Interesting Article...

I think the most notable thing to glean from this article is Ferrari's poor attitude. Apparently they are as belligerent with the press as they are with web domains and kit cars. Few things are ugly like an arrogant leader or champion. Ferrari is the Lebron James of sports cars.

 

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=313836

 

Except his point is the following. Someone who has a 458 Macca probably drives a a8 or whatever during the week, therefore the weekend toy can be more driver orientated that take to the supermmarket freindly. In very few cases are these cars daily drivers. Is the Mclaren His point is that for the money and usage these cars could be more connected and raw, it is not just about the numbers.

As someone said to me years ago. "It is not just how fast you go, but how you go fast"

 

Sorry, I looked but didn't see it. The other title is rather vague.

 

I have seen that but where it all falls flat for me is very rarely do his actualy written articles convey that level of enthusiasm, read his Porsche articles and you will see what I mean, its that aspect that irritates me. Sure he has owned Ferrari's, point taken but for an example look at Nick Trotts article about the 288GTO in the same issue of EVO, look at Richard Meaden's article on the 348SS, Roger Green article on the Enzo and CGT and then read CH articles on the GTO vs GT2RS and 458 vs GT3RS....

 

Hold on a second, isn't part of the purpose of LC to be able to do hard starts without hurting the car? Isn't it not only supposed to give you the best possible times, but also supposed to be smart enough to do everything only up to the breaking point and NOT surpass it the way my dumping the clutch at a bizzillion RPM would do?

 

having one car for accel testing and one car for handling is were things get really suspect. The shame of it is that they don't need to "prep" their cars so much for the press. They would do just fine in stock form.

 

only believe testing done with owners cars...the press release cars (according to the article) are shills....i guess not uncommon...although I didnt see any other makes mentioned in the article....

"Where I've personally run into trouble is by using owners' cars for comparison tests. Ferrari absolutely hates this; even if you say unremittingly nice things about its cars, it goes ape ****. But you want to see a 458 against a GT3 RS so I'm going to deliver that story and that video. Likewise the 599 GTO and the GT2 RS. Ferrari honestly believes it can control every aspect of the media — it has actively intervened several times when I've asked to borrow owners' cars."

 

Interesting reading indeed, wasn't aware of this practices by not only our beloved Ferrari brand
but aparently other manufactureres as well... Thanks for the link Napolis!!

 

The more I learn about Ferrari, the more bad taste I get in my mouth. They don't want me as a customer, and I'm starting to realize I don't want them either.

 

LOL @ the John Holmes comment in the article

 

And if one were to use Pontiac as a cue, in another forty-six years they'll be done for!
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I can sympathize with F's desire to want to control things as the media, especially blogs with nothing to lose, will have a hay day if something goes wrong with a car that hasn't been "worked." Also, with the way the word can spread these days they need to be able to control who tests a car in the first place and make sure they're not spouting off like this CH guy is. All part of controlling all aspects of how the product is perceived. Not so much that they're concerned about their claims but how something could get blown out of proportion and damage sales and reputation.

 

Ferrari's poor "attitude" kept this guy fat and sassy and employed for years.

 

Ferrari have a history of getting pi**ed when non factory supplied cars are used by journalists.

I remember when the ford gt came out one uk mag (possibly car or evo?) tested it against a 430 - the article declared the ford as the winner. They received a very upset letter from Ferrari saying none of the test could be trusted as it wasn't a factory supplied car which therefore may not perform correctly, the provenance was unknown and that they should never use non Ferrari supplied cars again.

Bravely they published the full letter from Ferrari the following month

 

A Ford vanquishing a Ferrari!?!

Oh, no!! Not again!!

We could hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth from Modena all the way to Detroit.

LOL

 

Sorry but that Ford GT was, and still is, better looking than anything Ferrari is producing.

RMX

 

Way to keep it objective.

Chris Harris is undoubtedly one of the top 5 automotive journalists, employed at one of the top enthusiast magazines, in the entire world. You call him fat and sassy because he dares to question Ferrari? Take off the rosso-corsa colored spectacles.

Everyone seems to be overlooking the fact that he said he loves the cars and their performance... that's the thing, Ferrari doesn't need to resort to the tactics to perform well in tests. But they still insist on acting like a bratty kid, my way or the highway, you need us more than we need you, kind of company.

It's nice to see they treat the press with similar contempt as they treat their customers... At least they're consistent.

More than anything, this is what I look forward to with McLaren. It's not pushing the performance envelope further and further from a usable level, it's that I hope they can show Ferrari they aren't the only game in town and that they might need to reconsider their corporate mindset. One can only hope...

 

Customers have been buying the "mindset" for years. The cars rarely put up the best #'s in the marketplace, so the psychology must be working.

Can see why Ferrari, or any manufacturer, would prefer to provide a car, rather than have a customer car used for testing. How else to be assured the car is in proper running order, or even clean and well cared for?

 

good grief. You insult one of the worlds premier motoring journalists, someone who is FACTUALLY describing some very suspect behaviour by Ferrari, without seeming to consider that what he is saying is pretty damning. Someone else told you to take off your 'Rosso Colored Glasses'. Pretty good advice.....

 

You are totally taking my comment out of context. I was referring to the comment that Ferrari has some kind of "poor attitude" or "arrogant" with the press.

That's total baloney. They treat the press like royalty. And yes, in return, they want some control over what is said. EVERYONE DOES IT. You'd be stupid not too.

Facts? You want facts? So, he has no single recollection of Porsche or Audi or Lamboghini or Aston Martin or Nissan or Toyota or anyone else cooking the books or putting down restrictions on what they can review? It's only Ferrari?

If you believe that, you need to take off your blinders.

McLaren brought to the race track several specially prepared "pre-production" (wink, wink) cars (used as an excuse to explain anything that might go wrong) with the special Corsa rubber and Carbon Ceramic brakes (you know, the one's they say you don't really need) and then told everyone who showed up not to release their reviews until Feb 15. Why? For the maximum impact in the press AND to have any poor reviews countered by the many good reviews.

But, that's somehow "OK"? That's not press manipulation?

Now, if you're a reviewer, you know the game. You have two choices: you can play the game or you can say you don't want to play anymore. But, you don't bite the hand that feeds you in what is clearly a hit piece.

I don't have rose colored glasses on at all. If you read what I've said about it, I've said it's wrong. But, I've also said this rant is misdirected. If he really wanted to "clean things up" he'd direct it at everyone who does it.... aka everyone.

THAT would have been appropriate because this rant looks like a hit piece against one manufacturer rather than a cry to clean up the industry.

He's lost his credibilty to be objective as a reporter. That is far worse than "spilling the beans".

Ferrari doesn't have an attitude problem with the press. The press has an attitude problem with itself.

 

I agree with bdelp.
There is another thread going on in the Northwest section
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=313996

I've placed my thoughts there.

Chris Harris makes serious allegations against Ferrari, but has not real facts to back it up.

 

....you guys are unbelievable. In a court of law, they convict on circumstantial evidence. I would suggest that Harris has provided pretty compelling circumstantial evidence to make his claim. It's very apparent that most of you can't stand to admit that he may have a point. Do most of you think that Ferrari DON'T do as he is suggesting? Or that his comments comparing other manufacturers are not believable? Ferrari has taken liberties with the press, the buyers, the industry for many years, and now a very respected journalist is saying 'enough'. Instead of casting disparaging comments about it, why not suggest that maybe it's time Ferrari starts to act in a more mature and sensible manner, and not as though the entire journalistic world is conspiring against their pretty (forgetting the FF) cars....? Did you guys even read the article...?

 

Great post! He has indeed lost credibility and whether he was objectiive to begin with it questionable. Had this article mentioned other brands it could have been called objective. Yes, I agree the motoring press really is "bought" it all comes down to advertising, long term test cars, who has the best launches, the best hotels, the most luxry, the most expensive gifts, so next time you read a article wonder to yourself....is the car good or did the journalist get overwhelmed with all the above.

 

Ok, I will call you out on this one, what "circumstantial evidence"? That one car is slower than other, that can be written down to a number of reasons, road surface and differing individual tunes of each car, weather conditions....The fact that Ferrari sends techs is to me an indication that they beleive the journalists arent being objective when they test the cars, by sending people they can at least see first hand the testing proccess used. Yes I will admit new tyres and brake pads perhaps pushes the point a bit but tell me how sending Mark Gene to show a journalist how to the get the best out of the car constitutes special preparation.