Ferrari vs. Porsche

[roosterjuicer]

I was talking i guess on more of a intangible level (not always logical). Ferrari just seems to have more of that "it" quality that porsche is lacking in so I personally have never really bothered comparing them. I think the ideal comparison for porsche is corvette/viper and I think the ideal comparison for ferrari is lamborghini. but like i said, i cant really back these feelings up in any way, but its hard deny that ferrari gets more "oohs and ahhs"

a great example of these intangible feelings is in a few years im going to buy a new car and i am having trouble deciding between a c6 z06 and a esprit s4s. i think we all agree that the vette is by far the better car, its faster both in a straight line and around a track, its cheaper to maintain, its more reliable, its more comfortable, ect... YET, for some reason im really leaning more toward a lotus because for some reason the lotus just calls to me more, it elicits more lustful (for lack of a better word) feelings from me than the corvette does. it defies logic, but if i bought one tommorow, I'd buy an s4s. cant describe it, cant back it up, but thats the way it is.

[f6fhellcat13]

I think that's the problem that a lot of us who said Porsche feel. Ferrari has lost "it".
I was driving with my mom the other day and a red 430 passed us. I pointed it out to my mom and she said that it was too boring to be a Ferrari. (She is not a car nut so i think she's a pretty good barometer.)

...Oh ya, the F430 had rims too. If it was a proper ferrari people would respect it more and not customize it.

[cmcpokey]

Originally Posted by f6fhellcat13

...Oh ya, the F430 had rims too. If it was a proper ferrari people would respect it more and not customize it.

in every generation, in every decade, there are people with no taste. someone will always try to screw up perfection.

[clutch-monkey]

Originally Posted by f6fhellcat13

...Oh ya, the F430 had rims too. If it was a proper ferrari people would respect it more and not customize it.

that actually might be an interesting way of highlighting the difference - ferrari people think it's about as perfect as it is from factory, and leave it alone - whereas porsche people happily buy spare sets of wheels for the track, swap out the standard wheels (for, say, BBS R-GT's) etc etc like any other sportscar.

[roosterjuicer]

Originally Posted by f6fhellcat13

I think that's the problem that a lot of us who said Porsche feel. Ferrari has lost "it".
I was driving with my mom the other day and a red 430 passed us. I pointed it out to my mom and she said that it was too boring to be a Ferrari. (She is not a car nut so i think she's a pretty good barometer.)
\

i can agree with that. ferrari has definitely lost a lot of "it", their new cars just arent as sharp as their older cars even though they are probably faster. however, porsche never had "it" (in my lifetime)

[IbleedFordBlue]

Porsche s are ok but Ferrari s are better/faster and not quite so cramped but neither is as good as a Countach or a Muira!!!!

Besides over here Porsche are dime a dozen I see one almost every day and i live in the poor Midwest, it's rare to see a Ferrari or a Lambo.......... they have an exclusivity that adds to the value of the car

GO Lamborghini!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am A Ferrari F-1 fan only because there are no Lamborghini's in F-1

[RUF917LH]

Originally Posted by roosterjuicer

I was talking i guess on more of a intangible level (not always logical). Ferrari just seems to have more of that "it" quality that porsche is lacking in so I personally have never really bothered comparing them. I think the ideal comparison for porsche is corvette/viper and I think the ideal comparison for ferrari is lamborghini. but like i said, i cant really back these feelings up in any way, but its hard deny that ferrari gets more "oohs and ahhs"

a great example of these intangible feelings is in a few years im going to buy a new car and i am having trouble deciding between a c6 z06 and a esprit s4s. i think we all agree that the vette is by far the better car, its faster both in a straight line and around a track, its cheaper to maintain, its more reliable, its more comfortable, ect... YET, for some reason im really leaning more toward a lotus because for some reason the lotus just calls to me more, it elicits more lustful (for lack of a better word) feelings from me than the corvette does. it defies logic, but if i bought one tommorow, I'd buy an s4s. cant describe it, cant back it up, but thats the way it is.

For some people I guess Ferrari provides more innate enjoyment. And if you stuck a Porsche badge on an F430 and a GT3 and made sure objective performance was the same I'd go for the Ferrari. Maybe... Exclusivity doesn't necessarily entail a better product. (And if you compare the JD Powers surveys for porsche and ferrari you will find that) Look at Wenger and Victorinox the two guys producing SAK's. Victorinox is arguably the better brand but they make more SAK's. That's becuase they have no financial support whereas Wenger is now a subsidiary of Victorinox and can produce less. Yet excepting the Wenger Ranger series they suck. And if you look at the Porsches comparable to the Ferraris (i.e. GT3 RS and GT2 and the new GT3) you'll find production levels are slightly lower. A fairer comparison would actually be RUF vs. Ferrari since they are in the same tier price wise.

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by RUF917LH

A fairer comparison would actually be RUF vs. Ferrari since they are in the same tier price wise.

I don't know if I'd compare a tuner with a manufacturer here.

[Kitdy]

Originally Posted by RUF917LH

If this is indeed the case then how do you account the thorough trouncing of the 512 by 917? Or this years GT3 RSR prevaling over the F430. How about C.H. Pozzis miserable performance in a Ferrari. Or the Carrera GT's superior dynamics over the Enzo. The 959 excelling in all surfaces. Or Porsches undisputed superioroity in endurance racing wins. The dominance of the small Porsches against the larger Ferrari prototypes at the Targa (you recall the initial win there was a 1.5l 550 Spyder piloted by Umberto Maglioli against 3liter Ferraris) and the 908 beating the Ferraris on several occasions. The only reason Porsche wasn't racing in top tier during this time was purely financial.
Granted Ferrari road cars are prettier and more exclusive. But you can't argue with laptimes.

The F430s cleaned up this year did they not? How does the CGT have "superior dynamics" over the Enzo (what are superior dynamics?). Undisputed superiority? I dispute it simply because the Ferrari factory effort left in the early 70s. What about Porsche's failure in F1?

I mean you are giving Ferrari no credit at all basically while I see merit in both companies and both companies track success.

[Rockefella]

Originally Posted by Kitdy

The F430s cleaned up this year did they not?

Podium for GT2 was 1. Risi, 2. BMS Scuderia, and 3. Farnbacher. All F430's.

edit: (24hr Le Mans - 2008)

[Kitdy]

A GT3 won the ALMS GT2 class, but Ferraris won the LMS and Le Mans and FIA GT too.

It was a season for the F430 this year in my eyes.

[Rockefella]

Right. Forgot to note that the podium I listed was for the 24hr of Le Mans. I'll edit that in now.

[jack_tat]

Easily the Ferrari. Possibly produce the most beautiful cars on the planet and were performance and luxury combined are everything. There are many different and contrasting models whereas porsche has the same tiring design. If people knew you owned a Ferrari they would be interested and it would show wealth however Porsches have now become far too common. There is no way a racing inspired technology ridden car with italian passion can be overpowered by the too modern and spiritless german porsche.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by Rockefella

I don't know if I'd compare a tuner with a manufacturer here.

I believe that technically RUF is considered a small manufacturer (like Alpina).

[clutch-monkey]

^ if that's the case then are they legible for this comparison...since they're not porsche