I Get It Now

Fair enough but isn't life about adapting to different things?

Hate to say it but I think in a few years the three pedals will be gone completely.

 

I totally agree.
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+1

Same here....I've been learning to enjoy w/ new technology.

 

Thanks Dave. See you on the other side.

 

The transition is happening right now

 

I agree. The main reason the manual transmission was long favored was due to the performance advantage it offered for the skilled driver. Now that technology has caught up and surpassed it, there no longer seems to be any compelling reason for the manual transmission, unless you just simply like the shifting action.

 

It's more involving and rewarding. It's now a performance disadvantage rather than an advantage, but I'd say it's more involving. You're not exactly setting lap times on the road, you're out there for the experience alone.

However, given the gear ratios on the Ferrari 458 Italia and how fast that thing revs out, it'd be a heck of a workout manually shifting one of those - so I can see why it wasn't an option.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Well interesting post but one has to adapt to new technology at some stage be it in cars or other facets of life. Enzo always made sure racing technology filtered down to road cars and with the 458 the company is staying true to his vision.

 

My biggest concern is that F1 systems can leave you stranded in a way that a six speed manual can't.

 

I was told by an owner of a Ferrari store (an extremely respected person in motorsport) that went to the launch that "a 430 owner will not sell his car when he gets his new 458... he will just crush it... its that big of an improvement"

 

You got one of those newer transistorized slide rules, I assume.

 

crap... im still using my fingers and I have a sack of marbles I use to keep track of big numbers....

one day ill get that slide rule

 

I'm a abacus man myself.

 

let's all make a fire in our front garden and keep a carpet by hand so we can communicate with smoke signals again....

 

This is the future...

 

My fiancée tells me I've called out the fire department enough in recent years, so that might be rather risky for me.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

As far as i am aware of it is not forbidden to keep some older cars as well. I would love to own an 458 and enjoy the ridiculous acceleration, seamless power and the stopping power of the carbon-brakes.

If you have the money to afford an 458 i think you can also buy some older cars with a totally different experience. I am considering a 1960's TVR for classic racing at the moment. they have antique roadholding and lousy brakes, so they are rather a handfull, especially on a wet track.

You could do some classic rallying on normal roads with it as well, double clutching and everything.

For other road purposes i would love the coming 458 spider (i am no poser, but just love the roadtoys to have no roof) with the doubleclutch and carbon-brakes to use in the south of France.

My point is; technology is developping rapidly these days which brings a lot of benefits, also in racing.

If you are missing the "older" more involving techniques buy or race a classic next to it, or if you can not afford both (or more ;-) stick to what you have and already seem to love.

 

Circa 1981: "my biggest concern is that fuel injection systems can leave you stranded in a way that carburators can't".

 

I have never been stranded by any fuel injection malfunction.

 

I sort of have. Fuel pump relay on Christmas Eve, on my way to dinner in my Viper. Apparently just stopped working... engine cut out... and i was done. Pulled the car off into the dirt, tried to diagnose for a few minutes, called a friend and had him pick me up and join me for dinner.

Oddly enough, as i was stuck on the side of the road in my red sleigh, I noticed a trend. No males offered there help, 3 females stopped by to offer there assistance. That was a great car...

Ok, back on topic, so while it wasn't directly a fuel injection system, had it been a mechanical pump (which would provide suffcient PSI for a carb but not for fuel injection) "disaster" could have been avoided.

kind of a stretch I know

 

I don't think you do get it. Ferrari are using all the tech they can to put owners at the pinnacle of automotive design. Just because a lot of the tech starts in F1 doesn't mean its implementation turns the 458 into a pretend F1 car. It is unequivocally a road car and nothing about it sniffs of F1.