Has Ferrari Lost It's Luster?

I’m sure if Ferrari could get away with it they would charge for every screen background you decide to try- yellow tach, red etc. They no longer nickel and dime you for every option- they are $1K and $10K…ing you for everything. The base cars are decontented to force people to spend upwards of $100-200K in options(and that’s not including Tailor Made) which other luxury brands include in the price and offer a limited number of packages. And yes I know multiple people will states” oh, it’s a customized car…yada, yada, yada” Well then why not only offer Atelier or TM cars only for these exorbitant prices.
The market will eventually tell us what it thinks of these fast but not fastest, edgy but atrocious looking cars. Emotions indeed.

 

Anyone who’s actually followed Ferrari for more than five minutes can see the pattern — every time a new design drops, there’s a whole parade of jokers racing to one-up each other with “this is the ugliest Ferrari” takes. It’s a tradition at this point — predictable as the sunrise.

I mean, I would be embarrassed to walk into a room full of real gearheads and announce how “ugly” the LaFerrari is today. Or how the F8 is a terrible design? Or that the SP1/SP2 are hard to look at? I’d get laughed right back out the door.

Yet, here we are=

• LaFerrari? ugly
• 488? - bad
• F8? - terrible
• F12? - hideous
• 812? - sacrilegious
• 296? - send it back
• SP3 Daytona? - trash

Give it five to ten years and watch how quiet these most of these folks get about their “hot takes.” I get it — some people genuinely just think any modern car smells bad, and that’s fine. But claiming a new design marks the end of Ferrari? That’s a little dramatic, no?

It's like clockwork, today it's the 12Cilindri, F80, 896 — the latest examples in the eternal saga of “Ferrari is doomed the car is so ugly”

I’ve always wondered what drives that mindset. Maybe it’s because the Ferrari they own (or sold) just happens to be their personal “peak,” so everything after that has to be worse by default as some sort of hard cope?— folks being clowns, or probably kids that are upset the latest design didn't match their sketch they scribbled on their toilet paper.

 

I don't think anybody is disputing that there were people that spoke out against previous Ferrari designs. There isn't a car out there that doesn't have at least somebody who hates it. I think what is different now is how many more people are speaking out now. The F80 and 849 have threads going on with multiple posts a day discussing the disdain for the designs. There are multiple.threads about Ferraris perceived lackluster designs and Ferrari losing their way. I think that it is a lot more prevalent now than a stray post here or there.

While mclaren and lamborghinis recent designs haven't been very highly praised, I don't think that they have been met with the same level.of disdain that has been directed at Ferrari. I think it also speaks volumes when a lot of that disdain is coming from owners.

 

LOL. The irony.

 

On a recent visit to the factory, I learned about Ferrari's initial plan for 40% of their production to be electric, another 40% hybrid, and 20% internal combustion engines. I have since heard that they've changed that ratio to 40% i.c.e., but it still brings their judgement into question.
Personally, I don't care if my new Ferrari is the fastest hypercar in existance, but I do want it to be the most exciting, engaging, thrilling car to drive with looks like a supermodel.

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A good chunk of that is, rightly or wrongly, people expect more from Ferrari. Unfortunately, Ferrari specifically is gonna get extra hammered anytime they don't knock it out of the park.

If Lamborghini or McLaren came out with their own version of the F80 or 849, I'd bet they'd go over better with their clientele.

 

Forgot the Mondiale?

 

" but it still brings their judgement into question."
****
How many of those decisions are "their" desires and judgement vs trying to survive as a company with the EU's draconian "Green" mandates and regulations?

 

They sell less than 10k vehicles pa into Europe, so legally they could still build those old school, high emission / NA models between now and '35 if they wanted. Like a new take on a 512m, 458 speciale etc. but non Icona and around 296 pricing.

But, I think they are focused culturally on getting ahead of the post 2035 world and convincing us all to accept the hybrid era etc.

 

New ferrari is a digital ferrari.

Welcome to 2021.
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"A homage to Ferrari's first Le Mans win in 1949", and then they post an NFT that looks nothing like the 166 MM on a date that has nothing to do with 1949 Le Mans. Logic that can only make sense if you're deep in the inner circle of Maranello's inertia

 

I do think that Ferrari designs in the past 15 years or so require seeing them in person to understand the shape. The Amalfi was slagged by everyone, but in person it looks very nice. Too many weird renders and photo angles on launch poison the audience reaction.


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My F8 does it for me.
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The F8 is just perfection. The Pista and the F8 are the best looking V8 Ferraris by MILES! Ferrari has done the same thing for years though... The following model is always a HUGE jump from the previous, both aesthetically/materials used and performance. The 355 was a big improvement on the 348, the F430 was a MASSIVE improvement over the 360, the 488 MURDERED the 458 and both the PISTA and the F8 are night/day over the 488gtb. And being the Pista is the last (and best) non hybrid VS and the F8 is the last overall, they are ALWAYS going to be desired.

 

Im more than 2 feet tall so i dont pay attention to low angle shots. All that matters tome is how the car looks from my standing height from 10-20 feet away. Thats it. No other perspective matters.

 

I have see all the most recent models, and driven the 12cyl, Roma, 296 and SF90... while each one is amazing to drive - speed wise... only the 12Cyl and Roma coupe are ones that I would want to have... and in the Roma I dont like all the haptic stuff..

I've seen both the F80 and New TR... and while I like the F-80 its pretty wide and low, its not very Ferrari like... the new TR is just plain ugly, boxy and not like any Ferrari I know... its a shame. I'm sure people will line up to buy one, but its horrible.. I saw the yellow on in Maranello last week... also saw the Elettra ... the less said the better... again horrible.

the Amalfi, does look good in person and in almost any color - which is so rare today with modern Ferrari's. When we were at the factory, in the assembly building I would say almost 60% of the cars were NOT red... and most were lighter colors. I think the designs are so color dependent today, and to me that is a problem. the sf90XX is ok looking, I like the wing but still not that great looking car.