+1 Clarkson always turns off all the electronics and drives like a hooligan. The GTO is optimized to be driven with the electronics on. The car is natrually unstable. This might have something to do with his negative views on the car. Also he's just a crap driver .
Based on all I've seen--in fact latest article by Chris Harris/Evo and the Ring "youtube" video that M offered up for our collective viewing pleasure would have me agree with "he's just a crap driver "...
What I find interesting is that he loved the standard 599GTB and he loved the Scuderia with the electronics ON (he even said that he is not good enough to drive the car with the electronics off and that the electronics work to make the car better but in the background) so I just cannot understand how he does not like the GTO. GTO is a better version of the 599 (in every way except maybe comfort) and the electronics are even more evolved and better than in the Scuderia.
I sat in a dbs in the local dealership and I can tell you it goes a million miles an hour. And it beats f1 cars and oh wait I haven't actually driven it. Some peoples kids these days. Lol. The 599 gto is epic, personally not my cup of tea, but is a spectacular machine nonetheless. That being said I haven't even seen one in real life let alone sat in one, so that opinion can change in a hurry.
M can give us a definitive answer but according to Chris Harris it rides just as well if not better than the GTB because of the lower weight. How do you think M DDs his GTO?
Indeed, it drives just as well as an HGTE. I was expecting the GTO to be rough, hard, uncomfortable but boy, was I wrong. If you read the thread about my car one will notice that this is something that surprised me from day one. Result: the HGTE is getting less seat time than I expected. Another big plus is the gearbox (speed of gearchanges). Around town it "jurks" less than the HGTE, the latter already being very pleasant to drive.
What annoys me about a lot of people is that they think that Clarkson is (or should be) a driver of superb standards. He's above average, that's for sure, but he's said himself on numerous occasions that he's just not 'that much of a good driver'. I think he covered it best on the 'playstation vs real world' episode, when he drove the Honda NSX on the playstation in Laguna Seca, then tried to do it for real and he said among the lines of 'what I have and racing drivers don't, is the sense of fear.'
Your feedback and experience about the HGTE/GTO is really interesting.I was also really surprised that the you felt the GTO almost easier to drive than Lady Grigio Ferro.(Sorry I'm a Poet lol) Question : According to your personnal driving tastes, would you engoy a more rough GTO ? Maybe a little bit lower and with a stiffer suspension... Or is the Easy-driving feeling well suited for that car ?
I still say that 80% of FerrariChat members would not be able to catch Clarkson on a race circuit, or drift as well as he does. Also the last thing anybody wants to watch is a professional racing driver lap these cars because as we see with the Stig it is too clinical and while fast, simply boring to watch. Even with the most boring program on TV, 5th Gear, they unnecessarily slide the cars. Also his comments relate far more to you and I and real world than a professional racing drivers comments would ... but yes we all like to think we are Alonso's Pete
GTO is perfect just the way she is. Put her in Race Mode and she is rough and stiff. Sports or normal mode and the car is comfortable to drive. Ferrari really took good care of us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dxKo80k7gs&feature=player_embedded#! His new DVD will feature videomaterial and voices regarding both the 458 and the GTO
i agree with clarkson , i owned a 599, great car ,but always felt rear of car was to light and never well planted , and i purchased a 612 oto and love that car !!! and always look forward to my next drive in it , and i can't say that with my 599 that i just sold . two other cars i look forward to drive in my collection are my 430 spider and my 93 512 tr , and remember clarkson loved the 430 and front engine 612 and went gaga over 458 italia in his latest video , so he loves ferrari's and he just calls it like he see's it , and just because it's the latest ferrari, doesn't make it a great car !!!
It doesn't, agreed, but make no mistake, the GTO is fantastic. Its so far from a 599 gtb, its not even on the same planet. Leave it in sport and auto, its as easy a daily driver as any sports car I've owned, much much easier to drive than my 550 or 430. Put it in race (or more so in "stupid"s after), manually drive it and its nothing short of nasty, sinister, incredibly quick with fantastic brakes. If he can't drive it--he's not only a ratty pilot but a clown. period.
everytime i watch Top Gear, half of the program i watch in mute. i wish there were audio options to just let the car noises come through. the JC is a clown, and whatever gets people talking about their 'brand' of 'journo', it's win win for them.
I think the matter sorted itself out. Clarkson explained in another issue of TOP GEAR that he had first driven the GTO in wet on a cold day. Than he had another go in Italy in dry and sunny weather and says, wait for it, it was THE BEST drive of his life. Ever. That is quite something. He still thinks it is a mean machine but secretly loves it.
Well, I like to think I'm more of a Jarno Trulli. Whenever I actually finish a trip it makes the news.
can i ask why you gto owners care what clarkson thinks? if u enjoy the car great. if u dont sell it. that is all
Duhh... If you own one, trust me, you'll understand how special it is--and I'd suggest there won't be very many "sold" because the owners "don't like the car or its performance" in the near future.
Can't wait to hear what you think...but, probably you "can't wait" even more. It won't be long so get ready to be mesmerized...
Top Gear is fun but Clarkson can get on my nerves, although I admit he is funny at times. Tiff on Fifth Gear is much better evaluating Ferraris.
Please forgive my ignorance, but doesn't America have an equivalent TV show to Clarkson's Top Gear? If so, what's it like?
We have no such thing. Nothing even vaguely close. Our car magazines are incredibly boring and are basically advertising with a few stories for filler. You'd think in a country as car crazy as America that we would but the idiots in Hollywood are clueless about anything but a quick hustle. It is frankly, embarrassing. Forza, Cavallini
