What Makes A Ferrari | Page 2 | FerrariChat

What Makes A Ferrari

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by ScottS, May 22, 2022.

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  1. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    I agree on the zero interest in an electric exotic, with that being said, elegant and Ferrari just dont go together in the same sentence, I have never and will never want a Ferrari that is considered elegant, that word is left for the RRs the Bents the Jags, and the Benz. The Romas, the Calis , I dont know, I dont consider them Ferraris in the way the mark Ferrari really stands for . The 812, now thats a Ferrari .

    Thank you
     
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  2. Shorn355

    Shorn355 F1 Veteran
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    You don't consider an 812 to be elegant? Not challenging you and generally agree with your sentiment but just curious- personally I think the 812- especially in a dark color- to be extremely elegant-
     
  3. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

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    I think an electric Ferrari needs to follow racing. To me that is foremost. If F-1 and LeMans are electric then its good for Ferrari. until those two categories of racing are fully electric then Ferrari needs to stay with a 12 cyl ICE minimally. that is the DNA link in the company.

    However once its electric then the bets are off... a Ferrari should be:
    1. High performance for its category - meaning 0-100MPH etc.. well above normal times, top speed, cornering etc... in a world of instant torque electric cars it has to be the best.
    2. It should be immediately recognizable as something out of the ordinary - exotic.
    3. Rare - it should not be a widely available product.
    4. Driving the car should require attention and skill - it should not be super easy, but fully engaging. again bringing the Race car to the street feel.
    5. Heritage - it should have some link to the current racing cars of the day- and be at the forefront of technology. active aero etc.. all to help the driver.
    6. Feel - tactile, and exotic, and if possible allow the driver to have artificial sound from classic Ferrari's inside and out.
     
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  4. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

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    I think elegant and Ferrari are a total match!

    33gtc = Elegant
    250 SWB = Elegant
    365GTB4 Daytona = Elegant
    250 GTO = Elegant
    250 Superamerica = Elegant
    550, 599 = Elegant
    Roma = Elegant
    and they are all Ferrari's and in the most fundamental and traditional way - being "front engined " cars.
     
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  5. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Yes… until #6.

    Unless you have a simulated rotary dial on your iPhone.

    Let’s have some authenticity and leave fake exhaust notes to BMW.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
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  6. Jaguar36

    Jaguar36 Formula Junior

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    To late! 488 already has a 'Sound Generator'


    To me I don't care what F1 is doing, they have such a convoluted, restrictive set of requirements now that whatever they are doing is completely irrelevant.

    I'd love to see a series where the only non-safety regulation is the amount of fuel (or energy) they get. If the cars are going too fast for the track, lower the amount of fuel. 4-wheels, 6 wheels, active aero, KERS, full electric, V-6, V10, V12, whatever!
     
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  7. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

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    I agree with you, however I think Ferrari's DNA has been racing. if you take that out then you just have Porsche but 3 x the cost with only 10% of the reliability.
     
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  8. VAF84

    VAF84 Formula 3

    To get the attention of prospective buyers; classy/classic, understated but beautiful design, that has presence and is backed by strong finishes in well known races. Then the driving has to feel more analog than its more clinical competitors like Porsche. I remember trying to be "pragmatic" and test driving a 911 S, followed by the Ferrari. I immediately knew it had to be the Ferrari because of the way it drove and the feel of the gear changes. The hard part for Ferrari to keep up with though, is the sound. When I was young, I wanted a Ferrari because it was a Ferrari! It was the dream of owning the legend that I wanted to fulfill. However, what made me NEED a Ferrari was its incredible sound. I remember watching endless videos of the 355 and 360 with aftermarket exhaust. My first Ferrari drive was in a rented F430 convertible with the top down with all of my senses stimulated; years later I have my own with an exhaust and driving it doesn't get old (only maintaining it does :D). Years later my friend let me drive his 458 and it was incredible. The way it drove, and hitting that 9k limiter and shifting, again offering an unparalleled driving experience. I would love a 458. However, I had a short test drive in an F8; it was very nice, but I don't lust after that experience as much as I do for the 458 or early cars. Driving a Ferrari should be intoxicating, and to my knowledge up to a 458 is something which few brands can come close to comparing to. I'd need more time in the newer ones to know if it's still there, but honestly after the 458 I'm having a bit more draw towards Lamborghini, even though I have attachment to the more "understated" Ferrari with it's racing heritage and strong community.

    In short, the design and heritage lures one towards the brand. Then the sound and driving are what get one passed the finish line, to pull out the wallet to get into the car. The driving experience and community keeps you in the car. If the brand loses it's ability to differentiate the driving experience, it's game over. There are plenty of other beautiful and fast products out there when it comes to vehicles. Heck, my new pickup truck is as fast as my F430.
     
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  9. 67bmer

    67bmer Formula 3
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    If you find the answer, you probably could start your own brand. A few of my thoughts:

    In my opinion, Ferraris embody-
    F1 racing - EVERY Ferrari car has been produced during their Formula 1 racing campaign unlike every other manufacturer (except McLaren recently). If racing stops, I think Ferrari stops...
    Ferraris typically employ some aspect of the F1 car technology in the road cars
    • V-12s front and eventually rear (remember Ferrari was a late/reluctant adopter of the mid/rear format)
    • Turbos - came, went, and are now back (288 GTO, F40)
    • Naturally aspirated v-12, FI rear engine (F50)
    • Paddle shifts - (355F1, 360 F1, 430 F1) I joke that it was the cheapskates that bought manual 360s and 430s in the day!
    • Hybrid drivetrain technology - current generation (I personally do NOT intend to keep up)
    Designer bodies that grab ones attention
    • Pininfarina
    • Scaglietti
    • Zagato
    Performance - power, braking, suspension and handling needs to be at the very high end
    Interiors need to be stylish, functional, minimal, and high quality
    Limited production (expensive enough) that people would not choose them over one from the top 10 car producers
    Predominantly red - the official Italian racing color
     
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  10. Brian A

    Brian A F1 Rookie

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    I agree too, but I question the relevance of racing. Does racing really still “improve the breed”?

    Formula 1 is now highly constrained. It may very well be that road car innovation now trickles upward into Formula 1 design instead of the other direction like it used to be. I found it startling that the Safety Car had to slow down last year in Belgium because the Formula 1 cars couldn’t keep up in the downpour.

    In the other series, GT car racing is muzzled with BoP constraints to make the series exclusively a test of driver skill. The road cars on which the GT racecars are based are faster than the racecars.

    And, to make matters worse, the fanciest Ferraris are no longer designed by the factory to be the basis for their race cars. There are no SP90s in any races for example. The supercar performance envelope is far beyond anything that can be exploited on public roads and they are irrelevant on the track.
     
  11. Dewinator

    Dewinator F1 Veteran
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    What makes a Luis Vuitton purse?

    The answer is the same for Ferrari: people keep buying them. They don't give two ****s that their customer base is changing as long as the cars keep selling.
     
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  12. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    The 812 is an INSANE v12 Machine , its the exact INSAITY

    The 812 is an INSANE V12 Machine , its the exact INSANITY of the ENZO, just with the motor in the front !!! lol
    The 812 and elegant dont belong in the same sentence !!! lol Same for the ENZO
     
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  13. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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  14. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

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    I disagree. If you look at the engine in the 296 - where have you seen that before? perhaps 1982 Ferrari f-1 car? it looks almost identical in size turbos etc... not all racing tech has to come from todays cars. that is my point. even with Porsche you can see the racing heritage and crossover.... but its getting lighter by the day. I would still put any modern Ferrari road car - the new Daytona against an F-1 car and the F-1 car will destroy it in terms of performance... and even out right top speed. that is what is crossed over from F-1. todays cars are so much more usable and reliable than before - because of the racing tech.
     
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  15. Newjoint

    Newjoint Formula 3

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    Wow, a lot of stuff touched on here
    Racing vs no racing
    Engine vs no engine
    Sound vs no sound
    Elegance vs no elegance
    Etc
    For me truly special cars should be relatively rare, beautiful or shocking(in a good way) to look at, fast enough to be relevant, have an analog feel to them(even if they are all digital), have the Peter Egan “swoosh “ factor(ie handle well enough to put a smile on your face), and be the envy of the average person.
    Will an all electric Ferrari check all those boxes? I don’t know. I do know those crazy Italians often have a unique way of doing things that often fails but occasionally do something which is so utterly brilliant where it outshines every other car manufacturer who then scramble to catch up.
    Maybe it’ll be a V12E- a twelve motor, battery/capacitor hybrid KERS unit with version 29 of Slide slip control with a gated shifter to energize each motor sequentially(you can always press the auto button) utilizing a user replaceable battery pack so you always have a fully charged pack available with drive train mechanical noise built in to the drive train that sounds exactly like a Star Wars sand speedster that can drift or holeshot with the best out there.
    I might buy it. Maybe… but not for 800K when each motor can be had for a few hundred bucks. Throw in a real V12 to back up the battery and the equation changes


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  16. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Porsche has actually done a bit of racing.

    Don’t tell anyone.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
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  17. Doug.

    Doug. F1 Rookie
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    All good points.

    When it absolutely comes down to it, nothing more electric than a hybrid powerplant. Fake noise is a total joke, and a noiseless Ferrari is not one.
     
  18. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

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    Really? good to know...
     
  19. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

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    In the end I don't know what an all electric Ferrari will be like. I'm not sure there is another Marque that is more linked to its engines than Ferrari? So not having an ICE ... is going to be difficult no matter what. However I think we are all basing our responses on what we know vs. what the future can hold.

    what if Ferrari comes up with a Hydrogen-powered v-12 to make noise that powers generators to power the electric motors? it might be .5L size but then the noise could be amplified .... ? not even sure if that is a thing...
     
  20. JTSE30

    JTSE30 F1 Rookie

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    #45 JTSE30, May 27, 2022
    Last edited: May 27, 2022
    I believe the first Ferrari EV will be a TRUCK (FUV), but whatever it is, for 2025 reveal the mules should be appearing any day now...surprised they have not already

    I believe hydrogen is a complete non-starter, outside of missles and rockets it will never be prevalent propulsion method, ever
     
  21. jm2

    jm2 F1 World Champ
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    Not so sure a Ferrari can not be considered elegant. Guess it's up to one's definition of the term.
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  22. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    The last "real Ferrari" was the 550 Maranello. V12, front engine limited nanny controls, incredible build quality on the big things (engine, transmission), but horrible build quality on everything else (I think the Maranello only came with a one-year warranty.). A car that could drive you crazy and to tears at the same time.
     
  23. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    Those are bad ass cars !! With that being said, bad ass and or elegant is in the eye of the beholder , as you said .I wonder what Mr. Ferrari would say ?

    Thank you
     
  24. ginoBBi512

    ginoBBi512 F1 Rookie
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    Im sad to hear about the poor build quality, I love the 550 / 575 / 599 . Did Ferrari up the build quality when it came to the 575 / 599 ?

    Thank you
     
  25. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Build quality has substantially improved each year.
     
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