The End of Ferrari as We've Known It

One needn't own a Ferrari in order to have passion for such thusly validated. Your post makes me think that your passion for the make lies in its ability to make you look good. Who is better, a non-owner that knows more about the make than you do, or an owner that wears the car like a piece of status symbology?

 

That wrecked 550 belonged to Uday Hussein. You just told off the dead son of a dead dictator, who also happens to own a car that essentially doesn't exist anymore. Watch where you step!

 

That VIN has been in my profile for years. Congrats! Of the dozens and dozens of people to comment on it over the last 3+ years, you are the first to have your head stuck up your ass!

Did I hit a nerve there, Pee Wee? You just want a car that can stroke your ego; you don't give a FF if it is a Ferrari. To you, it's just the most popular pair of cute shoes or handbag that you can show off to your friends at lunch or at the hair dresser.

Rob needs to create an area for people like you. POSERS.

The truth is you don't care jack shizzle about Ferrari. To you it's just another fad that you can use to impress yourself and your loafer wearing buddies. Ferrari today, Liliac-scented Brill Cream tomorrow.

 

Unfortunately, those cookie cutter cars will in time dilute the more hard-core models. Just look at BMW M cars. Started out as road legal homologation specials and the latest M3 comes as a 2 tonne convertible with an automatic... for the soccer Mom crowd.

 

Could not disagree with you more. So many sweeping generalisations. Scary

I will not use my 430S as a daily driver to take my wife and kid to the golf course. We would use a Porsche or SL now because there is no Ferrari that fills that need. I will drive the California a lot because it is useful. I will be so happy to replace cars that I am very bored with such as SL or 911 with something that has the look and feel of Ferrari but is practical. This is an important next step for Ferrari.

Heard all of the same crap when harley introduced the V-Rod and I bought one the year it came out and instantly loved the bike. Did not sell my old school bikes, just stopped thinking that I needed a Yamaha for practical use...

I don't care about having a Ferrari badge as I have many already...

 

You're absolutely right - I don't own a Ferrari. I've never owned a Ferrari, or any other sports car for that matter. I've driven a few - and try to hang around as many as possible - but I've never owned one. So for argument's sake, let's take my opinion right out of this conversation - and let me ask you a few questions. First, will you buy a California when they come out...? Something tells me you probably won't - but I'll wait for you to answer. If Ferrari decides to saturate the "entry level" market with Californias, will that compel you to sell the Ferraris you current own...? Something tells me you probably won't - but I'll wait for you to answer. If, one day, you have the chance to own the Ferrari of your dreams - whatever it may be, maybe it's a 250 GTO or a Lusso or an LM, whatever - will a million Californias on the roads keep you from realizing that dream...? Something tells me you'll still go ahead and get that dream car - but I'll wait for you to answer.

I can appreciate that driving a Ferrari yields more prestige than driving a car whose production is aimed more toward the masses. Hell, driving a 308 or a Mondial will get you more attention than a new 997 Turbo. But Carrera GT owners don't embarrassedly drive down the street hanging their heads in shame because there are so many Boxsters running around. Because those who know what they truly have, aren't concerned with what everyone else has. Sure it's nice to have something that not too many other people have. But that's usually not the ONLY reason someone buys something; and if it is, then they lose sight of the true value of that thing.

I saw a 360 Spider yesterday - driving right through my neighborhood no less! - and the guy in the driver's seat looked plenty happy. And when I saw him, I didn't think to myself, "Ha! That jerkoff went out and bought one of those 360 Spiders - like 7,499 other morons in the world. He should've bought a 365 California - Ferrari made only 14 of those." But with that mind set, there's always something rarer.

 

Every car company has models that you might not like. Vehicles are like art, and the beauty is strictly in the eye of the beholder. Think back to a few Ferrari models of the past. The Mondial. The 348. They weren't exactly heralded by the automotive world. Were either of those cars "the end of Ferrari"? No. The California is a continued evolution of the company, based on an expansion of wealth throughout the world (there are more buyers in the $200K+ snack bracket, and they need more cars). And based on that, the definition of an exotic car is evolving. Ferrari will still continue to produce the "special" cars for the true enthusiasts. As a matter of fact, cars like the California might increase the cache associated with the "special" cars. And you can guarantee that Ferrari will continue to produce the special cars. If you don't like the California, don't buy it. I am a Ferrari enthusiast, and I don't like every car with a horse on it. And that's okay.

 

Just browsing through the forum and stumbled across this thread and wanted to say... Excellent posts NNO! I'm not a Ferrari owner either and don't really plan to be (unless I get lucky and get my hands on an Enzo ). But I agree that if you love or really like a car, nothing should get in the way of that. When you buy a car, it should be for yourself first and foremost. It shouldn't matter if there's one or 100 million.

I have an e46 M3 and there dozens of them around especially now that the prices are dropping but that doesn't bother me one bit. When I am behind the wheel, it is just me, my ride and that driving experience. I don't care and I'm actually a bit glad to see a few more around. I wouldn't feel any different if I owned a Ferrari.

 

My point is that this new car does not speak of passion to me. When I first saw the Gallardo, I thought what a work of art. It was different and attention getting. The new California seems tame to me, like a Lexus. I expected that Ferrari would step up to the plate after the 360 and 430 which are nice cars, but certainly does not speak to me of outstanding style. Who is asleep at the switch?

 

I'm not exactly stuck in my tracks by the lines of a Lexus, BMW, AMG Mercedes, etc., but people still buy them in droves. We still don't know what the California looks like in person - so we must reserve judgment until that time comes. However, it might not be for "us". It might be for the BMW/Benz/Lexus crowd: simple, elegant, sporty, leather, convertible, power everything, cup holders, and so forth. Most Enzo owners don't drive their Enzos only once in a while because they're impractical; it's because of how outlandishly amazing they look and present themselves. They don't want that perfect creation to be flawed in any way. But if you have a simple, elegant design - like a BMW convertible, an AMG Benz hardtop drop top, or one of those Lexus SCs - then you feel like you're daily driving in style, and you don't feel so compelled to keep this fragile, porcelain, artwork under lock and key.

 

I used to have a 2001 Sentra SE 2.0. Even after I narrow it down by year and color and model - there are still millions of them out there. But I loved that car so much, and enjoyed driving it so much. I never cared, or was jealous or upset when I saw another one on the road. It's not about having something that no one else has; it's about enjoying what you have. I guess not everyone feels the same way.

 

Coming from the son of a owner, I feel that while a practical car may be good for the company in taking over SL and BMW territory, why it is necessary?. How more practical will it be than the 599 or 612? or even 550/575 and the replacements of these cars will be. These cars are all able to be driven daily yet still are low production and do not do anything to detract from the brand. Those who want a practical Ferrari have one of these cars most likely. I feel like Ferrari should leave the Merc and BMW territory alone, both those companies are very good at it and we can tell by (at least where I live) seeing the masses of them out on the streets every day, Ferrari should stick to what it does best, which it making soul stirring sports cars . For Porsche, its slightly different, because they have things like the CGT and the GT3 etc. Personally these are the only 2 porsches I will turn my head for on the road, where as every Ferrari gives me goose bumps whether i'm a fan of the car or not. I'm not sure how everyone denies it but a huge part of Ferrari is its mystic, from the old ones to the new ones, part of what makes them such special cars enough that we are all on here talking about this. Yes they are fast, but you can have a faster rice rocket, yes they look good, but no more so that an aston martin or a old jag e-type, Yea they are good cars to drive, but so are lotus, and many others. What sets them apart is the specialness and passion in them...something that comes from the mystic.

People always make the comparisons of why by a Ferrari when you can get a vette' for half the price? and the answers are always the same...you cannot compare the two. But what will happen if these new Ferrari's become more accessible to the masses? what about when you see several every day? When they are cheaper? Ferrari will not be as special, at least to me when everyone can have one and you see them all the time driven by wealthy housewives. I like the fact that now, even tho really most people can afford a Ferrari (be it old or new) the majority of people do not. They can be had for much less than most new sports cars or SUV's but you know that the few who do own the cheaper Ferraris, 328, 348, Mondial etc are gearheads and care about what they are driving. A housewife on the way to school doesnt car...it could be a ferrari, bmw, merc whatever, as long as its nice and looks fancy.....Thats the idea I dont like. Its already getting bad enough with posers etc just buying the cars to look "cool" introducing the Cali is just going to add to this I feel, and if Ferrari keeps heading down this path I just hope I can own one for myself before the mystic and specialness of these cars wears out...

 

A 430 Scuderia won't lose its mystique if Ferrari bangs out a hundred thousand Californias - just the same way a Carrera GT doesn't lose its essence every time Porsche pumps out another million Boxsters.

 

The Euro 2012 requirements that all cars sold in Europe must be fitted with "High Rolling Resistance Tires" should change the handling a touch...

 

Exotic cars are dieing period.

Lamborghini is more modren than ever before, ferrari is slowly losing its rootz and porsche looks like they don't have a replacment for the cgt. With crap like the SSC aero and CCR coming out its only a matter of time before the real big three take the same fate as hummer did for gm.

 

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Personally I think the California looks way way better than the Gallardo. Not that the Lambo is an ugly car, it is certainly no aesthetic masterpiece. There are design quirks that I don't like on the F149, but certainly nothing that can be compared to the rear end treatment of the F430. It's no worse than the hard edged hood on the 599 and it looks way more sporty than the 612 Scag. The fact the car looks small is a testament in the design expertise to shrink the perception on the size of this vehicle. Keep in mind it's a 2+(0/2) so the size will be closer to a 612.

For those who say it's a blasphemy for Ferrari to put a V8 in front of the driver instead of the V12. Well, what if that V8 can outperform most V12 on the market? What's so wrong about making a Ferrari more practical, a Mercedes SL alternative? I drive a MB SL500 right now and I absolutely love its hardtop convertible top. It certainly would be nice if I had the option to haul around 2 legless friends in the backseat. Given the choice I would gladly take a California over a F430S - I don't see the point of wasting the performance potential of a race-designed car just because 'it'll holds its value' or 'it's so rare.' Some people actually don't care about driving the most rare, most expensive cars - we just like something that will put a smile on our face everytime we walk in to the garage. I think the California will do this for me.

 

In an odd twist of what you might expect, the EU is doing it for the noise and not the mileage (NY Times). Who would have thought that noise was the issue?! Seems all that road noise is potentially dangerous to the health of one half of all Europeans. SUVs are exempt for now.

 

Perhaps "Low Rolling Resistance"? "High Rolling Resistance" to me means slicks, and yes, they would change the handling a touch!

 

From what I understand they are referring to very narrow, very high psi tires that would increase MPG and lower speeds.

 

The tire report:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/projects/report_tyre_road_noise1.pdf