| Author | Message | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 657 Registered: 11-2002 |
Yep I'm out of words  Ferrari are awesome, and I am one of their biggest fans ... but I atleast acknowledge the others. Pete | ||
| L. (Testaroja)
New member Username: Testaroja Post Number: 44 Registered: 5-2003 |
PSK you sound like a desperate man, are you out of words? Theres no other sport car maker that equals FERRARI, Hey dont take any of this personal we are car guys. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 652 Registered: 11-2002 |
Gee Testaroja, Haven't you ever heard of examples, re:
I was using F1 as an example of why they build new cars, etc., the same applies for the street, except winning is the number of sales. Whatever! Keep your one eyed patch on. Unfortunately you will miss out on much automotive art and engineering as while Ferrari is awesome, they are not the best at everything, by sometimes a long way. They have their position in history due to their racing comes first and at all costs attitude, not because they always build the best cars. Pete | ||
| L. (Testaroja)
New member Username: Testaroja Post Number: 41 Registered: 5-2003 |
I didn't talk about the 60's or the GT40, it was about the Mclaren F1 and the Enzo , you got the posts all wrong, are you drunk? By the way PSK the 288GTO "Gran Turismo Omologato" didnt race at LeMans, the 288gto was to be a rally car in B category along with the Porsche 959 but it was not to be and they never raced. The GTO evoluzione was a car capable of doing 240mphonly 3 were built and from there came the F40. Now we were talking about street cars not F1 or LeMans. Taek-ho Kwon I see that you think you know better than Jonathan Palmer and also Andy Wallace who drove the F1 at LeMans, now thats incredible, will I ever see you driving a car at LeMans soon? I hope that you do great and finish first in your next daydream while at the wheel of your F1. By the way in june 20-21 1964 the 330P driven by Pedro Rodriguez is out first as the GT40 are slow to start. The #11 ford took an early lead but the ferrari's had better reliability and took the top three places. PSK we dont run in formula one or at Le Mans so I can care less who wins there or in the street. Im just a happy owner of a 328gts and a Testarossa and maybe will buy a 288GTO or a F40 very soon. If you care so much about who wins in Le Mans or F1 then go try to be a great pilot, maybe you and Taek-Ho will make a great team and beat Ferrari or maybe better drive for Ferrari and hope Im not in the Williams or F1 or a GT40 because then I will beat the hell out of you, after all you talk as if its car against car but you are missing the human talent behind the wheel and the pit crew. All I can say its what the late Alboreto said "Ferrari the only motors there are" " Are there any other cars out there?' You wont get it unless you are of latin blood guys... | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 639 Registered: 11-2002 |
Testaroja,
Yep I thought I understood you, but now I am really confused. As for the rest of the comments ... that is why motorracing is the only even contest. In the end if a competitor does not built a new car for the next season it is because they think their current car is still capable of winning. Thus I do care who has the new car or not, the car that wins on the track is the best ... ie. The McLaren and Williams in F1 are kicking Ferrari's butt at the moment. Jim, I did not know that Le Mans, etc. was included in the world championship. Interesting. I did know that Indy was at some stage ... I think there should be a above everything constructors championship that is made up of most points scored in all forms of motorsport: ie. single seaters, saloon track, rallying, drag racing, etc. Obviously the FIA would have to declare the events that count and the calander really early, but then the manufacturer that won the price/trophy at the end of the year could honestly say 'I am the greatest' And it would not be Ferrari at the moment. But it could be the FIAT empire ... ie: Ferrari in F1. Ferrari in sportscars, or Maserati. Alfa Romeo engines in F3, etc. Alfa Romeo in saloon car series. Lancia rally cars again. Drags ... er, now that would be interesting. Pete ps: Ford rally, race saloon cars, not sure about F3 etc. but we know about F1, not sure about Drags at the top end but would guess that there are some Ford based engines pushing something down the 1/4 mile somewhere ... seriously. Thus Ford would do okay ... | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1909 Registered: 10-2002 |
The other think about the 60ies was that the world championship (which Ferrari won in 67) consisted of both F1 and races such as LeMans, Daytona, Sebring, and Spa. I'd love to see it go back to that... | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Intermediate Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 1354 Registered: 11-2002 |
Defeat brings about innovation. You learn from your mistakes and all that. It's not like all car manufacturers are going to get together and decide on a set time to work on their projects with the same deadlines. That's why racing is so cool. Cheers | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1908 Registered: 10-2002 |
L. If you're talking about the 60ies once again you are wrong. In 65 Ferrari beat the Ford MKI with a 250LM. In 66 Ferrari built a new car the P3. Ford came up with the MKII and beat Ferrari. In 67 Ferrari came up with the P4. Ford came up with the MK-IV and beat Ferrari again. In 68 Ford beat Ferrari with an old MKI. In 69 that same old MKI beat Ferrari again. What's unfair about that? | ||
| L. (Testaroja)
New member Username: Testaroja Post Number: 39 Registered: 5-2003 |
PSK you didnt read well between the lines. What you said to me tells me that you didnt understand what I meant, I know what you said but that wasnt the point. Ford builds a car after Ferrari, so big deal. To be all fair then both Ford and Ferrari should start a challenge to build a better car at the same time, not ford making one after the Ferrari was build, thats plain unfair. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 634 Registered: 11-2002 |
Absolutely, that would be fantastic. What I would like to see is Le Mans change to be more production car based ... like they did in the 80's ... thus we had Jaguar xj220s, F288 GTOs, F40s, McLarens, etc. racing instead of these FULL on race cars ... BTW: Testaroja, The fact that a 308 body can handle 260 something miles per hour means absolutely nothing ... go watch your local drag meeting and you will see '57 Chev bodies passing 300 mph in way less than 10 seconds. And those bodies are hardly aerodynamic ... thus enough power and you could push a Kenworth truck faster than a McLaren F1 Thus GOOD aerodynamics just mean that you need LESS power to do those speeds, nothin about handling big power. Think of Lotus's, and those 2 ltr Lolas that raced a Le Mans and they are FAST and efficient. The McLaren F1, Enzo, etc. are hardly efficient ... but No car is perfect! Pete | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Intermediate Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 1342 Registered: 11-2002 |
I second that. Would be nice to see an Enzo flying down the Mulsanne. Cheers | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1900 Registered: 10-2002 |
I for one would like to see them back in force in sports car racing and at LeMans rather than just in F1. | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Intermediate Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 1341 Registered: 11-2002 |
Right Art. From 1958-1965 (which was the coming of the GT40), Ferrari won 7 years out of the 8. They had 2 prior wins before 1958. Once in 1949 and once in 1954 or 1955. Don't remember the cars though...where's Wayne? Cheers | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Intermediate Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 1340 Registered: 11-2002 |
Bill, They didn't. Matra won in '73-'74. They got second place or something. Jim is right. Never since they got spanked by the GT40s. After that it was the 917s, then the Matras. Cheers | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Intermediate Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 1984 Registered: 6-2001 |
Jim: Ferraris won overall at Le Mans more than once in the 60s, I think they haven't won since then though. Art | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1899 Registered: 10-2002 |
Not that I know of but I'll check tonight. Best | ||
| Bill Burke (Il_inglese)
New member Username: Il_inglese Post Number: 3 Registered: 9-2002 |
Didn't Ferrari win at Le Mans after the 5 liter 917s were banned? In '73 or '74?? I remember something about Ferrari using their 3 liter F1 motor of the time??? | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1893 Registered: 10-2002 |
L. As my friend Mark Donohue said "When the flag drops the bullshit stops." Since Ford blew Ferrari into the weeds at LeMans, Ferrari, unlike McLaren has NEVER finished 1 OA at LeMans.  | ||
| Yoshi Ace (Tiger_ace)
Junior Member Username: Tiger_ace Post Number: 103 Registered: 5-2003 |
I read before Enzo was designed by fairly young Japanese (he's in 30 or 40's), but he has been living in overseas since young (like me!) I think there are quite few designers working all over the world like Kenzo, Issei, a guy who's dolng design for upper apparel products for Adidas (over $400 for leather sneaker? looks good though), and Louis Vuitton's latest release is designed by Japanese (I forgot the name, but his name is in products' line) I don't have any point here, as I just wanted to say Okuyama is not the only Japanese who is doing well in designing world. | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Intermediate Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 1336 Registered: 11-2002 |
Testaroja, I've driven the car. Street trim. Have you seen the racing version? It has additional downforce items stuck on it. To call the McLaren a car that handles poorly is a joke. The car has proven itself in the highest level of racing. Cheers | ||
| L. (Testaroja)
New member Username: Testaroja Post Number: 36 Registered: 5-2003 |
By the way we know that the GTO and F40 have gone down in value but they are WAY OVER their base price from when they were sold to their first owners when new, and as far as I see YOU are entitled to my opinion. Can you feel it? | ||
| L. (Testaroja)
New member Username: Testaroja Post Number: 34 Registered: 5-2003 |
Taek-Ho Kwon, my point was that even a Ferrari 308 with factory GTO body panels was able to do 264mph, I know it wasnt a ferrari motor, it was a can am spec motor and my point is that IT IS PRETTY GOOD FOR THAT CAR TO GO THAT FAST WITHOUT BRAKING APART OR KILLING ITS PILOT SINCE IT LINES (GTO) CAME OUT IN '84 BUT THEY ARE JUST '76 308 LINES WITH "WIDER FENDERS" , the car wasnt design for such high speeds so why cant you see that the F1 that was so light and with such a low drag was meant to go as fast as it could compromising safety, Andy Wallace said "there was no real downforce" "it was always on the edge" "everyone thinks the Mclaren was cut out to be a great racer from the start. It wasnt." " The engine in the back was a big old thing and because it was primarily a road car it was much higher than ideal" and the article goes to say that it was nervous as you crossed the 200 mph point , now Faisal Khan I dont know if you ever driven a Mclaren F1 but I was talking from what JONATHAN PALMER HAS SAID ABOUT THE TOP SPEED OF THE STREET CAR F1 AND WHAT ANDY WALLACE SAID ABOUT THE RACING CAR, THAT IT FELT AND WHAT I SAW IN VIDEOS OF THE F1 ITS GOT BODY ROLL THAT SUCH A HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR SHOULD NEVER HAVE. CHECK ALSO THE LAST CAR MAG. ARTICLE (SEP/02). Also note that it is not true that the F1 went up in value while the F40, F50 or GTO went down, the F40 was $215,000, the F50 I think about $500,000, the GTO was $84,000 when they came out, they went up in value, we all know of GTO's that sold for 1.5 million and F40's for 1.2 million but that was a long time ago and we all know the 80's and early 90's. And still now you can see F50's for well over $700,000. Mclaren took a risk of selling very expensive and people went for it, after all how many Mclarens models are out there? It is a great car but its not all that. I talk my point of view and those of the people that DROVE it with major proof. | ||
| Tim Barnett (Tim_barnett)
Junior Member Username: Tim_barnett Post Number: 60 Registered: 4-2003 |
James, I'm always amazed when I read your posts. Is there any automotive experience you have yet to sample? I'm not jealous, just damn envious. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 622 Registered: 11-2002 |
Cerbera,
As Jim said, there are cars that win races and then there are cars that don't. My interest with cars really is in connection to motor racing. I can see no point in creating a car like the Enzo that has all this performance that cannot prove it (officially) in any race series. In the end the only performance that counts is on the race track ... everything else is BS, and totally irresponsible. When Ferrari started and built its heritage it built 2 types of cars: Race cars and road cars. Many of the road cars ended up on the race track ... it did not built cars like the Enzo UNLESS it was going to up hold the companies honour on the track. I have little respect for companies like Lamborgini, Koeng (sp?), other performance tuning companies that simply make faster road cars, and in general supercars. As like others have said making a road car post big numbers is childs play, making a race car that can sustain that numbers takes balls ... and big ones. Alfa Romeo did it (many times in the 30's), Porsche do it, Ford did it, McLaren did it, and Ferrari still do it with the F360 and F550 ... others are posers cars IMO ... but ocassionaly interesting (I have to admit). Pete | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1890 Registered: 10-2002 |
Shaleen S7, Corvette, Viper, F 550, F 360, P cars, Pagnoni, Stryker, Tvr. many that are derived from street cars still run there. The Enzo badged as a Maser may run there as well. 1 OA? The McLaren F1 GTR finised 1 OA. A P car (Street derived) finished 1OA at Daytona this year. | ||
| Ken (Allyn)
Intermediate Member Username: Allyn Post Number: 1040 Registered: 10-2001 |
Is there any class in LeMans that a basically stock Enzo can run and be competitive? I was under the impression the days of a street car competing at LeMans are over. | ||
| KCCK (Kenneth)
Member Username: Kenneth Post Number: 438 Registered: 10-2002 |
James, Great comment, even though I am a big fan of the Enzo. | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1887 Registered: 10-2002 |
Faisal Having driven both I think your post is spot on. They are both very special. That said IMHO there are two class of cars. Those that have won LeMans and all others. Best Jim | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Intermediate Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 1319 Registered: 11-2002 |
Faisal, Didn't read the book, and I don't need to. I can confidently say that the McLaren is an amazing car. What's not to like? Testaroja, >>leans like a pig on hard corners<< Compared to what?! If you make this car lean like a pig it would be dragging bodywork. Also do keep in mind the adjustable suspension settings. >>Bob Norwood made a 308 GTO bodied do 264mph in the Salt Flats, it didnt have a Ferrari motor but then again Mclaren doesnt build engines<< I'm sure it handled like a dream too. Anyone can stuff a big ass engine with turbos and superchargers and nitrous and all that other crap if they are only interested in top speed. Who is to say that the car wouldn't have gone faster if it were in a different body? I, like Faisal, don't own a McLaren either. Back on topic... I agree with most of the peanut gallery here. No real surprise. I'm pretty sure these guys get hired based on merit, not race. When you are a powerhouse design house like that you can hire the best, irrespective of where their lineage comes from. Interesting read though. Cheers | ||
| Danoush Paborji (Cerbera)
New member Username: Cerbera Post Number: 2 Registered: 7-2003 |
Um, dont mean to be prying but, PSK, you mention to be a car buff, but you mention that you dont know why they build superexotics...don't they build it for the car buffs? | ||
| Danoush Paborji (Cerbera)
New member Username: Cerbera Post Number: 1 Registered: 7-2003 |
Interesting read from all the posts, I like this site due to its members full of knowledge, although i am 17 i enjoy reading a lot and this is quite enjoyable thank you TVRfreak and Study | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 621 Registered: 11-2002 |
Point taken Faisal. And your post was an interesting read. Note: naturally as a car buff I do find these cars interesting, but I just don't understand why they build them ... if they are not for racing. Pete ps: I am always speaking for myself and discussing my own opinion ... and I am very opinionated (sp?) as your guys have probably worked out by now! | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 364 Registered: 3-2003 |
PSK, I very clearly said what I wanted to say. And it's not what you are implying. I don't own a McLaren, and even if I did, I would never get into a pissing contest about it. There are real, valid factors that can be debated. Ego does not enter into the equation. Styling is completely subjective unless you want to make the case for form following function. Even Bangle has his defenders. You would do well to speak for yourself, not for others. Thanks, Faisal. | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 620 Registered: 11-2002 |
Here we go again on the totally pointlessness of extreme supercars. Basically we are saying: My •••• is bigger than your ••••. I have seen both in the flesh and both did not move me ... but I have to give credence to the McLaren as it has won an important race. Until the Enzo does that it is a waste of carbon fibre, etc. Rather have a 206 Dino. Pete | ||
| Tyson Hall (Trhall)
Junior Member Username: Trhall Post Number: 105 Registered: 6-2003 |
Faisal, If I was Gordon Murray I would give you a McLaren F1. Well Said | ||
| Tim Barnett (Tim_barnett)
Junior Member Username: Tim_barnett Post Number: 59 Registered: 4-2003 |
Faisal, I think your comments are spot on. Testaroja, You might peruse the book Faisal references before you offer up any more insights on the F1. | ||
| Faisal Khan (Tvrfreak)
Member Username: Tvrfreak Post Number: 363 Registered: 3-2003 |
What you don't know could fill a book. In fact, it fills a book already. Driving Ambition by Doug Nye will tell you why the McLaren F1 is one of the world's great cars, if not the greatest. Enzo is a great car too. The McLaren was not designed as a race car, but swept Le Mans against formidable competition. Maybe the Enzo will win a race one day as well. It's funny, but you are comparing a car that was conceived in the early nineties against Ferrari's latest offering. Though much older, the McLaren F1 carries one more person and a lot more luggage, has a higher speed, better pedigree (Le Mans), more technical firsts, better power to weight and bhp/l numbers, lower weight, etc., etc. It rolls more ,yes, but that's by design, and the rolling can be dialed out if desired. The driver does not feel it as much because he is sitting in the middle, right along the axis of the roll. It sticks like glue too, and is very confidence inspiring. I know because I have driven one. There is no "wandering" at high speeds. The slightest wandering at 231 mph would cause a car to cross about 8 lanes and hit whatever is on the border of the road/track. That has never happened. As for top speed, it is a limitation of the gearing on a McLaren. It's aerodynamics are so good that it hits the rev limiter before achieving terminal velocity (ie. forward acceleration = drag). The McLaren's engine is rated for an easy 100 bhp more than what it is tuned for as well. Put enough stress and decrease expected longevity on any engine and you can make a lot more power out of it by playing with bore, stroke, induction, rpm, weight of components, etc. The mentality behind the McLaren couldn't be further from what you have written. They wanted to build the best car by any measure, cost no object. That's why it has more carrying capacity than a BMW 525i, a decent touring range, easy access to service points, sophisticated (and unique) suspension, sophisticated electronics, advanced airflow management, heat dissipation, aerodynamics, etc. etc. Several hundred patents were granted in the creation of this car. List all of its capabilities and no other car has ever exceeded them all. After the initial hype, no modern supercar has appreciated in price. Except the McLaren. As with the Enzo or any other treasure, the price tag is meaningless unless you can't afford it. | ||
| DaveE (Banzaiboxr)
Junior Member Username: Banzaiboxr Post Number: 154 Registered: 8-2002 |
The Mangusta is one of my all time favorites and was designed by The Master Giorgetto Giugiaro of Carrozzeria Ghia at the time. | ||
| L. (Testaroja)
New member Username: Testaroja Post Number: 31 Registered: 5-2003 |
The million dollar crap of Mclaren F1, the Mclaren does not reaches 240, it was measure at 231mph. The Enzo's engine was good enough for 260mph but then it was derrated because Ferrari builds cars that are completety balanced as far a package goes. The F1 its scary and wonders around once it reaches speeds over 200mph, it leans like a pig in hard corners, not flat like a F50 or now the Enzo. The F1 was build when the mentality was how fast will it go, and Gordon Murray put a bmw engine in a light car with a very low drag and thats why the F1 its fast but feels unsafe at speed, even the lemans racer versions felt very unstable and unsafe. The Enzo its a car that reaches it top speed with total confidence, its got excellent bracking and it wont look stupid in hard cornering. A little off topic but Bob Norwood made a 308 GTO bodied do 264mph in the Salt Flats, it didnt have a Ferrari motor but then again Mclaren doesnt build engines, and Dauer makes 962 endurance porsches street legal that will do 0-60mph in 2.1sec. and a top speed of 251mph and all this with space for bagage and seating for 2 with air conditioning and full leather, all this for a million dollars plus the heritage and history of the great 962 porsche. | ||
| JT (Mightymagician)
Junior Member Username: Mightymagician Post Number: 110 Registered: 11-2002 |
good for him. he did an incredible job on the enzo IMO. the car is amazing. good job on the 456 also. | ||
| david handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 1117 Registered: 5-2001 |
Old news. Pininfarina is still Italian based and owned; that one of their chief designers is of Japanese ancestory, is hardly an "eye brow raiser" in this day and age. The NSX is what it is...no one needs defend it, except those who are insecure in their purchase decision. I just wish Ferrari would get some Japanese engineers to figure out some of their electrics once and for all. THAT would be news! :-) | ||
| Wouter Melissen (Wouterm)
New member Username: Wouterm Post Number: 23 Registered: 5-2003 |
Ah ok. The Mangusta is clearly his best work though. I have yet to see a 365 California. | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Intermediate Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 1364 Registered: 8-2001 |
At Pininfarina from 1961 to 1966. Designed the 330 2+2 and the 365 California. Probably a couple of more I can't recall. | ||
| Wouter Melissen (Wouterm)
New member Username: Wouterm Post Number: 22 Registered: 5-2003 |
Didn't Tom Tjaarda work for Ghia? DeTomaso Pantera and Mangusta? | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Intermediate Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 1363 Registered: 8-2001 |
No shocker. It's been known since the Enzo prototype spy photo days. Don't forget that Pininfarina employed designers from all over the world even from the earlier days (Tom Tjaarda, for instance). | ||
| PSk (Psk)
Member Username: Psk Post Number: 613 Registered: 11-2002 |
Well done that man. He has packed more into his life so far than many 1000s will ever do. Good on him. The auto industry, including Ferrari, is a 100% global industry and has been for ages. Even the latest F1 engine is a Japanese design ... as the head of their engine development is a Japanese chap. Who cares where the designers come from as long as they design in the right Italian incredients, ie. the car must be inspiring to drive. Pete | ||
| Mark (Study)
Member Username: Study Post Number: 534 Registered: 10-2001 |
Good read. (this is kind of funny, since some guys like to pick on the NSX for being Japanese) But I posted mainly because I like to learn new things. This is very intersting. German drivers and Japanes engineers, whats next for Ferrari? Would you believe the latest Ferrari wondercar by Pininfarina is the brainchild of a well-traveled Japanese-born designer? The automotive design world is a cloistered one. It is not often that a working-stiff designer gets any credit for a new car. If any name gets mentioned at a new model's unveiling, it's usually the design director's. But wait a minute. About five months before the new Ferrari Enzo Ferrari�designed by the glamorous Pininfarina shop�made its official premi�re at the Paris auto show, there was a public viewing of the life-size mock-up�in an art museum in Tokyo. And there to take the kudos was a 48-year-old Japanese-born designer, Ken Okuyama. A Japanese designed this most exotic of all Italian cars? What next? Not so surprising when you look at the career path of Okuyama, who is now chairman of the Transportation Design Department at his alma mater, Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. So intent was Okuyama on having a design career not limited to Japan that he came to Los Angeles in the early '80s after graduating from Musashino Art University, hired a language coach to hone his English, and was accepted by the prestigious design college. Okuyama remembers a life-defining moment there. He was participating in an Art Center design competition judged by a guest, who happened to be Sergio Pininfarina (chairman of the board of the Italian firm founded by his father). "I was invited to meet him," Okuyama recalls. "As soon as I shook his hand, I knew that this was the man I was going to work for." But that was a ways off. After graduation, he was snapped up by GM design chief Chuck Jordan. He left GM several years later, hopscotching to Porsche, where he participated in the Boxster and 911 designs, then went back to GM (and Opel of Europe). In August 1995 he got every car enthusiast's dream job�designer at Pininfarina, where he penned such prototypes as an urban car called the Metrocubo (which he describes as "the automotive answer to the iMac"), the Peugeot Nautilus, and production cars such as the Alfa 147, and two cars still upcoming�an Alfa spider and the latest Maserati Quattroporte. And his language portfolio soon included German and Italian. But as an enthusiast, his twin peaks, so to speak, have to be his three Ferraris. But wait�aren't Ferraris designed exclusively by Italians? Mostly, yes. In recent decades, this most Italian of supercars had been the jealously guarded preserve of Italian-born designers. Okuyama's first Ferrari, the Rossa, was a one-off (built on a 550 chassis) to celebrate an anniversary at Pininfarina. In a recent Art Center speech, perhaps unaware any press were present, Okuyama revealed he "dashed off the design in two weekends" because "as a one-off, it wouldn't be making any money for us." His second Ferrari was a mere update of an existing model, the 456M. His third�the Enzo�is the mind-bender, and it sent a shock wave through the industry�not because of its speed (officially 219 mph) but because of its artful use of Formula 1-style aerodynamic tricks, such as underbody diffusers and an elaborate system that controls airflow under the car using movable flaps near the nose to create downforce. The industry hasn't seen anything this slick since the million-dollar, 240-mph McLaren F1. |