Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Ferrari Backed over

[Adam Green (FlatCrank]

Great reading!

From the most unlikely of topics springs a very enjoyable thread.

I want to add my voice to the accolades of Pagani, but not without noting that if Ferrari were allowed free rein from Fiat to make only million dollar exotics, I'm sure we'd see nothing like the bloody electric hybrid nonsense of the La Ferrari.  It's a great looking machine to me, but what lies underneath is a travesty.  

As someone shopping for a 612, I am delighted to have the option of "utilitarian" Ferraris and my chiding of Ferrari for the FFugly is not without respect for their bravery to build a Shooting Brake when the likes Aston and Bentley are talking about SUVs to compete with Porsche, and Porsche is proud of its forthcoming compact SUV "Macan" that's the second most ridiculous sports car brand vehicle I've ever seen.  Oh for shame!

Speaking of SUVs, anyone wanting all the luxury and off-road prowess of a Range Rover with the space of a full size 7 seater, take the Mercedes GL for a nice, long drive.  It's fun to drive, it handles correctly (no kidding, it's neutral, it is responsive to control inputs, it has good manners on the limit and it communicates what it's doing with no bad habits) and it will cruise at 100mph at 30 mpg of diesel while maintaining an eerily quiet cabin, and it has more airbags than a gaggle of southern state senators.  I've ordered three GLs in the last three years and I'm usually against buying the same car twice, but it the GL simply has no equal.

Cheers,

Adam

On Sat, Nov 2, 2013 at 9:30 AM, Erik Nielsen <judge4re [at] gmail.com> wrote:

It's even worse than that, some oems have been caught having a cheater calibration.  After all, the EPA75 drive cycle can be driven by a robot. And you don't think the car can't tell when it is being "tested"?

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 2, 2013, at 11:16 AM, "Doug & Terri" <dnt [at] dock.net> wrote:

No more manual trans? We can thank the EPA & CAFÉ for that. 

 

As light trucks and passenger cars graphs pinch together jamming auto producers to the stratospheric heights for fuel mileage we are getting all sorts of nifty keeno gizmo$.  Cars that shut off at red lights, bridge openings and train crossings and amazing electronic/manual transmissions that shift seamlessly and faster than a human.  Guess it’s a good idea – but guess who gets to pay the tab when the electrics go afoul?  The double clutches need replacing on the seamless twin transmissions?  Guess who gets to pay?

 

Gotta say this tho – the air is cleaner in Los Angeles – but who now are the biggest offenders?  NAFTA trucks from Mexico and diesel powered ships from China.  Toot toot.

 

My ’66 VW Bug is looking better and better – wonder where that car is now?

 

Onward

 

DOUG

 

 

 

From: Fellippe Galletta [mailto:fellippe.galletta [at] gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, November 2, 2013 8:42 AM
To: DOUG
Cc: The FerrariList
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Ferrari Backed over

 

Guess I'm more disappointed in society then.

 

And yes, old school is great. It will always be special regardless of whether the new stuff is disappointing or not but imagine if the only stick shift cars available were 250 series cars right now?

 

That's probably the reality in fifty years, where ancient 360/430s are relished for that!

On Saturday, November 2, 2013, Erik Nielsen wrote:

 

 

Like old school?  Buy old school. That's what I did. 

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 1, 2013, at 6:25 PM, Fellippe Galletta <fellippe.galletta [at] gmail.com> wrote:

Have to agree with Michael on this one.

It's a sad world we live in where people with lots of money (and their automotive enthusiasm not in the right place) demands all sorts of cars Ferrari never would have built 20-30+ years ago.

The beginning of this trend in my opinion, started with the 550 Maranello. Now granted it is a nice car, a modern Daytona, etc....I'm not knocking it even though it's not my favorite Ferrari. The point is that I've seen repeated reports that they went front engined because it's more practical than mid-engined for the sort of things that these people want (i.e. golf clubs).

Reading Ferrari literature and press releases, all this talk of "the client" is freaking nauseating. And because of this "client" there will probably never again be a mid engined 12 cylinder flagship from Ferrari (obviously there will always be the super car Fs). He has needs way more important than chassis feel, curbing understeer and what not.

 

That shouldn't be the driving force behind *exotic* cars. And nothing wrong with front engined cars whatsoever (it's hard to beat a good Aston Martin these days for sheer handsomeness).....but Ferrari IMHO does not dominate visually in this regard since at least the '60s. The F12 I think is a step up from the 599 and a fantastic car but picking between those cars and a DB9/DBS/Vantage/Vanquish/etc is taking into account the Ferrari's greater performance and perhaps engine sound. Take those away, and I doubt you buy the Ferrari.

Sadly I guess the economic conditions force these companies to act this way, since if one does it, they all have to do it. I believe Lambo made 200-300 Diablos a year in the '90s.......lol, that won't cut it now.

One company that seems to be above this fray right now is Pagani, but only because they are very small. I read somewhere that the Huayra can be ordered in paddle shift, traditional manual, and sequential manual.....how f'n cool is that??!

If they ever become a big enough company to really mass produce exotics, I have no doubt whatsoever they'll make their share of crap cars to please others.

FG

 

On Fri, Nov 1, 2013 at 2:57 PM, Michael James <cavallino_rapante [at] yahoo.com> wrote:

But you don't understand......there are buyers (whom Ferrari is courting) who WANT these 4-seat, all-wheel-drive, Italian-Mercedes hatchbacks.  People WANT to haul their children, the dog, skiis, beach chairs, coolers, etc. in their $300K+ Ferrari during a Nor'Easter snowstorm in the Poconos.....because they want to.  So, naturally, Ferrari had to build "them" a car.....and here we are.

 

M J

 

 

From: Adam Green <FlatCrank [at] gmail.com>
To: Michael <Cavallino_Rapante [at] yahoo.com>
Cc: The FerrariList <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
Sent: Friday, November 1, 2013 1:07 PM

Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Ferrari Backed over

 

That is a shocking photo.  It must have been a heart attack for the "professional" (where&apos;s

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