| Author | Message | ||
| Jean Dupont (Cavallino)
New member Username: Cavallino Post Number: 8 Registered: 8-2003 |
You can admire two different interiors : The "extreme" version (bucket seats, plexiglass windows ...)  and a more relaxed version with electric windows in particular.  Regards, | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Intermediate Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 1230 Registered: 9-2002 |
N'din - what is the cost of the courses? How far in advanced are they booked and whom do you contact? I assume you can just call FNA for info? --Dan | ||
| gian maria traversone (Giamma)
Junior Member Username: Giamma Post Number: 84 Registered: 10-2002 |
wow! sounds great, I will try my best to make it next year for the Basic one. Thanks for sharing GM | ||
| N'din (Abangdin)
New member Username: Abangdin Post Number: 35 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hi Gian, There are 3 Piolta courses that are run by Ferrari. Basic Pilota, Advanced Pilota and EVO course. The basic Pilota is done at Mugello. It's aim is to understand your car. What it can do in the wet, how the ABS and ACR function and how to drive quickly around the track. In 2000 the cars were the 360 in manual and F1 and the 550 Maranello. The wet exercises were carried out using the Alfa. The instructor will take you around the track in his Alaf Romeo 3.0 GTV (on slicks) and you follow him 2 at a time in different cars and the instructor will instruct you through the speakers in your car as you go around the circuit. They are very fast and there is no way you can catch them in spite of them driving the GTV and looking at their rear view mirror at what you're doing. It is mandatory that you complete this Pilota course before you can attend the Advanced Course. The advanced course is held at Fiorano. This is very interesting and exciting. You are taught how to drive around the track. The lessons are ver intensive. You start at 9am and finish at 5+pm. You are constanly jumping from the 360 and into the 575 and going around the track following the instructor, who are in 360s. Now you realise how serious they are. One instructor with one driver, unlike Mugello where 2 drivers and one instructor. The 360 is fitted with telemetry and when you pit, the datas are downloaded and then another set of instructors will go through with you on your "faults" around the track from your graph that is superimposed on a "perfect" lap by an instructor. At the end of the second day, they'll set up half the Fiorano track and have a "top gun" time trial. Everyone will do 3 attempts and the best for consistant 3 tries and the fastest for one lap will receive a prize during the presentation of the certificates. We enjoyed it so much that we are going again next year. It's worth going fo the Pilota course just so you can qualify for the Advanced course. The third course is the EVO course. It's open to those who have completed their Advanced Course and aimed specially for owners who want to participate in the Challenge series. | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Intermediate Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 2483 Registered: 6-2001 |
Just found this thread. I was thinking about ordering one of these instead of the standard 360 coupe, but felt that since I would be driving it a lot, that it would be impactical. When someone takes delivery, I'd like a note about how well these are suited for everyday driving. Art | ||
| gian maria traversone (Giamma)
Junior Member Username: Giamma Post Number: 82 Registered: 10-2002 |
thanks N'din, I hope Brian will still be there the 6 of October , the day I am receiving the car. I wanted to talk with my dealer about the stripes and the alcantara steering wheel , but in Italy they are closed until 1 sept, for holidays. Any way, thanks again for the information, and if you have a chance I would love to know what are the driving courses about. I found out they are pretty expensive, are they worth it? what kind of car the make you drive? is there a lot of track time or is it mainly teorical? I wanted to take one this year, but beside the many euros it costs (which I have very little left after buying the car) I did not coincide with any courses in beginning of October. | ||
| N'din (Abangdin)
New member Username: Abangdin Post Number: 28 Registered: 7-2003 |
Hi Gian/Brian, Hey you two guys are going to be at the factory two days apart. Maybe you'll even meet each other. If you're going to pick up your cars in September then it is too late to make any changes. I did the specs for my 360 before and I know there is a certain cut-off time when the order is frozen. So I had a personalised 360. I had 328GTS and F355 before but I bought those from friends. I've been to the factory twice. Once in April 2000 and again in June 2002. The firrst time was when I attended the Pilota Course (at Mugello) and the second time when I attended the Pilota Advanced Course at Fiorano. There's nothing much to see in Maranello, it's just a Mecca for Ferrari owners and fans. Apart form the factory, there's the Galleria, the Ferrari shop and the Cavallino restaurant. Now that's one place you have to go when you're there. But make sure you have reservations, get your dealer to do it. The food is good and the atmosphere is fantastic. Don't miss lunch at the Cavallino. Then there's the Fiorano track but that is off-limits unless you're attending the Pilota. But if the F1 team is testing at that time then you can watch it form across the fence. Enjoy your trips guys and most of all enjoy your first drive with your Stradales. Post your first impressions here and let us all salivate. | ||
| Chris Coffing (Valence)
Junior Member Username: Valence Post Number: 153 Registered: 3-2003 |
Ryan, yes, I have a degree in mechanical engineering. This (carbon fiber) business is cool, but I often get caught up with the details and can't spend as much time as I'd like designing new products. Sorry to the others for this off-topic "detour." | ||
| van mollenberg (Vanny)
Junior Member Username: Vanny Post Number: 123 Registered: 4-2001 |
i was in toronto the other day and it was either a 550 or 575 that the customer had ferrari of ontario put the stradale stripping on.really liked the looks -it was the stick on type but very well done- | ||
| gian maria traversone (Giamma)
Junior Member Username: Giamma Post Number: 79 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi N'din and Brian. I just found out today is to late for me to change my order, the car is going to be ready the 20 of September, and I am picking it up the first week of October at the factory. So about the stipes I am only left with the steacker option.. About the Lexan windows, they are not to go out until Dicember or jenuary w , for omologation problems and quality issues, but the good thing about it is that the early orders ( like mine) will get the electrical windows but since the contract was signed with Lexan, we will get the lexan windows plus the frame for free when they finally come out..that is good news , so I will have both, and decide then which one to leave on. By the way , anybody has gone to maranello? what is there to see beside the factory and the Galleria? take care GM | ||
| Ryan Alexander (Ryalex)
Junior Member Username: Ryalex Post Number: 59 Registered: 8-2003 |
Chris - *Excellent* (Mr. Burns voice) BTW, I think the idea for a carbon fiber company is way cool. If I had the helm I'd go crazy (good crazy) trying to design new panels and trim the way I'd like for all major sportscars... Did you study engineering/ manufacturing? | ||
| Brian (Bjc138)
New member Username: Bjc138 Post Number: 7 Registered: 9-2002 |
Hi N'din/Gian, I too had the same issue with the stripe. At first I ordered red/black Alcantara, Rosso Scuderia , roll-bar and a 4-point harness without the stripe. Now I'm changing the order to include the stripe. I hope to be at the factory around September 22nd to take a closer look at the final options and the stripe quality etc. I've been advised against the lexan windows from many quarters because of scratching etc. as experienced by F40 owners. Can't wait until February! Ciao for now, Brian | ||
| Chris Coffing (Valence)
Junior Member Username: Valence Post Number: 152 Registered: 3-2003 |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What I love most is the new mouldings- the bumpers and side skirts that are sharper and curvier... do you think they'll eventually sell as a possible replacement for the 360/420's stock bumpers? -------------------------------------------------- Yes, we're planning on making similar replacement panels in carbon fiber. | ||
| N'din (Abangdin)
New member Username: Abangdin Post Number: 24 Registered: 7-2003 |
Giamma, go for the stripes. I have seen the car in the flesh and it's really great with the stripe. The other model that was presented at the launch, a Grecio Alloy without the stripe look very dowdy indeed next to the striped red one. The demo car had plastic stick-on stripe but the real deal will be painted on. That's what my dealer said. I had a close look at the sticker and I could see the ends peeling, so it's not a good option to have an after-market sticker. But USD5,00 for the real deal is a bit stiff. I'm specking my car now and I've decide to get the red/black Alcantara, Rosso Scuderia and 4-point harness. And I'll put on the stripe, it's painful but it makes the car stand-out. After all this is a street legal race car, so why not. After the unveiling the Ferrari Pilota instructors took us round the race track, in the rain. And I have driven my Modena here countless times so I know how it behaves. But the Stradale is in another planet. Even though the instructor was driving (and he was pushing) the car was so stable even in the wet and the brakes, oh my goodness, it's incredible. When do you get your car Giamma ? Mine will be sometime in the 1st quarter 2004. The factory has allocated only one car for this region for 2003. Damn!! There will only be 900 Stradales in total and 10% (90) will be in RHD. So it's pretty difficult for us to get the RHD cars since we have to fight for allocation between the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. | ||
| Kds (Kds)
Junior Member Username: Kds Post Number: 124 Registered: 5-2003 |
Lots of Diablo SV owners had the "SV" lettering (which was a decal) removed from the sides of their cars for obvious reasons. IMHO this stripe has that same stigma. Scuderia shields are a bit much even I think....but acceptable. I'd personally go without the painted stripes and if I really had to have it, you could get a computer decal made for probably a few hundred yourself if one did not come out on the aftermarket like was previously mentioned. | ||
| Dan 360 (Dan360)
Junior Member Username: Dan360 Post Number: 110 Registered: 2-2003 |
The italian cars they had here in the US for the launch had stick on stripes. Given that the stick on car protection stuff only costs 700 USD for the front and sides of the car and is pretty fiddly I find it hard to believe that 5K for a stick on is justified. Info is sketchy right now on US production cars, but I'm suspicious that this will be a painted stripe. Esp if they can make a 4.8K extra profit for selling you a stripe. | ||
| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Intermediate Member Username: Doody Post Number: 1606 Registered: 11-2001 |
i'll bet somebody will start selling the stripes aftermarket for $500 as removable stickers. my two pennies would be to hold off and see what happens. doody. | ||
| gian maria traversone (Giamma)
Junior Member Username: Giamma Post Number: 78 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi , I would like to know what you guys think about the stripes. I have ordered mine without them but after seeing all these magazine, plus some videos , plus the brochure I am learning to like them more and more. Beside the price ( which I would make them in sticker for less than 500 dollars) would you guys go for it or is it too much to drive around? I have ordered a European version with Alcantara,lexan windows and 4 points belts, so I thought that was enough for the racing look, but now I wonder if I should go all the way and put the sripes on it as soon as I get the car... | ||
| Ryan Alexander (Ryalex)
New member Username: Ryalex Post Number: 46 Registered: 8-2003 |
What I love most is the new mouldings- the bumpers and side skirts that are sharper and curvier... do you think they'll eventually sell as a possible replacement for the 360/420's stock bumpers? | ||
| Ben Cannon (Artherd)
Member Username: Artherd Post Number: 753 Registered: 6-2002 |
I would definately opt for the Alacantra interior, much grippier than leather, and quite comfy too. The one of the Euro models that was brought briefly to a few US shows here had a painted on stripe. For $5k I'd bring out my own paint gun.  I love how Ferrari snuck basically an open exhaust onto a ROAD CAR! Amazing! Best! Ben. | ||
| Bart Duesler (The_bart)
Member Username: The_bart Post Number: 299 Registered: 1-2003 |
Hum! | ||
| N'din (Abangdin)
New member Username: Abangdin Post Number: 21 Registered: 7-2003 |
Ferrari lauched their Challenge Stradale for South East Asia, yesterday. They brought 2 Stradales, one in Rosso Scuderia/black & red Alcatera interior with centre racing stripes. The other in Grecio Alloy and Burgundy leather. The red car looked stunning, the racing stripe really brought out the racing heritage of the car. I had the chance of going around the race track, driven by one of the Ferrari Pilota instructors and even in the wet the car was so impressive. The brakes were phenomonal. The racing stripe was a "stick-on" but the dealer said that was only for the demo models. The production car have painted-on stripes and it'a a USD5,000 option. Has anyone seen a production model with the racing stripe and if so can you please confirm whether it's painted-on and not a stick-on. And if you were to specify your order, what interior would you choose? |