Hey! We managed 10 replies in the [I]Ferrari Preposterously silly Name[/I] so far!
We are on a roll.
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Hey! We managed 10 replies in the [I]Ferrari Preposterously silly Name[/I] so far!
We are on a roll.
[quote=Kitdy;1013902]We did not.
What does that say about:
a) Scion
and
b) the activeness of the forum here at UCP?
Rest in flames Scion. Unlike many others, I saw no redeeming quality in you.[/quote]
Well, yes, the forum is relatively inactive, there was a thread titled "This Forum is Dying".
[url="http://ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41630&highlight=forum+dying"]This forum is dying - Ultimatecarpage.com forums[/url]
All is not well at Maserati.
Again.
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2016/02/fiat-chrysler-to-temporary-halt.html"]Fiat Chrysler To Temporary Halt Maserati Production Again[/url]
I wonder what is the reason behind the problems; the public does not want the new Maseratis or were the sales projections so optimistic they have been impossible to meet?
I can only speak for the locals here; "why should I buy a Maserati?" Aside from the GranTurismo, I don't really know the answer to that question.
[quote=Ferrer;1014050]All is not well at Maserati.
Again.
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2016/02/fiat-chrysler-to-temporary-halt.html"]Fiat Chrysler To Temporary Halt Maserati Production Again[/url]
I wonder what is the reason behind the problems; the public does not want the new Maseratis or were the sales projections so optimistic they have been impossible to meet?[/quote]
I personally don't think Maseratis look nice. I lump them with Ferraris- they're expensive and rare, but not pretty to look at.
Outside Jeep and Ferrari, FCA seems to be stumbling a lot. Alfa, Maser, Chrysler, and Dodge have all had bad news in the past few weeks... What cars has the Fiat brand put out in the past 10 years (other than the 500) that have set the world on fire? These quality issues, insane sales targets, delays, and the (insightful?) ramblings of a charismatic CEO leave me troubled. I guess they are better than the Cerberus/Daimler days, but medium term I see clouds brewing. I say this in spite of reasonably good quarterly results and a seemingly unending month-on-month sales increase streak in the US.
What will happen to FCA if gas goes back up to north of $80 a barrel?
Ras, the GT is too old now. I have ranted Maser before, and I gotta say the disappointing thing is when the "old" new QP was fresh alongside the GT, they were legitimately exciting. The "new" new QP, Ghibli, and aging GT are not enough, and customers are voting with their wallets, much as scribes are damning with digital ink.
EDIT: NSX, they ain't as ugly as Ferraris. The Ghibili is quite sharp; the new QP isn't as pretty as the last one, and the GT has become overwrought with fancy Trofeo appendages and stale with age.
Yesterday I wrote a reply that more or less said this, but unfortunately the internets went wrong and I lost it:
[quote=Kitdy;1014061]Ras, the GT is too old now. I have ranted Maser before, and I gotta say the disappointing thing is when the "old" new QP was fresh alongside the GT, they were legitimately exciting. The "new" new QP, Ghibli, and aging GT are not enough, and customers are voting with their wallets, much as scribes are damning with digital ink.
EDIT: NSX, they ain't as ugly as Ferraris. The Ghibili is quite sharp; the new QP isn't as pretty as the last one, and the GT has become overwrought with fancy Trofeo appendages and stale with age.[/quote]
I would add that the new QP feels a bit flaccid and that the best the GT has is its charismatic engine but that it's a bit too soft for a Maserati.
Also, one thing is being an exotic Italian car maker, with exotic Italian car maker prices, sales volumes and general idiosyncrasies; a another very different one is trying to compete with the Audi A6 and the Volvo S90. For the latter I'm not sure Maserati can do it successfully...
I was about to opine about how Maserati is hamstrung by having to make do with Ferrari leftovers thereby always being in the shadows and not having enough grunt to really go toe to toe with ze Germans, but then I realised that I can't remember whether they have a version of the TTV8 out of the Cali even. And then I realised that I just don't care about Maserati anymore. They used to be the fun plucky underdogs, but now it's just sad.
Speaking of Maserati, did anyone see the Levante SUV?
[quote=Kitdy;1014061]Ras, the GT is too old now. I have ranted Maser before, and I gotta say the disappointing thing is when the "old" new QP was fresh alongside the GT, they were legitimately exciting. The "new" new QP, Ghibli, and aging GT are not enough, and customers are voting with their wallets, much as scribes are damning with digital ink.
[/quote]
It's nice to hear I'm not the only one thoroughly unimpressed. It seems like Maserati is one of those brands you "have" to love if you're European and into cars.
The GranTurismo is the only one I could get close to, but the rest? I'd rather buy a Jeep Wrangler. I don't like Jeep Wranglers.
[quote=NSXType-R;1014101]Speaking of Maserati, did anyone see the Levante SUV?[/quote]
I have.
Pros: I like the pillared hardtop styling.
Cons: I hate fake, styled exhausts
[quote=Ferrer;1014105]I have.
Pros: I like the pillared hardtop styling.
Cons: I hate fake, styled exhausts[/quote]
Fake how?
[quote=Revo;1014107]Fake how?[/quote]
Look at how the exhaust tips come from a piece of grey plastic trim.
[IMG]http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=418147&stc=1&d=1455913309[/IMG]
It's not looking promising.
The plastic trim (is it really plastic?) doesn't necessarily mean that exhaust is non-functional. All the spy shots of the test mule show exhaust setup just like in the leaked pictures.
[quote=Rasmus;1014102]It's nice to hear I'm not the only one thoroughly unimpressed. It seems like Maserati is one of those brands you "have" to love if you're European and into cars.
The GranTurismo is the only one I could get close to, but the rest? I'd rather buy a Jeep Wrangler. I don't like Jeep Wranglers.[/quote]
Alfa's the same to me in many ways. They are not the company people fetshize that made brilliant cars in the 1960s. And how dare one speak out against the perceived and overbrooding car enthusiast groupthink, or have an independent point of view, or so help you god.
I've been saying this for years, but I hope Honda really puts its money where its mouth is.
[url="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-exclusive-honda-ceo-to-shift-gears-distance-sales-teams-from-car-design-process-sources-2016-2"]Honda to make some massive changes - Business Insider[/url]
I hope they make something interesting for Honda and I also hope they don't squander Acura too.
By the way, does anyone know what happened to the Morgan car company?
They make EV 3 wheelers now? And what happened to Charles Morgan? How did he even get forced out?
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RmVxwjyErM"]Morgan EV3 Concept: Electric Mayhem - Carfection - YouTube[/ame]
[quote=NSXType-R;1014341]By the way, does anyone know what happened to the Morgan car company?
They make EV 3 wheelers now? And what happened to Charles Morgan? How did he even get forced out?
[/quote]
I'm not sure what happened, but that EV is spectacular! It's a hipstermobile for sure, but I can't not be mesmerized by it.
In American news;[URL="http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/geneva-auto-show/news/a28337/2017-chevrolet-corvette-grand-sport-geneva/"] the C7 Grand Sport[/URL] was just announced today; base C7 with the same naturally aspirated LT1, but with the Z06's wider body and tires, and optional carbon ceramic brakes and manual transmission. What's not to like?
I guess this new 'vette won't be suited to European-sized mountain roads then...
[quote=Ferrer;1014348]I guess this new 'vette won't be suited to European-sized mountain roads then...[/quote]
Which part of it? It's shorter than a 911 GT3, and less than 3cm wider. About the same as the F-type too.
[quote=Rasmus;1014351]Which part of it? It's shorter than a 911 GT3, and less than 3cm wider. About the same as the F-type too.[/quote]
Those are too wide too. These days you feel much more at home in those roads in a GT86, MX-5 or similar.
That is one of the problems of the Mustang, [I]a V8 for forty grand[/I] is tempting, but I don't it would even fit in my parking space...
I'd get a base Corvette, which in Europe (if you can get it at all that is) comes as standard with the Z51.
[quote=Ferrer;1014352]Those are too wide too. These days you feel much more at home in those roads in a GT86, MX-5 or similar.
That is one of the problems of the Mustang, [I]a V8 for forty grand[/I] is tempting, but I don't it would even fit in my parking space...
I'd get a base Corvette, which in Europe (if you can get it at all that is) comes as standard with the Z51.[/quote]
Fair enough -- it's a valid point. I'm simply excited because of a new, manual track day car with good brakes and a warranty. Evidently it's very close to the old C6 ZR1's pace on the GM test track, and that's with almost 200 less hp. Mountain roads set aside, that's a positive thing for any car enthusiast.
And I also just now realized that I have never bought a new car. Forty for a base GT is crazy to me.
[url="http://www.sunmotors.co.uk/news/jeremy-clarkson-are-70-of-brit-drivers-mad-to-drive-manuals/?CMP=spklr-_-Editorial-_-TWITTER-_-SunmotorsUK-_-20160216-_-Driving-_-368568208-_-Imageandlink"]JEREMY CLARKSON: Are 70% of Brit drivers mad to drive manuals?[/url]
Is he right?
Discuss.
[SIZE=1](PS. Rasmus, of course, moar performance cars for sale can't never be bad... ;))[/SIZE]
I don't think he's wrong -- and I still think he's annoying in general.
If I can get a newer auto in a daily driver, I'll take that. And I'll be happy. If it's an older auto, I'll still take it, but I'll be cussing those times it goes off the deep end.
Any other street car I'll take a manual in. All the fun street cars in the garage are manuals. However, any track car I'll take a flappy paddle in, unless we're talking drag racing, in which case I love the challenge of a manual.
I'll never love an auto, but I don't like being bothered by a manual when I'm cruising through traffic to the office. It won't be an issue in 10 years when we'll all be driving humming little eco EV boxes.
Having commuted through Sydney traffic in manual cars, I'm fine with continuing to commute in manual cars. Turns out people should drive what they want to. Who knew? Apparently not Clarkson, because he's an old git.
Being European I always had driven manuals and my experience with automatics was limited at best.
All of this changed when a family member bought an Audi A6 3.2 FSI Quattro Tiptronic in 2005. It was the first automatic car owned by the family.
Later the Audi was replaced by a Jaguar XF 4.2, also an automatic, but we still kept a majority of cars with manual gearboxes during this period (Mini Cooper S, Lancia Delta T-Jet, Hyunda i30 1.4 or the Mazda MX-5). We also bought another automatic, the Mercedes-Benz A220 CDI.
When the time came to change my car I switched from a sportscar to a bigger, more comfortable hatchback. I wasn't looking for an automatic, but there was an incredible offer on a 175bhp diesel Alfa Romeo Giulietta which was only available with a dual clutch gearbox. I just had to take it.
Since then I've hated every day I chose the automatic over a similarly engined manual Giulietta, but I have to say, with time, I can kind of get what Clarkson is on about.
I still think the gearbox in my car is rubbish, and I still enjoy manual gearboxes like anyone else here; but I have the same number of gears as a manual car, the gearbox is smooth changing and, most of all, there's the utter comfort of putting it in D and forgetting about it (which admittedly for the 90% of the time when you are not in your favourite road is great).
I was adamant that my next car would be manual, now I'm not so sure. If it isn't though I have to make sure [I]I choose a good automatic[/I].
[quote=Ferrer;1014365]Since then I've hated every day I chose the automatic over a similarly engined manual Giulietta, but I have to say, with time, I can kind of get what Clarkson is on about.[/quote]
I went for a manual and honestly, sometimes I do have regrets about my decision.
In reality, most of my driving is in the city anyway. Also, Giulietta has somewhat cramped pedal area and under certain circumstances, it can be difficult to drive it smoothly. All my family members drive automatics these days, I am the only one with "sporty" exotic. Even my dealer says that manual Giulietta is a rarity.
Then again - coordinating one well executed gear shift with my OWN hands and feet can be deeply satisfying. Sometimes it does happen - and when it does, everything is well again.
Maybe I'm an enthusiast after all.
I'm on the opposite side; most of my driving is outside of the city. But still the automatic can make sense.
It never fails a gear change and if you need full power you just floor it and call it a day.
However I still miss the full manual control and satisfaction you describe, Revo.
[url="http://www.carscoops.com/2016/03/official-next-porsche-911-gt3-to-come.html"]Official: Next Porsche 911 GT3 To Come With Manual Gearbox, Naturally Aspirated Six[/url]
Does that actually make any sense at all?
They wanted to screw over the people who bought the 997 911 4.0 of course.
I posted it on the other 911 R thread.
If Magnus Walker is selling $300,000 20 year old Porsches, Porsche will be ok with be selling GT3s with the PDK or manual.
I always figured this would happen, after the reaction to the mandatory flappies on the GT3. I think I'd still want a GT4 though.
Someone's made [URL="https://vincenzosalvia.bandcamp.com/album/the-volkswagen-of-death"]a synth EP[/URL] based on VW's recent dramas. It's pretty great.
For anyone commuting or driving all day an auto is the obvious choice. Ive tried both in my rep days and as much fun as the 350 V8 with manual was, it could get a bit tiring driving all day. I have a V8 100 Landcruiser and that is auto. I have to say that I would never get another manual 4x4 simply because of how autos handle driving on sand where I do most of my off roading.
However my automotive indulgence is my CV8 Monaro which is manual. I had an auto but to really appreciate a RWD V8 I have to say manual is the way to go. So its horses for courses really.
Holy smokes welcome back crisis. Good to see you around. I tend to agree. I'd like to be in a position to have two cars after I graduate (if I don't live in the core); a commuter, and a fun summer/weekend car. The commuter will likely be an off lease auto Mazda 3; maybe a GTI one day. Practical and fun. The other? Who knows. Maybe a 164!
Why go for a 164? Wouldn't it be better to have a 75?
And yes, two cars would be perfect, but here it is expensive and in many cases not really feasible.
I did not know there were 75s ever sold here. I actually see 164s from time to time, and other than Spiders those are all you see.
To be honest, I don't even know that much about the 164. The 75 may be better, but the 164 has this strange exotic appeal to me. It's weird.
And look what popped on [URL="http://jalopnik.com/for-18-500-this-1995-alfa-romeo-164q-could-be-your-lu-1763759751"]Jalopnik today[/URL]. Synchronicity/
Crack pipe.
The 75 was sold in the US as the Milano, not sure about Canadia. I also like the 164, but it's one of those RWD vs FWD things.
18k? Eighteen grand?!? Are we completely mental?
[url]http://ww3.autoscout24.es/classified/273379443?asrc=st|as[/url]
Although, I'd rather have this.
[url]http://ww3.autoscout24.es/classified/281795333?asrc=st|as[/url]
¿What the hell does "Negociable" mean?
Yeah 18k is ridiculous, even it's a rare Quadrifoglio.