain amount of uncertainty. For this reason, picking the right location for the trip you want is key. There are a lot of factors to consider while boat camping locations. Seeing as how marine crafts and waterways have specific laws, it is important to research the area you plan to camp in before beaching your boat or dropping anchor.

After picking a location, it is always important to make a physical list of the gear you’ll need. A physical list is key because it makes forgetting things harder when you can read and physically check items off the list. This list can also help to organize your gear onboard since space can often be an issue. 

Prepare your gear before you leave 

Any experienced camper will happily preach the importance of inspecting all your gear before leaving on a camping trip. You want to verify that all the gear you bring along is the right gear for boat camping and that it is in good working condition. It is helpful to check all batteries, chargers, and anything else that might put you in danger if it were to die while traveling. 

Part of preparing for any adventure travel is preparing for your journey and telling someone else who is not traveling with you where you are planning to go. Making a float plan and sharing that with a reliable person is one of the best ways to stay safe on a boat camping trip. 

Boating can be dangerous. Several factors can waylay even the most experienced captains and campers alike. Telling someone where you are planning to be and when you plan to return can be the difference between life and death. If a catastrophic event like engine failure, capsizing or getting incapacitated, there can be someone on land who knows to look for if you are late or missing. 

Make sure to have a ton of fun

Adventure travel can get stressful at times. As long as you prepare and plan, the chances of problems and stress-inducing situations should be dramatically more limited. The point of boat camping is to have fun, after all. Make sure you plan and double-check everything so that the relaxing getaway can actually be relaxing. 

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The 5 Most Important Things to Know About Towing a Camper

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Towing a camper with your pickup isn’t always as cut and dry as the truck commercials make it seem. Can some Ford F-150s tow a 10,000 lb camper trailer? Sure. Can yours? Not necessarily. There are a great many factors to consider before hooking up the camper and rolling out for the weekend. These factors are not only important to keeping your truck intact, but they will also help keep you and others safe as well. 

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat | Ford

The weight is key to towing a camper with a pickup truck

Five main factors determine how much a pickup truck can tow. Most of these factors are what different options and packages include in the truck segment. The weight of the camper, boat, trailer, or whatever you are towing is the most important piece of information regarding towing. 

All the truck options like cab/wheelbase, engine, drivetrain, and transmission determine a truck’s towing capacity. Before towing anything, you must know the weight of what you’re towing and which configuration of the particular truck that’s doing the towing. 

Campers are particularly tricky because the weight can vary based on gear, equipment, furnishing, and fluids. Knowing the precise weight of your camper rig is the first and most important thing to know before towing with a pickup truck. 

According to Consumer Reports, using a trucking weigh station is a good way to go before setting off on a long trip. These stations can weigh your entire rig (truck and camper trailer), giving you the information you need to tow safely. 

The engine and transmission are important

A small car towing a power boat
A station wagon towing a power boat | Underwood Archives/Getty Images

RELATED:Don’t Assume Your Ford F-150 Can Tow Your Camper

A truck’s engine is clearly one of the most important and obvious aspects that determine towing capacity. Although we may think the engine with the most horsepower is the best towing power plant, that is actually not always the case. For towing, torque is king. 

In the past, the big V8s used to be the king of towing power plants, but these days we see smaller-displacement turbo engines out pulling the big dogs. The perfect example of this is the 2021 Ford F-150. To tow the maximum 13,200 pounds, you’d have to step up and get the F-150 with the 3.5-liter turbo V6. This configuration is stronger than the same truck with the big V8. 

Furthermore, a strong engine is great, but it is useless without the proper transmission. Without a strong enough transmission with the proper gear ratio, a powerful engine will rip a weaker transmission apart. In general, shorter gearing is usually preferred for towing because it can make the most of the engine’s torque. The trade-off is a lower top speed but a much stronger pull at slower speeds. 

When it comes to pulling a camper, size matters

The actual physical size and length of a truck directly affect how well and safely it can tow. Campers come in all shapes and sizes; because of this, the smaller trucks with shorter wheelbases will struggle to control many campers safely. 

Consumer Reports mentions that trucks like the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma are at their strongest towing capacity with the extended cab and 6-ft bed instead of the smaller, shorter versions. The longer configurations help to keep whatever is in tow more stable and controlled.

Towing a camper is also dependent on the drivetrain

RELATED: Are Diesel Trucks Really Better for Towing?

There is more to towing a camper than just strength. Like the length of a truck’s wheelbase, the drivetrain can affect how well a truck can tow. Since weight is key, RWD is often better for towing because those configurations weigh less. According to CR, every pound not built into the truck is an added pound for the towing capacity. 

Since four-wheel drive is such a popular option for many truck owners, it is important to know that this option will slightly limit towing capacity. Although for many truck owners, this is a worthwhile trade for off-road use. 

Towing is not for the faint of heart

As the camper craze marches ever forward, the amount of first-time towers is growing. Since camper trailers are often cheaper than motorhomes and camper vans, many opt for this option. Just make sure you understand your truck’s limits before towing a camper for the first time. 

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