yes, the track is very narrow. from the above view, look at how far inside the front wheel well the front tyre is. it looks goofy. the proportions are all off. this is probably not a test for a 599 upgrade or variant. it is probably for an entirely different car. Ferrari have hidden unrelated components beneath a 599 body. the German plate is probably because it's at some test facility in Germany. the GT-R, G37, LF-A test mules have similar plates as they're all being tested on the Nurburgring.
Why wouldn't this car be the Enzo successor? We have been informed that it will most likely be smaller and lighter, and maybe not have a V12. Peter
it could be anything. however with print articles of the recent past in various media, in major automotive magazines, replete with concept drawings and rumours about an alleged Dino, the conclusion is easy to fall into that it is indeed for a Dino --even if it isn't. sites like Jalopnik don't even offer any other conclusions but instead presume it is a Dino right away, as the rumour is that far entrenched in the minds of the public. with further "confirmations" of a Dino from dealers and friends of friends whom allegedly know somebody, the conclusion is then made more powerful for a Dino even as other reports contradict these accounts. the only other talk in major media venues for a new Ferrari that i am aware of is for the F460.
this is why it is more than likely not an SA version of the 599. it is probably not a 599 variant of any kind.
my greatest suspicion that it is not a 599 variant is what appears nearly certainly an altered wheel base and track clearly seen in the spy pictures. the test mule looks odd in this manner, with slight evidence of body modifications, making me think they are hiding something very different beneath the sheetmetal. an AWD or SA model would assume the same proportions when the test mule pictured seems to tell a different story. if it is indeed a 599 variant, contradicting my beliefs, i do wonder, then, why they altered the body and wheel configurations as they have. i just wonder what the point of that would be.
Porsche never needed to make an SUV. Period. However, they were amazingly successful with the venture... I never thought Ferrari would want or need to compete with Audi's R8... it seems a useless venture that would only demote Ferrari's stance as the greatest sports car manufacturer in the world... From a business standpoint, how has the Cayanne made us feel Porsche is a lesser marque? How has our mindset of the German auto-maker lost ANY respect. We all knew Porsche for making the day-to-day supercar.... now they just make an SUV as well which holds true to Porsche's attention to detail and relentless pursute of perfection. For Ferrari to embark on a project to make a car for the lower bracket is simply a move to earn the company more money. Im not saying the car would be any less of a Ferrari, but I think that Ferrari's reputation would suffer. We would earn more money... more people would know the companies name and see their cars... and Ferrari would branch out much further than FIAT ever thought possible. But, the MYTH we all grew up feeling would most certianly die. Mercedes is the make that needs to be focusing attention on this R8, its not Ferrari that need to take the step down. We need to focus on Pagani and Koenigsegg whislt vanquishing Aston's GT cars... Not to mention stay as Ferrari as we always have been! As far as the AM V8 is conerned, the same arguement applies as stated above... From the photos, I dont see any mechanical evedence to support new Hybrid technology, although I think a 612 upgrade is a very well founded idea. The only problem I have with this notion though, is that the 612 is much larger than the 599, and these photos clearly show a 599 body with smaller areas. I was told personaly by Andrea Pininfarina that Ferrari would make an entry level V8 in the near future. This is what I believe the photos are of. Best Jon
i think people already know the Ferrari name and would line up in great numbers to buy a new Ferrari just as they did for the 360 and 430. even if the new F-car were priced at $120,000, which it probably never would be anyway, that is still quite far above and beyond what most people would ever afford or buy. it would remain exclusive, probably hard to get with a waiting list right away as it would be a brand new model. the list would probably be even longer if it actually were released badged as the Dino, as that would create a novelty item at the very least. people would just have to have it. and being cheaper, all the more reason. yet under the new model and hysteria around it, with a possible wait list, the price would probably easily near double as we are seeing in the case of the 599. however, a rumour circulating about the new Dino price that car at around $170,000 --a price approximate to the F430. so if the F430 price is entry-level, then that would simply be business-as-usual and create no such tainting of the Ferrari image or exclusivity. the outcries of disdain that some possess over a Dino or some other V8 entry-level Ferrari seems based more in irrational exuberance. Ferrari has made entry-level cars for years. this case would not be much different.
This entry level new ferrari has been CONFIRMED many months ago. FNA has already told the dealers to expect a new car. FNA has told the dealers that the new car must have dedicated floor space. Ferrari, Maserati, and the new car must have its own space. FNA has visited dealers that have old buildings or buildings that might be too small. FNA actually measured the floor space in these dealerships. Dealers were told to enlarge their dealership or buy new facilities. The other choice is to move the Maseratis to a different bulding.
I know a mechanic who just spent a few weeks in training at the Ferrari factory. He said that the car is going to be made. He referred to it as a Dino. I kept questioning him as to the validity of his claim and he insisted it is a car that is coming. He saw the design and said it was a very cool car. By no means will it be cheap! Entry level is a very relative term when it concerns Ferrari. He said the talk was above 165K.
It's like everyone here is a duck. They wake up every day without any prior knowledge - just a brand new day ahead of them. Here are the facts, as they have been posted on Fchat innumerable times and corroborated by many who are in a position to know: Ferrari is developing a front engined V8 grand tourer for 2009 release. It will have annual production volumes between 4,000 and 5,000 units. It will be priced in the 100,000 to 120,000 Euro range and between 140,000 and 170,000 US dollars. It will have niceties like nav system, electric seats and a folding hardtop. It WILL be a Ferrari, not a Dino. It will be built primarily in the Maserati factory, as Maserati is moving production to its new sibling, Alfa Romeo. Its purpose is to capture bubbling demand for Ferrari cars in new markets like China, India, Russia, South America, Africa and other places where there is a growing middle and executive class with aspirations to go beyond Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar etc and where pricing on the current Ferrari range is out of reach. This move will also allow Ferrari to adjust its factory to dealer pricing on the V8 Sports car (430 and its successor) and V12 models to be closer to market reality, as well as allow Ferrari to better serve its mature markets with more supply by upping its total production dramatically. For those who fear too many Ferraris, the additional production will be instantly absorbed into the newer markets with almost zero impact on current model demand. 10,000 Ferraris a year versus 5,500 (the current annual output) is hardly a blip compared to Toyota, GM, VAG and other giant automakers who turn out that many cars in a few days.
Ferrari-chat is one of the best informed communities on ferrari. LISTEN, to the people close to the fire! Some of our members know facts and are wellrespected by the community and the factory! THEY KNOW THINGS WE DON'T! RTB, 410sa, Napolis and mr. Massini, are only a of few of them. If there is news, we probably know first, because they are prepared to share. READ and REACT, don't shoot unnecessary information or speculations on the site! Learn something, from the wealth of information on your screen and the possibilities of modern technology!
If it is in fact the Dino it won't be the end of the world. The worst that will happen is a few bruised customer egos, and Ferrari could care less. What are they going to do about it? Buy a Lambo out of pure spite?
even if it was a Dino it would have sold out instantly at F430 prices. i suppose the use of the words "entry level" and "Dino" have upset many, as if Ferrari were going to build a Camry-level car for the masses to slap the Dino name on it, cheapening it's name and saturating the earth with Ferraris, something that would have never happened. 140k-$170K is barely any cheaper than an F430, so how that is seen as a bad thing is baffling. and the initial rumours of the Dino placed it at $170k, yet there was outrage over that. maybe some would have been embarrassed were Ferrari to have revived the Dino name? i guess the Dino name = shame. i had no idea the Dino was so hated.
410SA's information is much the same as I've been told in the UK in terms of when, what and the new car's market position.......... except I might bet him a Dollar on the name
with respect to the name, regardless of what it will be, we do know a couple of things: 1) ferrari still owns the dino name 2) ferrari trademarked the name gt california recently 3) maserati trademarked the name ghibli three months ago if it is going to a be a 2009 model vehicle, there is still plenty of time for ferrari to make different naming plans as well. that being said, if dino is out, what will the gt california be and what will a new ghibli be?
entry level ferrari this will make me not want a ferrari. I always looked at super cars to be rare and exclusive now i need to start looking at getting myself a bugatti
There is nothing entry level about it. It will still cost close to $200K USD after options. I imagine it will be an extremely entertaining car. You will not see them every day and this will allow Ferrari to put new customers (in new markets) into a Ferrari. If(and that's a huge if)Bugatti ever introduces another model it will be much more affordable and mass produced. Look what VW has done to Bentley. Bentley sold a lot more cars than Ferrari did last year. VW took a bath on the Veyron. It is an outstanding car that defies physics but it was made at such an extreme cost that I doubt any major auto company will ever attempt to make such an expensive/extreme car ever again. I still applaud VW for having the balls to make the Veyron, regardless of the cost to develop it because I am car enthusiast. If you have the cash isn't it possible to still buy a Veyron??? If Ferrari had that problem they wouldn't be introducing new models. The new Ferrari will still be rare. It will not be as common as say a Bentley Continental GT/Flying Spur , Aston Martin DB9 or a 911 Turbo - at least not here in South Eastern Michigan.
Indeed, this car will come out as it is already developed as the Alfa 8C. The engine, transmission, structure....it is all ready to go. These are the guys that went from the mid-engine Testarossa to the front engine Maranello. They can do it again with the V-8's. And why waste all the development cost on an Alfa when you can mark it up another 25% and sell it as a Ferrari? Image Unavailable, Please Login
