355 F1 Reverse selector is "UGLY" | FerrariChat

355 F1 Reverse selector is "UGLY"

Discussion in '348/355' started by Extreme, Mar 18, 2013.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

    May 26, 2010
    2,515
    Northern Utah
    Full Name:
    Erick
    I've been asked the following question at least a couple times by non Ferrari people or maybe not even car people for that matter. They look inside my 355F1 and ask “is that little lever how you shift?” I explain it’s how I put the car in reverse gear.
    I admit I think it looks completely out of place what the hell was Ferrari thinking using a T-handle. Maybe they wanted it to look like a miniature throttle handle of a Jet, who knows but I don’t like it.
    Couldn’t they have used a button along with foot on the brake so it wouldn’t accidentally get selected at an inappropriate time.

    Anyone else feel the same way?
     
  2. F355steve

    F355steve Formula 3

    Apr 9, 2008
    2,089
    Honolulu - Seattle - Okinawa
    Full Name:
    Steve
    I always thought it was odd but not to the point of being ugly.
     
  3. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

    May 26, 2010
    2,515
    Northern Utah
    Full Name:
    Erick
    Your right maybe ugly is a bit harsh on the poor girl afterall she does have a good personality.
     
  4. Blue4reF1

    Blue4reF1 Formula 3

    Jun 12, 2007
    1,475
    Plantation, FL
    Full Name:
    Blake Simon
    I always thought it looked awesome.
     
  5. Robb

    Robb Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Feb 28, 2004
    14,438
    Tucson, Arizona, USA
    Full Name:
    Robb
    I actually like the way it looks in the 355.

    It seems a bit off in the 360 - trying to mesh Those wavy curves with the shifter plate geometry...

    My only issue is that you can break it if you lean too hard to pick up something in the passenger footwell (like a dropped phone)...

    So be careful of that costly mistake.

    I have seen the yellow taped arrow on the levers - looks like it belongs on a top gun air intake which I would remove.

    Best.

    Robb
     
  6. drbob101

    drbob101 F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Nov 26, 2012
    3,821
    Tinton Falls, NJ
    Full Name:
    Bob Ferraris
    In the end it was the deal breaker for me. In considering an f1 admittedly begrudgingly as I was looking at a great example because it was close by, I just couldn't stand the thought of that "little" lever on my console.

    Sorry f1 folks, just my opinion.
     
  7. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 9, 2010
    23,901
    WI
    I describe it as "dainty" :)

    Tis what it tis ;)

    I get the questions as well. I describe the high pressure hydraulic pump coupled to the high speed paddle shifters that slam the car through the gears faster than a human can manually switch. I go over how it was developed and used by Ferrari in their F1 cars and version exist today. But no one ever thought about reverse until they stuffed in the road car....so we got the handle.
     
  8. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Nov 23, 2012
    16,047
    Orchard Park, NY
    Full Name:
    Dave Lelonek
    Me too - it's perfect and I like it much better than the button for reverse in modern cars.
     

Share This Page