blue flames from tail pipes
 

why does this happen and do some people purposely induce this effect somehow? it appears to be excess gas burning from an inefficient combustion.

It's a trick that you can modify yourself. There was a demonstration on "Two Guys Garage" on Speed Channel a while back.

Basically, it involves drilling a hole in the tailpipe and placing a sparkplug near the end of the tailpipe and having a power source (but not a standard ignition coil) located inside with a switch so you can turn it on and off. It's been done since the 50's.

Warren

Actually, I think the flames are normally orange. This is common in racecars where unburnt charge enters the exhaust system after the throttle plate has been closed. When it hits the atmosphere it finds the oxygen it needs to ignite and we see a flame.

The "blue flame" isn't unburnt fuel from the cylinders. This is what you see when a top fuel dragster fires up (I think F1 cars also do this). That's actually hydrogen burning in the hot exhaust gasses. The exhaust gases are so hot that they cause the water vapor in the atmosphere to break into its component hydrogen and oxygen. The two then combust/recombine into water and you see a blue flame.

does this happen on any production car naturally?

Did you just watch Miami Vice?

yup

Ha me too - I was wondering if Ferraris actually do that or if was f/x.

:D

I saw the movie and noticed the same thing. I was wondering about it too.

At least they used a real Ferrari in this film, not like the Corvette / 365GTB replica used in the TV series.

It's not surprising that Colin Farrel's Sonny Crockett chose not to drive his F430 to the big gunfight scene at the end of the movie. I think he drove a BMW 650i instead???

I know of a S/C S2000 that has been known on occasions to shoot blue flames out. At night, its looks badass.