Explain 'Ferrari'

I am a car enthusiast, ie., I admire Porsche, Lotus, and other car makes. But nothing fascinates me like a Ferrari
and/or Lamborghini) does. Since childhood, I've always liked it's looks, the prestige associated with it, etc.

Ditto on Drsrock (well said!).

 

I don't know about the heritage thing, I gave up auto racing when the Nintendo Playstation broke.....

I concur with the Drsrock, well said. But if I may add to that, it's Enzo's world...we just live in it.

 

The explanation to me can be handled two ways.

One way is to sit down and begin with the history of the cars, the facts about the engine, the famous drivers, the development of the classics to modern day models. You can try to sum it all up into words but in my opinon there is only one true way to really get it to sink in.

If it's a younger kid it may take a newer model to truly impress him but the older people here may be just as impressed with a classic. Simply strap them into the passenger seat and take off through the gears. If that doesn't work then they will never get it. I can sit there and watch videos of the cars running and it gives me goosebumps. You really either feel it or you don't.

 

Can you say "Michelangelo"?

 

Ferrari's are about passion, and the driving experience. Ferrari's are not however....about numbers.

 

A person contemplating the jump into Ferrari ownership asked the question about 308's. I answered with my own experience.

Note answers; #7 and #10


Rule #1. Do not expect to get anything done quickly on a 308. It will probably take 3 times longer than you orginally thought.

Rule #2 Keep a small child handy to reach into the tiny little crevises that only the Italians could think up.

Rule #3 Talk to your doctor about a third hand.

Rule #4 Prepare to spend 3 times what you thought it would cost.

Rule #5 Never set a deadline for completion

Rule #5 Take pictures of everything with a digital camera BEFORE you take it apart.

Rule #6 Keep www.wordreference.com handy on your computer so you can translate those part names listed in Italian.

Rule #7 Be sure to give the car a name. You can love it more if it has a name. You will also have something to call it when you cuss at it!

Rule #8 CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. Keep it clean. A clean engine is much nicer to work on than a dirty one.

Rule #9 Treat your car good and it will treat you good. Do ALL of the required maintenance when it is due.

Rule #10 Remember, It's just a loose formation of nuts and bolts much like any other car except this one was assembled by PASSIONATE Italians. THERE IS NO OTHER LIKE IT. All you need is a few tools, the specifications and a lot of patience. (and maybe a little wine and cheese).


So what is it about Ferraris? Really?

 

I love the Ferrari Classic much more than the newer models since I was teenager. Then, I wondered how come they didn't design the newer models like the 330 P3, 250 GTO, or the 250 Tessa Rossa. Those cars are the ones that created these legend and history we are talking about todays. I am not that impress with the newer models but the classics that over take my whole lifestyle...

Actually I was right, many new models today use the classic features. Like the rear air intake from the 360 is taken over from the 250LM. I am not surprise if the three slots front air intake of the 250 GTO show up in the future models.

 

All cars have compromises. So much headroom, luggage space, initial cost, (a biggie), maintenance cost, ease of production, performance, mileage, passenger space, style?? all terrain capability - and infinite varriations there-on. Availability of service and parts, insurance costs, the list goes on and on.

Look at the 308, a car i am just becoming familiar with.

When new, no less a person than Bondurant proclaimed it the best handling sports car he had ever driven. $30,000, a big sum back in 1976. This car was compromised to perform:
Low center of gravity - only 44 or was it 41 inches tall?
Mid engine, (where god intended it to be).
Laughable trunk space - lucky to get a set of golf clubs or two carry ons in it.
Four beautiful sounding webers.
Ground clearance that makes the pope weep.
Double A arm suspension and vented disc brakes front and rear.
Fuel mileage projected by the owners manual at 8 MPG.
250 horseppower in a 3000 pound car - eh - not a rocket but fairly quick.
Air conditioning, leather, power windows, a bit of creature comforts.
And looks that would make Romeo leave Juliet, (or Juan or whoever).

I also had a few additional considerations:

At $30K, I considered this affordable.
The 308 has the highest production numbers of any Ferrari, so parts availability is ok.
The early 308's had carbs, so i could fix anything except the air conditioning, upholstry and paint.
And, IF the politicos don't f**k with the smog laws, it will be EXEMPT IN TWO YEARS. Meaning that i can do cams, compresion and loose the micky mouse smog s**t, and make the car faster and more responsive.

I have had three porsches, modified and autoxed them heavily, they were great cars - but the Ferrari was compromised for more performance and seems to do it with more style and elegance.

Driving the car, working on it, and learning to do the engineering on modifications to bring in into the 21 century consume my interest. It is a work of art. I don't give a rats A** what others think as i streak by. I love the car.

fairly sincerely, chris

 

In my experience, if you need to explain it to someone they will never get it.

FWIW, I cannot see why people like watching sport. No amount of viewing of and attendance at games amongst enthusiastic friends has helped. I even find motorsport quite dull to watch.

On the other hand, I will run up the road to a stop light, just to hear a great car pull away.

My friends find my disinterest in sport as baffling as I find their lack of comprehension as to why I love cars, esp Ferraris.

My point; you are either passionate about something or you are not. End of.

Robert.

 

A Ferrari is a Ferrari. It is rare, it is beautiful and it is passionate. Often you either share that passion for some innate reason deep within you that frankly, you probably can't say why you have the feeling. And then you don't. Some people just don't have it.

Me for example, I love Ferrari, I admire Ferrari, I wish to own a Ferrari, but I don't have *that* feeling.

Now if this was "Explain 'Porsche'" well I would have that feeling... but I think that has something to do with a German last name and my baby pictures being posed on the wing of a 930.... Though I'm not entirely sure.

 

Ferrari = Larger than life

 

Ferrari is like the woman my father warned me about when I was a teenager.Sometimes unreliable,irritable,expensive,etc.etc. But... always stunningly beautiful, heads turned where ever we went.The anticipation of seeing her again,exciting and sometimes unbearable,and never a more exciting"ride" to put it nicely, that just didn't compare to anyone else.Your willing to put up with all the bad just because when it's good it's just too good.And that you don't get with any other car.