[Foxxtron]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11593310/

Maybe because it's that I'm not rich, but I just don't get what's all wrapped up on what's now mostly a brand name, a style, and all of the conrived statements of how "Ferrari" is something so darn great. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Their older vehicles were definitely in a highly defined breed, but now, their just a different breed by being not that much better (that's if they are better). I enjoyed Michael Schumacher while he was winning, but the world is much more than just Formula 1, and my go cart from over 20 yrs. ago is engineered much more like a Formula 1 vehicle than some street legal sports car vehicle.

Pardon my harsh analysis, but I'll rest now and wait for those who have something to chip in with.

This post has been edited by Foxxton: Mar 10 2006, 02:42 AM

[steve-d]

Mt Tremblant is a great place. Super skiing. They apparently have (I've not seen it) a great road race course. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge?

BTW, F cars are OK in my book. They do, after all, push the boundaries as to auto engineering and that does filter down to everyone.

Steve

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11593310/

Maybe because it's that I'm not rich, but I just don't get what's all wrapped up on what's now mostly a brand name, a style, and all of the conrived statements of how "Ferrari" is something so darn great. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) Their older vehicles were definitely in a highly defined breed, but now, their just a different breed by being not that much better (that's if they are better). I enjoyed Michael Schumacher while he was winning, but the world is much more than just Formula 1, and my go cart from over 20 yrs. ago is engineered much more like a Formula 1 vehicle than some street legal sports car vehicle.

Pardon my harsh analysis, but I'll rest now and wait for those who have something to chip in with.

[Foxxtron]

Mt Tremblant is a great place. Super skiing. They apparently have (I've not seen it) a great road race course. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge?

BTW, F cars are OK in my book. They do, after all, push the boundaries as to auto engineering and that does filter down to everyone.

Steve

No problem. The place is great (though I haven't been to the road course) however maybe you could try to "get your foot in the door" at the F car club and relay your experience for us Steve. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) As a former owner of one is where I speak about the "exclusive hoopla", it's seems now that it's more down to brand name, than the distinct performer it once was.

I admire Ferraris and they do push the boundaries, but filtering down? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) The Ultima cars have layed several important design foundations (with exception of carbon fibre monocoque) for certain exotics, one in particular, the McLarenF1. I see some of the cues in the Enzo taken from the McLaren, so I guess it would be safe to say, they aren't necessarily the predecessor for that moment in history, would we? The upcoming 599 GTB is the first "500 series" to finally use an aluminium monocoque (though it roughly weighs only ~3700, roughlly ~300 down from ~4000 of the 575M). I believe however that the "Automanual" sequential gearbox with paddle shifters is a first for a production car, but I could be wrong.

Now for an interesting set of questions (not meant to be answered by anyone in particular or anyone at all, but feel free if you see glaring errors). What's the chicken and the egg? F308/328 concepts borrowed by Acura over to the NSX? NSX ideas of materials then used in F355? What about the Honda V12 that revolutionised the early nineties F1 world to borrow many of it's ideas? Didn't GM's idea of lightweight composite bodies preced the 288 GTO's use? Didn't others devise variable valve timing before ferrari did (though Ferrari's is quite superb compared to other companies)? Didn't Ferrari just recent decide to up the ante with larger displacement? (guess it's time to stop with all of the questions, since I am now losing my hair from all of the head scratching).

BTW, one of the vehicles I did own for almost 3 years was a 1988 328 GTB (not new of course). Exceptional used value with exceptional performance. Sorry to sell the thing, but was in a "bind." Reliability is also something not to be highly synonymous with Ferrari, even by staying within their factory suggested maintenance intervals.

Frankly though, it's a lot of the sillyness that the Ferrari consumer label has become of since Enzo's death that has bothered me most. Not the prices, even though there is definitely no great performance to dollar (then again, that's what designates an exotic), but their stress on an "exclusive ownership" translating into the absolute highest of street legal performance is just what I don't get (Ultima GTR640 got them beat to all hell as far as that's concerned, so far).

One more thing, can't remember whether it was Evo magazine or "euro" Car magazine, however they were in the middle of a long-term test with a 575M (I think) and they broke down in the middle of a low-speed roundabout (YIKES!) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/gr_eek2.gif) . I would explain more, but I think someone could go down to Barnes and Noble to read the whole thing. In short, the writer of the article mentioned the experience as outrageous.

Interesting eh?

This post has been edited by Foxxton: Mar 10 2006, 04:10 AM