What would be different in the car market if Ferrari never existed?

....Allanlambo would have nothing to rant about!

 

I'd drive something else.

 

it would be one less thing the preverbal trophy wife would get to ride.

- Gabe

 

Thank god for Porsche and Lotus!

 

HAHA Lotus? They are totally behind everyone in the exotic market, if they even classify as exotics. They haven't brought out a new car for what? 7-8 years? The Elise is just being uglier and uglier. Its kinda like Lambo, they do not have the creativity to create new cars, so they make the same cars again and again with different names.

 

I love Porsches as well. They have been around for a while despite Ferrari, but other companies might not have been. Though not the best in a few ways Im sure, Ferrari really has shaped and moulded the exotic car market. I think Porsche falls more into a sports car category, but without Ferrari would there have even been an exotic car market today?

 

Yes, there would have been an exotic car market. Different company, same tactic. Produce something the competition can't, make them want to buy it, and keep selling new products to them. If it wasn't Ferrari it would have been someone else. Other companies realized that racing was a way to new sales and make more cars. Ferrari made cars to go racing. Whatever the guise, it doesn't have to "look" exotic, have exotic performance, or an exotic price tag to be exotic if its built with this kind of philosophy in mind. And it works both ways. There are exotic A to B cars and exotic sports cars. We happen to like the extremes the best.

Sunny

 

The NSX would have never existed
AlphaRomeo would represent Italian cars
Lambo would still focus on farm appliances

AW

 

A Lotus is for a driver, not a poser. ever driven one?

Ken

 

Ken, it was not ment in that way. It was a reply to the way Allan put it. Lotus isn't even near Ferrari in the exotic area, and that's why I said it. I have never driven one, they are proberbly good machines, I don't doubt it.

 

"A Lotus is for a driver, not a poser. ever driven one?"

A Lotus is for a mechanic. Not a driver. Not a poser. A mechanic.

I am surprised the entire Lotus operation hasn't been hauled away as garbage.

But, you know..whatever...the Lotus is a Driver's Car lol.

 

Hey Ken! Way to go on the Europa.

It being one of the worst cars ever to come out of Europe...no no that is wrong.

It is one of the TOP TEN WORST CARS TO COME OUT OF EUROPE. Even the beetle beat it for build quality, horsepower and roadholding acumen.

...just don't park it too close to the curb when the trash collectors come about.

 

Lotus provided many innovations and Chapman was considered one of the greatest innovators in racing. Lotus won F1 championships and have produced some of the best sport racers ever(7s, 11s, 23s).

 

If Ferrari never existed, I would guess that Maserati would have had a better history as they would have won a few Le Mans & Milli Milia in the 50s and probably would have built on their success into the sixties and they probably would have sold out to Ford in the 60s and we wouldn't have a GT40. Alfa Romeo would not have been as successful as they were originally, because Ferrari owns a lot of their racing success in the late 20s and 30s. Lamborghini would not have existed, because he most likely would have been buying Maseratis and with the help of Ford they probably would have been more reliable and he wouldn't see the need to compete. I would probably not be into cars at all as before I found Ferrari I never saw a car that sparked so much passion.

 

Your showing your ignorance!

 

Again, a moronic statement from a Moron. Just because a car isnt replaced every 5 years, doesnt make it bad, it makes it good. That means when the car was introduced, it was so far ahead of its time, it could sell for long periods. Ferrari is always playing catch up, its models are no longer awe inspiring, its performance mediocre at best.

The Lotus is absolutely an Exotic. If its head turning your after, the lotus gets far more attention than my 348 or 355 ever does. Its performance is superior in every way. It is far more fun to drive than either of them. The new Lotus is on its way, supposedly for 2006, i sure it will also give Ferrari a headache.

 

Yes, i wish their reliability was better also. 6 years of oil changes, a couple tire changes, and lots of Nitrous bottle refills! ^%$&$%^# the reliability is Horrible! As for the rear vision, you get used to it very quickly, and luckily, youre always ahead of everyone, so whats behind is not very important.

 

I owned a 1969 Series 2 Europa while in college. I bought it for its handling-at the time, Road and Track said it was the best handling road car. It pulled over .8g with tires that are now outdated by decades.

The car did not have a great deal of power (less than 100hp, I think), but it was very light and cornered with the "midengine" feel of low polar moment of inertia. It felt very different from my MGB or friend's Corvette.

It was fun, but not too reliable. The engine was ok, but the suspension was very fragile. It leaked like hell in the rain and the floormats would literally float. The faster I went, the more water would enter from under the car!

Ultimately, I sold it so I could have a car with a trunk large enough for my fishing gear. I made $800 on the car. Had alot of fun without bankrupting myself in school.

 

The S2's were even worse than the TC's for reliability, fit and finish. And I'm not bragging on my TC. BUT....it doesn't leak in the rain (I set the doors and replaced the weather stripping) and the TC engine is way better than the Renault units. Like I said earlier, the TC is a real car and if you work at it will become a reliable one too.

BTW, the holes in the bottom of the floor? When asked if he should plug them so water wouldn't come in, a Europa newbie was told not to; they're there so the water can get OUT!

Ken

 

Maybe we have a Gallardo beater

This looks way cool, thanks Mako99