Ferrari's Scuderia Spider 16M to integrate customized iPod touch

We've already seen one luxury car concept utilize an iPhone for displaying automotive information as well as managing the entertainment end of things, but the photo you see above isn't just conceptual. In fact, Ferrari will build 499 of its ultra-limited Scuderia Spider 16Ms, and for those who choose, it can be outfitted with an iPod touch dock right in the center of the dashboard. The 16GB touch will feature Ferrari themes, images and sounds, and of course, fortunate buyers can remove the PMP after having it parked in the garage. There's no word yet on how pricey the iPod touch upgrade is nor how expensive the whip itself will be, but the standard iteration of the car rings up at $277,000. You know, just so you have a frame of reference.

[Via Engadget Spanish]

[Reader @ Nov 10th 2008 2:44AM]

Eh never noticed how discordant the interior of a Ferrari is, or at least this model. Don't care for it at all.

[FyreFlareon @ Nov 10th 2008 3:01AM]

You'd probably feel differently if you were in the seat, or actually had the money to seriously consider purchasing one.

[AVG @ Nov 10th 2008 2:50AM]

Yeah, man... look at that thing, it's like a cockpit. I've seen Kias with sleeker dashes.

[AlDeezy @ Nov 10th 2008 2:53AM]

lol @ AVG, I do have to agree, I would prefer the Bugatti Veyron.

[Alex @ Nov 10th 2008 2:56AM]

The Scuderia is a Ferrari F430 stripped down for weight with a different body, so I think if you looked at, for instance, well, an F430, it might be a better example.

[Boards of Canada @ Nov 10th 2008 3:00AM]

yeah really? I think its incredibly hot compare to what I have...

Still I have to admit the red buttons on the wheel are a bit odd.

[Unique Gift Ideas @ Nov 10th 2008 11:47AM]

Whether I would actually be able to purchase this car is irrelevant, it is still not the $277,000 car that I would purchase. The interior of this car, iPod touch or not, is still nothing to write home about.

[Reader @ Nov 10th 2008 5:15PM]

I'm more of a less is better person for the most part.

[who? @ Nov 10th 2008 2:46AM]

now das wat im talkin' bout!

[2shae @ Nov 10th 2008 3:26AM]

only problem with this is how do you keep the music program on the itouch from constantly being in album art scrolling mode. and also reading any text would require you to tilt ur head sideways

[Jeremy W @ Nov 10th 2008 4:22AM]

I bet part of the "customization" of the iPod Touch includes solving those problems. I'm sure Apple had a hand in this.

[Ori Matalon @ Nov 10th 2008 3:27AM]

Now if only I can get the Ferrari in $200 contract...
Amazing car!

[Barry @ Nov 10th 2008 3:42AM]

Is it just my imagination or is the slider to unlock it at the wrong end of the screen? It would normally live by the button at the "bottom" would it not?

[Jarhead2012 @ Nov 10th 2008 6:19AM]

yeah, it is. Either someone screwed up on the simulated screen image, or it's one of the so-called "modifications" that will be made. I guess it would work to have the slider closer to the person in the driver's seat, but I really don't know...

[Ashrith @ Nov 10th 2008 3:52AM]

I was wondering if the icons would turn up as it does on normal iPod touches and iPhones, how would someone make out what's what. The UI should be landscape, if that's the case.

[Cubfan786 @ Nov 10th 2008 3:56AM]

Im buying ti for the touch

[EI8HT @ Nov 10th 2008 3:56AM]

now i finally have a reason to buy a ferrari!

[Jesse S @ Nov 10th 2008 3:58AM]

This is Ferrari...I'm sure the touch will be running some kind of custom firmware specially designed by Apple.

[zomg0t @ Nov 10th 2008 4:11AM]

What, you think Ferrari can't design their own firmware?

[Jesse S @ Nov 10th 2008 4:14AM]

1. It's not like Apple would necessarily let them. 2. Ferrari most likely lacks a large amount of programmers...they're probably busy with other crap.

[Ryback @ Nov 10th 2008 4:36AM]

I'm pretty sure Ferrari has plenty of programmers. Maybe not I-pod touch programmers, but programmers who write software for engine/ignition/transmission etc.

[gad get @ Nov 10th 2008 4:49AM]

@ zomg0t

Your argument makes no sense. What, you think Apple can't design their own firmware? I mean, it's what they do!

[r3loaded @ Nov 10th 2008 4:25AM]

The F430 Scuderia - aka Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Cheese! :)

[coolblue @ Nov 10th 2008 4:28AM]

I wish all these car manufacturers would put a standard USB port in instead of pandering to apples proprietry connector. Maybe if everyone put in standard USB connectors then the electronics manufacturers would all stop playing silly games and all go down the USB route. I currently have a creative zen and a HTC phone which both use USB which also means that I only need one lead to charge them, also as my Tom Tom uses USB I can use its in car adaptor to charge my phone and zen. Why on earth do the majority of Phone manufacturers and Apple insist on forcing us to have multiple adaptors? Surely it would be better for the environment if they all went usb and then did not even put an adaptor in the box as standard. After all a usb cable costs practically nothing.

Also FIAT have actually done this as the new 500 has a USB port and is running Blue&Me to connect to mp3 players. Which begs the question, Why has their sports division gone and put in an ipod dock when they could have used the same Blue&Me tech as their parent company?

[Ryback @ Nov 10th 2008 4:39AM]

Because it's not about functionality. It's about making the driver feel special.

[meemo @ Nov 10th 2008 5:10AM]

So I pay $200000+ for a car and they dont even throw in the 32GB ipod touch? What's up with that?

[Patriks7 @ Nov 10th 2008 5:24AM]

Ha so true.. If they charge so much there should be 32GB + somehow expanded to even more :p

[Cole Mitguard @ Nov 10th 2008 5:15AM]

I think that the idea of putting a system like this, in a car like that is to be honest absurd. This car is going to see maybe 10,000 miles on it in its first 7 years of ownership. People who buy a car like this are not buying it because of the electronics inside, they are buying it for its racing ability. You can argue that this has a place inside the F430, and def. in the 599 and other such models, because those are purchased for more daily driving (on the days that you driver calls in sick, haha.) But not the 16M. In fact, i only see this as something that going to hurt the resale value, as the ipod touch is going to be out of date in what... 3... 6 months? I love technology, but I also love cars, and even though I combine them whenever possible, I just dont see the need for this here. Give it an elegant radio, that no matter how old it is, it still doesn't scream out of date.


... The only exception that I would take to that is if they are able to hook this bad boy up with a bluetooth OBDII adaptor and have it display realtime info on the Itouch... that might be something worth looking into. But I just doubt thats what Ferrari has in mind with this system.

[csmitty @ Nov 10th 2008 9:35AM]

Actually I think most people buy them as investments to sell 30 years later. Which is a travesty IMHO. If I had a ferrari i'd drive the hell out of it. Most likely on a track. I talked with a mechanic at ferrari of atlanta and he said most of the services they do on cars is because they've been sitting for too long. a 10K service with only 30 miles on it. a waste. people buy them upstairs, then they sell them storage space downstairs.

[Game-R @ Nov 10th 2008 5:28AM]

This car is possibly the most F-ed up creation on the road and the symbol of the stupidity that led to the current financial crisis.

First they take a standard Ferrari 430, a great, fast, racy car.
Then to lighten the car: they strip out the interior, carpeting, and other luxuries, they use ample carbon fiber and metal alloys to replace heavier components.
Then to make it faster: they tune the engine for more power, stiffen the suspension, use grippy low profile tires.
And they end up with the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, a brilliant engineering marvel.

Then the jackasses in Ferrari management want to create a car for the fat Wall Street bankers who are as rich as they are F***ing stupid:
They chop the roof of, making the car flimsy and its frame weak. Just so that the rich old farts can show the world which secretary is with them for the night.
They now include an iPod docking bay?!? The lazy fat old bankers don't even know what the hell is that, let alone have the brain cells to operate one.

And before you electronic/iPod/new gizmo fanbois start flaming, answer me this do you own a Ferrari? No? So stuff it!

[anantha92 @ Nov 10th 2008 7:00AM]

I used to. Before i sold it and bought a house.

[CL @ Nov 10th 2008 7:10AM]

That's what I was thinking too, they took essentially a great track car and make it into something non sense like it came from the SEMA show.

[kevin @ Nov 10th 2008 9:00AM]

Game-r: most of the wall street folks are broke right now, fyi.

[JZeke @ Nov 10th 2008 3:48PM]

Though I totally agree that Ipod integration on a model that laps the Ferrari test track as fast as the Enzo supercar is marketing absurdity to the Nth, I gotta defend the decision to make a spyder version of the Scuderia.

The F430 Berlinetta and Spyder were designed in conjunction, meaning the Spyder loses very little in terms of torsional rigidity etc. Sure it is most likely going to be bought by the "Real Housewives" of wherever, or fat old men and their pretty young mistresses... but for me I'd be happy to have the roofless model to exploit on both the track and Marin or Sonoma roads. I mean I'm not a professional track star so I won't likely care about those last few Hz of rigidity, and who wouldn't want to hear that amazing engine more clearly?

Finally, there is a tangible link to Ferrari's past, with memorable racing spyders such as the '60 250 California, '58 250 Testa Rossa and the '56 166MM.

[Imran @ Nov 10th 2008 7:20AM]

Looks like Ferrari have seen the benefits of Jailbreaking the iTouch! Custom themes ftw!

[Victor Yin @ Nov 10th 2008 8:26AM]

I would much rather listen to the sweet noise from that V8 engine then my iPod, though it would be nice to have something to listen to for long journeys i guess.

[trickards @ Nov 10th 2008 8:31AM]

Is quidco available on this? ;)

[sanriver12 @ Nov 10th 2008 9:19AM]

ipod integration?? that's it !!! i'm never buying a ferrari again.

[surya narayan singh @ Nov 10th 2008 9:58AM]

Headphones used with MP3 digital music players like the iPod may interfere with heart pacemakers....
http://snsays.com/1867/ipod-may-interfere-with-heart/

[Big John @ Nov 10th 2008 10:18AM]

Looks like I have to buy a Ferrari to get the fabled "landscape everywhere" mode.

First, FireWire on the MBPs and now this?! Come on!

(note: post is dripping sarcasm, careful not to step in it)

[DirtyVegas @ Nov 10th 2008 11:13AM]

Imagine trying to scroll through cover flow while driving at 180mph.

And...

Ipod in a ferrari? You can't touch this!!

[defybpy @ Nov 10th 2008 1:11PM]

Sigh. Yet another expensive unecessary Ipod dock.

[Floris @ Nov 10th 2008 4:38PM]

it's a fake. The "slide to unlock" is on the wrong side. it's supposed to be on the homebutton-side

[Al Bundy @ Nov 10th 2008 8:49PM]

i'd rather be driving an audi lemanns. a useless dock in a year or two.

[Isaiah @ Nov 11th 2008 6:59PM]

Did anyone notice the home button is on the opposite side, because the slide to unlock is on the left, while the home button is on the right...

[Chuck @ Nov 24th 2008 4:11AM]

People forget that these are sport cars and the reason to buy these are that they are fun to drive.