In case you haven't heard...According to the August issue of Car & Driver: The new 360 replacement will come w/ the 4.2 V8 putting out 450HP, but apparently, Ferrari has registered the F430 name in several markets (???). It will have Enzo headlights and tail-lights and the production model will be the first few months of 05 at either Detroit or Geneva. Are there any other reports out there on the "420"? Just my opinion, but this still puts them behind Lamborghini... The Gallardo's 500 HP AND AWD. Come on Ferrari, quit playing catch-up and put something better in the replacement. I love the prancing horse but there is such a thing as competition...
Catch up Ferrari !?! From my understanding the Ferrrari out performs it's Lambo countpart with a 400 HP engine. It will eat it up w/450 HP.. The only thing that Ferrari may need to look into is the 4WD thing. My cents Ron
Sorry if this is a re-post but here are the supposed pics of the new Modena: http://www.fastdrive.org/news.php?extend.132
i heard on some tv show last week, i forgot which one, but the F430 will have a 500hp engine, not 450hp.
Before anyone denounces AWD for sports cars, please consider other manufactures that have used this system & with incredible results. If it improves car control, handling, & safety, Im all for it.
The 911TT is one of the best performing, most successful, and well-balanced road cars of all time, and uses an AWD system. Something tells me that Porsche did their homework. Would you prefer a 911TT without AWD? Have you driven a 911TT? Have you driven any sports car with AWD? (Murcielago, Gallardo, 911TT, etc). I'd be interested to know how your opinion is generated, or if it is just based on the fact that "Ferrari doesn't do it, so it can't be good." I've driven all of the aforementioned cars and the AWD system is excellent, both on the road and on the race track.
a lot of things currently available in cars would improve control, handling and safety - that doesn't mean i would want all of them in a sports car. AWD makes a car feel so numb. i've never driven a gallardo so i can't speak for how the lambo awd drives but i have driven/owned awd variations of pcars and it kills the feel of the car for me... and that's what i love most about fcars.
clax, yes, i've owned a 996TT and have driven many others. i never said it doesn't perform well, just that i don't like the feel of it. that's great you like it, i don't. i'm hardly in the rah rah go ferrari camp.
The AWD system in the 996TT is very good, but I just gave up the TT for a 355. As much as I liked the Porsche (my 6th one, had it for 3 years and 16,000 miles), after a while I just wanted something with less bulk/lighter weight, and less HP was OK. RD
AWD for a true performance car sucks....it adds weight and upsets the balance. Why do you think even Porsche has the GT2, for people who want all out performance. Porsche has even said that the 911 TT is made for the average persons driving skills. A real driver would want RWD over AWD anyday. And yes I have owned and driven both.
You can create excellent handling balance with AWD in a racecar. Weight, however, is the very obvious drawback. Added loss in drivetrain, etc. --Dan
AWD will always push and feel "heavy". RWD can be "driven" with the throttle much more. I have driven a 911 TT and a GT2, the GT2 is MUCH better on a track. And I race SCCA and do autoX so I know what I am taling about.
Have driven a 360 Modena, 360 CS, and a 996tt extensively (owned all 3 -- sold the Modena to get the CS, but still have the 996tt, love it, and have 13,000+ miles on it, including track time). I like AWD for daily driving, safety, the rain, etc. I do not care for it on the track. Maybe it's just me. Then again, last time I checked the GT3, GT2, and Carrera GT don't have AWD either, so Posrche must not think it's uber-alles as well, but rather advantageous in some situations and not in others
It really isn't all about HP and the 360CS (409hp static, 425hp dynamic if Ferrari are to be believed) does eat the Gallardo in every test I've seen.