Top Gear Test of F12 | Page 3 | FerrariChat

Top Gear Test of F12

Discussion in 'F12/812' started by 575joe, Jul 8, 2013.

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  1. ARTNNYC

    ARTNNYC F1 Rookie
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    Jul 8, 2005
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    I saw the episode last night where it aired for the first time on BBCA in the US. I thought to myself...hmmmm...he may have a point there. The F12 is supposed to be the replacement for the 599 which was a gentlemen's high speed cruiser/GT car and the F12 is a frantic and pointy beast.
    I have a Carrera GT, GT2 plus some other obscene cars and none of them are very comfortable to drive any long distances with any semblance of maintaining a sense of serenity PLUS enjoyment hence my recent purchase. I wanted a usable and semi sane supercar so I bought a Audi R8 but got the V-8 and six speed manual instead of the V-10. I also bought it in white with a carbon sideblade. Its discreet, comfortable, fast enough and able to cover long distances with comfort.
     
  2. Need4Spd

    Need4Spd F1 Veteran

    Feb 24, 2007
    6,644
    Silicon Valley
    So long as you get cruise control, there is no problem with having "too much" HP in the F12. With the DCT and Magneride, I'm sure it can be plenty comfortable to drive sedately if desired.
     
  3. jvecchi

    jvecchi Formula Junior

    May 5, 2005
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    John M. Vecchi
    Well, I'm hoping to replace my 599 with an F12 in a few years, too much power or not. :) If people are grousing about the acceleration of supercars, then they'd have a heart attack on a modern superbike. My 599 feels pretty slow to the 2002 Kawasaki ZX-12R I used to have... and it's slow compared to a new BMW S1000RR.
     
  4. ARTNNYC

    ARTNNYC F1 Rookie
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    EVERYTHING is slow compared to the BMW Superbike. It runs a 9.50 @ 152mph in the 1/4 mile!
     
  5. 95spiderman

    95spiderman F1 World Champ
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    Nov 1, 2003
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    ny
    I agree with jc about cars getting too powerful to enjoy on street. (Regardless, i would love a f12)

    My gtr is no fun on street because its too powerful. Best i can manage in my neighborhood is 2 sec maybe of full throtle. I love it on track and that it can drive through snow storm, get thumbs up from everyone and take another couple out to dinner.

    My lotus elise is another story. Cant do any of the things gtr can but its so much fun tearing around street at only slightly illegal speeds.
     
  6. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 26, 2005
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    I think it's all getting kind of irrelevant, with respect to public roads and real world use. Motor journalists used to tell us about brake fade, gear ratios and usability, climate control effectiveness, etc., but frankly there aren't any high end cars made that don't do everything well. I haven't heard meaningful commentary on a car in a decade, maybe more.

    I recall Ferrari being quoted as saying that a newbie could get the F430 around a track nearly as quickly as a professional driver -- and that was 8 years ago.

    In 2013, I think it's mostly down to whether you like the looks and how you feel about the sticker price.
     
  7. noone1

    noone1 F1 Rookie
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    That's pretty much all it's about nowadays. Just about everything performance related is irrelevant. High on my list of improvements I want to see in exotics is fuel economy and Android/iOS head units haha.
     
  8. ztunelover

    ztunelover Formula Junior

    Oct 1, 2009
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    #58 ztunelover, Jul 17, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I think the complain about steering mounted controls is more to do with the unfamiliarity of the controls rather than the actual functionality. I don't know how many members here are into firearms as a hobby as well but those of you that are might be able to relate to this, people hate on the H&K pistol magazine release because it uses a different system than the universally used browning button release. A lot of people ***** about it being a defective design but it really isn't it's just people being unfamiliar with it are immediately ready to condemn it without ever trying to familiarize with it.

    For those of you that don't know or care about firearms I have attached two pictures. the paddle release is the one in the first picture, and is only(at least to my knowledge) used by two companies H&K and Walther. Nearly all the other manufacturers colt, sig, glock use the browning button as they had for the last 100 years. That doesnt make it an inferior design, it's an unfamiliar one.

    Now the 3rd and 4th picture are pictures of a f12 and a vanquish respectively. Be rational and tell me that the ferrari design is defective. It's not, it's very functional and once you get used to it, I would imagine it would be even more efficient.

    As for the rest. Clarkson contradicted himself at the start of the film, you dont have to use all the power all the time, if it's too lairy put it in a safer traction mode and leave it be.

    Honestly if all you were looking for was a good looking gt car you can always go with the new vanquish. Powerful but not brain blowing like the f12, and for those who think the steering in the f12(you have every right to be wrong) it apparently has a much more relaxed steering.
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  9. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Feb 11, 2008
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    I think that's highly simplistic.

    I saw in TG recently that they had the Stig run a lap in the new Golf GTi. First they put it in "race" mode and he did a certain time. Then, they put it in sport mode and he did exactly the same time. Then, they put it in normal mode and he actually did it FASTER.

    What point am I making?

    My point is who cares how fast it goes around the track? What matters is how it FEELS when it goes around the street.

    Yes, a lot of high end cars do a lot of things well -- technically. But how do they do it EMOTIONALLY is the question

    Its the reason why when everyone tests the 458 vs the Mac 12c, they admit the 12c is faster and better at going around corners and such -- but they'd rather own the Ferrari if they had to buy one.
     
  10. Migas

    Migas Formula Junior

    Feb 18, 2013
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    100% agree.

    For a car guy, full emotion is what it really matters and what it makes the BIG difference when you decide to spend lots of money on a purchase. Otherwise why would you decide to spend around $400k. Nowadays there are plenty of very good cars for just about $50k or even less.

    In my case I don’t give a damn if there are, exotics or not, better cars technically speaking. I want to know about it, always filtering the source, but that’s all. In the end, frankly, I live very well with Ferrari insufficiencies. Why? : Just because the pure emotion it makes me to feel every time I decide to drive it (everyday) compensates, by far, those eventual insufficiencies.

    For me Ferrari is, and always will be, the top of the top.
     
  11. jumpinjohn

    jumpinjohn F1 Veteran
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    This. Unless you are purchasing a pure utilitarian vehicle (yet even in work trucks there is emotion - just try telling a Dodge guy that Fords are better...), in the end what you purchase is based upon what you can afford and what excites you. Of course, there are those folks who do not love cars. They spend their big bucks on whatever THAT is - house, adventures, bikes, books, etc. etc.

    John
     
  12. DriveAfterDark

    DriveAfterDark F1 Veteran

    Jan 1, 2007
    9,148
    Norway
    This is so true... The new Boxster S ticks all the boxes for a perfect sportscar ("all the sportscar you will ever need"), but it just doesn't do anything on the emotional scale.
     
  13. Goplay

    Goplay Formula Junior

    Mar 16, 2012
    413
    Northern CA
    I think all this means is the car has limits elsewhere, and stiffening up the suspension (or whatever the GTi does in race mode) only makes the performance worse. In other words, the race mode is pure marketing BS.

    I think track times do make a difference for *performance* cars. Granted I understand that a lot of people buy sports cars for just how they look, or sound. People buy SUVs and put 22" inch rims and low profile tires on them too.

    Believe it not, there are people who buy performance cars for their performance. So for this group track times, especially a long, mixed track like Nurburgring, is very informative of how the car as a complete system performs. It is clear from the Golf GTI example that race mode is meaningless. I certainly would want to know if my next performance car was all *show* and *no go*.

    No less reasonable or rational than buying a performance car just for its looks.

    Now whether either group can actually drive their car well is an entirely different topic!
     
  14. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
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    I've been in an F-12 but not driven it... it is a very pretty car.. much more agressive than the 599, and the interior is great - except for the vents... hate those things... sounds good too!

    The car i was in was a deep ruby red metallic.. so the color kind of hid some of the lines, but the Red on Top Gear was very nice. I like agressive looking Ferrari's ... really what's the point... I still think the 60's-80's were Ferrari stying heydays... but its getting better.

    I think Jay Lenno says it best - all your fun is between 0 - 85 MPH... so its how you get there not how fast the car goes.

    In a 599 at 140MPH is not much different than any car at 80MPH.... I'm sure the F-12 is similar.
     
  15. Lew L

    Lew L Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2006
    359
    With motorcycles, I always had more fun going fast on a slow bike than slow on a fast bike. On the road, 50-60 mph on a '67 Triumph Bonneville was a lot more fun than 100 mph on a newer crotch rocket.
     
  16. rmani

    rmani F1 Veteran
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    Nov 1, 2003
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    Is it just me or are top gear tests getting more boring. I fast forward through most of them now. I honestly enjoy fifth gear more it feels like much more a car show and less about just entertainment.
     
  17. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
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    +1 The tortoise is catching the hare.

    I love TG so much, but they have to do something new. I always thought it'd be cool to have the three of them sell cars for a day on a super mega blowout sale event. See who wins. Oh and it has to be in America with American cars.
     
  18. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Mar 3, 2012
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    So about four seconds worth then!
     
  19. ferr9000

    ferr9000 Formula Junior

    Feb 13, 2013
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    I dont think is necessary to talk about Jeremy Clarkson's said about the F12 power.
    Each one has his own opinion and taste and now everyone are talking about "less power" to the F12.

    I will take one at the end of the year and i'll enjoy the 740HP as hell.
     
  20. fireplace63

    fireplace63 Karting

    Jun 18, 2011
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    #70 fireplace63, Jul 22, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  21. DriveAfterDark

    DriveAfterDark F1 Veteran

    Jan 1, 2007
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    That is so 80's print ad.
     
  22. mkultra

    mkultra Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2004
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    and still love in it 2013!
     
  23. Lionkicking

    Lionkicking Rookie

    Nov 15, 2012
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    What was the time the f12 set on the track
     
  24. crinoid

    crinoid F1 Veteran
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    They did not lap it around TG track.
     
  25. blakekrik

    blakekrik Rookie

    Dec 15, 2012
    8
    That was such a disappointing review...much like others posted here already....they cram it in at the end of the show...I enjoy their non-review pieces, but this was ridiculous.

    ...how can they not track it? i gotta find out what that was all about. especially after he commented that its the first Ferrari that the Stig would purchase.

    ...what's wrong with having extra power that you rarely ever need to utilize? people do take cars like this out on the track.

    ...i own an R8 (V8), 458 and recently took delivery of my F12. The F12 is the 'easiest' to drive around town. The layout of the controls (Jeremy complains) are totally consistent with the 458 and FF, and are quite intuitive imho. The whole tennis ball machine metaphor just doesn't apply here.

    ...when opening up the F12 on the road, you can get to a point where you go "woah...i think i will back off a bit"...but I would be super disappointed if I didn't get that for $400K! I have not yet tracked it...i bet I will be able to utilize every horse in that engine....i am not a professional driver btw.

    The fact is that the F12 is amazing. It is incredibly tame, comfortable and easy to drive around town. Much easier than the jerky R8, and more tame than the 458 which has all the engine gurgles (which i love). Then, when you want it to be a BEAST, it is ready willing and able!
     

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