The ONLY statement needed, of WHY a TR or BB...

Scrap those F40s.

Was this on 60 Minutes? (Morley Safer reference)

 

It was from a 1985 piece on Lamborghini and the Countach. It's floating around and is well worth watching.

 

+1.

After driving a 12, an 8 is just so.................................blah....................8.

 

After owning 6 Ferrari's...four 12s and two 8s...there is no comparison...if you want an 8 cylinder car, buy a BMW or Vette...if you want a Ferrari...a 12 is it...

 

Well, I just bought my first Ferrari, a 308...... a piddlely little V-8...... I have to start somewhere.......

Maybe my next car will be a TR or Boxer, but I'll have to save up for one.

BTW That 60 minutes special on the Lambo is pretty cool.

James in Denver

 

i have a 308 too...nothing wrong w/ it...nothing!

 

I know that is the way I feel about mine; and I waited a long time to get that 12.

But, the 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder cars I have driven all had the "Ferrari" experience too. Something that no Vette, Jag, or Porsche can imitate. Engine sound, that gated shifter, the steering feel...all Ferrari. The 12 is just the icing on the cake, IMHO.

Having said, since the thread said BB and Testarossa both - is there a big difference in driving the two? I don't want to start a rivalry, but I know several "old hands" who claim that the BB is much sportier, with a lighter feel about it. Truth, or just urban legend?

I don't suppose anybody happens to have both for some reason, do they?

 

I have owned both a TR and now a BB512i. The TR is definitely a more modern car with better AC and feels a little flatter in the curves. The Boxer feels faster although it is not in reality. The Boxer is more fun to drive IMHO and it being not as wide and having better visibility a little easier to handle in traffic . The Boxer sounds better to me and its smooth looks have aged better than the side strakes of the TR IMHO. . They are both great cars and I would recommend either.

 

Boxers are beasts, but prices are way up on those. J Ingram on FChat bought the one I was ogling at Bobileff's, and I have to admit I was tempted. Opening the clamshell bonnet is enough to make you want to write a check. Just an old school, brutal car even sitting there in the showroom. Sheehan has a pretty, restored 365BB now.

But enjoy your 308. Ferrari made the V8 its mainstay engine (F430 Scuderia being the newest), so your car kicked off the modern era, and IMHO it's got the right balance, driving position and aesthetics.

 

Thanks for the links. Ferraris V12 cars have aged a lot better than Lambo's.

 

so should I forget about that 288 GTO I'm looking at?

 

Yes, it's the same thing as a Corvette.

 

Yes, Bullfighter, I was very lucky to have found that one at that particular time. I have been very happy with it and drive it fairly regularly. It has been totally reliable except when the battery cut-off switch the previous owner installed vibrated off leaving me stranded at work (luckily). The quick fix was to totally remove the switch, trash it and hook the battery cable directly to the battery terminals. I just use a tender to keep it fully charged. They are brutal, but incredible to drive. My 328 definitely started my Ferrari experience and the Boxer completed it. I'm very lucky.

 

I have a 308 and love it. Don't ever plan to sell it. That being said, I was lucky enough to get some wheel time in a 512BBi a couple weeks ago and I have to say it was the best driving experience of my life. I cannot imagine a car more suited to my taste. It was perfection, the sound was incredible, the view out the windshield is invigorating, the torque was powerful and the throttle response was spot on. I have driven many Ferraris F40, 550 Maranello, 355, 348, 365 2+2 etc and this is definately my favorite of all. Every chance I get I thank Steve for the experience.

Terry

 

I think its not a matter of 12 or 8.....but having the option. Fotunately, god has blessed me to own both (to start).

They are are so different, they remind me of my kids. You cant love one more than the other, you just enjoy them differently.

So i'm enjoying them until my time is up here. I recommend if you can, we all need both in our stables.

Cheers !
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Sweeet garage!

 

Not driving a 12, is like..................................stringing a bunch of thursday's together.

 

Well, not completely. The new Z06 cost ~$75k, needs almost no attention/service for the first 100k miles or so, is faster and handles better than the 288GTO...and gets almost 30mpg on the highway as a bonus...

 

wow, I never thought of it like that, I'd better get my deposit back! (before i get a bunch of PM's, i don't have a deposit on a 288, wish i did!)

 

I believe that the 288 GTO is one of the most outrageous cars ever built. The visual impact is stunning. Having grown up seeing so many 308/328's, I am overwhelmed by the gorgeously flared and vented 288. It really looks like an Italian muscle car - a 308 on steroids. The fact that its a rare Homolugation Special, makes it's pedigree impeccable. I think that it would be a wise investment financially and towards your enjoyment.

That said, I set out with one goal in mind when I went to shop for an exotic - I needed to experience not just a 12 cylinder, but a mid-engine 12 cylinder. There is absolutely nothing like having that howling 12 at your back, pushing you down the clearly visible road immediately in front of you. A jet fighter pilot sits in front!

 

I agree with the initial quotes from 60 minutes, but not all the replies. I've had 2 8 cyl Ferraris and 2 12 cyl cars (one F and one L)

No question the 12 is everything a guy needs, but an 8 cyl Ferrari takes a back seat to nothing else either. Both special, but different.

Post #1 sings the praises of 12 cylinder cars. Just standing beside one while it is running is something memories are made of. The blessed that get to drive one are most fortunate indeed.

 

thanks for the post. i havent seen that in ages.

joe