Michigan Spotters Thread

I think most are just in hiding. Head to Birmingham or West Bloomfield. You won't find nearly as many as there are Porsches, high-end Mercedes, and Bentlys, but they are definitely out there. Whether or not they are for sale, well that's another story.

 

Jeff, I noticed your profile now says you got a new Maserati GT. How do you like it? Beautiful car. Really diggin' the front end. I saw one in Royal Oak last Monday night(?) or whenever the Pistons got eliminated. That yours?

 

Hey William,

Actually, I got it back in November. It was added to my profile around that time, you must have just missed it. I love it. It's one of the most beautiful cars ever designed IMO, particularly the front end. Below are a few pics that I took this past Sunday after getting home from the Milford car meet.

Also, here is the thread (with pics) I created last year after taking delivery...
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=176343
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Great pics. What do you think of the M3? I hear it's a great performer, but it's getting up there in price. And I gotta ask, what kind of excuse do you need to drive the M3 or the GT when you have a 430 and a 599?

So do you just drive the Rover in the winter? Not to many winter friendly cars in that stable.

 

Saw an Orange Porsche GT3RS driving North on Lakeshore in Grosse Pointe on Saturday morning about 7:40 am.

 

I saw a red 360 Modena on Main Street and Penniman in Plymouth last night around 9pm.

 

Saw a Black Ford GT at Autozone. V8 vantage orange RS3, Callaway 580 HP

 

What car is this your getting with v10? the S8?

 

Anther R8.

 

how will it differ from 1st R8?

 

It will have the V10 and some cosmetic changes.

 

will that be the V10 turbo diesel or V10 like in the S8?

 

I'm pretty sure it's the V10 is very similiar to the V10 from the Gallardo LP560-4. Lamborghini is owned by Audi, and the Gallardo and R8 are similiar, so to say. It will be a 5.2L and may be slightly detuned from 560 to about 530 as not to undercut the Gallardo. The V10 twin turbo from the RS6 apparently got too hot for the R8. It's also possible that the RS6 engine would have been too fast and reflected poorly on Lamborghini.

 

Yes, don't want to upset lambo owners with the R8 whizzing by!

 

the v10 in the Audi is the same block as the v10 in the Gallardo..... however, the cams are different, the intake, cams, exhaust, valves / springs/ ignition system are independent to each.... not to mention, the audi has a stroked motor to make it a 5.2 liter vs. the 5.0 liter.

the new 560 borrowed direct injection from the Audi... making a huge difference in power with little else done besides engine management

(from what I understand)

I hear the TT v10 is back "on" again... after testing with the naca ducting from the TDI prototype, there is ample cooling now.

 

The LP560 is a 5.2L as well. It seems unlikley that these would be drastically different from one another.

I've heard rumors that they solved the problem as well, but I've yet to hear anything about them offering it. While they haven't officially announced it, the NA is a sure thing, as the mules are running around in pretty much road spec. I've yet to see anything other than the TDI concept with the roof ducting.

 

Silver Ferrari 360 Berlinetta with a challenge grill driven by a hot blond on Maple at quit'n time.... Saw ~maybe~ the same hot blond driving a orange Gallardo Spider last fall on 16 mile in the same vicinity.

 

you should have stopped by if you were in the area!! next time give me a call.

 

Report back when you find out if she is single.

 

No time.... First out to Auburn Hills early in the AM, back home, then out to W. Bloomfield in the afternoon, only to have to jet back to Brighton right away... next time James.

No kidding!

Maybe she's begging to get some Irish ... ahemm..... yeah.

 

Was downtown for a few minutes, and in that time a rare road sighting... Amphacar! also, there was a Shelby GT500 Convertible

 

Ann Arbor last night....TDF Blue 360 spider about 9:30pm heading East on South U.

 

I just realized I missed replying to this.

I LOVE the M3. Can't get enough of it. Since getting it, I've driven it almost every single day, mostly to the office. I've never driven an exotic to the office and likely never will. I do drive the Maserati there on occasion, but on a typical weekday morning (and at the office), I don't care for being in something that draws too much attention. The Mase is pushing it, but if I didn't drive it there sometimes, I would hardly ever drive it. That's why I've been such a huge fan of M3s for 10+ years now. To me it's the perfect daily driver. I get performance, technology, fun factor, etc... without all of the attention that comes along with being in a Ferrari.

Plus, that dual clutch transmission in the M3 is really something. Today I drove the 599 for the first time in about a week and realized how much faster the M3 shifts than the 599. The 599 will obviously destroy it and is 100x more fun when you want to push it, but I have to hand it to BMW with the DCT. The technology in it is amazing. I can't wait to drive the California next year with Ferrari's version of the dual clutch tranny.

My g/f swiped the Range Rover from me and now drives it everyday. She might as well bcz it's a lease and I'm paying for 1200 miles per month. When winter comes I'll start driving it again on a daily basis.

 

Yeah, the dual clutch is going to start showing up in everything. Porsche just released their 911's with it, so I'll definitely have to test one when I'm over there. I'm surprised that you notice the difference so much between the M3 and the 599. I thought the 599 was at 60 ms, though perhaps that's the Scuderia. So, do you ever miss the gated manual?

Planning on getting a California? I wasn't really feeling the first shots in red, but I thought the light blue looked really nice with the top up. I'm reserving judgement until I see it in person, though I think I'd rather a 599 spider.

Oh, and if you ever find yourself letting those miles go to waste in your garage, give me a call. I'd gladly help you

 

IIRC, the 599 shifts at 100ms and the Scud is at 60ms. With the DCT, there is no pause after the shift. It's just an instant transition with the RPMs dropping. When I was driving the 599 earlier, I would shift and expect the same thing bcz it has been a week since I've driven it and have mostly driven the M3 during that time. I got used to that instant shift, but when shifting in the 599, I would sort of get jerked forward due to the RPM drop. The DCT is very very smooth. Too smooth for many. For instance, "Kizdan" on here drove it and dislikes the tranny bcz of how smooth it is and the loss of "feel".

Don't get me wrong, the 599 does not shift slow and probably shifts close to the speed of the M3 when both are at redline. It's just much more noticable during everyday driving at 3-5k RPMs. Plus the torque and sheer power of the 599 at redline is in a whole other league than the M3.

I am indeed planning on getting a California. I didn't mind it when the initial (red) pics came out, but like it even 10x more in those Azzuro California colored pics. Just like every other Ferrari that has been released in the last 10 years, it will look way better in person than pictures, especially the official launch pics that to me never look as good as pics later on.