granat.......no disrespect intended, but you say your wife has mastered it? Like any biped couldn't pull a couple of levers? It's sort of insulting to insinuate that it's some sort of achievement that she is able to work a video game. Now.....saying that you, or she, has mastered the ART of WORKING a gearbox with your feet and hands (while at speed on a track, or even on the street) means something. Again, no disrespect intended. I'm just more than a bit suprised with your comment.
I DID order with 6 spd, but was advised later I would only be able to get the car with F1. Ferrari of San Francisco (my dealer) was advised they would be getting a total of 2 (!) 6 spd Modenas over the next 6 months. I think that to a large degree the proportion of cars with F1 gearbox is driven by Ferrari, not individual choice. Gary
6 speed for me...love the clink-clank sound and feeling connected to the car so-to-speak. I can see where the F-1 would come in handy on the track (not taking your hands off-that sort of thing), but I have not had the chance to drive an F-1 yet. Again, I feel more connected to the car when driving a 6 speed, just excites me! My wife has a tip with gear changing on the steering wheel and ( I know it is different than the F-1 gear box) but I just do not feel as connected or excited about driving. My .02
Just to be clear, I've driven both... there is nothing remotely F1-like about the Tiptronic or Tiptronic-like about the F1. Wholly different. (Oh, and don't get a Tiptronic... ick!) But many of you voting for 6-speed have never even driven an F1... until you've driven one for a while, you are just guessing, IMO. I own a 360 in large part due to loving the F1!!
I owned a 360 Spider 6 speed and decided to get a F1. Though at times the 6 sp can be fun there are many times it is a pain. I live in S. CA and like death and taxes there is traffic. My left leg often was sore after driving in heavy traffic. Those that prefer 6 sp. must only drive their F-car on deserted streets at odd times of the day. There is no way any one can say a 6 sp is fun to drive in traffic.
I've got an F1, and now that I've gotten used to it, I don't think that I'd want a 6 speed. It makes going fast a whole bunch easier, and it makes going through traffic easier too. Art
I'm impressed, several people here that actually took the time to get used to the F1 before condeming it.
i really like the F-1 because i had driven two stick trucks before and im sick of clutching. Although the six speed (standard) is very fun i think i like the F1 a whole lot better. I just recently purchased a 355 F1 B and im in love with it(every option availible). My son however has a totally different preference. (my son anthony speaking) I think if youre a pure track racer your best bet is to go with the F1 paddle shift because you dont have to fiddle with the clutch between gears. However if youre just getting the car for fun driving and not track driving I absolutely positively would get the standard 6 or 5 speed trans. I was lucky enough to get to drive my dad's ferrari on the track and try out the F1 and it was a totally different style of driving compared to my 1989 BMW 325i Cabriolet's standard 5 speed transmission. When you have a manual transmission you feel more in control. I hate it when computers do a lot of the driving for you in cars. The just "clicking" through the gears is not as auxilirating as "shifting" through the gears (and i absolutely love the clutch!)
Even on track day, I prefer a stick. I derive great satisfaction from executing a perfect heel/toe downshift during threshold braking. I don't claim to do it perfectly even most of the time which gives me something to work on. Really good shifting is truly an art. Tom Williams, You must be a gray beard like me to have driven twin sticks. In 1973 I drove a mixer with twin stick 5X4. Learning to row the 2 trannys was a challenge. Of course, we made fun of the wusses who could only drive the 13 speed! I also drove 18 wheelers for a while with various trannys. As you know (but most here probably don't) truckers don't use the clutch much anyway except starting from a stop. Best, Dave
F1 all the way. If you use the car at all as a daily driver you want the F1 simply for it's automatic feature which comes in very handy if a) you need to use the phone while driving; b) you're in heavy traffic on the freeway; or c) you're driving in rainy conditions and want to be safe w/ the traction control feature. Now, when you're actually driving the car the way it's wants to be driven, why not utilyze the most technologically advanced transmission availalbe? Using the paddles is actually fun and I enjoy the knowledge that no standard transmission could possibly shift in 150 milliseconds. It puts a smile on my face.
Isn't it strange that most people here vote for 6speed, but in the real world a huge majority buys F1? How come?
It depends on the car. The F1 in the Stradale is the ONLY way to go. But a F1 in a Maranello is a waste. Dale
First of all I don't think this board is generally representative for the Ferrari owners in general - people here are probably more into "real driving" than generally out there. Secondly I have a nagging suspicion that many with older cars votes for the 6-speed - even if they perhaps only buy second hand cars. In this case they have no "say" in the sales of new cars, and doesn't affect the 80/20 split. But it's just my personal theory...
I am a 6 spd guy but F1 is cool. The paddles are fun when you really get on it. So my others cars are 6spd as they take less "attention" to drive. My f-cars are F1 which is nice when dealing with speed bumps, driveways, killer bees, all that crap.
Anybody also heard, that the F430 will be available as F1 only for the first one or two years of production and that 6-gear will come later? Read it in another forum.
Rossi, Our local sales manager just returned from dealer meeting in Italy. Since I am first up for a stick shift, he did tell me that he was told they would not produce a stick for US for a couple of months. His theory is that there is a hangup in parts distribution. Hopefully, a couple of months won't turn into a coouple of years. Dave
