[bruxell]

Originally Posted by LandQuail

Bruxell,

What happened to the usable sportscar? If I was a tuner I'd yank every computer not monitoring the engine and then turn my attention to to wrenching loose the electrohydraulic transmission, power seats, windows and steering. I'd sell it all back to Ferrari as new and spend every dime I got back on an Acura NSX steering rack, a Ferrari F-50 manual transmission and a couple carbon fiber rear fenders, call it club sport and call it a day.

And then I'd paint it matte black. You're entirely right.

I think you can still get a 430 with an H-pattern manual (I don't think Ferrari have gone that far astray yet?) And I think the steering is supposed to be pretty good on this car. But I do agree that the computers seem to have taken over the entire Ferrari experience. I think the problem is that Ferrari are selling to a new, inexperienced, and very lucrative kind of customer, who also happens to be very litigious. So they have no choice but to make the cars safer to drive badly. Only Ferrari have the ability to do this, and market the computer systems as a motor-sport spin-off. Ferrari’s F1 expertise is now working against the purity of their driving experience.
I should say that I’m making most of these judgments, with a dearth of practical experience, I have no seat time in any Ferrari. But I have driven sportscars with no, limited, and formidable amounts of computer assistance, and I do find that computers just get in the way of having fun. Not going fast, I’m not that skilled, but I have more fun doing things for myself.
And the F50 remains my favorite super-high-performance Ferrari for its combination of three elements:
1. A race-derived, high power V12.
2. A proper, and well-developed manual gearbox.
3. A driving experience devoid of the interference of driver-aids.

I agree, the 430 would be better is Hamann just took off some of the unnecessary junk, and made it lighter, and more fun. Hey, didn’t Ferrari just do that?