Ferrari is celebrating more than one good result this morning. Not only did the apparently troubled Scuderia score its first championship points at the F1 Grand Prix in Bahrain this weekend (Kimi came sixth) but, according to the Fiat Group’s first quarter 2009 results, released to the board of directors and the financial community yesterday, Ferrari was the most profitable of all of its companies in the first three months of the year.

Despite the fact that the world financial crisis has resulted in a severe collapse of the car market, the Prancing Horse ended the first quarter of 2009 with a trading profit of 54 million euro. This is not only the highest profit recorded in any of the various Fiat Group sectors but is also one of the few positive signs to appear in the first quarter results of any automotive company anywhere in the world.

Sales of the California (above), the latest new Ferrari, are proving particularly brisk too. The hard-topped convertible will, of course, now be flanked by the new additions to the range unveiled at the recent Geneva Motor Show: the Handling GT Evoluzione Package for the 599 GTB Fiorano and the 599XX prototype.

Ferrari clienti has of recent years, proved to be immune to the vagaries to economic fluctuations. Maranello is continually introducing delectable evolutions to existing cars as well as well as brand new models to satisfy a slavering global constituency of well-heeled aficianados and fans. And for the latter, the company recently launched an informative and attractive new website that finally looks like it might do digital justice to the brand of all car brands, and keep the legion of aspirant eager fixated on the possibility of being part of the Ferrari family.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The immense 612bhp 6 litre v12 makes the 599 the most powerful production Ferrari ever, and if supercars have any kind of a future, this may be it. The Pininfarina design is fresh as ever, and the ride is superb, thanks to the same Magneride suspension used on the Audi R8 (and featured on page 7 of influx issue 6).

In fact the 599 is everything the Ferrari F40 wasn’t — a usable supercar with performance when you need it, and refinement all the time, with all mod cons thrown in — it even comes with an iPod connection as standard.