For those of you who know the history.... What was the last Ferrari that was as well received as the 458? I can't help but think this is a pretty special time for 458 owners/fans.
The F430. The design part is subjective (I like F430), but in general the car was lightyears ahead of its competition (still considered a proper driving experience + still a lot better sportscar than most new sportscars sold new today) in almost every aspect (except stock stereo, lol).
+1 F355 was hailed as a great car. The 360 was an aero-dynamic and technological achievement. Notably the aluminum chassis. a quantum leap forward. one of the prettiest Fcars ever made IMVHO. http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=380397 the F430 has been described as a 360 on steroids. More power, better F1. the look is contriversial. 458 has it all. Aero, electronics, looks, everything. a true super car.
+1, When I got my F430 the sales manager gave me the 1" thick manual for the stereo and told me to get a 14 year old to explain it to me. That same radio was in my 599. I was lucky to listen to the radio station I wanted to. The worst radio I have ever seen. IMHO my F430 was better looking than my 458.
360 > 458 > 430 my opinion aside, if you simply look at how much over sticker they were going for that is also the same order.
Overall it just keeps getting better ... Side profile: 458 (nothing comes even close) 3/4: F430 Rear: F430 front: 458 JMO Image Unavailable, Please Login
I don't find 328/355/430 as exciting because they are not completely new models (more like facelifts). I was too young when the 308 debuted... so I can't say.. To me, the 360 definitely put alot of people in awes when it came out. The design and overall shape is just so far ahead of its time, its been out for more than a decade now and it still does not look dated to me. Not to mention the technology that Ferrari brought to the table with it.. However, I think the 360 is more of a "love or hate" thing; whereas the general consent for the 458 is that its a beautiful and perfectly proportioned car.
I agree. The F430 was proclaimed as the best sports car in the world by many, many people. It was viewed as Ferrari really "getting it".
That's a cool picture. Is it from a group test? Would have loved to read that. F430 tech and reliability with F355 looks, ahhh
On Ferrari's 60th Anniversary, CAR magazine had an interview with Sergio Pininfarina. When asked about his fave modern day Ferrari (design wise), he named the 360 Modena as the best.
The 360 for me, is the car that made me become a Ferrari fan but also cars in general. The 360 CS is, again IMO, one of the prettiest car ever made. It's just so sleek and sexy.. and the NOISE. 430 is okay. Never liked the ovals in the front bumper. Really really like the Scuderia, love what they did to the rear (and they fixed the front bumper) and the 16M is probably my favourite convertible of all cars. 458. Instant love. The perfect supercar. My dream car... probably until the "Scuderia" version which I have no doubt will look sexy as hell.
Yes Sir. Ferrari's V8 mid-engine masterpieces compared. Hi-tech 458 Italia meets its 308, 348, F355, 360 and F430 ancestors in a sonorous supercar group test. IMO the best quote from the article: "The reassuring thing is that the 458s astounding pace and wizardry dont diminish the other cars here. There are similarities and differences from first to last but each has its own distinct personality and you could find multiple perfectly rational and perfectly irrational reasons for being excited by any one of them ..... The point is that they all do justice to the small rectangular badge they share on their noses". Enjoy!
great photo-spread in that article, THXs Anyone else agree that the contrast in the cars is so much bigger on the inside than the outside ? The exterior styling still looks darn near timeless back to the 348/355... while the interiors have gone from kit car to real car...
Taking nothing away from one of my favorites, the Dino,nothing has ever hit the streets with more sex appeal and excitement than than the 308.It inspired many subsequent cars including the legendary 288 GTO. If they had made only a few of them i cannot imagine the price today.The Daytona and 275 were special too but the production was so limited,and the cost so high, few but the real car buffs knew much about them.The 80's were good economical times and the car was more affordable as an 8 cylinder.They put them on the streets and heads turned like never before. I was there and had to have one. Red/tan of course. After getting mine i told a friend the car was somewhat of a compromise and he quickly corrected me and said Ferrari made no compromises, that they had done exactly what they wanted and if you weren't 5'9" with a slight build then get an SL or something else. I have since learned Ferrari always makes the car THEY want, not what you might want. In many ways they know what we want long before we do. We always fall in line when they tell us. Ah.. the Kool-Aid is good!
I agree and were it not for the technological advances in the 458 I would never have given it up. I still think its absolutely stunning. It's funny but when I see a 308 today I really don't pay much attention to it and to me it looks dated and tired. But when I wander back in my memory bank to the 80's I remember the car vividly as the most stunning price of machinery on the highway and for me it made a bigger impression than any car before or since. Today,of course, the new spider is the one.
The 360 body style never worked for me, the 430 was getting close to acceptable, but the 360 just looked like it had the mumps.
Funny. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have a 458 now, but I took a pass on the 430 because I much preferred my 360 to the 430. I had a challenge rear grill, and the 360 looked so low and wide whereas I thought the rear end of the 430 looked taller and skinnier.
I have owned them all..I thought the 360 spider 6 speed was awesome and it was a definite leap from 355. The 430 was okay, the 458 is by far the best Ferrari ever and the best car period. Huge leap from the 430...huge difference.