348 - change of perception?

lol

Too bad.

 

Take care. Sure I'll bump into you round these parts again, somehow.

Pete

 

Fixed.

 

Never broken, mate. Just a bit of idle banter.

 

I know.

 

Shaddap you.

 

Your are still a troublemaker but I am unsure what I can say about you for fear of being caught up in a lawsuit....you have a reputation you know?

 

interesting...but I know the Aussies have an odd sense of humour

 

Just plain odd will do

 

lol

I do? Excellent!

 

Did you see LdM at an event once or am I getting muddled?

All the best,
Andrew.

 

At the Geneva Motor Show. I was a few feet away, but we weren't allowed to approach him.

 

Shame. I would have liked to have seen him attempt to defend his comments to someone who knows the car and knows just how good it really is.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

I'm hoping to be able to get access to the factory as part of the documentary series we are producing, so you never know.

 

That'd be good!

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Lol...

Andrew, I honestly believe LDM really does know how good the 348 is (or, in his words really is not "the worst Ferrari ever"), but there is a reason for his negative comments towards it

 

I guess being the worst Ferrari made in the last 30 years doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad car...good point!

 

LdM actually said that apart from the looks, which he really liked, the 348 was the worst product Ferrari had made for some time. The worst Ferrari ever tosh was some daft journalist. LdM made his comments as part of a story about being blown away at the lights by a suped up hot hatch. This, to Luca, was unacceptable. He made the comments to one of his staff, chief engineering type I think, but later made the comments in a press conference basically to show how far Ferrari had slipped. His only reason for making these comments, if you look at the context they were made in, was to show why he was needed in Ferrari; he was going to get Ferrari back on track. The truth about the 348 was that he bought one. He couldn't have hated it that much.

 

And as I have said many times before, I am very happy with owning the worst Ferrari ever

 

What choice did he have? Keep driving a 328? As if!

ok..maybe not the worst EVER.

 

Yes, since the 348 is the worst ever that would make the 328 a better model

No, it is the worst ever, and I own mine with pride as it being such

 

You're right....a 328 is a better and more desirable car than a 348....thanks for reminding me.

Nevertheless, some people want the latest model and, for better or for worse, that's what they'll do.

 

So do I, but I still would have liked to have seen him attempt to defend his comments.

He said it again - and very publicly - at several launch events for the 458, in both English and Italian:

Model Specific Discussions > 348/355 > "According to Montezemolo, the 348 is the worst Ferrari ever made"

"We were producing one of the worst Ferraris in the Ferrari history... three four eight."​

He has been very good for the fortunes of the Ferrari company, but a terrible ambassador for the heritage of the Ferrari marque. At the launch of a new car, there is no reason to continue to bash previous models that are now decades old. He's not going to get 348 owners waking up one day going: "he's got a point - I'd better buy a 458 right away!". It doesn't solidify his position any further at the company, he's as well established as he could be. It does no good except getting a cheap laugh at the expense of people who are very passionate about your own company's heritage. I find that outrageously inappropriate.

There are Ferraris out there that I personally wouldn't like to own, but I can still see the attraction of them and respect that those models got the recipe right for some people. As is the 348... it may not have gotten the recipe right for Luca di Montezemolo's personal tastes, but it sounds like it is the car I would thoroughly enjoy more than any other - flaws and all.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Anytime, I have no problem reminding people that the 348 is the worst Ferrari ever

 

I agree, he said it several times but unless I'm mistaken it was always "worst for some time..." or "one of the worst ferraris..." etc. Several journalists have written "the worst Ferrari ever" but not sure if LdM ever actually said that.

With Pete it's not so much reminding as informing. You know, based on the fact that he's never even sat in one.....

And Pete, I was feeling bad for implying that your 355 CH had all the stuff they stuck on the 355 F1 such as electronic dampers and flappy paddles. So sorry and such a schoolboy error. I hadn't realised that by the time they came to the CH they had worked out that the car was far better without them. In fact here's a thought. Have the power steering taken off as well and you'll almost be back to a proper sports car. You could even go for strakes down the side to make it look the part.