How come Europeans prefer GTB`s and Americans the GTS?

I am talking about cars up to and included the Ferrari 355 here

Whenever i search forums or looks at Ferraris for sale it looks to me that Europeans prefer GTB`s and Americans the GTS.
If i was to buy a car now i would only look at GTB`s and not GTS

What i think is that a car with a solid roof is much more stiff than the "targa" cars and during track days the car with the roof is my choice

Also the GTB does not have the problems with water leaks as the GTS have

Which do you prefer? A GTB or a GTS?
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I prefer the GTB. Better lines, colors match, stiffer. Never been into convertibles or targas.

 

More poseurs buying Ferraris in the USA? Easier to be seen by the babes in a GTS?

Signed,
GTS driver in USA

 

I have seen them with the roof section painted to match, then you have the best of both worlds, and the look of a GTB, Otter

 

Always GTB. Even on the Enzo era cars. And I'm South American...

 

Americans love freedom What is more free than being out in the open and not sealed in a bubble. We want it all. We get to drive our Ferrari and be free

Personally I see my car as a GT and I'm a huge fan of convertibles. I keep thinking of getting some form of B for rainy days though. I don't track my car, I use it for touring and getting groceries.

 

It's all a personal preference. Perhaps due to warmer climate?

I'm done with the open top. Never use it, it's drafty. GTB all the way... stiffer chassis, quieter..

 

I think a lot of it is geographic based, I prefer GTB's but there is a lot of coast line in the USA and a lot of great places to have a GTS. In Miami, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Houston, New Orleans, etc.. it almost get so hot you need a GTS. In Cincinnati, Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, you'll find GTBs outnumber GTSs by a large margin.

But I agree that the GTB generally looks better.

 

I'm getting to be increasingly a fan of GTB relative to GTS due to the B's stiffer chassis. However, in the relatively low speed roads of the US, the open top offers an expanded dimension of enjoyment that the B's don't have. If I also use the car at the track, then the B is the choice (unless it is a P3/4 Spyder). For my street purpose of nice weather cruising and mountain roads/twisties driving, the S still prevails.

Having said this, I can't say the same for the equivalent Porsche coupe versus targa/cab of the 80s/90s eras. I would much prefer to drive the coupe version. I think it all depends on the car's function.

 

Early 3-series cars were built to ' Pure Italian' dimensions, with ergonomics suited for folks whose maximum height was about 5'9" or shorter. If you were significantly taller than that, your head hit the roof and your knees straddled the steering wheel and you were uncomfortable. The Targa allowed taller Americans to fit in the car, as the seat only reclined 'so far'. Americans had typically towered over most European and Asian clients, but nowadays that height difference has waned and Ferrari has designed for more roominess and comfort to support 'larger' customers.

There is something appealing to 'al fresco' driving, but chassis stability can be obtained without having to add an enclosed roof if the engineering is correct. Otherwise, wouldn't F1 cars have one by now?

 

i prefer the GTS. all summer, my top stays in the garage, and its open top motoring. i live on twisty mountain roads, and i dont drive that aggressively or track the car to want a GTB, my lil 308 flies around the corners beautifully. plus, my AC is removed, so the open top provides relief when cruising.

 

In Europe it rains alot and people with 328 ,348 and 355 prefered the coupes!
while us Europeans imagine the U.S Coast nice long summers with the GTS where the speed limits are also slower than Europe, windows down, wind in the hair ! Summer time cruising with a GTS!

 

But nowdays! In Europe the 360 Spider and 430 Spider keep better market value!
They are also easier to sell as they are more appreciated!

But the real heavy pedal enthusiast prefers a coupe! like 360CS or 430 scuderia!

 

my personal order from best in 355s or 348s is:

GTS

then GTB

then spider last.

modena or 430 I prefer closed!

458 spider!

I like the rigid roof section behind my head on a GTS I do not like spiders too open for my style of driving!

 

MY hair falls 2 feet down the back of my neck. Once it gets blown around in the wind, it takes 20-30 minutes of brushing to get it back in line. Thus, I prefer completely enclosed driving.

That, and the GTB looks better, drives better, and has fewer squeeks and rattles.

 

imo, it's basically about chassis perfectionism in high end sports cars. If I wanted a track car, or more importantly, if I wanted to pretend I had a track car, as a British guy I'd have a GTB.

There are plenty of convertibles in the UK. Really, a lot. So the temperate weather here doesn't explain the preferences. Minis, MX5s (Miatas), Fiats, Audis, you name it. Rag tops are everywhere.

Many Ferrari owners in the UK feel that Ferrari is a pedigree sports car and together with our predominantly twisty B roads, these require chassis stiffness. UK is the home of most F1 teams and there's a rightful appreciation of the heritage this gives. Chatting to your friends in the pubs and around the water cooler, the GTBs will often get the greater plaudits.

If you're true to yourself, you realise a GTS is the greatest 2nd car to have. I don't care too much if the chassis on my GTS could be 10 or 20% stiffer. It's over 30 years old and is perfectly good enough the way I use it. I accept the compromise and ignore the pub banter. To me, it's a beautiful sports leisure car with a gorgeous engine.

I can't say if the above applies for the rest of Europe.

 

Honestly, the targa was the only thing I wasn't thrilled about when I bought my 348, but it is so cool otherwise, I looked beyond that. I say wasn't thrilled because I have since come to appreciate the removable (painted to match) top. Cant beat the extra sound and sun on a nice day! Still, It's far from a requirement, but I no longer see it as a downside, and my car is certainly no worse off because of it. I do prefer the look of the GTB and like the "wholeness" of it.

 

Had a F355 F1 GTS. Loved it. I prefer the GTS over the Spider. It takes longer to put and take off the spider's boot than it does to do the targa top. Plus you should not put the top down when it is wet. Just wipe off the targa top with a towel and stow it behind the seats. You are good to go. (BTW the 360 has no boot and is completely automatic.)

I am a top down guy. Since I usually only drive on sunny days (we get 360+ days of sunshine each year) the top is only on when parked for more than an hour.

You miss too much of the mountain scenery with a roof. And it sounds better as well.

Man-up and sit outside.

 

I have owned both. GTBs drive a LOT better than Ss and I'm not just talking track time. The difference is not subtle and anyone can tell in the first 100 feet. Once Magnum came on TV, hardly anyone in the US bought Bs. Once Magnum was off TV, Bs increased in popularity again. Coincidence? Sadly, there are so few 308 and 328 GTBs in the US, few potential buyers ever have a chance to see and drive one. If they did, Bs would be much more popular.

Dave

 

It might have as much to do with roads like the Autobahn and Autostrada - in order to cruise from country to country in style at speed(think unlimited) a targa or a canvas top just would not cut it. The GT coupe was always the preferred speedster for the wealthy. Americans preferred the true convertible - able to cruise along the beach at 30mph and blast home at 55mph with the top up if it rained. : )

 

i was thinking exactly this.
although speed limits in europe are becoming ever more draconian, there are still areas where it is possible to open it up, and the gts or spiders are just not great when those pieces of road come up. whereas in the usa the speeds are so low, its hardly worth having a ferrari, so might as well have a convertible so you can pose a bit.

 

Regarding your point of concern with water leaks: in my experience with the F355 GTS, I have never had any problems with water leaks from the seals of the top. Though it has never been in a true downpour, it has seen a hose many times, and even with a high pressure stream on the roof the top seals completely tight.

As far as squeaks and rattles, there are few minor ones once you first pull the car out, but once the top settles, I don't notice much if any. Road noise might be a bit more apparent, I would guess, but I don't have any experience behind a solid roof to compare. The windows are usually down anyway even with the top up and the F355 isn't a quiet car, so I consider that negligable as well.

From my perspective, on the 348/355 the removable top does not spoil the profile of the roofline much, and not only do they look great with the top off, but the open top driving experience is awesome, so I do feel you get a great compromise. On the 308/328, I do like the profile of the GTB a bit more, but still the GTS experience would be a difficult dilemma to contemplate.

 

+1

The OPs headline certainly does not apply here in the UK, in fact the opposite is the case, GTS numbers far outweigh GTB.

Apart from the UKs long history of open top cars, the weather here is actually not bad for convertibles because it rarely gets so hot that you want the roof on and aircon running.

I was going to say that the rainfall here is not as high as many people think but then again, this year we have been inundated! Even so, I have been able to drive my GTS totally with the roof off this year, even last weekend with the heater on it was not too cold.

 

Well, obviously the Magnum PI Influence had something to do with it, but otherwise I would think its the weather. The culture may play into it as well. Europeans, in my experience, tend to be a bit more reserved in displaying themselves and their wealth. Americans have a bit more of a tendency to flaunt it and be seen...but again that part is just my perception having lived in Europe for six years.




PDG

 

Latin American people of latin/european descend kept a stronger culture with our European roots.