does anybody other than me miss Pininfarina? | FerrariChat

does anybody other than me miss Pininfarina?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by ross, Apr 25, 2017.

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  1. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
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    quite frankly, none of the cars designed post Ferrari's break with Pininfarina really appeal to me that much. i think the styling lacks that special something that made almost all the Pinin cars into thrillers that evolved into timeless classics. the newer designs do not really turn me on and lust after them.

    keep in mind, that i am not talking about the performance since that is always improving, but just the design.

    even lambos are starting to look better.
     
  2. andrew911

    andrew911 F1 Rookie
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    Agree. Cars like the FF and Cali don't do anything for me (no offense to any owners)- the 458 is beautiful as was the 599...the latest not so much. Breaking from Pinninfarina (among other things- bring back Luca!!) was a mistake. Guess it doesn't matter what I think as I'm not the target buyer of new Ferraris...I just buy them when they are 15-20 years old and used :) I think the 599/458 are the newest Ferraris that really interest me- diminishing returns after that as the price, HP and electronics move up and up...
     
  3. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #3 ross, Apr 25, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2017
    the new 812 looks hideous imo.
    it makes the ff look good. who came up with that crazy rear end???
     
  4. NeuroBeaker

    NeuroBeaker Advising Moderator
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    I don't know if I'd go so far as to say Lamborghinis are starting to look appealing by comparison, but Ferrari design has been missing something significant since the break with Pininfarina.

    Modern Ferraris are the epitome of performance cars, have a heritage that is second to none, and continually advance automotive technology, but it is painfully obvious that they are far less beautiful than their predecessors. I don't think the current designs will stand the test of time and become highly desired collectibles.

    Ferrari need Pininfarina.

    All the best,
    Andrew.
     
  5. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
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    even the stuff that was supposedly still under the influence of pinin, but in conjunction with the in house styling group, just doesnt cut it imo.
     
  6. andrew911

    andrew911 F1 Rookie
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    Is some of it the pedestrian safety regulations? Maybe they can have noses as sharp (and pretty)? Most of it is likely the break from Pinnin though. I really don't get some of the designs. Look at the prior gen cars 612, 599, 458- so beautiful. And I have a soft spot is for both the narrow body F355 and the newer gen at the time 360. If I want more radical/hard edge, the Enzo/F40/F50/16M all fit the bill. The 308 is so classic (with the ultimate of that body "look" being the 288GTO)- the testarossa was the one that started it all for me as a young teen... I'm not even getting into the plethora of 60's classics...all Pinninfarina!! What a history- all destroyed (for the time being, unless something changes somehow).

    Don't get me wrong- the newer cars are amazing, and I'd love to have a ride or drive one- it's just they don't give me that same feeling of excitement. Even now, after ~8 years of ownership (first a 360 coupe, now F355 spider) I never tire of walking past my car in the garage or opening the door to the garage and peeking out to grab a glimpse of the beauty- literally artwork (to me).
     
  7. ///Mike

    ///Mike F1 Veteran

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    Absolutely agree with the OP.
     
  8. ingegnere

    ingegnere F1 Veteran
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  9. alnimmob55

    alnimmob55 Rookie

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    Agreed....The new Ferraris lack the aura that made the name....
    But why do the 512 BB and BBi are so unloved ?
     
  10. andrew911

    andrew911 F1 Rookie
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    I meant to type the designs perhaps can't (not "can") have as sharp of a front due to pedestrian safety laws? I parked my new to me 2002 M5 next to a new 5 or 7 series and the front of the newer Bmw looks sort of silly compared to the classic lines of my "old" M5 especially when parked right next to each other for easy reference. Park an f355 or any pinnin ferrari right next to an FF and see what you think. But the lack of some freedom in nose design doesn't come close to what is lacking in the newer Ferrari design- I think it has just lost the pinninfarina magic.

    I like the boxers too- I think people in the US don't mention them as much as they weren't available as new cars in this market... I tend to think of the testarossa (and countach) as the ultimate 80s cars...930 if you actually had to drive the car more ;)
     
  11. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
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    +1 There's something about that swooping edge from the bottom of the fender up to the C pillar that looks off, it's too steep to be elegant. And I really dislike the snouty intakes by the lights (same complaint about the 'eyebrow' vents on the 458), even the Skeletor eye sockets of the 720S look more balanced.
     
  12. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    This is where you guys have it all wrong. You think Designers design cars.

    They don't. Marketeers design cars. The designers are just a pair of hands until the get something the marketing people like, the engineers agree with, and the bean counters are satisfied.

    The idea of someone sitting alone at his table making sketches and then sending it to panel beaters went out in the 70's. Today teams of people are involved in the car's final shape with the marketing people making the final "overall" visual decisions, not designers.
     
  13. Graz

    Graz Formula 3

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    Are modern Ferrari designs better than a 275GTB or Lusso or 60s California Spider? I know its all subjective but I don't think so. Why don't they reincarnate similar exterior designs with those gorgeous lush interiors of old? Put all today's technology in them and now that would be something :)
     
  14. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

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    Any outside observer can tell ya the new cars lack in styling. I was driving with my 84 year old dad the other day. He is not at all into cars. I saw a 458 at a stoplight and said oh wow look dad, check out that new Ferrari. He said that's a Ferrari, I said yeah. He said oh, but it's not pretty like yours (308). So his outsider eye even sees the difference. Girlfriend and nephews all make similar statements about the new ones.
     
  15. crinoid

    crinoid F1 Veteran
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    Does not the designer still have to synthesize the different criteria into a cohesive design? With this I believe Pininfarina do a better job then Ferrari Design.
     
  16. flat_plane_eddie

    flat_plane_eddie F1 Rookie
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    I agree with mostly everything said but I do think the F12 is a nice design. Everything else not so much...
     
  17. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

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    I am one that does miss Pininfarina
     
  18. DGS

    DGS Six Time F1 World Champ
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    History of design:

    1. Designers
    2. Marketers
    3. Computers

    This third step is why all cars look like half melted bricks, now.

    A few years back, I was standing outside the office, and noticed that an entire line of cars looked exactly alike from the sides.
    There were BMWs, Lexus, Toyota, Hyundai, etc. -- And they all looked alike.

    The only "design" going into cars, now, is the grills and taillights.


    By contrast, a decade or so ago, I was getting a ride to pick up my (Farina) Alfa Spider from an independent Eurocar shop.
    As we approached, I looked at the parking lot.
    The Alfa, among newer cars, stood out like an alien spacecraft. :p

    Funny how manufacturers have gotten more fanatic about "aero" ... at a time when city traffic has come almost to a standstill.
     
  19. dflett

    dflett Formula 3

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    #19 dflett, Apr 26, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2017
    Tell Lamborghini that its just grill and headlights now. I was recently at the factory and I could not draw myself away from the Sesto Elemento there. It had a gravitational affect on me. Almost religious LOL. That car is an incredible design. It's like nothing I have ever seen when I really looked at it. What's body, what's chassis, what's mechanical, what's organic... . I think its every bit as ground breaking as the countach or testarossa was in terms of design language. OK, its 5 years old now so maybe it predates your grill and tail lights comment.

    Unfortunately I agree with the OP, pininfarina and their quality of overall design cohesiveness is missed by me. Pininfarina always seems to know how to balance fluidity with detail. Now we have too much detail for the sake of detail. The LaFerrari has drama and is not bad as a whole but the other modern Ferraris fail to move me. In fact their styling completely fails to engage me the way the Pininfarina models used to.
     
  20. merstheman

    merstheman F1 Rookie

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    I do. I like the F12, but I like the Berlinetta Lusso better, and it's a Touring design. I think it's better when desing is left to designers. Ferrari should have bought Pininfarina when they had the chance....
     
  21. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
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    Biggest mistake Ferrari has even made....
     
  22. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

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    I think Ferrari have started to get better with the 458,and now the 488... they went vastly wrong with the 360 / 430 - nice cars but bland styling ... ( no offense to owners - they are way better than other marques, but compared to Ferrari's.. not so much ) ...

    the Dino, Berlinetta Boxer, 308-328 355... are the definitive Ferrari's in most peoples minds... and then you go to the 60's - GTO, 275's almost any 250 series with wire wheels... my personal favorite 365 GTC.... or 250 SWB... just are perfect.

    but todays cars are built for comfort and power.... looks are just an after thought sadly.

    Jim Glickenhaus's P4/5 is the way they need to go.
     
  23. Booker

    Booker Formula 3
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    Just to be clear, the modern cars that have not been designed with pininfarina are

    488
    La Ferrari
    GTC4Lusso
    812

    Every other modern ferrari has been designed with pininfarina
     
  24. Booker

    Booker Formula 3
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    Cali and FF were designed by Pininfarina just FYI
     
  25. crinoid

    crinoid F1 Veteran
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    The only lambo that's looked even partially good to me is the Lamborghini centenario and they goofed the rear on it.
     

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