[Matthew H]

New to this board, although reading through the posts there seems to be a lot of expect knowledge.

I am on the brink of ordering a 360 Manual Spider in red (my first Ferrari has to be red!). I would be interested in your views on the future of the 360 model. My only hesitation is that it may be time for Ferrari to release a new V8 model.

All opinions gratefully accepted.

 

[360 Spyder]

Welcome aboard!

If I am not mistaken, the 360 is about to be replaced within the next couple of years. By the time your order would be filled, the replacement may have been released since there is about a three year waiting list for the Spider.

The 550 was first with the 575 replacing it. Then the 456 with the newly released 612. So the replacement for the 360 should not be far off...

But, in my humble opinion...the 348 was great, the 355 was awesome, the 360 is simply beautiful...and it should only get better!

 

[Stradale]

Welcome aboard.

I have this from another forum. I don't know how relaible it is. But the rumours have been around.

Subject: New 360

OK, guys, don't shoot the messenger, this is what I just got in from a very reliable source (yeah, I know, I said it before... ):

1. the 360 Modena successor will be a completely new car, not having much in common with the 360. This decision has been taken due to the tough competition Ferrari faces from the Lamborghini Gallardo. This is also the reason why the previous information was contradictory.
2. the name will be very likely Monza or Mugello, not Modena Evoluzione.
3. german Ferrari dealers had an official introduction date of 30th sept. 2004 for the Berlinetta. This date has been postponed to 2005. Official presentation is very likely to be at the Geneva Auto Show in 2005.
4. the reason for the delay was some dispute regarding the design and especially the interior design which wasn't satisfactory yet
5. the Spider will be introduced around 6 months after the Berlinetta, probably after the factory summer vacation in august 2005
6. Engine: 4.6 l, "almost" 500 HP, better power/weight ratio than the Gallardo
7. first comparison tests showed that prototypes were faster than the Gallardo on specific test tracks
8. Design: front and rear very similar to the Ferrari Enzo, one reason why the 360 successor is internally already called the "little Enzo".

And if you guys are nice to me, I might even be able to post a picture soon. Don't know much about the quality though.


Subject: Re: New 360

i was in maranello last weekend and i can tell you the new car looks very nice. i saw a picture allready of the cars and it will be this year that we see it. for the visits in maranello even if you get a factory visit you will not see the prototype cars they are on a area you dont get in. the front of the car has a round middle air intake and looks very agresive for the rear the lights of the enzo type that is also true. the back of the car will be bigger and the side airintake too. they told me 465hp i hope they bring it up more till it comes the end of this year.

[/quote]

 

[4i2fly]

I was at the Ferrari of SF two weeks ago and the product specialist talking about the Stradale said the new 360 will be called 360M, M for Modifico. But he also said the new 360 shell is very much like the current although the engine and the interior are totally different. 4 valves instead of 5 and close to 500 hourse, he also said the view of the engine behind the rear decklid is something else and he compared to the old 512s.

While he was talking, as a 360 Modena owner, I got so depressed that I wanted to go put my order in! But come to think of it the 360Modena is a head and shoulder above all other Ferraris ever made and may not fall into the same category as 355s and 348s fell into when the new model was introduced. We'll see.

The safest bet if I am in the market for a new Ferrari and I have waited this long to get one... I will wait for the 360M.

Cheers,

 

[4i2fly]

I wanted to add the following...I understand that Gallardo is competeting with the 360 on paper (i.e. specs). I saw the car at the CI last August in Monterey, CA. The car is plain old ugly (sorry lambo lovers...) It is my personal preference and... Has anyone seen any of those cars on the road. I was at Ferrari of Los Gatos few weeks ago and heard they have engine problems and are not shipping. Marcialago (if I am spelling it right) is a beatiful car... Last year at Laguna Seca, someone was driving a yellow one. It stunt me to look at it but when he was taking off the clutch smoked all the way to the 2nd gear, it stunk. The Diablo 6.0 a gorgeous car, not practicle but gorgeous. I saw one in Caanes a couple of years ago, the metalic orange... what a good looking super car. The Gallardo on the other hand is wierd. Too many edges and too geometric. The sterring wheel is bud ugly, instead of the top be flat like any other sport car the bottom of the is flay. I guess they don't care if you can see the gages, they want to make sure the wheel doen't rob against your groin. There were two that went by us during the podium show and I am serious, you could only hear the radiator fan(s). We asked the to punch it and it only sounded like a muted V8. Not a clever car to go up against the 360 period.

 

[360 Spyder]

When I went to see a Gallardo in person I was thinking about all the comparisons being made against the two. (360 vs. Gallardo) Upon attempting to sit in the Lamborghini, I thought to myself..."How can they compare the two?" I could not fit in the Gallardo. It was too cramped. Not as cramped as the Murcielago mind you, but nonetheless uncomfortable. The 360 has such a magnificent fit when in the drivers seat that it just becons you to sit in it and drive. When the dealer started the Gallardo again I was wondering why the comparison? It sounds terrible. Radiator fans whinning over a muffled grunt. The 360 is just music. The edgy styling of the Gallardo is also a turn off to me...two cut and dry. No rounded, flowing body panels, just cuts and edges.

But, that's just my opinion...

 

[adlinyusman]

i on the other hand, absolutely adore the Gallardo. Yes i do agree with you guys that the back end needs a whole lot of work, but the front is without a doubt, the most menacing stance i've ever seen in a car, by lamborghini. Or would it be Audi? Regardless, if the 360 Modificato comes out i'm sure there will be buyers aplenty, but i'm quite apprehensive that Ferrari would release multiple models based on the same body shell in such a short period of time. It's bad business innit?

 

[Rosso]

I wanted to add the following...I understand that Gallardo is competeting with the 360 on paper (i.e. specs). I saw the car at the CI last August in Monterey, CA. The car is plain old ugly (sorry lambo lovers...) It is my personal preference and... Has anyone seen any of those cars on the road. I was at Ferrari of Los Gatos few weeks ago and heard they have engine problems and are not shipping. Marcialago (if I am spelling it right) is a beatiful car... Last year at Laguna Seca, someone was driving a yellow one. It stunt me to look at it but when he was taking off the clutch smoked all the way to the 2nd gear, it stunk. The Diablo 6.0 a gorgeous car, not practicle but gorgeous. I saw one in Caanes a couple of years ago, the metalic orange... what a good looking super car. The Gallardo on the other hand is wierd. Too many edges and too geometric. The sterring wheel is bud ugly, instead of the top be flat like any other sport car the bottom of the is flay. I guess they don't care if you can see the gages, they want to make sure the wheel doen't rob against your groin. There were two that went by us during the podium show and I am serious, you could only hear the radiator fan(s). We asked the to punch it and it only sounded like a muted V8. Not a clever car to go up against the 360 period.

I have to agree with that. I was there for that presentation too...ehh, nothing like the beautiful 360 in my mind. I have to agree aobut that noise....too mechanical and eveything, and absolutely nothing like the Ferrari's engine/exhaust note.

I agree that the lines are too sharp and well, it just doesn't have any sex appeal really, no curvy lines, all flat and straight and all that. I would still take a 360 over the Gallardo anyday.

 

[Dr. Bob]

I don't think there are any new 360 Modena's made in Manual. I read somewhere they only produce F1, and that if you order a new 360, you will get the replacement version.

 

[ddemet]

I test drove a Gallardo when I was deciding on which car to replace my '98 996C4 with. The car is awesome (more powerfull, more technologically sophisticated and better finished) but not as 'inspiring' as the 360, especially sound-wise. It is also 15% more expansive. Last but not least it doesn't come with the little plaque saying 'F1 World Champions 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003'!!! You can imagine which one I finally ordered.

Which brings me to my next remark, lead times over here in Switzerland are ridiculously shorter than in the US for example. I ordered my Modena in November and I should have it by early March.

As for the Modena replacement, the consensus of what I hear/read is that it will be presented late this year, will most probably be a 'Modificata' version which means the engine will be slightly more powerfull (judging by the 456M and 575M not more than 30-50HP) and most probably have an updated interior with the new LCD screen and steering-wheel controls like the Enzo and the Scaglietti.

I don't really buy the Gallardo competition argument: take the 575, was it a reply to the Murcielago? No. Ferrari have enough brand power to evolve the cars the way they want to and not to 'catch up' with competitors. They have been producing at their desired capacity for years and US lead times show there is plenty of demand out there. On the other hand Lambo want to evolve from 200cars/year in 2001 to 1500 cars in 2004-2005. That is a 10-fold increase! They have to catch up and that is why they introduce wonderful cars like the Murci and the Gallardo.

 

[4i2fly]

I have to retract a statement I made about Gallardo yesterday, "I was at Ferrari of Los Gatos few weeks ago and heard they have engine problems and are not shipping." This statement is not true. I just talked to a buddy of mine at BMC in San Francisco and he said they have shipped about 8 of those so far. They can not get enough of them to sell. And there are no technical problems with the car. I was misinformed. He did rave about the car and the fact that they are getting $30K over the sticker for it. He also said something that I probably should not repeat here. His personal feeling was that the Gallardo will not hold its value like the 360Modena does in a few years. Cars are never good investments unless they are super special. The Gallardo for sure is a bad investment; one would probably lose about 40% - 50% of its value very quickly.

I did put a deposit on a Lotus Elise though!


Cheers,

 

[Rosso]

I have to retract a statement I made about Gallardo yesterday, "I was at Ferrari of Los Gatos few weeks ago and heard they have engine problems and are not shipping." This statement is not true. I just talked to a buddy of mine at BMC in San Francisco and he said they have shipped about 8 of those so far. They can not get enough of them to sell. And there are no technical problems with the car. I was misinformed. He did rave about the car and the fact that they are getting $30K over the sticker for it. He also said something that I probably should not repeat here. His personal feeling was that the Gallardo will not hold its value like the 360Modena does in a few years. Cars are never good investments unless they are super special. The Gallardo for sure is a bad investment; one would probably lose about 40% - 50% of its value very quickly.

I did put a deposit on a Lotus Elise though!


Cheers,

Ah, that's interesting. Yeah, I noticed BMC is now also Lambo of SF? I saw a yellow Gallardo parked in the garage one day while passing by.

THat Los Gatos dealer isn't Ferrari of Los Gatos anymore, right? Although they have a large stock of Ferraris...including a few notable supercars.

Ah, nice! So you'll be getting an elise! Nice!

 

[Stradale]

I sent the same e-mail that I posted here to my dealer and he in turn sent it to the factory, to get more info.

The reply came, yes they're working on the new model but "it will not be out before 2005."

Now make out what it means.

I have test driven the Gallardo and I too don't like the rear. It's too abrupt but the fronet is nice. The power is there at your foot and the brakes is fabulous. But it doesn't give me the kind of thrill every time I get into my Modena. So I'll stick to Ferrari, thank you.

The only Lambo that I like is the Murcielago. And BTW I had the chance to visit the Lambo factory in June 2002. It wasn't as organised as Ferrari's. In spite of the Audi involvement, the factiry is still operating like in the 90's.