Anyone else think the F12 should have FF?

I am glad it does not.

 

No. Ferrari's electronic/computer system is far more sufficient and efficient for almost every driving condition except snow and ice. More importantly, rear-wheel is Ferrari's quintessence.

And the most obvious reason is that such a system on the F12 would eat into FF sales, not much but some. With the current line-up, you could make a legitimate argument to own every car in the range because they're all quite distinct.

The 458, especially the convertible, for every day around town fun. F12 for longer GT jaunts. FF for winter or family outtings. California for the Mrs. and new Enzo for the ultimate weekend ultra-car experience. Of course you could take all of them to the track as well.

It's a perfect game-plan at this point with only the halo Enzo replacement waiting to make it a grand-slam. They've built this game-plan steadily and surely. No need to tamper....

You're a loner on this one bro'..;-)



Forza,


Cavallini

 

No. The F12 slots into Ferrari's sports car category, V12 entrant. The FF is their GT category V12 entrant. GT can get 4RM. Sports car, IMHO, should never have AWD. It still adds weight and removes some steering feel, admittedly the 4RM is a great great system.

So end of the day you have:

GT:
V8: California (next gen rumored to get an AWD system, I imagine it will be the 4RM or a variant)

V12: FF


Sports Car:
V8: 458
V12: F12

Extreme performance: Enzo Successor.

 

The only way this argument would work is if it would improve the F12's track performance. It would not. F1 is two wheel drive for a reason.

 

Wud it be possible that the F12 "Modificata" version in 3-4 years time might have a all wheel drive option? It would certainly encourage F12 owners to upgrade to the new version

 

It would and it will. The Porsche 918 with it's KERS working on the front axle is a great system and the Audi that will win Le Mans this year will likely have AWD KERS as well.

KERS is heavy and the new Enzo with it's KERS system in the rear will be rear heavy as P 4/5 CM KERS is. Both would handle better with the KERS motor in the front driving the front wheels as the 918 will.

Racing in the rain with AWD is a LOT faster and The Time of the AWD VW's at the Ring prove that.

All of this technology is going to happen whether old farts like it or not.

You're way too young to want to drive a 3 pedal car.

 

Post of the year.

 

Thank you for the insight Jim. To learn from someone with first hand experience. This is why I love F-Chat.

Agreed. I'm sitting here cracking up.

 

Championship-level.

P4/5C is the Mrs. O'Leary's cow of KERS-going street cars - kicking over the lamp in combat on the 'Ring w/a plate on back.

 

+100

 

AUDI will use AWD KERS, its finalized. Toyota on the other hand will uses back wheel KERS. Which is better is too early to tell, since Toyota is not aiming for Le Mans victory this year, although they did state that they are aiming for being the fastest car out there. (but this doesn't have to have a lot to do with KERS in itself, since toyota is also using a gas engines insted of Diesel, and then there is Aero/chassis etc. There are also rules in place preventing audi from having a AWD addvantige in slow corners, (it cant activate KERS below 120kmh)

Having a engine mounted electric motor, like Ferrari F1, doesn't impact the weight distribution that much, since its located on the front of the engine very close to the center of the car. It also has a weight advantage, because it replaces the alternator/starter motor and doesn't need a gearbox to run at all speeds. (Porsche's front wheel motor disengages after 200+something Km/h, cause it cant spin that fast, droping 100+hp from the car.) Front wheel KERS also adds weight to the rotating mass of the front wheels, which impacts performance.

As a side note Audi probably developed the front wheel drive kers, because it already had a working design in the VW group, with the Porsche GT3 hybrid, which in itself doesn't have any room to pack a back wheel KERS in 911s.

 

The Next Enzo's KERS hangs off the rear of the gearbox. It's beefed up Alt/generator at the front of the engine is to drive ancillaries.

 

An attempt at 4wd in F1 (many years ago, I must admit) didn't work, it was quite slow the car and weird front end feel apparently. With the clever rear diff I doubt it would improve laptimes indeed in dry conditions.

The systems you mention give an extra power boost, of course they're going to be quicker. Racing in the rain point is valid.

I don't understand your last point. Perhaps in the States, rest of the world the vast majority still learn to drive with a manual.

 

In Europe, almost every new model comes with semi-auto gearbox as an option and I suppose that in 10 years it will be standard (I hope that they will work fine then, I still hear too many horror stories about broken DSG gearboxes).

Re: the AWD hybrid systems, Toyota claims that the weight of the AWD doesn´t pay. Audi says the opposite. Let´s wait (a few years, in 2012 it´s going to be a walk in the park for Audi) and see.

 

I agree that it's the way forward for racing.

Jim, I respectfully disagree. It strikes me that the point of a road sportscar should not be absolute performance but instead driver involvement. I think the third pedal is more demanding of the driver and thus more involving - providing the driver more raw control over the car and reward from driving it with skill. Someone with an F1 box and 4-wheel drive KERS may indeed hurl down the road at a greater velocity, but that's not the objective on the road.

All the best,
Andrew (29).

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjfKWu8z5u8&feature=g-all-u[/ame]

 

+1

 

Chloe's Mom can go out with Dave.

Our young friend can go out with Chloe.

All is good.

 

My guess would be that Chloe’s Mom allows for more involving interactions, rewarding hard earned mastery with responses that make me feel like she’s a part of me or an extension of me. Given her youth - the gal is just 15-years old - the strikingly beautiful, promise-packed Chloe is a long, long way from even conceiving of that sort of ebb and flow.

For some of us, that sort of thing trumps either "newness", staggering performance numbers or the thrills of youth.