No it wasn't, just more power. Nothing ground breaking at all. The F70 will be ground breaking only because of the hybrid power train, but Toyota have been doing this for years ... So I'm wrong, no ground is breaking with the F70 . ChalStrad, You do realise the reason for the paddle shift, don't you? It was simply because Barnard got sick of designing the gearshift linkage. Because of this Ferrari finally became an innovator for the first time in its long career, but it has no application on a road car, none whatsoever. Ferraris history is of a very conservative company, a follower not a leader and the F70 will not lead anywhere. As with all super cars a completely pointless car that will win no races and prove nothing, but will fill up a few magazines and make a tidy profit for Ferrari. Pete
Actually, Forghieri tried the semi-auto gearbox first, as early as 1979. The idea has been floating around there for a long time. Most fast cars are irrelevant, even the racing cars (those are always running in circles going nowhere, for God´s sake). That doesn´t make them less interesting for us. The reason?... everyone has his own, I suppose. About innovation or lack of it, let´s think about this: how many cars have something really new? What has invented Porsche? Jaguar? Lamborghini? Alfa Romeo (in the last 50 years)? OK, Mercedes had a few ideas in the last 50 years. How many race teams have invented something new? Most of them had only one or two ideas that really worked: McLaren the carbon tub, Williams, the 6 wheel car (that never raced anyway). The Chaparrals were weird, but didn´t work. Lotus had a lot of ideas, and half of them didn´t work, and the other half didn´t prevent them for doing a lot of bad cars and finally going bankrupt. I know that the fan boys can be annoying, but some people here are being counter-reactionary.
That's borring! Couldn't you stop that ... Honestly you know, that Ferrari won GT class in LE MANS and WEC (and that's what ChalStrad said), I would really like to see your car roughly that successful! I'm very satisfied with this racing season, that may be because GT and especially LE MANS is much more important to me than F1. But the result Ferrari achieved in F1 is likewise great in every way.
The Technological Pinnacle of Motor Sports is F1. The Technological Pinnacle of Sports Car Racing is LMP1. Ferrari's Technology is World Class but in 2012 it wasn't World Beating in the Top Classes. I'm with PSK. One minor point Cal. Can't agree with you about the FF.
I think this thread was about the discussion of the F70. Jim, let's face it. If Ferrari won yesterday you would have said it was all BS anyway. We know where your allegiance lies. But, that's fine. And, I'm not going to disagree with you about what PSK said. My point is that racing on the track and making a super car have little in common today. Are we going to tell Zonda what they make is crap because they never raced? I sure won't. I like that people push the envelope of what a car should be and can be. A racing pedigree is only one way to market a car today. It's not the only way. This ain't the 1960's anymore. This was a pretty good thread about the F70. Personally, I'm rather curious what they are going to make. But, it's disappointing to come down here and get the usual Ferrari sucks treatment when all we're doing to is discussing what should be one of the more interesting cars to come from Maranello in some time. Peace.
What a daft statement! Ali cars F1 gearshift BHP/cc of most cars of their time Traction control and F1 trac systems Chassis' CCB's Many, many innovations. Secondly, to criticise Ferrari innovation and mention McLaren in the same sentance is laughable. As a previously potential investor in McLaren Automotive, seeing the real company and cars, I can assure you, there is not much McLaren did themselves on this car. It is a glorified kit car that has been murdered by the 2year old 458 (when the 12C came out) in every sense. Plastic bodywork made by Lotus Interior made by Recaro Engine and gearbox by Riccardo Engine anciliries are AUDI and MITSIBUSHI (can anyone say 'off the shelf') Retractable roof by Webasto NOTHING is produced in the Technology centre, it is simply an assembley line The ONLY thing McLaren designed and built all alone was the engine management, and iris, for which McLaren Electronics are responsible and well regarded, and the chassis. Ferrari build their Engines, gearboxes, most of the interior, chassis, some electronic systems, body panels... I could continue but I think I made my point.
Mercedes Benz offered the first production road car with carbon ceramic brakes in 2000 with the Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG F1 Limited Edition. Porsche followed in 2001 on the 911 GT2. Ferrari's claim is that they were the first manufacturer to include them as standard on a road car - starting with the release of the Enzo in 2002. Despite many suggestions to the contrary, it was certainly not a Ferrari innovation on road cars. >8^) ER
So according to you the F70 will be pointless? If that's what you really believe then why are you engaging yourself in a lengthly discussion about it? Have you seen the F70? Do you know something about it that the rest of us don't? ChalStrad and Ferrari_Michael have seen it so I'll continue to look forward to their informative, reliable posts and try to ignore your pointless *****ing in future. Are we really talking about this again? 100%, without a shadow of a doubt.
I think though if you look what they said was correct. What they said was that they were the first to make CCB's standard on EVERY road car they make, not the first to offer it for road car use. They said they started putting on CCB's with the Enzo in 2002 and went to full CCB on every car in 2008. Even Mac today still has it as an option you must pay additional for over the base price of the car. I will say this though: It was a clever way for Ferrari to raise the price of the F430 $21 grand from 2007 to 2008.
Did I say overall? And anyway, who remembers which Audi won overall as they "battled" only themselves.... Coming from you, who has the merit of trying to build a racing car that is based on a Ferrari, it is a little out of place. Line up the titles won by the 458 over the past two years and you can only admire the achievements... By the way, what was the last championship that your car won, notwithstanding some excellent drivers? I forget...
The only FIA Championship that the F70 would be eligible to race in. The 2012 FIA Alternate Energy Championship. " 'battled' only themselves..." Perhaps you missed it. Toyota had a pretty good LMP1 that beat Audi in several events. The Technological innovation in both those cars was FAR beyond any 2012 Ferrari Sports Racing Car. I'm still with PSK.
Just as the 458, FF and F12 the F70 will be a giant leap forward compared to its predecessor, the Enzo. Can't wait to see what Ferrari has in store for us regardless of this years sporting results... Unfortunately no recent news or pictures. Gr. Martin