Which would you rather daily drive - 458 of F12?

WOW! The paint on that looks outstanding!

 

The first time I saw an F12 in the flesh, I realized it has a very menacing presence. And the two I've seen so far weren't black. That one is very imposing, even in 2D.

Cheers,

Geo

 

Same color as mine....
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Here are a couple of my favorite F12 Pics (black and silverstone):
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F12 is a beautiful car...I like the 458 better. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Do you have a preference? IMVHO the F12 looks meaner, 458 is sexier.

front engined cars do not handle as nimbly as mid-engined cars. You have to decide whether you can use the the power of the F12 or the handling of the 458. All F12 reviews have said the F12 takes a while to drive properly. I am just not a fan of front engined sports cars. And 458 is great in the mountains. has plenty of power for me.

My idea of a sports car is a convertible. 458 spider is the best convertible Ferrari makes...and in my opinion anybody makes.

I have had no problems in the 458 with speed bumps, dips, etc. and I do not have a lift which is an option if you are concerned about it.

F12 is probably more comfortable, more preactical (more storage) but is it more fun to drive? I drive with the top down when the temps are over 40F and no precip. I drive it every day when there is no snow or ice on the roads.

You cannot go wrong with either car. It's just what melts your butter.

best
and may the horse be with you.
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To DD? Neither. I will always DD a truck (too many idiots out there...and most of them drive Toyotas). But if I had to choose, probably the F12. I like my 308, but deep down, I really like front engined monsters.

 

I was interested to hear your comments, Phil - but was the gratuitous bikini shot really necessary to weld the point home?

 

Well, the 458 looks sexier. A picture is worth a thousand words. LOL


Glad you got the point.

 

- Yes its possible and very straight forward.
- Dubai cars are Middle East specs which are very similar (95%) to US specs. That extra 5% would need to be adjusted in the US before registering the vehicle.
- There might be some compliance issues depending on the state where you live but nothing that money cant fix
- Servicing would not be a problem. There are a lot of Ferrari cars in the US that are imported from Europe or elsewhere and all can be serviced properly at any dealer with no issue. All the bits and pieces are the same and even if a part has a different serial they can order direct from the factory.

Like other people said though ... I would also prefer to buy local ... BUT 3 years is a loooonnnggggg time to wait

 

- Yes its possible and very straight forward.
- Dubai cars are Middle East specs which are very similar (95%) to US specs. That extra 5% would need to be adjusted in the US before registering the vehicle.
- There might be some compliance issues depending on the state where you live but nothing that money cant fix
- Servicing would not be a problem. There are a lot of Ferrari cars in the US that are imported from Europe or elsewhere and all can be serviced properly at any dealer with no issue. All the bits and pieces are the same and even if a part has a different serial they can order direct from the factory.

Like other people said though ... I would also prefer to buy local ... BUT 3 years is a loooonnnggggg time to wait

 

Thanks for all the comments everyone, always helpful and I'm always learning!

Yes I think for such an expensive car (for me at least) I would want to buy local (US) and ideally super local (my dealer in town). That being said, what are the politics/rules/etc of buying a Ferrari not from the closest one in town? As a consumer don't I have the "right" to buy the car wherever I choose? Lol. Here the wait is 3+ years and I've never owned a Ferrari before so I'm basically a nobody compared to others on the list. That being said, I'm sure there are some people who are currently on the list and will either pass on or drop out along the way as more F12s become available. What is to stop me from going to say Florida or California and finding an F12 that I want? Would I then not be able to get it serviced where I live at my dealer?

Finally, I'm not interested in buying a used car (even if it's 150 miles) but ideally would want to get an allocation from any dealer that is much sooner than 3+ years. Is that possible, and if so, how?

Thanks everyone!

PS. I may choose the 458 in the long run but want to understand fully what my options are.

-Keith

 

Also, I appreciate all of the comments on F12 vs 458... please keep them coming in! I've driven the 458 and the California, but have never even seen an F12 in person so I'm very jealous of those of you have and even more jealous of those of you who OWN an F12!

-Keith

 

Both are excellent cars that could be used as daily drivers.

From what I can see, the F12 suffers from too much power through 2 wheels (lots of wheels spin - even with traction control), heavy (4000 ibs!) and edgy design (not the "soft" lines that Ferrari has traditionally followed).

The 458 (especially in spider form) is probably the best mid-engined sports car Ferrari has ever produced. But, still has some of the impracticalities that most mid-engine cars have to deal with. However, it is also much lighter than the F12.

For the road, I still like the front-engined Ferrari - the dynamics are better and it is more practical. However, if you really do occasionally track your car or must have open-air motoring, than you cannot go wrong with the 458.

 

No contest: F12, not just as a daily driver, but for any purpose, except maybe all-out track work. (Even though the F12 would dominate there, too.)

 

While I love the F12, I just think the 458 looks better. I think both would make great daily drivers, so I'd just go with my personal feelings on which I thought fit me better.

 

f12 for sure. newer technology. 458 getting dated

 

That's what i was refering to , even if the car is crazy powerfull sometimes you wonder where are the 740 hp.
Dont get me wrong the car is damn fast and powerfull.
As for spining i have no pb with the launch control and keeping the car straight is not an issue

 

Understood.

However, the F12's 0-60 time was 3.6 seconds (not 3.0). That is disappointing slower than advertised, and it is slower than the Enzo (3.4 sec) and even the 458 Spider (3.3 sec). When you consider the 458 is much lighter and can easily out-maneuver it on the track, the 458 makes a strong case for itself. Unless, there was something wrong with the test or the car they tested.

Based on the above, I would have to assume the new 458 Special would lay waste to the F12, except in a rolling-start drag race.

If I had the money for an F12, I would strongly consider the 599 GTO instead.

 

F12-love the looks of the 458 but this F12 is just absurd-in a damn good way

 

There was a 599GTO at our local FCA meeting this morning. It is, "Beastly, on 10." The F12 I saw last month was, "Beastly, dialed up to 11."

In a long enough drag race, the F12 will always kill a 458. Front V12 Ferraris aren't zero-to-sixty cars, they're sixty-to-one-sixty cars.

I would never chose a mid-V8 over a front-V12, but I'm old school.

Cheers,

George

PS. Here's the GTO.
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Very nice pic. Thanks.
I also favor front-engined V12s for the road; I'm just not so keen on the new edgy style yet.