An inspiring quote, an attractive blonde pianist, a killer soundtrack, and stunning cinematography. Whether you’re an automotive junkie or not I am sure you can appreciate these things. Throw in a Formula One Champion tuned chassis, a symphonic V6, Ayrton Senna sound samples, and hot laps around the Nordschliefe and you get a petrolhead’s vision of heaven.

FORMAT67 via StanceWorks.

A European Union directive passed in 2003 prohibits tobacco companies from sponsoring cross-border sporting events.  In September of 2005, Marlboro/Philip Morris announced a sponsorship deal with Scuderia Ferrari through the 2011 F1 Season.  You probably can’t pick up a Formula 1 car at your local supermarket, but the F10 Ferrari has a barcode anyway.

Just a Ferrari Red F1 car and no sign of Marlboro anywhere, right?  Here’s a mockup from Graphicology.com.

Sneaky, sneaky!!!  Check out the Graphicology post for more photos.

Last week I took a midnight run out to the backroads west of Interstate 280, arguably the “World’s Most Beautiful Freeway”.  If you’re not from the San Francisco Bay Area you may recognize it in the icon for the iPhone Maps App.  My grocery getter has a highly modified race suspension, but I admittedly have not done much canyon carving or backroad running since I moved in to the city of San Francisco… so much so that when I told an old friend about my excursion, he replied “You mean you actually DROVE your car?”.

But Skyline Boulevard and its branches are no match for this road in Transylvania.  Yes, that Transylvania.  The Transfagarasan Highway is 55 miles of breathtaking views and heart-pumping turns.  If I were a well-to-do vampire I wouldn’t be in Forks, Washington.  I’d be back in good old Transylvania.

Image by Horia Varian, licensed under CC.

If you don’t know about the Fiat 500 Abarth Esseesse, you should.  7-Time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher has one as his daily driver.  Let’s break it down.  The Fiat 500 is the Italian equivalent of the Mini Cooper.  Abarth is the Fiat specialized tuner equivalent of Mercedes’ AMG.  Esseesse is the car that the Italian automaker has named after esses designs.  I think the spelling got a little lost in translation though.

The Esseesse (SS) features a 1.4L turbocharged motor chugging out 160hp and 170ft/lbs of torque.  That might not seem like all that much, but for a 2,300 lb. car this thing has some zip.  Rounding out the SS package is a lowered suspension, big brakes, and some relatively monstrous performance oriented 17″ rollers.  But the coolest part?  The Esseesse package is delivered to customers in an awesome wooden crate labeled “Transformation Case”.

I have been raving about this little gem for a couple of years now. Dear Fiat, PLEASE BRING THIS STATESIDE.