Archive for The Motor Forum talking cars since 2006          The Motor Forum Forum Index -> In the Mags Turbonutter Autocar 22nd July Full road test of the Ferrari California 9.2 seconds to 100. More entertaining on the wet circuit than dry apparently. Don't really like the 'stacked' Lexus IS-F type exhausts myself. Some blurb on the 8C Spider ( and perhaps a forthcoming 8C GTA ) An article on tailgating. Richard Bremner's Yesterday's Heroes column about the early 911 Turbo. And on page 12 an example of a disguised new 5-series....2 examples of which were on the M54 near junction 7 at about 4:40pm yesterday afternoon with the black and white 'scroll-y' disguise on Matt The 'wood' in that Mondeo... Hehehe! "him" Re: Autocar 22nd July Turbonutter wrote: An article on tailgating... Is this being suggested as a way to save fuel? DaveGibson Re: Autocar 22nd July "him" wrote: Is this being suggested as a way to save fuel? No, it pisses off 36% of drivers (as surveyed) whereas only 3% are concerned about speeding. Second highest concern (23%) was using a mobile while driving. Turbonutter Matt wrote: The 'wood' in that Mondeo... Hehehe! yeah, needs to be black at least   Gooner how did that Mondeo rack up 100k in just 2 years?! If it was a diesel I'd understand but what business user runs a 2.5 petrol Mondeo? I also get the feeling the better driving articles will end up doing more patronising than offering decent advice. Twelfth Monkey Matt wrote: The 'wood' in that Mondeo... Hehehe! Unbelievable, isn't it? Mark I'm probably alone, but I find the Ferrari California the most tacky thing the company have ever produced - apart from maybe putting their name on a laptop. Just. The Arabs will love it. Twelfth Monkey You are not alone. Given how lukewarm the piece was, I am flummoxed as to how it came out as the top car in the list of five at the end. Guitar Zero http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es...ture=2007&vehicleRegLetter=07 100k in 2 years in a 2.5T Pah - amateur "him" Bloody hell, that is good going! ...though it looks like you are getting a full tank of fuel as part of the deal! Boxer6 Mark wrote: I'm probably alone, but I find the Ferrari California the most tacky thing the company have ever produced - apart from maybe putting their name on a laptop. Just. The Arabs will love it. You wouldn't be talking about the Acer 4000-series by any chance, would you?!?! The self-same model I have downstairs?   (In my defence, it was originally bought for my dad before he died, and on quality of the spec. at the time - honest!) Mark Boxer6 wrote: Mark wrote: I'm probably alone, but I find the Ferrari California the most tacky thing the company have ever produced - apart from maybe putting their name on a laptop. Just. The Arabs will love it. You wouldn't be talking about the Acer 4000-series by any chance, would you?!?! The self-same model I have downstairs?   (In my defence, it was originally bought for my dad before he died, and on quality of the spec. at the time - honest!) As long as you don't have the aftershave! But seriously, I'm sure the actual machine is very good and I hope it gave your Dad some pleasure. TimR Isn't the California Ferrari's Cayenne? Not exactly in line with what they do but a welcome evil to raise funds to do more exciting stuff (or in Porsche's case the hideous Panamera)? Anyway remember Ferrari have a past history of droptop boulevard cruisers it's just that for the past 35 years they've been a bit more hardcore. Scouse Am I the only one who finds Ferrari's insistance on providing a test driver and a team of mechanics for their cars road tests a bit, well, underhand? I know that the roadtester's do the set of figures but even so... Mark TimR wrote: Anyway remember Ferrari have a past history of droptop boulevard cruisers it's just that for the past 35 years they've been a bit more hardcore. I haven't forgotten anything - I think it looks rubbish, cheesy, almost Japanese and nowhere near £140,000, never mind £154,488. Parm Mark wrote: TimR wrote: Anyway remember Ferrari have a past history of droptop boulevard cruisers it's just that for the past 35 years they've been a bit more hardcore. I haven't forgotten anything - I think it looks rubbish, cheesy, almost Japanese and nowhere near £140,000, never mind £154,488. I dunno. I saw one in Monaco earlier this year and it looked far better in the metal than it does in pics. It wasn't red for a start, but a light metallic blue which really suited it. In the metal and in that colour, it looked quite understated for a Ferrari, even with those Lexus rip-off ;) exhausts... Pkh72 Scouse wrote: Am I the only one who finds Ferrari's insistance on providing a test driver and a team of mechanics for their cars road tests a bit, well, underhand? I know that the roadtester's do the set of figures but even so... No you're not on your own, i wish they could tell them to f**k off and let them get on with the job in hand. Nowt worse than someone looking over your shoulder when your doing stuff. DaveGibson It was also interesting that they provided two cars. One with very few bits of FG, which was used to get the performance figures and another which had various extras and was photographed. I see that the weight of extras on the second (120kg)  increased the 50-70mph time (in fifth) from 3.9 to 4.6 seconds. TimR Mark wrote: TimR wrote: Anyway remember Ferrari have a past history of droptop boulevard cruisers it's just that for the past 35 years they've been a bit more hardcore. I haven't forgotten anything - I think it looks rubbish, cheesy, almost Japanese and nowhere near £140,000, never mind £154,488. I don't even think it looks worth £100k. Actually, considering its weight and power (dunno about performance) shouldn't it be a BMW M3 cabrio competitor? Except of course for the much coveted badge gonnabuildabuggy Guitar Zero wrote: http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es...ture=2007&vehicleRegLetter=07 100k in 2 years in a 2.5T Pah - amateur Apparently the mileage has been verified. That's good cause I was worrying it might be clocked. PhilD DaveGibson wrote: It was also interesting that they provided two cars. One with very few bits of FG, which was used to get the performance figures and another which had various extras and was photographed. I see that the weight of extras on the second (120kg)  increased the 50-70mph time (in fifth) from 3.9 to 4.6 seconds. 120kg of extras?! Those Scuderia Ferrari shields must be heavier than they look. "The California feels more like a 'proper' Ferrari than a Cayenne feels like a proper Porsche" 4 Stars and much credit. Yes well done Ferrari, you have made a 453bhp rear-drive 2 seater sports car feel more like an, umm, 'sports car' than Porsche managed with a 2.5 tonne 4 wheel drive off-roader. Credit where credit is due. franki68 In the flesh it looks superb,and has an superb interior. Evo also gave it a much better review than autocar. Dr. Hfuhruhurr Just read the issue, some strange things. The road test was fairly enthusiastic, and even put it top of their top five (ahead of the Gallardo Spyder), but Sutcliffe basically said Ferrari had cocked it up. I know this is Sutcliffe talking about an Italian car, but still ... Had to laugh at the option prices, e.g. 560 quid for an iPod connection. For that money, I'd expect to be able to leave my iPod at home and have the car communicate with it wirelessly. Interesting to compare with the 8C Spyder which was also tested. A far nicer looking car than the Ferrari, and probably quicker too given its CF body. And finally, to be controversial, to the tailgating article. I know tailgating is not big or clever, but I can't help thinking that all the people who voted for it as the worst driving behaviour are the same people to be found hogging the outside lanes of motorways and dual carriageways. To paraphrase Tony Blair, we need to be tough on tailgating, and tough on the causes of tailgating.        The Motor Forum Forum Index -> In the Mags Page 1 of 1