I can't believe that Ferrari would simply chop the 612 Scaglietti and call the result the Maranello replacement... I just don't believe those spy pics. Indeed, I don't want to believe them. I know that the Maranello was a shortened-wheelbase version of the 456, but the body was different. I think it would be pretty silly to make a Maranello replacement with the 612 body.
yep, thats what I've been tring to say. Ferrari know there is no logic in making a maranello replacement with 612 body. What it is is that they haven't got round to designing a body so they've dumped the scag body on it to test out capabilities, ie handling, ride, acceleration etc.
I cannot recall any instance in the last 10 years where the spyshots were not of the eventual car body. The 360, 550, Enzo, 612, 430 were all of the final body, simply covered up in various places to obscure it. Why would Ferrari do things differently now, especially when many knowledgable people are saying this is what it will look like?
its killing me that they havent realese anything. When i was talking to one of the guys at the dealership near my house he even said that he is puzzled as to y there are no spy photos. The suspense is killing me.
According to the 25/1/05 issue of Autocar, 'the word in the bars of Maranello' is that the 575 replacement has been delayed. Apparently this is because Ferrari's profits have been badly hit by the weakness of the US Dollar. This is mentioned in an interview with Jean Todt, who took over from Luca deM as Managing Director last year (LdM is still president of Ferrari and chairman of FIAT though). Todt doesn't exactly confirm this, but says they don't yet feel they need to replace the 575. By the way, this issue of Autocar is a Ferrari special. The pictures are probably a 612 hacked about to make a mule for testing the 600's chassis and I would think the finished car will look completely different. But given Pininfarina's recent efforts, I think Ferrari should ditch them and either do it in house or try someone else (Fioravanti? Giugiaro? Zagato?). Back in the coachbuilt era they used loads of different coachbuilders (Boano, Touring etc). I think Ferrari's road cars are starting to go in the wrong direction. They just keep getting bigger and bigger. The 612 looks HUGE and the 360 was bigger than the 355, which was much wider than the 308! They should concentrate on making the cars smaller and lighter (imagine something like an Elise with a Ferrari engine!). Also, I think they need to drop all these names. I just find them pointless. Maybe Nissans need to have names because they're so anonymous, but Ferraris don't. In the past Ferraris only had official names when they were relevant to the car. E.g the 'America' was developed with the US market in mind and Dino Ferrari had worked on developing V6s, so it made sense to name the 246GT after him. What particular connection does the 600 have with the Imola circuit? None, as far as I know.
Yes, really nice thought. Btw, has someone heard when the GTC handling pack will be available as an aftermarket package?
Talked to my dealer 2 weeks ago. It's not available as a package, but they can order the parts... Oh yeah - the price? About 65k (or $86k)... The CCBreaks were about half of the price. That's just not gonna happen.
I found the first video of the 575 replacement in the 612 body! Thought it might be interesting to post here! http://www.davies.nl/ferrari/movies/1.wmv
No. The dealer's part guy had it, and added it all up. They had a good laugh about it - even the dealer thought it was silly. The weird thing is that they had been told it would come as a retrofit "package" - that info was also on the owners site about 5 months or so back. But perhaps it won't come out after the 600 Imola or whatever comes out.
I thought that the handling pack, aside from 19" wheels, brakes and rear mufflers, is just the 4 springs, rear roll bar, suspension ECU and steering ECU. Retail price on the lot is approx 10K AUD (7.5K USD).
That may very well be correct. What I was mostly interested in were the CCBrakes - the price for the brakes alone was about half the cost. I suspect the parts you mention costs more than that here in europe. AFAIK the F1 ECU is also part of the package. I don't doubt their prices. I know the dealer personally, and he knows that I wouldn't buy at that price, so there's nothing gained by upping the price. But at this stage there doesn't seem to be an official "package" deal for the GTC kit, which was what I was looking for.
I wasn't suggesting they were doing anything untoward. I would assume the parts I mentioned would be cheaper in the US. AFAIK the GTC pack suspension appears to be the FHP with a reworked suspension ECU at best. Amusing to read test reports raving about improvements that don't exist.
From what I've been told it's not the same parts. The roll bar is different as is the springs. But I'll ask my dealer next week when we meet.
I checked previously, and the specs are identical to FHP. I have heard the following as an example; FHP for 550 is too stiff for the street. FHP for 575 is much softer and ideal for street usage. Both cars use identical part numbers, down to the roll bar bushings, aside from the suspension ECU. With the skyhook electronic damping in the 575, I would suggest that Ferrari softened up the compression damping in the 575 to achieve the soft ride. With GTC all they would need to do is firm it up. Anyway, enough of the opinions, time to go and check the facts!
Does anybody know whether the 600 Imola will have the same "nostril" as the 550 and 575? I mean the big rectangular air vent right in the middle of the front hood. Maybe there is a more technical term for it... I always wondered if it was a tradition and they had to do it, or if there was an overpowering technical reason. I never cared much for it personally, so it would be exciting if there was chance they erased it for the 600 Imola.
Here's a web link to what the test mules looked like in 2004 http://www.italiaspeed.com/2004/cars/ferrari/08/575_mule.html The sales people at Scottsdale Ferrari have told me that the 575 replacement will be much like the 612 in terms of being more livable (ie trunk space for two mafia midgets-- not one-- and a roomier interior, etc). Being a 550 owner myself, I prefer the initial design of the 550 to the 575. And I think the 612's interior is over-the-top, with so many buttons and those stupid badges on the dash, telling the owner that Ferrari wins F1 races! Duh!
Thank you very much for that! It looks like the single central oval hood scoop will be replaced by twin bonnet air inlets on each side. To put it bluntly: one nostril becomes two. For people who don't want nostrils, no point holding off for the 600 Imola then, might as well order the 612 Scaglietti right away...
Ferrari people know very well that 612's reception by mags and buying public is mixed at best. They'll surely try to blow everyone's mind with the Imola.