Automotive

Really?!?

oh, my...

... actually it's called the "THE ferrari " in English ... .

... but I am impressed by the car and the timing of the release of the three hypercars: the Lamborghini Veneno (3 cars), LaFerrari (499 cars) and the McLaren P1 (375 cars). All are the stuff of fevered childhood imagination and all are modern aggressive interpretations of supercars with obvious consistency with the current offerings from the companies, and a few historical nods.

What is difficult to know is how to write about the new Ferrari. Is it the Ferrari LaFerrari, the Ferrari, TheFerrari, The Ferrari or just LaFerrari? I think I know the answer, but they could have come up with something better than LaFerrari.

Andrew

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LeCar by Renault many years ago; my Mom, who was Swiss, would always laugh because car in French is la voiture, not 'le'.  But at least with LaFerrari, it kinda fits in with the 'there she is' (referring to the car) mentality.  I think it also has something to do with Italian wine, women and pasta.  : )

...key fronts.

First, approximately 99% of Ferrari's have always been designed by Pininfarina.  (To my knowledge, the only really halo model not designed by them was the 250 GTO.) Even though today's Ferrari's are more a function of the wind-tunnel / aerodynamics, Pininfarnia does have a role in designing them (even if in reality Ferrari is just paying lip service to them).  I guess for cars at this level, you are essentially buying two products - the engineering of one (Ferrari) and the bodywork of the other (Pininfarina).  I think Ferrari has been extremely ungrateful for not engaging Pininfarina for the once in ten year special limited edition or as they put it "The Maximum Expression of Excellence".  Should'nt the maximum expression of Ferrari excellence or the heir to the 288 GTO, F40, F50, and the Enzo (all designed by Pininfarina) be also designed by them - to strenghten that relationship?  Ferrari payed tribute to Pininfarina on two recent occasions - the 550 Barchetta (not especially a stunner) and the SA Aperta (again, not especially a stunner). Why not this one? 

Ironically, it is Pininfarina that will have the last laugh, as the special one off Enzo they designed - P3/4 for the American movie producer in 2005/2006 still looks better and more modern than the LaFerrari ! At the end of the day, Pininfarina has almost as much knowledge of engineering and aerodynamics as Ferrari. If they were left to design this model, they would have probably done a better job.

Second, why could they not name it F70. Or divide the engine capacity by 12 (as they do in some cases), or a combination of the engine capacity with number of cylinders etc. Or why could not this be the GTO, rather than the 599 GTO? "LaFerrari" seems to arrogant to me.

Third, what's with the interior? This may be a so called race-car, but it should have a more comfortable and futuristic interior. At least I think so.

I find the McLaren P1 to be a far more honest effort.

This is just my two cents.

 

Hi kpk ...

At least this and the P1 are loking at KERS for the road.  I just wonder if the batteries will overheat as much as some of the F1 cars do on fast recycle times.

 

LaFerrari is just 'tacky ' name to me, but you have to applaud the engineering of both this and the P1.  Like Bim, I'd probably go for the P1 as just looking at the cabin, it would seem to be an easier car to learn rather than all the 'whizz bangs' in the cabin of the Ferrari.  I'll just have to try them won't I?  (yes, right!)

 

Tim

LaFerrari ... (French or Italian ?)