Mega Thread: The 430 Replacement (F450, F500, etc)

My personal opinion is that the focus on numbers is way overdone. I've owned many different cars that looked great on paper, however the overall experience was less great. In fact, i'm picking up my new 911 today for my daily driver (07 430 is my weekender). I've had turbo in the past. I don't really need or want it now. A regular Carrera S is just fine.

I'm actually thinking of creating a blog or full website dedicated to 'Real' reviews of cars by 'Real' people. All the car magazines focus on track numbers. Based on my experience, they miss things like:
* Quatroporte - while the overall quality seems fine, after 6 months the body and suspension feels like its falling apart
* Conti GT - yea, its heavy, but what a dream car. After 2 1/2 years it still feels like brand new, very few 'issues', fast as hell, and great for a 5 hour trip from LA to SF (though you could do it in 2 ) and can be used as a daily driver.
* Range Rover Sport - when you go over speed bumps the active suspension shakes the front end like a California 7.5 quake.
* MBZ cls550 - biggest piece of junk ever owned. after 4 months they had to ship a new transmission from Germany.
* most Porsche's, 911's and Cayenne's pre PDK - shift from 2nd to 3rd (in Cayenne) is too great of an rpm gap. unless driving hard the cars bog when going up hill because the lack of the tip downshifting.
* one of my favorite cars ever was my Audi S6. sooooo much going for it. soooo much fun. Just uninspiring in external design.
* etc., etc., etc.

Anyway, i think people want to hear these stories. (maybe i'm all wet)
Yes, we like to drive our cars hard sometimes.....and much of the time many of us are just 'getting around'.

Sorry if this is somewhat off track, the 'numbers' part of this thread got me started and oh, btw, my '07 430 is the most exciting experience i've ever had. Its the overall package, speed, sound, handling, looks. That's why they are FERRARI'S.

 

The GT-Rs performance on the track has much more to do with other aspects of the car, including the way its proactive Attesa 4WD system works, its electronic traction aids, the split engine/transmission, and several unique suspension systems. Porsche has a bit more to copy than just DSG and 4WD. And the GT-R production is still going strong last time I checked! It's just an easy car to drive - it's behavior it very predictable when driving it. Even in a CGT I have to work very hard to stay ahead in the turns!

And I'm saying this as a Porsche/Ferrari fan who also knows Nissan's very well!

 

Enzo is way faster then any Porsche, Lambo, Nissan or Vette on NBR. That with tech problems half the lap as well.

 

If I want a fast track car only I would get a radical which go in circles around a GTR vspec. GTR is a very cheap car that delivers alot of performance, as the Z06 did earlier. I had a 300 ZX 1990 which was really fast, but I dreamed about the 348...

 

Way faster in straight line, especially to 180 mph. Slightly faster or nearly the same when you introduce sharp curves. The Enzo is a great road GT or large track car, not a small track car.

 

Yes, it's really which car you'd rather own. Personally, I'd have more fun driving a Porsche or Ferrari down the Pacific Coast Highway in California than a Radical, Z06, or even a GT-R. And if someone wanted to race me in a GT-R on the way, which is pretty unlikely, I'd like to be close.

 

Jesus, I thought MotorTrend were the only people who thought 0-62 times were the most significant thing about a car's performance...

God knows merging is a big deal these days!


_J

 

The Enzo loses a second per lap at Autodromo del Levante Bari against the Carrera GT on this track due to aerodynamics so track makes the difference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUmIKfcz6RE

The CGT is also faster at Bedford Autodrome West Circuit 1:19.70 versus 1:21.30 Enzo and at Vairano Handling Course Cgt 1:17.349 Enzo 1:17.448.

The Enzo is also slower against F430 Scuderia at Fiorano. http://www.fastestlaps.com/track26.html

The Cgt does not have shifting aid F1 so it will never shift as fast and is not a V12 less power and torque advantage Ferrari. The enzo will start pulling around 200km.

CGT 3042lbs Enzo 3009lbs
V10 V12
HP 604 651
TQ 435 485
0-200 9.9 9.5
Ratio 437.41 hp/tonne 476.9 hp/tonne

 

I knew all that. Short tracks, btw NBR is a pretty weel known place in germany...

 

I agree. It's a mark of ones capabilities. Majority of population is unaware of what these cars can deliver and it's then that these meaningless figures come into play.
Though LP-560 may be faster than a F430 just by 0.1 or 0.2 seconds but mentally it's the image that Ferrari is slower.

 

We all know the the F430 replacement (F450) will be unveiled at Frankfurt this year. With that in mind, is it safe to assume that the Spyder version of the F450 will have the steel roof like the one in California or still back to the cloth top?

 

It seems like it is a trend to have hard-top convertible - it is very likely but the barrier is: it might not have enough room for the retractable-hardtop.

 

Folding hard top means no glass cover over the motor ala Gallardo. Kind of mutually exclusive.

 

There is a rumor that there will be no "spider" option. I'm hoping that is not the case but it has happened before. There maybe a moveable roof but not a complete convertible.

 

I hope it's still a soft top to help keep the weight to a minimum.

 

Since the debut of the "Spider" option (with the 348), there has never not been a Spider model. In fact, the Spider became so popular that it was the GTS that was cancelled, presumably because Ferrari thought the two were redundant. Bet on a Spider.

 

If there is....I'm in.

 

Are you sure that the replacement will be unveiled this year?!? I can't believe it, where does the time go, I still remember as if it was yesterday that the F430 was unveiled. I can't wait to see the new replacement, I hope it has a spyder version!

 

No true Spider due to the carbon chassis tube + mid engine. Probably semi targa with one piece, body color folding roof panel

 

Really? The mass produced V8 Ferrari with a Carbon Chassis? I didn't know Ferrari had that many Auto Claves to produce 3,000 Carbon Cars a Year. Boy you must know something the rest of us don't, please let us know your sources.

For the rest of us, the 430 Replacement will be shown in September, it is a lighter Alloy Car and there will be a Spider replacement and it will have a folding cloth top, the Hardtop will remain with the California as the 430 Replacement will be a more hard core model in the Ferrari line up.

 

fingers crossed its still gonna be a canvas top!!!

 

+1......

 

I'd be curious to see citations for such information...