What is happening to Ferrari??

Ferrari like any other car manufacturer is in the business to sell new cars and make money. They have done their research and designed what they feel will sell. They don't care what us old guys with 308's think of their new cars because we won't be plunking down over $300K for anything, gorgeous or not! It is fun to voice our styling preferences, but EVERYONE has different tastes, so it's just another Friday night Ford vs Chevy debate down at the pub, ha ha ha Cheers!

 

As we all know beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

There are proportions that just seem more natural, more pleasing. sometimes they grow on you. And sometimes they just hit you right.

the 355 is a beautiful car. More rounded and more pleasing than the 348 which looks like a poor example of a TR now.

Then came the 360, the most rounded car berhaps since the 250 TR. All the vents and lines are perfectly porportioned front to back, side to side. The 430 is an angular version of the 360 but the lines are not perfectly proportioned.

The 458 went back to a more rounded look, more proportional and more pleasing. I am a top down guy so I will be interested to see whether the 458 Spider melts my butter. Perhaps I'll buy one IF I really like it. Meanwhile the 360 is just fine for me.

America has been Ferrari's largest market. But the world is changing. Ferrari has to appeal to Chinese and Indians now. Americans may be left in the lurch. We may not like the changes, but the market for Fcars will go forward with or without us. And I understand we may not like it very much.

Forza Ferrari.

And may the horse be with you.

 

Simple.
Ferrari dropped Pininfarina.

 

Bankrupt

http://www.autoblog.com/tag/pininfarina+bankruptcy/

 

Notable car designs
1961 Austin A40 Farina Mk II
1961 Fiat 2300
1982 Rolls-Royce Camargue
1987 Alfa Romeo 164
2006 Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina

1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300
1936 Lancia Aprilia
1938 Lancia Astura
1948 Cisitalia 202
1952 Ferrari 250
1952 Nash Ambassador
1952 Nash-Healey
1953 Four Berlinetta and one Spyder version of the Maserati A6GCS/53
1955 Ferrari 410 Superamerica
1955 Peugeot 403
1956 Austin A40 Farina
1957 Lancia Flaminia
1958 BMC Farina cars - Austin A55 Cambridge Mk II, MG Magnette Mk III, Morris Oxford V, Riley 4/68, Wolseley 15/60
1959 Fiat 1800/2100
1960 Ferrari 250 GTE
1960 Peugeot 404
1961 Fiat 2300
1961 Cadillac "Jacqueline" Brougham Coupé (named after Jacqueline Kennedy)[3]
1962 BMC ADO16
1963 Chevrolet Corvair Super Spyder Coupé (2 built)[4]
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine Coupé[5]
1963 Datsun Bluebird 410
1964 Ferrari 275
1965 Ferrari Dino 206
1965 MGB GT
1965 Nissan Cedric 130
1966 Alfa Romeo Spider 1600 Duetto
1966 Ferrari 330 GTC
1966 Fiat 124 Sport Spider
1966 Fiat Dino Spider
1966 IKA-Renault Torino
1967 Proposal for replacement for BMC 1100 (ADO16)
1967 Proposal for replacement for BMC 1800 (ADO17)
1968 Ferrari Daytona
1968 Peugeot 504 Cabriolet and Coupe
1971 Fiat 130 Coupe
1971 Ferrari 365 GTC/4
1973 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB
1975 Ferrari 308
1975 Lancia Montecarlo
1975 Rolls-Royce Camargue
1976 Peugeot Peugette concept car[6]
1978 Jaguar XJ6
1983 Peugeot 205
1984 Ferrari Testarossa
1984 Ferrari 288 GTO
1984 Honda HP-X concept car[7]
1985 Ferrari 328
1985 Peugeot 205 Cabriolet
1987 Alfa Romeo 164
1987 Cadillac Allanté
1987 Ferrari F40
1987 Peugeot 405
1989 Ferrari 348
1989 Ferrari Mythos
1992 Jaguar XJ220—rebodied an unknown number of cars
1992 Ferrari 456 GT
1994 Ferrari F355
1994 Fiat Coupé - Interior only
1994 Peugeot 306 Cabriolet
1995 Alfa Romeo GTV & Spider
1995 Ferrari F355 Spider
1995 MG F - Roof Structure only
1996 Ferrari 550 Maranello
1996 Fiat Coupé (All Models Until 2001) interior and wheels only
1996 Lancia Kappa SW
1997 Peugeot 406 Coupé
1999 Mitsubishi Pajero
1999 Songhuajiang Hafei Zhongyi
2000 Daewoo Tacuma
2000 Ferrari 360 Spider
2000 Ferrari 550 Barchetta
2001 Citroën Osée
2001 Hyundai Matrix
2002 Daewoo Nubira/Lacetti saloon and station wagon
2002 Enzo Ferrari
2002 Ferrari 575M Maranello
2002 Hafei Lobo
2003 Maserati Quattroporte
2004 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
2004 Ferrari F430
2005 Hyundai Matrix
2005 Maserati Birdcage 75th
2005 Peugeot 1007
2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
2006 Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina
2006 Mitsubishi Colt CZC
2006 Volvo C70
2007 Brilliance BS4
2007 Ford Focus CC by Pininfarina
2008 Maserati GranTurismo
2008 Pininfarina B0 electric car
2008 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé Hyperion concept car
2009 Tata Pr1ma concept car
2009 Ferrari 458 Italia
2010 Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept car
2010 Lancia Stratos for Michael Stoschek

Where's the F50??

No FF??? LOL

 

One of the best posts I've ever read on this forum, yes, yes, and yes. You've got it pretty well understood, more than a lot of people.

1. It's a business and Luca is doing fabulous in the way of making money and keeping it alive, and just like you said, he hasn't compromised the original formula.

2. Piero is a tricky situation and one that I would have a hard time explaining.

3. You are exactly right, it's the juvenile "grass is always greener." Even the great Enzo Ferrari had to make changes to the philosophy of the company over time, changes that at the time would have been seen as a "what's happening" moment.

4. Though it is especially so with the 2+2s anytime Ferrari comes out with a design that doesn't look like the previous generation there is massive unrest with people wondering if this is the end or whether Ferrari has "lost it."

You are right, Ferrari HASN'T folded and they are seeing the most success they have ever seen in the history of the company, and the fact of the matter is they didn't have to change the formula. Porsche had to implement the Cayenne to boost sales a few years ago and have seen much success. Ferrari has boosted sales by making their cars better while staying to their original formula, the only real change is build quality and usability have massively improved. Enzo's intentions were for his cars to be driven and not hung on the wall, that wasn't exactly possible for the longest time, now however, it is. For some reason people have it in their mind that Ferrari is supposed to build cars that don't work properly, as if that image shouldn't change, and as if that makes them a better company. Like many have said markets and expectations change, Ferrari knows this and has made itself better. Now Ferrari is releasing products that can be enjoyed whenever the mood takes, but without losing the passion and emotion they are known for. That's why I love Ferrari

 

I drove my F430 spider tonight. It's a gorgeous night here in Vegas.

What's wrong with Ferrari? From my F430 seat... absolutely nothing. The car just seems alive. The steering wheel seems to send every explosion from the motor directly into my hands.

I step on the gas and watch the tach scream to the 8500 redline as it creates a noise that sounds like it could wake the dead. The acceleration is staggering while the people turn their heads to see what's coming blocks ahead.

I get to a corner and flick the left paddle to downshift. I hear a crunch of metal in the gearbox and the engine bucks and roars immediately. I turn the wheel and the car instantly moves in any direction I point.

The Carbon Ceramic brakes are phenominal. I swear I can feel every molecule rubbing together in the discs through the pedal.

I look inside at the fine stitching in the seats and dash and wonder about the person who did this. I admire their craftsmanship of the perfect seams running seemingly everywhere in the cockpit.

People wave as I drive. They don't wave at me. They wave at the car. The car is the star. I know everyone wishes they were in it instead of me at that moment. "Someday" they think to themselves..."Someday".

At a stop light, a guy in a Minivan next to me jokingly asks me if we can race for pinks. I say "sure" and he laughs. He yells "nice car" as I speed away and shift into 2.

I park the car and shut it off. It seems like a beast has suddenly gone quiet. I hear the crackling of raw heat from under the glass cover.

I shake my head as I wonder how lucky I am to own something so unique in the auto world yet so raw, so emotional, so powerful, and so "just plain sexy".

Trust me. There is nothing wrong with Ferrari if they can create something like this. May they make this many mistakes.

 

Indeed.

What a wonderful car...driven by someone who really appreciates it. Does not get any better. Not any.

Forza Ferrari.

 

Thanks for posting this.. you are an inspiration!

 

Re: Ferrari and Pininfarina -- I'm not sure what the situation is between them at the moment, but the FF is definitely a Pininfarina project.

 

No E-Type??

 

I agree, well said.....great post bdelp!

 

No they haven't. The have put out the DB7 somewhere in the late eighties, early ninetes and have based every following design on it. That is creative poverty. Thank god Ferrari is not as limited. Sure, they will always have their fair share of critics, but there will always be plenty of people who love it and are wealthy enough to buy it.

 

Of course not.

 

Dear Sir,
Are you jocking ???
What you Say is not correct
You Are not italian as me and cannot write
What you write.
Ferrari is one of The best Company where to work
In The All World. As stated by indipendent
Resaearch.
This is way The most part of them feels to' be' a part
Of The wonderfull Ferrari family !!!
If you really think what you write, pelasse sell to' me
Your Ferrari. It is a nonsense For you to' remain in our Ferrari
Ciao
Alex
Ps ubi major minor cessat
Family !!!

 

What he said

 

No Aston Martin, at all???

 

Wholeheartedly agree.

 

FChat polls get an avalanche of early responses and then scroll away and are forgotten. A 70% "like it" for the 458 is quite good -- astonishing, actually, given the criticism endemic to an anonymous chat board -- and the 70% "don't like it" for the FF is quite bad.

I don't recall the poll going badly for the 458 early and then coming on strong last month. Nearly everyone weighed in when the car was announced. And if you look back at the media -- everything from car magazines to Top Gear to the NYT -- reviewers loved the 458, whereas the 360/F430 met with mixed reactions on aesthetics and were mostly embraced for their technology back in 1999 and 2005 respectively. Hell, I liked the 458 and to me modern cars mostly all look alike -- angry, disposable, plastic geometric things styled after the Transformers idiom.

With regard to the FF: The photos of the white FF on the stand at Geneva also sucked, and the problem wasn't the model, the lighting, the color of the stand, the interior decor or anything else. Badge aside, it's not a well-designed car. The badge will certainly sell it. And it may also appeal to the tastes of affluent Asian consumers, which is a smart marketing move. (And I say this as someone who actually "gets" the unpopular 612... in black metallic it is a handsome car, IMHminorityO.)

Aston Martin doesn't do mid-engined sports cars. When the engine is in the front, the Ferrari/Lambo/McLaren supercar-wedge designs are off the table.

While there is a lot of commonality between the DB9, DBS, Rapide and Vantage, they are all gorgeous touring cars, with the DB9 being much more beautiful than the Japanese-looking Ferrari 599. When you see them in person, the Aston is magnificent and the 599 generic.

If you had a garage with 4 Astons, I agree with you, it would get monotonous. But you're lucky to see one Aston every other month.

You could argue Porsche did something more creative with the Panamera, but I would take the Rapide. Likewise, if AM ever does another shooting brake, I hope it's more cohesive than the badly proportioned FF.

That said, Ferrari can/have produced the occasional turd and people will buy it because of the badge.

 

Last I heard, they were making money.

Dale

 

Times change, if we like it or not.
I never thought the day would come that Ferrari would stop building manual transmissions either.
But the new cars are automatics only.
Some of us are old school and want a clutch pedal and stick shift.
It just means I can never buy a new one, just used ones I guess.

 

So is Toyota.

 

Yes, and both the "old fashion way" -- making great products that people want to buy.

Funny how it works that when you make something people want to buy, you make money at the same time.

Maybe a few car companies that have gone bankrupt recently can learn something....

 

EXCELLENT POINT!