It is not possible for any Ferrari to look "Japanese" | FerrariChat

It is not possible for any Ferrari to look "Japanese"

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Cavallini, Oct 28, 2004.

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  1. Cavallini

    Cavallini Formula 3

    Nov 2, 2003
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    #1 Cavallini, Oct 28, 2004
    Ladies and gentlemen, Japanese automakers took almost all of their sports car styling cues from Ferrari and to a lesser degree Lamborghini, whether it was an MR2, an NSX, or a 300ZX.

    I state this because I have occasionally seen comments that the F430 looks "Japanese", and such.

    Your thoughts,


    Cavallini
     
  2. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

    Feb 16, 2003
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    #2 Spasso, Oct 28, 2004
    The designer (body) of the Enzo is Japanese is he not? Could be where the influence is coming from.

    Consider the present trends across the board. High belt line, short green house, pronounced rear haunches, headlight types and shapes all carry from one maker to another in various degrees. Remember 'fins'? Evrybody had them for a while and those that didn't, didn't sell cars.
     
  3. Cavallini

    Cavallini Formula 3

    Nov 2, 2003
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    #3 Cavallini, Oct 28, 2004

    No, Okuyama did not design the 430. Frank Stephenson, an international American, worked with Pininfarina on it.

    As for the other trends, I don't see them any more on the 430 than on the 360, the 250 LM et al. And fins? Only the much beloved F40, F50 and Countach sport those "trends."


    Forza,


    Cavallini
     
  4. TigerAce

    TigerAce Formula 3

    May 29, 2003
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    #4 TigerAce, Oct 28, 2004
    Spasso didn't say Okuyama designed F430, but saying F430's design may be influenced by Enzo. When F. Stephenson designed F430, he must had some requests to meet by Ferrari as F430 is more advance model of 360. Next 8 cylinder model should be quite different design from 360.

    I like F430 alot, but don't see "Japanese" but 360. Everyone has own opinion, but definition of "Japanese" design is needed here.

    Everyone knows Ferrari has a strong influence on the current sports car design though.
     
  5. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    #5 Spasso, Oct 28, 2004
    What I meant by fins was a reference to those in the 50's, not the wings of the 70's/80's. Everybody was doing it in the states and a few in Europe including a couple of one-offs by Zagato(?) or Scaglietti(?).

    The 70's found squared off wedge shapes, Countach/GT4 (Bertone) & Pantera. More sharp edges in the 80's, Testarossa/400's etc..................
    The point being, the carry over of trends throughout the industry, either by copying one another or an interpretation of the current trend hence the so called "Japenese" influence world wide or the reverse of that influence.
     
  6. venusone

    venusone F1 Rookie

    Mar 20, 2004
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    #6 venusone, Oct 28, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  7. dave_fonz_164

    dave_fonz_164 Formula 3

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    Davide Giuseppe F.
    #7 dave_fonz_164, Oct 28, 2004
    interesting question, but i honestly think that whoever works as behind the design of a new ferrari, regardless of their ethnicity, has to keep that "italian" feel to it. the new ferraris still that feel, curvaceous, lether lined interiors etcc.....


    all the ingredients are there
     
  8. venusone

    venusone F1 Rookie

    Mar 20, 2004
    3,238
    #8 venusone, Oct 28, 2004
    Now that you mention it I have Momo steering wheels in 3 of my cars. Momo Corse in the 240Z, Race in the Miata, stock in the 328. And a mahogany Dino in the 7. Fine Italian leather, ummmmm...
     
  9. Cavallini

    Cavallini Formula 3

    Nov 2, 2003
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    #9 Cavallini, Oct 28, 2004
    Flattery is never wrong or shameful.



    Forza,


    Cavallini
     
  10. dave_fonz_164

    dave_fonz_164 Formula 3

    Mar 11, 2004
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    Davide Giuseppe F.
    #10 dave_fonz_164, Oct 28, 2004

    its the smell i tell you, soooooo niceeeeee!!!
     
  11. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
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    #11 PSk, Oct 28, 2004
    Lately Honda and Nissan (owned now though by Renault), for example, have been getting the looks of their cars far cleaner than the old days ... and BMW and others seem to have lost the plot.

    Thus I no longer think we have fussy designs leaving Japan like the old days IMO.

    Pete
     
  12. artn

    artn Karting

    Mar 2, 2004
    108
    #12 artn, Oct 29, 2004

    Hmm, that's a tough one to answer, especially something that broad. Japanese mfgs copied designs from other leading mfgs. That was fact. Now, I think it is becoming more of a stereotype. If you read magazine review of Japanese cars in the 80's and early 90's, basically it read all of the same: Some writer trying to identify all of the designs and ideas the car "stole." It was a fixed mind set, and I think lots of the media missed the emergence of Japanese cars in the last decade.

    Even for the three cars you mention, you can argue it both ways. The 300ZX? Not my favorite car, but I don't see too many overt cues from the other cars (for the last gen. one that is). The MR2? Yeah, the second gen is definately Ferrari inspiried, but the first gen. was much more original, IMHO. As for the NSX, there are elements that can be tied to Ferrari, but if you look at the overall design, and porportioning, I think it is a design distinct from other cars in it's time. (BTW, I don' think Ferrari invented the pop-up headlights. Nobody gives them crap about taking that...)

    As for the F430 being referred to being "Japanese looking," I am not sure if I have heard of anybody say that. However, I think that in the last 10-15 yrs or so, "Japanese car design" has finally started to mature and develop it's own style (the original source maybe foreign to Japan, as well). I would say that some of the design elements are sharp lines and creases that are not "curvy." I guess you can stretch it and tie the two together.

    Also, no matter how individual a company tries to design their cars, much of the resulting design is affected heavily influenced by the technologies available for car mfg, as well as overall trends in the marketplace as well as in racing. So you can say that some currently fashionable design elements in the marketplace and in racing has crept into the F430 as well, showing up as "foreign influence."
     

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