How does Ferrari compare to other exotics?

There's a great feeling about driving a Ferrari. They are amazing cars.

 

well i'm not surprised..it's absolutely gorgeous!! in a later post you also said, "nothing comes close to the sound of a Ferrari."
with all do respect, i cannot agree, not after i heard your cgt..that car is just..wow. but that's just my opinion..

 

Oh, it was Clarkson who said that...?

I thought it was Jesus Christ.

 

so its already being a new religion?? I though ferrari is all about "balance and harmony"?? CMIIW

 

"WWJD" what would jesus drive...... an F-CAR of course

 

Based on resale value, people who put their money where their mouth is usually vote for Ferrari.

Nothing makes my heart thump like a Ferrari (except an attractive female in heat). The sounds, the looks, the serendipity of man and machine. It's all there for me.

I have never driven/ridden in a Lambo but I sat in a Countach in the Fcar dealership. It may be debatable that "waterboarding" is TORTURE, but there us no question that sitting in a Countach is. Thankfully, the good looking receptionist knew CPR as well as massage therapy and thus I was able to avoid a trip to the emergency room.

 

Having driven an F430, Gallardo, GTR, and 997tt back to back....the GTR & 997 were sterile speed machines and nothing particularly special from the driver's seat. The Gallardo made wonderful noises, attracted a lot of attention (if you're into that sort of thing), and was very "German" on the inside. If it were not for the trumpet engine noise & people oogling the car, you wouldn't know you were driving anything special from the driver's seat. The F430 was a different experience....it felt like an "event" from the moment you climbed inside. I thought the Gallardo sounded great....until I fired up the Ferrari. Holy Cow! Now that's Italian!!! Wonderful feel from the steering, great tranny, the noise, and the noise, did I mention the noise? Ferrari no contest.

 

You may have a point there. The CGT definitely has a sound unique (and awesome) unto itself!

 

Porsche Carrera GT

 

nah, he would have a 15 passenger van for him and his disciples.

 

Lol! I never sat in a Countach but when I took a buddy's Diablo for a spin, I remember I couldn't shift and turn the steering wheel at the same time!

Looks great till you run it off the road into the bushes, tho!

 

Oh Dear - this could get me into so much trouble...

There's no doubt about it, Ferrari are a brilliant car company, with a back catalogue to die for, even 'some' of their current range are very good, and asking the question here is a bit daft, of course you lot are going to answer affirmatively about 'your cars' & passions. But if you were to ask the same question globally would the answer be so definitive, I very much doubt it?

Aston Martin
Bugatti
Bentley
Lamborghini
even Porsche

All these manufacturer's deserve & demand proper consideration, certianly the top 3 have far greater heritage than Ferrari do, and currently AM have far better looking and better built cars out on the Market, maybe not faster or technologically advanced, but certainly more beautiful.

Furthermore, no-one can deny the inherent engineering prowess that went into constructing every Bugatti Veyron, or the way the Atlante still command such stratoshpric prices at auction, they do so for good reason, & you're right Ferrari too command high prices for the likes of GTO's, Cal Spyders, Lusso's etc but I think for whole different set of reasons.

I think I'm going to give up now, as I'm sure this will no doubt bring a tirade in my direction...So I'm off to drive my Vanquish S !

Argento

 

True, there are many, many great cars out there. If I could, I would own one of each. But as for the answers on this thread so far, is anyone surprised that when you go to FERRARI Chat and ask a bunch of FERRARI owners and enthusiasts how FERRARI stacks up against other non-FERRARI cars...

I don't think we as a group comprise an impartial, representative sample.

 

Here is my take...and it is more about cars and driving, which I think is what you were asking for. I don't have much experience with strippers so I will leave that to the others....

I only have Ferrari experience with an F430 F1 and it was only for 500 or so miles driven hard on the street over some of the coolest roads on the planet.

The car IS an event, it IS something special. The history and the fact that it is a Ferrari make it so. The interior is pretty amazing. The smell of the leather, the stitching, the instruments etc... all exquisite. The engine? Well, the sound of the engine is orgasmic and I would say that it is probably in the top 10 road car engines. The power deliver is smooth and intoxicating all the way to redline. You find your self cruising along at 4,000 rpm just because it is so smooth and sounds so damn good.

The car is amazingly easy to drive and drive fast. This is where I was slightly disappointed. After reading stories of clunky gear boxes and finicky engines it was kind of a let down because it was so good and so easy to drive. The ergonomics are great, modern engine management and need for reliability to remain competitive in today's market have turned the car into a bit of a pu ssycat. It is fast but it is also easy to drive and easy to live with. The F1 trans is great fun and will make a hero out of anyone when shifting. It makes it easy to shift up or down perfectly. Heading into a corner a little to hot and in to high a gear? No worries, go ahead and brake and downshift, the F1 will match revs and not upset the chassis mid corner. Just like a perfect heel-toe and all you have to do is flip a paddle. Too much throttle on the way out? Again, a computer will step in and use the mighty e-diff to help put the power to the ground. You can feel the car making minute corrections when you are driving a bit over your head at 8/10s. Kind of socialist if you ask me. I like to make up for my own mistakes, thank you very much big brother.

I got to spend a fair amount of time on the same roads in a 997 GT3 RS which I think is much more of a drivers car than the 997TT. For pure driving experience that car is one of my favorite. The PCCB brakes are touchy at first but once you get used to the feel they are absolutely amazing. The steering feedback on the GT3 RS is fantastic. You could drive over a dime in the road and probably tell what year it was minted, just from the feedback through the wheel. I felt that the P car provided a much more engaging drivers experience than the 430. It could be because the car has a manual transmission. But it was more than that. When driving the Ferrari you are always thinking in the back of your head, "Man, I am driving a FERRARI!" When you are driving the Porsche you are always thinking in the back of your head, "Man, this car feels PERFECT!"

If you are looking at pure driving satisfaction, I think that the GT3 RS is a better car. The Ferrari experience is abso-friggin-lutley amazing. About 40% of that is because it is a Ferrari with all the history, speculation, hyperbole, magazine articles read as a kid, races, drivers, Enzo, the good, the bad, the ugly etc... After a while you realize that it is just a car. It may be special on a lot of levels but it is still just a car and if you are looking for the ultimate driving experience, there are other cars out there that may be better. If you are looking for all of things I listed above and care more about that and what other people think, the Ferrari may be the car for you.

 

Well, I just drove the following cars on an all day event yesterday:

Ford GT
Lamborghini Gallardo Convertible
Aston Martin DB9
Ferrari F430
Audi R8

I should give a more detailed write up, but in a nutshell:

Ford GT - brute power, awesome looking...cramped interior and a bit cheap in terms of plastic. Definitely close to a street legal race car
Lamborghini - great sounding, fun with top down...terrible cowl shake and I had no confidence in the car's handling whatsoever. The windshield glass looked like it was out of a minivan - the distance from the top of the glass to where it meets the dash was so far and deep, I felt like I was driving a front-engined car!
Aston Martin - total surprise - remarkably powerful and seemed quicker than it was. Seating position was fantastic and the gearbox shifted smoothly. Classy looking and not as ostentatious as the other cars - a true gentleman's GT
Audi R8 Nice rumble, too touchy brakes, odd steering wheel. Not unlike the Lambo, I felt far from the front of the car, even though it is a mid-engined car. Performance noticeably lower than the other cars.
Ferrari F430 - you can tell Ferrari races. I have an SCCA license and have driven F2000 cars, the F430 felt most like a race car. Windshield glass and visibility over the hood of the car is EXCELLENT. Awesome power and sound, and although I am not a fan of paddle shifters, this car sold me. It wasn't even close, the Ferrari was the bset car bar none. Seat was fantastic and I could see driving the car daily. Yet, if I were to track a car, it would be this or the GT - it's that great of a car IMHO.

My ranking:

1) Ferrari F430
2) Ford GT
3) Aston Martin DB9
4) Lambo Gallardo (only because it was fun - driving it was piss poor)
5) Audi R8 (might have edged it ahead of the Lambo, but it didn't have the same fun factor...far better car than the Lambo in terms of driveability though)

FWIW

 

I get asked this question alot since I have alot of sport cars which I will list at the end.

The F430 handles better than any of the other cars I own by a very healthy margin. the one exception is my Lotus Elise sport which nandles better but loses on comfort, exhaust note and acceleration.

The Lotus is a hoot to drive and while not fast is is very satisying. Mine has only 192 hp the newer cars have more. It has a Toyota drive train so it is a no problem car and the gas milage is good at 32 to 58 mpg depending. It is suposed to give 13 second quarter mile times. I don't think it will. Well maybe once!

The Lambo Galardo also falls short in handling compared to F430 and while quick is not as explosive as the Ferrari at least to 60 mph!. It draws more lookers and is fun to drive.The 4 wheel drive makes the chasis feel stiff compared to the F430. mine is a 6 speed which is easy to shift but has long throws. The Lambo clutchs are a weak spot and you can go through one in 250 miles if you do not baby the cltuch, skip gears, blip throttle etc. I have been told the E Gear Murci will go through a clutch in 2300 miles by design. My friend in his 6 speed Murci burned his out in 200 miles. My lambo was bought used at 2300 miles and a new clutch was just installed when I picked up the car. I now have 6300 miles on the clock and have had no clutch problem. My f430 with 4000 miles has 15% clutch wear. The dealer plugs the clutch into a cpu and gives the owner a readout. My f430 is F1

The Ford GT is not as explosive fast as the f car but on par with the Lambo. The FGT does not handle bad but not F car good. Mine is blue and draws alot of attention when I drive it.

The F430 has the best exhust sound compared to the Lambo or any other car in my view. the only car close but not as good is the Roush P51A Mustang. The Rousch sounds like an american muscle car that went to college in Europe.

The easyest car to live with is the Porasche 911. I had my first 011 for 9 years without anything to complain sbout and my 3007 911 is wonderful so far. Great cars who does everything very good but lose to the other cars in some category. If I could only have one car it would be the 911

I must admit I have never liked American cars. I used to say they handle numb and drive like jello. I was amazed however at the power, handling and refinement of the2009 ZR1. It is quicker than any car I own by a large margin and it feels very refined and docile unless the throttle is punched. I think the car looses on eye pop but is great on substance.

I feel the ferrari has alot going for it over the cars I have experience with. I like mine. I must say I do not like the paddle shifters. It is almost impossible to find a F430 with a 6 speed manual at a dealer. Lambo is the same. Drives me crazy. I know they give better performance I just like shifting. The ferrari 6 speed at least on my 360 Modena was below par against the other cars. 2nd to 3rd shifting under power was not great. The F430 6 speed my be better I do not know, the F430 F1 is definitly btter than the 360 Modena F1

I have ordered an Ariel Atom 3, 300 hp version. I have driven one and it is very quick and the factory who has a professional driver as part owner makes the car do impressive things. I am waiting for my car to be finished snd I am excited about getting it.
It is not really a serious car only a toy!

When I did car shows I found it intersting that the organizers always wanted me to bring the Ford GT. They told me they are rare, not Ferrari, Lambo or whatever the Ford GT.

The ferraris are drivers cars and deserve the reputation for performance they enjoy. They are expensive to maintain but the two that I have owned have been dependible and fun. WHEN i TRADED IN MY 2003 360 mODENA FOR THE f430 I WAS FACING $14000 IN SCEDULED MAINTENACE. My recent oil vhange and new battery on the DF430 was $1100. Next oil change will include total fluid change. I am scouting banks to rob so I can be ready for the expense.

I have people come to me thinking the F430 is a Corvette (UGH) You should not expect a new Ferrari to be an investment. The newer cars like the 360 and 430 will go down in price over time. We have already seen this. They made to many of them . Alot of my ferrari freinds while they admit the newer cars are better technically it is felt the newer cars have lost the edge in styling of the older cars. One of my freinds who has a 360 misses his 355. He says the cars lines are better and the sound is much better. he says with the 355 he lived for the tunnels. many F guys say the newer cars are too easy to drive they have lost that racing at the edge feel.

Good luck to you whatever you decide!

Regards Lee


My cars are:

2006 F430
2004 Lambo Galardo
2005 Ford GT
2006 Lotus Elise sport
2009 ZR1 corvette
2007 Porsche 911 Cabio
2009 Rousche P51a mustang
1065 Shelby Cobra
1954 Corvette w 6 cylindwe blue flame 150 HP motor
1965 327 Corvette convertible
1966 427 coupe
2009 Viper convertible
Ariel Atom 3 ordered waiying for delivery

 

In terms of the well known exotic brands I think Ferrari is the best. They have great interiors and overall design, but the newer models are somewhat insulated as a driving experience. That said I still felt more connected to the road driving my dad's 04 360 compared to his 08 Gallardo spyder. While the Gallardo looks really edgy and exotic it feels less sporty as a driving experience to me (I did not really like the feel of the e-gear, it seemed really slow shifting). My favorite sports car is my little Ginetta which has a kind of vintage feel but has a modern drivetrain. I recently saw one of the new Tesla cars (all electric) and I have hope that Ferrari and other exotic manufacturer;s will emulate their interior. It is kind of a minimalist 360CS. I think the advent of electric vehicles will pave the way for the exotic car makers to pare down the weight and go back to smaller, more fun cars.

BT

 

For me, it comes down to the question "Is getting into the car, firing up the engine and going for a drive an EVENT?" I guess that is what people mean by the vague description " a sense of occasion." If you take away the numbers, the difference is really a subjective intangible--how does it make YOU feel. For each of us, it will be different.

Just to give an example of how my subjective view probably puts me in the minority of car nuts, here's my thumbnail reaction to recent car shopping:

The Gallardo has massive power, extraordinary grip and spaceship looks, yet it left me cold. The Aston V8 Vantage struck me as claustrophobic and hard to see out of and its great external beauty didn't seem exciting. The interior of the Bentley Continental struck me as over-the-top luxury and plush to the point of being silly in a performance car.

Sitting down behind the wheel of a Ferrari, a little voice sort of whispers: "yes, this is IT; the best in the world at the time it was made; no one does it better." Admittedly, I haven't driven a McLaren SLR, a Koenigsegg, a Carrera GT, a Zonda or a Veyron, but I get that Ferrari whisper in almost every F-car I've sat in (there are a few I haven't felt that way about, but I won't mention them. Why get someone's back up?). And every time I go for a spin, I hear that whisper.
Is that weird or what?

 

Well, I was trying not to be biased as I drove the F430, but your description about sums it up - I "heard" it too.

I think it comes down to what Ferrari does best - build cutting edge sports cars. Their experience with racing and engineering CLEARLY makes their cars much better.

As I mentioned, the car that felt most like an F2000 was the F430. Something as simple as the small dash and proximity of the windshield to the driver just gave me the feeling of driving a race car.