Does top speed, 1/4 mile, 0-60 really matter to Ferrari owners?

The last time Ferrari had the production car benchmark in any/all was the F40 - they've peddled a good few cars since - and so guessing it's not a deal-breaker.

 

acceleration matters, but it doesn't have to be the lowest time of its competition. it just has to feel and sound fast

top speed is totally irrelevant to me. really, anything over 130 mph is unnecessary in the US, even if its a car you track.

 

Exactly! Unless your a numbers freak and that is all that matters.

 

No, but a combinaion of performance balance (accel, brakes, handling, etc) might

 

Uhhhhh top speed over 130 does not matter even if its a track car?

Do you enjoy spending large amounts of time going down the straight with the engine bouncing off the rev limiter? Do you think this is good for the car?

0-60 and quarter mile are worthless performance measures. Lap times are what matters. I wish magazines would conduct their road tests ending with the same driver turning laps at the same track and thus establish a benchmark that does matter. Top Gear of course does this well.



Terry

 

I like to think most people remember an experience and not numbers associated with that experience.

Numbers dont matter when you in a 599 GTO, on the one side cobalt blue Atlantic ocean, ahead a ribbon of driving heaving, the scream of the V12 echoing off the rock face, at moments like that numbers are totally meaningless.

 

Not really, they are just ways to try to quantify performance. I usually think in terms of BHP/pound, TQ (at low RPM)/pound, total pounds, and the unquantifiable driving experience.

I'd add that quick 0-60 times should come with another specification -- number of times that it can be done before seeing your Mechanic . They cheat too much on this one these days IMO.

 

Its all about the sound!!! Numbers do matter a bit though. You don't want to be passed by some tuned 350z on the track/street. Although that probably wont happen anyway.

 

Owners and passengers still delight in the experience of a 308, even though some modern rental cars are 'faster' in objective measurements. It's about the experience, the sounds, the feel.

 

I drive my F355 down into turn 1 at TWS at 161 MPH.

But realistically, anything faster than 0-60 in 5.0 seconds is fast enough.

 

+1. Some cars are fun to drive and most aren't. There is some correlation with paper numbers, but not that much. Most people find Ferraris fun, even old, slow 308s.

Dave

 

I agree.

Any 0-60 time 5 sec or less is fast enough for me.

 

how much time have you spent on track?

most race tracks, even with a powerful car, you're struggling to get over 130 mph.

I've done ~150 on the front stretch of the now closed Gateway road course, and as someone else mentioned you can see big speed on other rovals; but that's rare. and even then, you're only over speeds of 130 for more than a few seconds.

 

yes it matters. would you want to drive a ferrari that was slow and could be out accelerated by a honda? i don't think so. times are not the entire story but it certainly matters. and to people who think top speed doesn't matter drive out on a long stretch of deserted road and then talk to me.

 

5,000 miles out of 62,000 total miles.

TWS, MRS Cresson, MSR Houston, Cabannis all have straights long enough for 150 MPH and Cabannis long course can hit 170 MPH.

How many seconds do you think it takes to get from 130 MPH to 170 MPH?

 

Also slow old 330 2+2s. Both models make a trip to the supermarket fun.

However, if I do decide to keep the 308 for the duration, I'll be looking to make some power and performance enhancing tweaks.

 

0-60 matters to me. Anything over 110 is too much for me, but If I can have a car that gets to 110 really fast, I'd like that.

If you accelerate 0-60 and crash on the way there, you aren't going to die and you still get that acceleration feeling. If you accelerate 100-150 and you crash on the way there, you're going to get hurt bad. Same exhilarating feeling, less risk (stupid logic? maybe).

Being pushed back into the seat is by far my favorite part of cars in general. Sounds are second to that.

So 0-60 matters, top speed does not.

 

I got stopped on the Vegas strip about a month ago for literally accelerating too fast -- not speeding -- just accelerating too fast.

The cop gave me a warning but chewed me out. Some people just are no fun!

 

this was the cop on a bike, no?

I know several people who've gotten pulled over for that, I think it fails under "careless and imprudent" or something like that.

 

Yep. That may tell you how much traffic there was when a cop on a bicycle can pull you over!

 

The cop that pulled me over stopped me for "display of speed" (squealing the tires when the light turned green) and "unreasonable acceleration" (wound out first gear, hit second, held it for a little and then went to cruise). He suggested that I cool it and that it would be in my best interest if he didn't see the car on the street again that night.

 

I think there are different type of people. Those who are into fast cars (speedfreaks) and those who love vintage cars. i would love to have a 308 for the looks but i didnt fit in. Now i bought a 348. With the same money i could have bought faster cars (some ricers, some tuned cars) but who cares? I am a sound technician and Ferraris got the best sound ever.

kudos
Mike

 

Well put! It doesn't have to be the fastest, but it does need to be decent, sound good and look good....