wow congrats! manual is fine but driving on right side with rhd on narrow often wet mountain roads sounds very daunting tho. no possibility of buying a classic in uk, driving it for mm then export to spore/msia after that? might be more worth it than going thru hassle of shipping car there n back , customs formalities, n insurance
Wah...steady! Let me ask my prc xiao mei mei friends if any of them got experience with stick drive. Btw, yours is a 6? I mean 6 speeder?
Make sure he puts a Singapore FOC sticker on his car! (of course a small sponsorship may be in order) BTW, I just found out I didnt sign on as FOC member for this year 2011 ! neither did Han. Got confused with the sign up we did prior to collecting the GTO.
Congrats Jon, on doing the MM this year. We'll all be following your trip closely so plenty of pics pls. Unmolested car - does that mean something that has straight pipes and tubi is a no no? And who certifies the car anyway? Derek as roommate - I am sure he will make a great buddy AND wife (if you need) too! Have fun together and pics pls .
Suppose to have 15,303 360s built from 99-03 from Classic car mag (article on Ferrari V8s). Since export markets are all economically screwed + FX is against us exporting out, I would expect many 360s to be COE-ed which isn't a bad thing. I miss seeing cars like the 456s and are there any left locally? BTW that UK 993 GT2 Evo is a 3 owner 98' car. Asking for 300k sterling! I'll get a Muria for that instead or a 288GTO/F40. But that car is rare, only 21 built so truly for Porsche fans only.
Check out Chris Harris rant.... and the fact he sold his 575 in protest... guy should be taken with a pinch of salt as he used to own a 993 GT2 and is partial to Porsche's but.... he has owned more than a couple of Ferrari's as well in the past. I reckon that Ferrari should be allowed to adjust anything before a test by a journalist so long as it doesnt require the additional puchase of any parts. Where the issue comes in is the manner in which it seems Ferrari controls the press.... not cool prancing horse, not cool at all... To add more fuel to the fire (BUT AGAIN: EVO has been known to be pro Porsche as much as Clarkson is pro Ferrari), this is a direct quote from the EVO Car of the Year 2010 issue: Notable Absentee: Ferrari 599 GTO At times, Ferrari can seem like a 'glass half empty' sort of company. Having two Ferraris in the Car of the Year, the 458 Italia and the 599 GTO, would have meant one of them would end up a loser. So although we raved about this more focused, iconically badged 599, this 661bhp halfway house between the delectable standard model and the fabulous, track only 599XX, Ferrari declined the invitation, citing a lack of press cars. We offered to find an owner's car, but Ferrari said if we did they'd pull the 458... How Ferrari spins By Chris Harris Feb 15, 2011 03:00 PM I told the blokes here at Jalopnik I was pissed at Ferrari and wanted to tell a few people. They said I could do it here. Stay with me, this might take a while. I think it started in 2007 when I heard that Ferrari wanted to know which test track we were going to use for Autocar's 599 GTB road test, but in reality the rot had set in many years earlier. Why would it want to know that? "Because," said the man from the Autocar office, "The factory now has to send a test team to the circuit we chose so that they can optimize the car to get the best performance from it." They duly went to the track, tested for a day, crashed the car, went back to the factory to mend the car, returned, tested and then invited us to drive this "standard" 599. They must have been having a laugh. Sad to say it, but the ecstasy of driving a new Ferrari is now almost always eradicated by the pain of dealing with the organization. Why am I bothering to tell you this? Because I'm pissed with the whole thing now. It's gotten out of control; to the point that it will soon be pointless believing anything you read about its cars through the usual channels, because the only way you get access is playing by its rules. Like anyone with half a brain, I've been willing to cut Ferrari some slack because it is, well, Ferrari –- the most famous fast car brand of all and the maker of cars that everyone wants to know about. Bang out a video of yourself drifting a new Jag XKR on YouTube and 17 people watch it; do the same in a 430 Scuderia and the audience is 500,000 strong. As a journalist, those numbers make you willing to accommodate truck-loads of bull****, but I've had enough now. I couldn't care if I never drive a new Ferrari again, if it means I never have to deal with the insane communication machine and continue lying about the lengths to which Ferrari will bend any rule to get what it wants. Which is just as well, because I don't think I'm going to be invited back to Maranello any time soon. Shame, the food's bloody marvelous. How bad has it been? I honestly don't know where to start. Perhaps the 360 Modena press car that was two seconds faster to 100mph than the customer car we also tested. You allow some leeway for "factory fresh" machines, but this thing was ludicrously quick and sounded more like Schumacher's weekend wheels than a street car. Ferrari will never admit that its press cars are tuned, but has the gall to turn up at any of the big European magazines' end-of-year-shindig-tests with two cars. One for straight line work, the other for handling exercises. Because that's what happens when you buy a 458: they deliver two for just those eventualities. The whole thing stinks. In any other industry it wouldn't be allowed to happen. It's dishonest, but all the mags take it between the cheeks because they're too scared of not being invited to drive the next new Ferrari. Remember the awesome 430 Scuderia? What a car that was, and still is. One English magazine went along with all the cheating-bull**** because the cars did seem to be representative of what a customer might get to drive, but then during the dyno session, the "standard" tires stuck themselves to the rollers. And this is the nub: how ****ing paranoid do you have to be to put even stickier rubber on a Scuderia? It's like John Holmes having an extra two inches grafted onto his dick. I mean it's not as if, according to your own communication, you're not a clear market leader and maker of the best sports cars in the world now, is it? What Ferrari plainly cannot see is that its strategy to win every test at any cost is completely counter-productive. First, it completely undermines the amazing work of its own engineers. What does it say about a 458 if the only way its maker is willing to loan it to a magazine is if a laptop can be plugged in after every journey and a dedicated team needs to spend several days at the chosen test track to set-up the car? It says they're completely nuts –- behavior that looks even worse when rival brands just hand over their car with nothing more than a polite suggestion that you should avoid crashing it too heavily, and then return a week later. Point two: the internet is good for three things: free porn, Jalopnik and spreading information. Fifteen years ago, if your 355 wasn't as fast as the maker claimed you could give the supplying dealer a headache, whine at the local owners club and not much besides. Nowadays you spray your message around the globe and every bugger knows about it in minutes. So, when we used an owner's 430 Scud because Ferrari wouldn't lend us the test car, it was obliterated in a straight line by a GT2 and a Lambo LP 560-4, despite all the "official" road test figures suggesting it was faster than Halley's Comet. The forums went nuts and some Scud owners rightly felt they hadn't been delivered the car they'd read about in all the buff books. Talk about karma slapping you in the face. It's the level of control that's so profoundly irritating and I think damaging to the brand. Once you know that it takes a full support crew and two 458s to supply those amazing stats, it then takes the shine off the car. The simple message from Ferrari is that unless you play exactly by the laws they lay down, you're off the list. What are those laws? Apart from the laughable track test stuff, as a journalist you are expressly forbidden from driving any current Ferrari road car without permission from the factory. So if I want to drive my mate's 458 tomorrow, I have to ask the factory. Will it allow me to drive the car? No: because it is of "unknown provenance," i.e. not tuned. I'm almost tempted to buy a 458, just for the joy of phoning Maranello every morning and asking if its OK if I take my kid to school. Where I've personally run into trouble is by using owners' cars for comparison tests. Ferrari absolutely hates this; even if you say unremittingly nice things about its cars, it goes ape ****. But you want to see a 458 against a GT3 RS so I'm going to deliver that story and that video. Likewise the 599 GTO and the GT2 RS. Ferrari honestly believes it can control every aspect of the media — it has actively intervened several times when I've asked to borrow owners' cars. The control freakery is getting worse: for the FF launch in March journalists have to say which outlets they are writing it for and those have to be approved by Maranello. Honestly, we're perilously close to having the words and verdicts vetted by the Ferrari press office before they're released, which of course has always been the way in some markets. Should I give a **** about this stuff? Probably not. It's not like it's a life-and-death situation; supercars are pretty unserious tackle. But the best thing about car nuts is that they let you drive their cars, and Ferrari has absolutely no chance stopping people like me driving what they want to drive. Of course their attempts to stop me makes it an even better sport and merely hardens my resolve, but the sad thing is its cars are so good it doesn't need all this ****e. I'll repeat that for the benefit of any vestige of a chance I might have of ever driving a Ferrari press car ever again (which is virtually none). "Its cars are so good it doesn't need this ****e." None of this will make any difference to Ferrari. I'm just an irrelevant Limey who doesn't really matter. But I've had enough of concealing what goes on, to the point that I no longer want to be a Ferrari owner, a de-facto member of its bull****-control-edifice. I sold my 575 before Christmas. As pathetic protests go, you have to agree it's high quality. Jesus, this is now sounding like a properly depressing rant. I'll leave it there. Just remember all this stuff then next time you read a magazine group test with a prancing stallion in it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chris Harris is a UK-based freelance car writer who once bought a 1995 512 TR but sold it when his mates called him Tubbs and put Jan Hammer on his iPod.
I like Chris' road tests and youtube videos (eg 599GTO) .. but as he says this is nothing new. Ferrari have attempted to influence what the press writes about their cars for years (rumour has it that a local Ferrari dealer got in trouble off the factory for selling their purpose built "press" California to a customer without the factory's permission). It isn't right that the road tests are fixed but it will take more than one journo's protest to change things. That being said it seems he's getting some decent coverage for his rant ... I've already seen 3 related articles in international newspapers ... I just wish he used Fchat instead of Jalopnik
didn't Ferrari refuse to provide Top Gear with cars for 2-3 years after JC showed the "secret" launch control during the 599 road test (LC is not available on US spec cars)?
Hey guys I know some of you are experts with Msian roads so pls help me out. I want to go to taman tampoi indah and I know it's very near from the second link. Anyone knows which exit I shd take and how I shd go? Thank you!
ballpark what does it cost all in to install an in-car comset with perry these days? i was directed to harold and lung to check price with by perry but im not sure if u guys are too far up the pyramid
Congrats Jon! I'm sure you will find the money well-spent because this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. You got to photograph and witness the race last year, and actually take part in it this year!! I'm sure this is more than what most of us will ever get to experience. Fly our flag proudly and please capture the beautiful moments to share with us
Just finished reading all the reviews. Most journalists conclude that the Mac drives better than the 458 in every aspect. Only complaint is that it's too clinical, that it lacks the soul-stirring ability of the Ferrari. When the Mac was first unveiled, I though it looked bland but I'm slowly starting to appreciate its understated, function over form design.
U know what Tim, u gave a very bright idea! Shipping cost alone will exceed S$5K excluding forwarding on both ends could hit few Ks as well & then the insurance to cover 3rd party driving in EU.... and it must be delivered on time or I'll miss the event. The problem is submitting the car alone took more than 30mins of filling up the details online. They need chassis nos, existing road tax, insurance, photos & many other details which only an owner will know. Guess, this is a learning experience for me as the HK guys have been sending their cars all over the world to drive for ages.
Hey, I have two spare rears that are quite comfortable never mind if it's 5, 6 or 7 it's party time! Haha, knew u would make a dig on him. Think they're more concerned with externals such as ah-Beng wing, non spec wheels etc. but for the true MM cars, they will even scrutinise the bulbs & correct gearbox etc as there's a panel of judges doing pre-checks & they will disqualify you! However, one navigator on a pre-war car was using a probable military grade torch @ night in the country roads! I have never seen any 456s left so guess they are all exported by now due to the high parf+coe of the '90s. I don't see many 360s being coed as well but they were sold as late as into 2004. Wow, 300K pds for a 993..... mind boggling & think about it everytime you'd want to bring her for a drive. I was reading a UK mag & their insurance for classics are just few hundred pounds! on a GBP40K car. My goodness. Thanks bro. Thanks mate. Yeah, really pleased & I was looking for a period correct car so this is the best deal by entering what I already have. Don't think I'll have much chance to photograph this year as I'll be driving 100% of the time, unless I make quick runs then make 5min stops in between or I'll be @ the bottom again. Found that Mr Eu of Eu descendant who writes for auto magazines joined the event many years ago with a Malaysian owner. Would love to read his article. On top of that, I'm looking forward to a Summer driving holiday as well, visiting other EU cities so this will be more than just a rally.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ann/20110216/tap-mum-uploads-video-of-nude-daughter-t-b65e254.html Can someone send me the link keke...
