are ferraris days numbered? | Page 5 | FerrariChat

are ferraris days numbered?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by scycle2020, Apr 5, 2004.

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  1. allanlambo

    allanlambo F1 Rookie

    Jun 9, 2002
    4,363
    Maui
    Full Name:
    Allan
    Ive put 1000's of miles on 360's. I have one i drive every time i get to Miami. There is a video you can buy at Best BUY showing me driving one at 150mph.

    Again, this isnt about Ferrari. Its between different Ferrari models. Like is said, I personally like the feel of a good 348 better than i do the 355. The 355 is of course faster, brakes better, etc, but there is no sense of occasion driving the 355 or the 360. Ferrari has been neutered. They are no more exciting to drive than any other car. Well, let me change that, no more exciting to drive than other cars, offering the same or better performance, for much much less.
     
  2. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

    Feb 16, 2003
    14,648
    Land of Slugs & Moss
    Full Name:
    Han Solo
    Actually the Maserati MCS costs more than the Enzo
     
  3. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 17, 2002
    3,612
    Dallas, TX, USA
    Oh, so your earlier quote about the Stradale was based on having never driven one. Okay.

    So, why do you drive a 360 every time you get to Miami? I know why I'd drive one every chance I got... seems like you'd be driving anything but.
     
  4. allanlambo

    allanlambo F1 Rookie

    Jun 9, 2002
    4,363
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    Allan

    Hmmm, maybe we should slow down for you. Reread my other posts. I said that ive never driven a 360CS. I also said that even if its 50% better than a stock 360, its still miles away from being close to a Gallardo. Do i like the sound of a 360. Yes. Its cool. Doesnt get my rocks off. I like the way my Diablo sounds better. Besides, i could care less if the Modena was the best sounding car in the world, if im getting passed by Corvettes.

    If this makes you feel better, my uncle owns a 360, which he hardly drives, so when i go to Florida, its a choice between paying for a rental Sebring Convertible for a couple of weeks, or driving a free Ferrari. In this case, i do choose the Ferrari! Isnt that awesome!
     
  5. SkizoACE

    SkizoACE Formula Junior

    Mar 24, 2004
    886
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Thomas
    The day Ferrari goes out of business is the day im a billionaire and I tell Bill Gates to suck my pinky.
     
  6. SkizoACE

    SkizoACE Formula Junior

    Mar 24, 2004
    886
    Houston
    Full Name:
    Thomas
    Allan has a point, I dont give a **** how cool a car sounds, if I could have bought a house and I bought a car, and its getting out-ran by a Corvette, I would go home and put a bullet in my head.
     
  7. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,477
    potomac
    and what a poor self image they have......
     
  8. allanlambo

    allanlambo F1 Rookie

    Jun 9, 2002
    4,363
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    Allan
    Do you hear me telling people who own F40's, 512's,348's and Enzo's they are junk?
     
  9. G-force

    G-force F1 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2002
    3,053
    so california
    Full Name:
    wayne skiles
    Owned a 348 for 1 day traded it for a 550.Why are you easy on 348's Allan?
     
  10. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,477
    potomac
    i did and i would ....but i am apparently in the minority
     
  11. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky F1 World Champ
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Sep 18, 2002
    19,344
    The Cold North
    Full Name:
    Tom

    Allen has a good point. I have a good customer of mine who owns an 03 360F1 and an 89 328 GTS. He much prefers the 328 over the 360 believe it or not. He said the 328 is much more of a drivers car, a car that you have to really drive to get the performance from it. To him the 360 is just way to easy to go fast in. Nothing challengeing about flipping a paddel with your finger. All in all he is not too happy with his purchase at the moment. He does race by they way as well with his can-am car almost every second weekend so I guess he does know what he is talking about when it comes to performance driving.

    In talking with him just after he took delivery of his 360 I asked how he liked the car. He said he really liked it. Then about 3 months later he arrived at my shop for a quick oil change on the 328 and he stsed that he forgot how fun the 328 was to drive. To go out and cruze around and not have to work to hard he takes the 360. To go out and have fun he takes the 328. Not nearly as fast but twice as fun.

    This is what Ferrari latley has been missing the boat on. The fun to drive aspect that a real performance car should deliver no matter who bulids it. Ferrari needs a car that involves the driver like the TR and even the 348( the last true drivers Ferrari imho) As soon as the power steering came out on the 355 thats when I felt Ferrari started to go soft.

    Ferrari's used to be loud, noisey, and a hand full to drive in the city. They only really came into their own on open winedy roads were they could streatch there legs. Now they seem to be build for the Starbucks crowd.

    I'm just venting my feelings of disapointment in the direction Ferrari seems to be headed. It just seems to me that their not trying anymore to be what Ferrari turely should be which IMHO is a true performance car for the real drivers and car enthusisits.

    I liked Ferrari much better when they were less knowen. When real car nuts bought them and DROVE them they way they were suposed to be driven, Not to the coffe shop just to show off.

    I know whats comming next "another poor 308 owner trying to justify his cheap and slow 308 to the 360" This is not the case at all. I'm just trying to show you the true opinions of a car nut who has and does own many cars and has owned plenty of Ferrari's.

    Flame away

    Tom
     
  12. allanlambo

    allanlambo F1 Rookie

    Jun 9, 2002
    4,363
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    Allan
    Im easy on the the 348, because for what it does well, and what it costs. 348's can be had for 40-45k, while nice 355's for double that. Is the 355 2X the car? NO.
    The 348 looks good, sounds good, isnt very fast, feels like a Ferrari. For the costs involved, its faults are excusable.
     
  13. allanlambo

    allanlambo F1 Rookie

    Jun 9, 2002
    4,363
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    Allan
    Exactly. People here are saying that Audi took away alot of the idiosyncrosies that made Lamborghini special. Now they are just glorified Audis. This is exactly what happened to Ferrari starting with the 355. Audi may have tamed Lambo down a bit, but Ferrari lost its balls long ago.
     
  14. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky F1 World Champ
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Sep 18, 2002
    19,344
    The Cold North
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    Tom

    Audi has softened Lambo a bit..but they still realize what type of car they SHOULD be building. If Lambo tried to bulid a car like the 360 or 612 they would never be able to get away with it. Lambo has a customer base who knows what they want. It seems to be backwords with Ferrrai lately.

    But Lambo on the other hand does not have as big a client or fans base as Ferrari, which is truely unfortunate because they bulid exciting cars. This is why Ferrari will be around for a while yet.

    I was have a talk with a good friend of mine and he hit on an interesting point. He said that just the name Ferrari has a certain ring to it like no other name. It just sounds exotic and fast. It rolls off the tounge so easily and sounds so smooth. He was saying this could quite very well be the secret to the entire marketing behined Ferrari. Just the sound and the way the name rolls off the tounge. Sounds weird I know but think about it and it begins to make sense. People are more in love with the name then the product they build. People want to be around somthing that is nice and pleasing. And when it has a pleasing name all the better. So the actual product does not have to be that good in order to have the satisfaction of owning it. By just saying the word Ferrari it conjours up all kinds of feelings in car enthusists.
     
  15. LAfun2

    LAfun2 Three Time F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
    39,248
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    Ryan
    Tom,

    No reason to flame as you have hit the nail on the head. However, sadly, the market DEMANDS this kind of car. THe market is saturated with the starbucks crowd (I won't name any names), and that is not helped by having Ferrari in all the Rap videos. Thus you have people buying them ONLY for status, and what will these people do besides show them of to thier friends and to the starbucks crowd.

    Sadly that is the market, and Ferrari as a true business is catering to it, just like any smart business would. It is a sad fact that these posers really outnumber the true enthusiasts that are onthe board and thus can dictate the market with thier wallets.
     
  16. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 17, 2002
    3,612
    Dallas, TX, USA
    Hmmm... things must be different in Texas. I know the Starbucks crowd here... they are my target market... I study them... they do NOT own Ferraris... they own BMWs, Porsche's, and SUVs. And all the 360 owners that I know are either sports athletes or they are track junkies. All the Stradale owners that I know take them to the track.

    But L.A. is waayyyy different than Texas, so maybe the Starbucks-crowd in L.A. drives 360's... and none of the California 355's and 360's get to go to the track. What a shame given the great tracks in California.

    Here in Texas I've seen many Ferraris at the track; and more 355's and 360's than all other Ferraris combined. I have never seen a Lambo at the track; nor at an autocross; nor even at a rally. I'm sure it has happened... but I've never seen it.

    Thus, in my experience, I've seen both Ferraris and Lambos used for "posing"; but I've never seen a Lambo used for anything other than "posing"; whereas I have often seen Ferraris used simply for driving; particularly 355s and 360s.
     
  17. Koby

    Koby Formula 3

    Dec 14, 2003
    2,307
    The Borough, NJ
    Full Name:
    Jason Kobies
    The way I see, Ferrari is in a better positing now than ever.
     
  18. Mark(study)

    Mark(study) F1 Veteran

    Oct 13, 2001
    6,052
    Clearwater, FL
    Full Name:
    Mark

    Trump plays on the same two ideas. His name sounds good, thats important.

    also

    People want to believe that there is one "best", one top product, it is human nature.
    If you play to that human desire, you can make some big $$$. Image becomes more important than the actual product. Look at Trump for example... one sorry looking haircut and big bag of wind but he proves his theory. And Ferrari makes people wait for 4 years to pay $200k for 400hp :)
     
  19. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,252
    I've seen a Diablo and a Murcielago at TWS; not ON the track, but at the track.
     

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