NEW MID ENGINED V6 (LITTLE BROTHER)

The rear half (which is SF90's biggest issue) seems very promising. The C-pilar goes down very nice and the tail looks low and flat (TR/348/355 style, which is a good thing to me).

 

As long as it doesn’t look like a McLaren it should be nice, LOL. And as Ferrari have a proper design department, I expect new and stylish.

 

Yes, actually if you project forward 6-9mths it will be Portofino/Roma/V6/Purosangue/SF90 and who knows about future of front-engined V12

 

I haven't seen the SF90 in person yet, but that whole back window setup looks very awkward to me. Whatever they do with regard to this new V6 model, I hope they will not continue over the crazy rear window look the SF90 has. Maybe I'm missing something or perhaps because I haven't seen the SF90 in the flesh, I'm too concerned about it - but to me, it seems like that is a sort of odd-ball setup back there on the window and all that.

Ray

 

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Other than the fact that it looks like a Speciale was rear ended by a Prius - and they were unable to extract the Prius from the engine bay - nothing at all.

Ray

 

OK

 

Did you ever watch that movie Total Recall? Where "Kuato" pops out of the guy's stomach and starts talking? I'm just wondering if the designers in Italy had been watching that movie on late night TV a few days near when they penned the design for the back window of the SF90 maybe? It sort of has a similar feeling, but maybe it's just me. Like I say, I have yet to see it in person, so maybe photos don't do it justice or something.

Ray

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And how did this giant ugly block make it through wind tunnel testing, that's what I want to know? Or is that some sort of after market add-on from Napa Auto?

If that's all the better Ferrari can do for their sat antenna - a big block that looks like a bird took a crap on the roof - then people in the design department at Ferrari need to start being fired.

I hope the V6 car is amazing, but I'm not holding my breath based on the rear lines of the SF90.

Ray

 

I can tell you that that antenna has been optimized for aero & packaging.
The inner components dictate the size & shape. Not a whole lot can be done other than what they've done.
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I know the SF90 looks odd in pictures but it looks WAY better in person.

Remember when the 275 came out and everyone thought that it looked odd because of the headlights? The design language has to move on. I applaud the daring design. I just don't like hybrids.

 

And what happened to the logo? Did they forget to glue it to the body and it’s falling off ?

 

I also think it’s dreadful

 

So you're telling me that for $50 to $100 I can buy a beautifully sculpted carbon fiber satellite antenna from Amazon, yet Ferrari's entire design department that builds F1 cars can't come up with something better than basically a big ugly square brick for the roof of the SF90?

Oh hey, listen, before I forget.. a few of us are going in on this bridge over in Brooklyn... we are gonna setup toll booths and make a killing; I've already discussed it with my partners and we can still get you in, if you act fast.

PM me for details.

Ray

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Ya, sure. Optimized would be it not existing. It looks dreadful.

 

Funnily I don’t really mind the overall design of the SF. A lot of people don’t like the front but I like it.

The rear is awful, however. There is no fluidity or continuance about it. And that antenna is an abomination.

 

Also acts as a rudder to aid in high speed maneuvering.

 

+1

I wouldn't even put that antenna on the top of a Transit van.

If you look at how a typical shark-fin antenna and GPS unit is laid out from a circuit board standpoint, there sure seems to be plenty of room in there to slim things down. Again, maybe I'm missing something which required the SF90 to have a giant block on the roof.

Ray

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V-6/812( that will be replaced by next gen V-12)/SF90/next gen V-12 hypercar

"fixed"

 

Doesn’t photograph well.. rear window is not an issue in the flesh or while driving it..

 

Based on @jm2 ’s design CV I think I’ll take his word for it and reserve my sarcastic comments for the guys posting about how they are surgeons versus the carpenters defending the alternate view point.

 

The irony here is unbelievable. About 20 yrs ago our studio was asked to work with the Delphi engineering group that was developing the ‘new antennas’ required for On Star and GPS/Sirius radio. While doing our regular design work doing Cadillac Exteriors, we worked hard to optimize these awful antennas. We hated them, but we’re told it was the only solution at that time to provide the necessary functions for celestial communication with our vehicles. They were going on hundreds of thousands of vehicles.We did the best we could within .5 mm to get the best looking solution to meet aero targets, cost, function,etc. etc.

So here we are 20 yrs later with the same packaging. No one liked them then, and apparently no one likes them now. But I’m confident Ferrari engineers and designers worked tirelessly to optimize the solution. Deal with it. If you get your car and it has one and you hate it, remove it. No GPS/satellite radio/cell reception. Whatever.

 

OK OK... You got got me... It isn't my favorite design. But I am old school! I suspect pretty much everyone here is. No one here wants a hybrid Ferrari. I get it. I think all these new car designs would look so much better if they were the size of a 355 instead of a Cadillac. I hope the new Dino is like that.
I do though like the fact they are doing something completely wild and daring. The two window rear window (one half is above the rear engine cover and another is below it) is pure lunacy that only you could find in Italy and I admire it just for that. Sure they could have gone with a one piece rear window but that is on every 360, F430, 458, 488 and, F8 coupe not to mention countless other mid-engine cars like the C8 Corvette (soon to be on every street corner). You got to do something different.

 

Don’t worry you’re not the only one who has arrived at this same conclusion. And no it doesn’t get better in the flesh. Only the rusted on Ferrari diehards believe everything Ferrari does is beyond reproach and will continually offer a range of excuses to jolly themselves over the look but the irony is if Kia or Hyundai came out with this design these same diehards would be all relentlessly throwing off at it. It just goes to prove how a Ferrari badge can make an ugly duckling take on the guise of a Swan to the diehards. Sad but true.

Anyway…the greater majority are hoping and praying LB looks nothing like SF90 and Im also sure the design team knew they had to do something to recover the situation so fingers crossed.

 

I may be wrong here, or tech sorted it out since then, but early full carbon tub cars (even up to Aventador IIRC!) had issues with the antenna transmitting very poorly due to carbon fiber disturbing the signal, or something?

the sharkfin isn't beautiful or anything but it doesn't disturb me. I quite like the SF90, not a big fan of the squared rear lights really that's it, can still live with it...