348 a Classic?

Ian - I don't think they know where to put it. Its the same with the Classic and Sports Car magazine and Classic Cars, the 348 is still not classed as a classic, yet the testarossa is!

 

Yeah, i think its strange too. The car uses the exact same frame as a 355 but the 355 is considered a Modern car while the 348 is a Classic...go figure...controversy always surrounds the 348, but we love them!

 

"the 308 seems to have just claimed 'classic' status surely"

Usually a vehicle has to be 20+ years old to be considered a classic.
The 308 series is over 30 years old now.

But in some car circles, in order to be considered a classic,
the car had to have been produced between 1925 and 1948.

 

See http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8316 for the discussion that led to the split.

I recently suggested that those ancient 355s be moved into Classic now that the 430 is released, but a bunch of people got their knickers in a twist over that

 

So don't tell people that. Easy.

Not good manners to come into an established board and start slagging the way things are done...

 

A 348 is still described by many enthusiasts, dealers, and owners as a "modern" car in terms of its interior space and layout compared to its predecessor the 328, which has a classic ergonomic feel and is described as a "car that you wear." Also, the engine design of the 348 is a break from the Dino cars dating to the early 70's. A longitudinal rear engine V8 with the same basic shape and design carried over to the 355 and 360 aside from modifications and increased displacement. This may be true of even the 430, but I don't really know. Point is that when Ferrari comes up with something "radically different" or "back to the drawing board" will we start all agreeing to transfer the 348, then 355, etc. to the classic bin. It seems to me that for now the line lies logically between 328 and 348.

 

Hey, I agree that the 348 doesn't belong here, either (it's also like splitting the 308/328 to different divisions) but at least we kept the 355 out!

 

the only place ive seen or heard of the 348 considered to be a classic is on fchat. when it really becomes a classic , then we should expect they will be worth more $$$$.

 

Whooa, easy tiger! ... he wasn't meaning any offence and the use of the word "stupid" was not intended as you might have thought, just one of those odd quirks of the English phraseology

Must say though Tillman - I do approve of your interests in your profile

Ian - The term "classic" can be used to describe something of recognised and lasting merit. In the 348s case, it is generally accepted that the 348 was the last of the old school, Enzo styling, with the lines taken straight out of it's daddy's design book, the great Testarossa.... the 355 was the forerunner to the much more softer lines of todays cars.

I personally would not say mine was a classic car, but it IS a classic design.

 

The 348 was pre LdM and hence a classic in my book.

 

Forgive my ignorance, LdM?

Forget that, got it! Like i said, last of the EF era

 

Bingo.

 

Insurance companies class it as a classic, so a classic it is, unless you want to pay more for your insurance........

 

It's not a classic until FoUK starts selling the parts on the website.

 

agreed.

 

Supposed to happen this year. Last year model + 10 years == F-UK availability

 

"Ian - The term "classic" can be used to describe something of recognised and lasting merit. In the 348s case, it is generally accepted that the 348 was the last of the old school, Enzo styling, with the lines taken straight out of it's daddy's design book, the great Testarossa.... the 355 was the forerunner to the much more softer lines of todays cars."

True, the 348 borrows many lines from the Testarossa, but isn't it also basically the same frame and design as the 355, with side rakes removed from the doors, different front bumper and rear lights and grille? We have described the 348 before as the beginning of the "wind tunnel" designs popular for Ferrari and most other sports cars from the 1990's. My 1991 MR2 has the same basic design as 348 and 355 (hope not to offend anyone with that comparison). So it's hard for me to see the 348 as the last of old school and 355 as beginning of new school, unless 5 valves per cylinder, 6 speed transmission, and added power steering is enough for new school. It seems to me that 348/355 is very comparable to 308/328 evolution and shouldn't be split between the two.

 

The 348 was the first unit-body Ferrari, I believe, very different from the tubular framed cars that came before it. Whatever their merits and vices, 1990 seems like a key year for Ferrari evolution. New structure, more automated manufacturing, and 300hp.

Under the skin, the 246-308-328 lineage seems tight. The 348-355 lineage seems equally tight.

"Classic" seems misapplied to 348's. Is a 1994 car a "classic"? Yikes. Very good looking, but I think 20-25 years feels about right.

 

I agree and think that the 348 carries more of the modern traits then the classic traits. Though it has some design similarities to the TR (which I do feel falls in the Classic category), I feel it has more in common with the F355 which is definitely a Modern car.

 

Why are you all whinging about this? The site's not going to be changed and 18 months of threads moved because a couple of 348 owners don't want to be thrown in with the 328s. Wait a few years and the 355s will be in here too, solving your "split" problem.

By definition, the 360 is the modern looking Ferrari, and the 1989 design is not. Striking, yes. Exotic, yes. Unmistakeable, yes. Modern? No.

 

I hope stating my opinion is not being taken as whining. I do not wish any threads to be moved anywhere and I am happy with the way everything is set up currently. I think many people make a valid arguement and I for one, am perfectly happy with leaving it at that. I'm one of those guys that believes in seperation of church and state too, but I do not think that removing 'in god we trust' off the back of every bill is wise or necessary. Not trying to bring a religious arguement into this section! I'm just trying to make an example of how you can disagree with an opinion, but be perfectly happy with the end of result of that opinion which you disagreed with.

I don't care if we put the 348 into a section called "weird Ferrari's that don't belong anywhere, so we put them here" because...

-I love the 348
-and I love Fchat

 

We are just having an intellectual discourse on the pros and cons of considering the 348 a classic Ferrari. Ultimately, where we put the car is arbitrary. The thread is about discussion where everyone hopefully comes away learning something from other members' informed opinions. This is what FChat is about, right?