Why my 550 is number one? | FerrariChat

Why my 550 is number one?

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by Bart, Apr 7, 2004.

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  1. Bart

    Bart Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,522
    Orange County, Calif
    Full Name:
    Bart
    Most of you are gear heads. I am not. I look at a vehicle as a means of getting me there and back again. I happen to be driving at the apex of the world. Nothing comes close to the Southern California Freeway. Nothing!

    My older brother turned me on to cars before I was even thinking of driving. Ferrari. Around my eighteenth birthday, I tried to talk my father into buying the used Red Sebring winner for $13,000 from Otto Ziffer. It was a 275 GTB. My dad said no. Rats, I knew it would have been a great long-term investment.

    For the next thirty-five years, I drove sleds. All of them were four cylinder stick gutless wonders. Then I saw it seven years ago. A green 456 at the Lido Island Newsstand in Newport Beach, Orange County. A sweet V-12. Can there be anything nicer than a V-12 Ferrari in the front of you? A true four seater. Since I drive a 550, my only desire is to have a 612. Why, many of you will ask. How much fun is it to have another couple with you to share the feelings of being in a Ferrari at speed? Oh, yea! Remember, I still have the Happy Ferrari to drive with only one other.

    Good Heavens. Is this thing a blast? I wish all of you to work hard and be successful like me. The 550 is the finest freeway flyer. Mine is around 7 years old. I eat what I wish. Being on the top of the pyramid is always best.

    Something 612 is coming my way. Yes, my ego is talking.

    Always have 12 on your side.
     
  2. ignacio

    ignacio Karting

    Feb 25, 2004
    235
    annapolis md
    "Nothing comes close to the Southern California Freeway. Nothing!"

    bart-

    you can't possibly be serious! california freeways suck! crowded, flat, boring,and straight. no better than new jersey, southern florida or any other extremely crowded interstate highway. i truly can't think of a worse place to drive a ferrari.

    california has some of the best roads in america. hwy one from santa barbara to monterey is unique in the world. some of the canyon roads near la are incredible. numerous mountain roads in the sierra nevada are great.

    for a freeway a mercedes will do just as well if not better than a ferrari at a fraction of the price--on highway one in big sur that's a different story!

    peace
     
  3. Bart

    Bart Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,522
    Orange County, Calif
    Full Name:
    Bart
    I drive the world's best highway system. Bar none. My Southern California Freeway will take me where I want to go faster than anywhere. Of course, if you think you can just come and drive fast here, ho-ho.

    Highways are built to take me somewhere. Beauty is a secondary thought. PCH is a pretty drive.

    A Mercedes Benz? You have got to be kidding. Consumer Reports does not have nice things to say about that line of cars. Unless you think it has status, why in the world would you buy a Mercedes? Almost as bad as a BWM (big money wasted). You are not a driver of the freeways of Southern California. You are a tourist.
     
  4. Thatsmytoy

    Thatsmytoy Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    228
    San Diego, CA
    Full Name:
    Bill
    Nice post...my 99 550 is having a 30k service at FSF before I buy it...then it will be brought down to its new home in San Diego...where it will enjoy the back winding roads of Hiway 94 in East San Diego county....where my previous 330..then my previous M3...and now my X5 4.6 enjoys the roads...my wife has a MB S430...it sucks..feels like a big boat...our family takes the X5 everywhere. Of course I cant wait for a 612 in a few years...all that headroom for us 6'6" guys...and all that HP...and 4 seats...wow..style?? I dont care..I drive for fun*

    Bill in San Diego
     
  5. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
    Full Name:
    Pete
    I've hopefully not driven on the freeways you are talking about Bart, as the freeways I passengered on in LA SUCKED big time. Most unbelievably bad roads that I have ever seen ... undulations so big that it was like surfing.

    Also please reconsider buying a 612.

    I am hoping that sales will be so slow and bottom so bad that Ferrari might re-think their direction with the 2+2s. The reason for the unbelievably long bonnet and very, very bad proportions is this stupid moving the complete engine behind the front axle. While I understand the dynamics here they are designing a 2+2 NOT an F1 car. Also to have say the first couple of cylinders sitting ON the front axle will not hurt the balance much and will make a big difference to the styling. The 612 is just bad and the only good thing that could come from this car is a good hard kick up Ferraris arse for being so stupid.

    The 456 was a master statement in 2+2 styling and was voted as the best GT ever designed (somewhere, I think) and every article I have read about the 612 thinks it is a joke.

    And I have seen one in person, and yes they are not quite as bad as the pictures suggest, but they are still fncken ugly.

    Pete
     
  6. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,395
    Texas!
    You're my hero Bart. Don't listen to the naysayers. I saw the 612 at the Detroit show and me thinks it looks great. Of course, opinions are like rear ends, everybody has got one.

    The exciting news is that the 612 promises to be the best handling GT that Ferrari has ever made. By moving the engine down and back, this car is made for high-speed corners. I predict that you will have a blast romping around your playground.

    Now, your drivers license might be another thing.

    Go and git em!

    Take care, Dale





     
  7. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,477
    potomac
    please referance one artical in a professional auto mag. that refers to the 612 as a "joke" .
     
  8. scuderia47

    scuderia47 Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    223
    Mainland
    Full Name:
    Bill
    the market for the 612 is going to be small, and its going to be for people like Bart. thats their aim, and i do not think that they are stupid for making this car. if it looked stunning, it would sell like the 550/575 line up, and i do not think that ferrari is looking for it to sell comparably. the 612 fits a very small market, and there will be people who want to buy it. the design....im not crazy about it, but i think that it will be an awsome drive.
     
  9. ignacio

    ignacio Karting

    Feb 25, 2004
    235
    annapolis md

    southern calif freeways make me very happy i'm a tourist and not a resident. they are overcrowded, slow and ugly. beauty is not a secondary thought; it's absent.

    btw, bart, have you ever heard of the autobahn?
     

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