Gallardo Vs 911 Vs 360 Vs 430

[crayzayjay]

So does Porsche's impeccable racing history do nothing to offset the humble origins of the 356 for you? Cos if so, that's very sad indeed.

[finally_retired]

And how you can compare the 993, 996, and 997 to a beatle, is totaly beyond me.

The point of this thred is the 996 Turbo. Ok people are throwing the idea of the 997 around, but that can be expected as the car has just been launched.

It may be true, but to think that Porsche's are a bad cars because of their heratige, is a dumbfounded oppinion.

[Layla's Keeper]

Never said that I thought that they were bad cars. In fact, if you'd read my post I have a lot of respect for the 930 series and the men who drive them. Also, the 904GTS Carrera is one of my favorite sports racers.

However, I am first and foremost Tifosi, and Porsches simply do not have the lineage that a throroughbred Ferrari has. Professor Porsche built race cars to prove and sell his road cars. Il Commendatore built road cars to finance his race cars. I tend to laught at those who imply that the 911 is equal in stature to the great GT Ferraris simply because "it won a lot of races". You'll never see a 911 without a competition history worth the same amount of money as its contemporary - the 246GT Dino.

It all comes back to passion. Ferraris inspire passion because they were built out of passion. Enzo Ferrari built cars that were difficult to drive, and then told you that you had to be good enough to drive them. He sneered at new technology and won with proven ideas until they could no longer be refined. The 250GTO was storming around Le Mans with a five-link leaf sprung rear axle while the Jags had multilink IRS. The Testarossa ran drums while the D-Types ran discs. The 288GTO trounced the technologically superior Porsche 959 in every respect, yet lacked even ABS simply because - as Enzo said - "I do not want ABS for this car, as it is not the best for track conditions."

Ferrari is the breed apart from all other car manufacturers. The only sports car manufacturer fully conceived at the racetrack whose participation in motorsport never waivers. Porsche and Audi race to market cars. Ferrari races because that is what they do. When the last checkered flag falls, you can be damn sure a Ferrari will be under it.

[finally_retired]

Ferrari are just a shadow of their former selves.

You cant love a car company for resting on its laurels, hawever good they may be. Ferrari are in a bad way at the moment. Not as bad as the mid 80's were, but still. Through their own admission, they have a serious corporate image problem, and its turning its longstanding customers away from the marque. The 360 did nothing to help, and the new 430 will make it worse, I'm sure of it.

You may still be an avid follower of the prancing stalion, but there are many that aren't anymore...

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by finally_retired

Ferrari are just a shadow of their former selves.

You cant love a car company for resting on its laurels, hawever good they may be. Ferrari are in a bad way at the moment. Not as bad as the mid 80's were, but still. Through their own admission, they have a serious corporate image problem, and its turning its longstanding customers away from the marque. The 360 did nothing to help, and the new 430 will make it worse, I'm sure of it.

You may still be an avid follower of the prancing stalion, but there are many that aren't anymore...

That cannot be any further from the truth. As layla said Ferrari always has been defined trough its racing program. The cars were meant by Enzo as a means of finance.

And now Ferrari is at the top, its F1 program is ridiculously strong, the 360 was its best selling car ever leading to excellent profits, and they are even back in Lemans with the MC12.

The 360 is a true Ferrari, its design is pure passion, its engine is a screamer. True it has the advantage of modern tech some of it F1 design, but as long as you can turn off all its electronic aids (and you can unlike in many germans) its a purist car.

The 430 lost a bit of 360's elegance but its gain a few more agresive lines and I'm sure it will be amazing to drive.

Also consider this, the 360 is Tiff Needell's absolute favorite car. And considering his experience and his driving skill, I take his reviews the most serious. He even compared the Gallardo to the 360 and it said that it lacks seriously in "being special" compared to the 360.

And last but not least, look how agresivelly loyal us the Ferrari tifosi are. That should tell you that Ferrari still inspire passion in many of us. I recall an event during mid 90s when Ferrari was doing rather bad in F1 and Alesi managed a second place in Austria (yeah not even a win). But that second place was enogh to make the tifosi jump on the track and they had to redflag the cars still lapping. That should tell you about the passion Ferrari inspires.