Lhd & Rhd ferrari stigmas. | FerrariChat

Lhd & Rhd ferrari stigmas.

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by chaa, Jan 13, 2004.

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  1. chaa

    chaa F1 Veteran

    Mar 21, 2003
    5,058
    Here in the UK we drive on the left hand side of the road so therefor we have right hand drive cars.There are alot of adverts for imported left hand drive cars. My point and question is this, for some reason there is a stigma with buying a left hand drive Ferrari as opposed to RHD becourse these are £15000 less,so there fore a lesser car(EY?). To me a Ferrari is a ferrari no matter what side of the side the wheel is on but here in the UK there is a tendency to look down on LHD Ferraris, WHY? Afterall we are only one of two countrys who drive on the left in the world and lets face it real ferraris are left hand drive. Do other owners on this site who do not live in the UK who own LHD cars have the same stigma regarding RHD cars in there own countrys.Iam very interested.
     
  2. bazzis

    bazzis Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    217
    Sarratt, Herts
    LHD is best!! gear lever falls to hand much better in LHD cars,I dont think theres any stigma in running LHD in the UK, only a Porsche person would think that!
     
  3. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Full Name:
    Neil
    Hey now I'm a Porsche person so Watch It! ;) Here in Canada I have only seen two right hand drives, so it was probably more entertaining to see those compared to a lhd.
     
  4. Steve_nero

    Steve_nero Formula Junior

    Nov 4, 2003
    261
    London
    Full Name:
    Steve
    I'd have to agree that the English car snobs do look down on LHD. I think it's incredible that you can pick up a LHD 355 for as little as 3-5k more than a RHD 348.

    I have just spent a week deciding which is a better deal and of course the LHD 355 wins which ever way you look at it. Try explaining that to my stupid car snob friends...

    I can't believe I was almost fooled into thinking LHD is bad.

    StevewantsaLHD355 !!
     
  5. vanimal

    vanimal Formula Junior

    Mar 19, 2003
    380
    UK
    Full Name:
    Vaughan
    Steve
    I drive a LHD 348 and its no biggie, once your used to it its natural. THink of it this way - the car was designed as a LHD from the start, then they had to change things to accomodate the Uk and other countries, not such a biggie in a mid engined car, but think of the changes required for a 456/550/612. Buy what makes you happy, and once your in the continent where you can drive it like it should be driven you wil be smiling all the way.
     
  6. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

    Oct 19, 2001
    16,078
    Arlington Heights IL
    Full Name:
    Kenneth
    Are Ferraris designed with a single human's weight, the driver, figured in when they do the weight distribution? For example, early one gas tank Europas (the S1 and S2 models) had it on the right, so the driver on the left would balance the car. (Note that Europs were NOT designed for the British market and didn't come in RHD until later).

    If so, then a RHD Ferrari will not behave quite like a LHD car at the limits, although I seriously doubt any Ferrari is light enough for the average Ferrari driver to notice. Still, I'm curious if the designers take that into account.

    Ken
     
  7. dan360

    dan360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2003
    2,669
    Boston
    This IMHO is very like the Euro vs US f-car situation in the US. Some buyers simply prefer a US car, so even if a Euro car is cheaper, it will also be cheaper when you sell it. Plus you'll have a different audience to sell to.

    I (obviously) drive a LHD 360 here in the US, but grew up driving RHD in the UK and also in Japan. I had one of only 10% of Porsches in Japan that are RHD, despite driving on the left, they all buy LHD foreign cars.

    I have a friend in the UK with a LHD '99 360, he mostly uses it for track fun (including Spa), so he has no regrets over saving 20 grand for the same fun.

    Final LHD point, is that the cars are engineered and all the testing is done in LHD, Ferrari is not like BMW who no doubt do tons of test miles in the RHD cars. One might argue that a LHD Italian Market car is the purest option :)
     
  8. 348paul

    348paul Formula 3

    Dec 27, 2002
    1,098
    Kent - UK
    Full Name:
    Paul Hill
    I'm waiting for the opportunity to buy a 288 GTO - Driving a LHD 348 is just getting me ready for what was only made in a LHD !!!

    I take it that who ever looks down on a LHD car will also look down on a 288GTO :)


    Paul
     
  9. 365boy

    365boy Formula Junior

    Nov 5, 2003
    357
    Brighton, England
    Full Name:
    John Leaman
    I don't think the same rule applies to the 288 GTO or F40 / F50 / Enzo...!

    Nor to anything (say) pre 70s. I don't think people here in the UK would look down their nose at a LHD 275 or 250... Personally, if I saw any one of those on the road I wouldn't care where the steering wheel was. (Admittedly the RHD early cars would still cost a premium, but that's more a reflection of the collectors' market than how useable they are on UK roads).

    If a LHD 275 GTB/4 cost the same as a RHD Daytona, I'd be very tempted...

    john
     
  10. Sin

    Sin Karting

    Nov 28, 2003
    151
    WA
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Australia, England (UK?) Japan, South Africa
     
  11. Izza

    Izza Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2003
    1,046
    London
    I am lucky enough to have driven both RHD (348, 355 and 360) and LHD Ferraris (360) in the UK. Yes there is snobbery in the Uk which is annoying and constantly fuelled by the UK Authorised dealers refusing to deal in LHD cars.

    However, via recent back to back drives of RHD/LHD 360's I can confirm:

    - I did save over 20% of the cost by going for LHD.

    - Ferrari conversons to RHD are very poor in terms of interior detail. For example, the 360 spider has a clock just above the mirror and a handbrake on the right of the console. The plastic mouldings to hold these cost a minimal amount yet do they bother changing it for RHD's ? No. It is therefore nigh on impossible for the driver to read the time or apply the handbrake comfortably in RHDs. If I want to drive fast with minimal comfort I would have bought a Caterham.

    - The number of toll roads in the UK is minimal (albeit growing). The number of peage's in France is much bigger. Inversely, the number of speed cameras in the UK currently outweighs the number in France. So if you want to increase your enjoyment of the car on public roads head abroad - there you will find a RHD car is a real pain when paying at the peage.

    Unfortunatlely with Ferrari S.p.a. looking to buy Ferrari UK, this snobbery is bound to continue as they will protect their increased margins further despite EU law.

    Here endeth the rant.
     
  12. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,252
    Being on the right hand side of the road while traveling forwards was a great boon to weary travelrs in times where one protected himself with a sword. {hint most people are right handed}. So from ancient times until the time of Napolean, right hand traveling was universal.

    Napolean understood that peoples natural tendancy was to follow the customs taught in childhood. So, he instituted the program of traveling on roads on the left hand side. Fines and imprisonment would be encountered when not following his rules. The enemies of Napolean would steadfastly refuse to follow his edicts, and thereby, would stand out like the proverbial sore thumb. Thus Napolean could police roads into and out of his empire more easily.

    In modern times, travel is performed in vehicles where multiple functions are required from various limbs on the person in charge of safety/direction,... This necessitates a new look at the old reasons why ancient people would prefer right hand roads and modern people prefer left hand roads.

    I simply siuggest that the 3-8 countries that have not converted to the modern LHD vehicles do so--

    OR

    --you might end up like the US as the only abstainer in the metrification of the world.

    {{sorry for hijacking this thread}}
     
  13. Il'inglese

    Il'inglese Karting

    Dec 6, 2003
    55
    RHD is safer in the U.K, Japan & etc where you drive on the left, and the opposite is true in ROW where we're on the right. Being on the "wrong" side could prove to be dangerous while passing and etc.. I see it as a safety issue.

    When I build my vintage racer it will be RHD for the simple reason that Lime Rock and Watkins Glenn have more right hand turns than left! Better weight distribution and a wee bit of advantage for me.
     
  14. flyingboa

    flyingboa Formula 3

    Nov 27, 2003
    1,564
    Italy/India
    Full Name:
    Eugenio
    I am Italian, living in UK. Mywife's car (Mitsubishi L200) is LHD, still with Italian registration. No problem at all in driving it here.
    Company car: RHD. After a little of embarassement not being able to properly manage the car into space (tendency to drive in the middle of the road), again no problems.
    Initial consideration: Ferrari is a natural LHD.
    Matter of fact: no substantial difference in driving a LHD or RHD car, weather you are in coontinental Europe or UK.
    Logical consequence: LHD Ferrari are better, even in UK.

    Ciao

    Eugenio
     
  15. peajay

    peajay Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2002
    454
    near Paris, France
    Full Name:
    Paul
    Just to be a pain I thought I would note just how many countries drive on the left, it is not just the UK has so many people think, look at this list !! When you consider that India has world's second largest population and Indonesia the third, there are lot of people out there on the wrong side of the road :)
    -

    Countries Which Drive on the Left-Hand Side

    The following is a list of countries of the World whose people drive on the left-hand side of the road. Most of the automotive drivers of these countries utilize right-hand drive vehicles.

    Drive Side Country
    L Anguilla
    L Antigua and Barbuda
    L Australia
    L Bahamas
    L Bangladesh
    L Barbados
    L Bermuda
    L Bhutan
    L Botswana
    L Brunei
    L Cayman Islands
    L Christmas Island (Australia)
    L Cook Islands
    L Cyprus
    L Dominica
    L East Timor
    L Falkland Islands
    L Fiji
    L Grenada
    L Guernsey (Channel Islands)
    L Guyana
    L Hong Kong
    L India
    L Indonesia
    L Ireland
    L Isle of Man
    L Jamaica
    L Japan
    L Jersey (Channel Islands)
    L Kenya
    L Kiribati
    L Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia)
    L Lesotho
    L Macau
    L Malawi
    L Malaysia
    L Maldives
    L Malta
    L Mauritius
    L Montserrat
    L Mozambique
    L Namibia
    L Nauru
    L Nepal
    L New Zealand
    L Niue
    L Norfolk Island (Australia)
    L Pakistan
    L Papua New Guinea
    L Pitcairn Islands (Britain)
    L Saint Helena
    L Saint Kitts and Nevis
    L Saint Lucia
    L Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
    L Singapore
    L Solomon Islands
    L South Africa
    L Sri Lanka
    L Suriname
    L Swaziland
    L Tanzania
    L Thailand
    L Tokelau (New Zealand)
    L Tonga
    L Trinidad and Tobago
    L Turks and Caicos Islands
    L Tuvalu
    L Uganda
    L United Kingdom
    L Virgin Islands (British)
    L Virgin Islands (US)
    L Zambia
    L
     
  16. joeyy

    joeyy Karting

    Nov 11, 2003
    190
    long island
    Full Name:
    joe
    we have the same stigma for lefty golfers. standing on the wrong side of the ball, "Really"!!!
     
  17. Horsefly

    Horsefly F1 Veteran

    May 14, 2002
    6,929
    Countries which drive on the right hand side and have the largest and most extensive highway, roadway, and street system on the entire planet.

    R United States of America

    And what country's interstate highway system was designed so that one mile in every five was a straight stretch so that military aircraft could utilized the highway as a landing field in emergency conditions while they were helping defend the free world during wartime?

    The United States of America.

    Case closed.
     

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