Current model line - Best ever?

With the launch of the F12, the FF, 458, and lightened California, is Ferrari's current line the best ever? It seems like the strongest, broadest, fastest group of cars they have ever sold.

So was there ever a year in the 50s / 60s / 70s / 80s / 90s / 00s when they had a better line of cars?

 

I don't know if it's the "best",but it's certainly the most comprehensive,IMO.

 

They are certainly targeting a wider range of customers with the range today. Luca is an exceptional marketing guy who understands these things. The fact that he has kids and could not drive the Quattroporte anymore maybe helped to push for the FF (?)...

I just wished they would have done more distinctive and beautiful designs for the FF and the F12 (however the F12 is improving after having seen it this morning).

As a fellow member put it: "Hopefully they will LEAD again with the new Enzo" (in terms of innovative and breathtaking design).

 

Every single generation they're faster and better.

IMO I really liked the 355/456/550/F50 period.

 

I dunno about the line up but you have an OUTSTANDING group of pics on your homepage.

 

The early sixties cars were wonderful, and the most expensive today.
You could choose from: 250 SWB, GTO, Lusso, 275 GTB, 275 GTS, 330 GT, 400 Superamerica, 500 Superfast, GTC and even the 250 LM.
They were so much better than any other car on the road at the time, INHO. And they had disc brakes.

For comprehensiveness, it's hard to beat the 1950s. All sorts of engines and body styles.
Even a four cylinder Ferrari.

That said, the current lineup is fantsastic!

 

Good post.

It depends what the OP means by "best". No doubt the current lineup is the safest, fastest, most efficient and comfortable.

Aesthetically, the 1960s are the pinnacle for several reasons. Beautiful coachbuilt designs, Enzo running the show (pre-Fiat), V12s having their heyday, tail end of the bespoke car era when Ferraris were kind of automotive royalty. You could argue for any year in that decade.

Then there's the 246/Daytona era, arguably two of the best ever. Even the 365 GTC/4 has its glamor. Maybe 1972?

There's another massive thread about this, but I doubt any of the current cars will be regarded as classics. It's a tech arms race now, and whatever comes next will be better than whatever is out today.

 

Power wise yes, aesthetically no. Not sure that aesthetically you can ever have that perfect as it's subjective?

 

Corrected for you

 

Hey, I didn't say I liked the current Enzo's design but hopefully the new Enzo will be something exceptional also in terms of good and innovative design.

I "corrected" you as well.

 

Look at all the variations of the 250 that were available that year! Very well rounded offering, though in significantly smaller numbers...

 

I say a solid YES.

I think every car is a leader in it's class. By that what I mean is given unlimited budget (how I wish) and told to pick a car in class, I would end up with the Ferrari everytime:

458 (2-seat mid engine coupe)
458 spider (same but open top)
F12 (front-mid engine 2-seater)
FF (2 door 4-adult passenger car)
California (2+2 convertible)

Is the California my favorite Ferrari? No. Do I think it is the best in class? Yes. Same for the FF. My perfect garage now is an F12 and a 458 spider...I need a moment alone.

 

1986 had the greatest line up.
328
Mondial
412
TR
GTO

Of course that was in the middle of my formative years, so there is that bias.
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+1

 

THIS is the correct answer. The reason why this is the correct answer is that in each of the categories Ferrari is now competing in, you have to say that the if the current cars aren't better than anything else in their classes, they sure aren't any worse.

You could not say that in ever year in the past.

This grouping today is the best. It's the most investment they've made. All of the car models are in demand. The competition likes to compare itself to the brand.

They have the most performance and power ever with the better fuel economy and lower emissions. Who of us thought the 458 could add 75 horses to the F430? The F12 is now in Enzo territory. The new Enzo will most likely be a Veyron killer.

You can argue that you like this particular model better than that particular model. But the range and quality of today's machines puts Ferrari on top of it's game vs it's competitors in each class -- and that's pretty hard to do.

 

Or 1989, with the F40 and 328... it was a very good year.

 

Thank you! I will change it to link to my collections instead, which is an easier starting point.

Yes that early '60s lineup is strong. Drive your car to the track, win (while listening to the BBC or something), and drive home.

This is my second choice for best period.

The difference I see here is that the Mondial, and especially the 412, were based on dated models. Of course cars like the XJS, 928, 6-series, and SL were all pretty old then too.

 

Exactly.

However I liked the 360/575M/456M/Enzo period.

 

IMO the competition for Ferrari is better than ever, so to say ahead, they have needed to step up thier game with each passing model

 

+1 Not only that, but many "lesser" marques that aren't true competitors continue to move upwards in performance, e.g. 500HP+ Corvettes and Cadillacs, Jaguars, BMWs and Mercedes. The new 991 Porsche 911 also has outstanding performance (and am I the only one who thinks the "rear engine" of that car continues to move further forward of the rear axle with each generation!?).

To maintain its position in the market as the pinnacle of automotive greatness, Ferrari has no choice but to continue to innovate and offer best in class. It is, however, getting harder and harder to do, yet Ferrari keeps coming up with cars that are not only "better" in measurable ways, but in the subjective ones, too.

While I very much appreciate past generations of Ferraris, especially the Enzo era cars, I have to cast my vote for the current generation as well.

 

I believe that Ferrari's best seller from the new generation's cars will be the F12. The design, the potential and all the package..
Just amazing

Best
Greg

 

Best ever, hard to say.

 

agreed, much harder to do.....where does it level out really? 1000hp GT sedan? 1.5 seconds to 60 mph? (that use to be what drag race cars did) $1million for thier most 'affordable' model?

 

A very good question. Cars are getting to be very, very "mature" in that there is little room to go further up in the conventional sense (i.e. four wheels, stay on the ground, not fly, etc.). This is similar to other technologies and market segments. Human piloted fighter jets can now accelerate and turn so hard that they can exceed the physical limits of even the most fit pilots. Home theatre receivers are so good now that while you "could" pay thousands or even tens of thousands for a very high end receiver, in truth, you can get away with very similar performance for the thousand dollar and less range.

So now that we have a 700hp+ Ferrari, where do we go from here? And would anything faster actually be "better"? We still have 65-70mph speed limits, and even if you don't want to follow those limits, there are practical limits due to traffic congestion and road conditions. Would the only way to get "better" be to have more automation? As in a Google self-driving car? I think not. But even if the electronic nannies already in our cars get better as in allowing us the maximum amount of "fun" whilst ensuring we never leave the road and hit a tree, at some point it becomes less fun because it's boring (people who have played video games in "cheat" mode understand that).

As it is, there is something to be said about it being perhaps more enjoyable to be able to use more of a car's performance envelope in a "lesser" car, than to use less of a car's performance envelope in a faster car. While I can no doubt go way faster in an F12, I could be having more fun trying to get the most out of my 3 pedal 360 spider, with top down, Tubis singing, going to redline in each gear and rev matching on the way down for corners... as the F12 in front of me vanishes into the distance without me caring one bit that he's way ahead. OK, so maybe we're not there yet. But that day is coming.

 

Sure, if you like crap. I think the 50s & 60s has 2012 easily beaten

Hell even in the 90s we had the 512TR & the F40, 2012 cannot beat that