Ferrari has completed development of a four-wheel drive system for its future sports cars, according a report by Italiaspeed. Rumors of a Ferrari AWD system first surfaced exactly a year ago when the U.K.'s Autocar magazine published patent drawings made by the Italian automaker for such a system.

Unlike the full-time all-wheel drive systems used by Lamborghini and Audi, the Ferrari setup is an "insertable" four-wheel drive configuration. This means the car will typically operate with power going to the rear wheels only, and engage the front wheels as needed. A computer-controlled clutch determines when to activate the front wheels.

The system will work in both mid-engine and front-engine Ferraris, according to the report. The Autocar report suggested sister company Maserati could also use the technology.

For the past few months, rumors have been circling that an all-new Ferrari Dino would bow sometime in the not-so-distant future and slot beneath the F430 as the "entry-level" Ferrari. Several spy photos have shown what is believed to be a Dino mule clad in the body of a 599 — the underlying platform is obviously narrower than the 599's — but definitive evidence has yet to be discovered and Ferrari officials adamantly deny that a Dino is in the works.

Confusion surrounding the "Dino" has only grown with auto publications from around the globe publishing conflicting reports. Germany's AutoZeitung even reported that we would see a concept version of the car at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Unfortunately, Frankfurt's final press day ended on September 12th without a Dino unveil.

But, just last week, we reported that Ferrari is developing a new 2+2 car powered by a front-mounted 4.3L V8 — to be unveiled early next year –that could actually be the car we have been referring to as the Dino.

Needless to say, the Ferrari Dino has remained a mystery and in the headlines thanks to a plethora of on-again off-again rumors, and they don't show any signs of slowing down.

This time Italiaspeed is reporting that Ferrari will unveil a 2+2 coupe-cabriolet with a folding hard-top roof at the Detroit Motor Show next January. Dubbed the 430 GT California, the car is reported to use the same F1 'Superfast' sequential-shift gearbox found in the F430 Scuderia, as well as a version of the Scuderia's direct-injection 4.3L V8 — albeit detuned to make 450 horsepower. A manual transmission is said to be optional.

It is also expected that the 430 GT California will be underpinned by a strengthened version of the F430's aluminum spaceframe. Look for the frame to be slightly stretched to accommodate the rear seats.

The 430 GT California is intended to take on the Aston Martin V8 Vantage with pricing starting from €130,000 ($182,000).

However, Italiaspeed claims that the 430 GT California is not the "Dino" we thought it might be and that the actual Dino will emerge as a completely separate model in 2009. Italiaspeed also says the Dino will be a 2+2 car and will use a 350 horsepower mid-mounted 3.5L V6, listing for around €100,000 ($140,000).

Given the speculations surrounding both cars, its hard to buy into either rumor. Hopeful some questions will be answered at the Detroit Auto Show. Check back for updates on these very dynamic rumors.

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Ferrari Dino: the lowdown

Despite repeated denials, CAR Online can confirm that the Dino will be reborn at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March. Developed under the codename F149, the new Dino is front-engined, and features a two-piece folding hardtop.

Our artist's impression reveals how the new Ferrari could look; it's known to be a more comfortable GT style car than the hard-edged F430 and its ilk.

A new Dino... so will it look like the 246 GT of yore?

The first heavily disguised Dino prototypes have been caught on film by our spy photographers - and its compact proportions leave no doubt about the true nature of the vehicle. We hear it will have its engine sitting up front and its shape does indeed echo that of the original 246 GT, with a cab-backward design reflecting the engineering layout.

Does the Dino retain the transaxle configuration of the related Maserati Quattroporte? We don't know yet. But we were told by several suppliers that production will start next summer and that the car is scheduled to put in its first appearance at the Geneva show next spring.



What's this about Maserati? Is the new Dino related?

It certainly is. The Dino's roots are born in the the car Maserati was going to build alongside the Granturismo - but could not fund. Instead, the Trident brand is now developing a straightforward open-top version of the full-size coupe, while Ferrari has taken over the smaller car for the Dino project.

Insiders are adamant the Dino will be a true Ferrari though, and witnesses who've seen the car on the roads around Maranello - and there have been numerous CAR Online readers who've spotted it - confirm it sounds like a genuine Pracing Horse.

Will it look anything like these images circulating on the internet? They purport to show a Dino styling buck, but we're not sure if they're the real McCoy or some design school project. One CAR Online reader, 28crash, reckons these styling clays are from a company in Portugal called Retroconcept, which is planning a rebodied Lotus Elise sports car.

What's this about the F430 replacement? What do we know about this car?

It's known inhouse as the F142 and is an all-new design, unlike the current model that's an evolution of the F360 built between 1999 and 2003. Expect to see the newcomer in late 2009 or early 2010.

The big news is it will follow the Mille Chili concept (above) - as a more compact and significantly lighter than the model it replaces. Like the Dino, F142 will no longer be available as a soft-top Spyder. Instead, you can pay extra money for an ultra-quick, ultra-light and ultra-compact power operated top which consists of a perspex centre panel and a secondary element painted in body colour.

Smaller, lighter... I like the sound of this. How light will the next 430 be?

Lighter still than the 430 Scuderia, which tips the scales at 1250kg. Which is good news. The mid-engined newcomer won't need a massive investment in cylinders and displacement to deliver the goods. Our sources suggest a turbocharged small displacement direct-injection V8 will provide the excitement.

Also on the cards are semi-active aerodynamics, brake energy tapped for torque loss compensation during upshifts, a pushrod suspension and a so-called ballistic valvetrain for that extra high-end grunt. Whereas the Mille Chili (above) is styled as a junior Enzo, project F142 will have a new look of its own, evolving the 355/360/430 design language to the next level.

Make no mistake, it's going to be an exciting car. But it's also going to be quite a bit more expensive than its predecessor. Which makes sense, considering there is the Dino waiting in the wings, as the entry-level car in Ferrari's line-up.

Exciting times at Maranello...

Ferrari will begin equipping its engines with direct injection, starting with the 2009 F430. The technology will then spread to the rest of Ferrari's lineup, including the 612 and 599. The move to direct injection will not only raise power by about 10%, but it will also reduce emissions — by at least 40% — while improving fuel economy. Ferrari is implementing direct injection in an effort to make its cars more environmentally friendly.

Ferrari looked to Audi as a model for direct injection and Ferrari is co-developing its system with Bosch — the same company that helped Audi develop its FSI technology. “We looked at Audi because they spent a lot of time on it and use it in more than one application with different engines,” Ferrari GT Technical Director Roberto Fedeli said.

According to Autocar, the new direct injection system will require a redesign of Ferrari engines, with the displacement and block being the only components left unchanged. “It’s the same engine from the block down,” a Ferrari source said, “but the injection rail will be new, the intakes will all be new, the cylinder heads will be new, the valve trains will be new and the throttle bodies will be a different type that you have not seen before.”

The new technology is expected to drop Ferrari's CO2 emissions from its current 400 g/km to 250 g/km. While this represents a significant improvement, it still falls well short of the proposed European emissions regulations of 120 g/km by 2012.

Ferrari has announced that carbon ceramic brakes will be a standard feature across its entire 2008 model lineup. The announcement was made today by Ferrari General Manager Amedeo Felisa at the Bologna Motor Show.

While ceramic brakes have been optional on some of the best sports in the world for several years — such as on vehicles offered by Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari — Ferrari's announcement marks the first time an automaker has made them standard across its entire range.

Ceramic brakes disperse heat better than their standard counterparts and all but eliminate brake fade. Normally the performance brake option costs at least $10,000.