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Ferrari sued for lack of speed

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by sam231, Jun 27, 2005.

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  1. sam231

    sam231 Formula Junior
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    #1 sam231, Jun 27, 2005
    Thought the community might like to catch this story:

    Bloomberg News on June 27th announced a German Businessman is suing Ferrari because he claims his new car did not reach a top speed of 300 kilometers (180 miles) per hour as advertised in the company' brochure. The 60 year old driver, from Berlin, told a local newspaper that his Challenge Stradale cannot go faster than 282 kilometers per hour and wants a refund of the $204,427 he paid for the car after waiting 18 months for delivery. Ferrari is refusing to give him back the $.

    There is one in every bunch!
     
  2. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    #2 GrigioGuy, Jun 27, 2005
    Well, if it's advertised as being capable of that speed and it can't make it, he should get compensated. Mazda has been stung twice over car models that didn't have the advertised horsepower. Just a truth-in-advertising case.
     
  3. 134282

    134282 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #3 134282, Jun 27, 2005
    Sam, can you provide a link or a source for that story...? Thanks...
     
  4. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

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    #4 Ken, Jun 27, 2005
    I agree. If a manufacturer is claiming a top speed, the car should go that fast!

    ken
     
  5. matteo

    matteo F1 World Champ

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    #5 matteo, Jun 27, 2005
    I got free maintenance on my rx-8 because of this.
     
  6. rob lay

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    #6 rob lay, Jun 27, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Mazda should have got hit harder than they did. I think they lowered the RX8 from 245 to 235? Here is my RX8, does this look like 235 to you? 31% loss factor? :mad:
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  7. matteo

    matteo F1 World Champ

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    #7 matteo, Jun 27, 2005
    Rob,

    It was from 250 to 238.
     
  8. GrigioGuy

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    #8 GrigioGuy, Jun 27, 2005
    Wow that's an UGLY curve. Detonation, limiter, or ???
     
  9. matteo

    matteo F1 World Champ

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    #9 matteo, Jun 27, 2005
    secondary injectors @ 3700 rpm
     
  10. mercedesbenze55amg

    mercedesbenze55amg Formula Junior

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    #10 mercedesbenze55amg, Jun 27, 2005
    The thing is the CS can hit that top speed with the conditions permitting, the owner probably was trying to do this with the altitude off, or temp to high or low, etc. the Mazda just didnt have enough hp
     
  11. sam231

    sam231 Formula Junior
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    #11 sam231, Jun 27, 2005
    Here's the story:

    German Driver Sues Ferrari Because Car Is Too Slow, Bild Says
    2005-06-27 05:16 (New York)


    By Jeremy van Loon
    June 27 (Bloomberg) -- A German businessman is suing Ferrari
    SpA because he claims his new sports car doesn't reach the top
    speed of 300 kilometers (180 miles) per hour advertised in the
    company's brochure, Bild Zeitung said, citing the man.
    The 60 year-old driver from Berlin, identified only as Joerg
    W., told the newspaper that his Ferrari Challenge Stradale car
    can't go faster than 282 kilometers per hour and he wants a
    refund. The man paid 168,115 euros ($204,427) for the vehicle and
    waited 18 months for it to be delivered, Bild reported.
    Ferrari, which is controlled by Fiat SpA and makes the
    Formula One racing car driven by Michael Schumacher, is refusing
    to give Joerg W. his money back, according to Bild. The dispute
    will now be decided by a local court.

    (Bild Zeitung 6-27 5)

    {BSZT <GO>} for the newspaper's Web site.

    --Editor: Blackman.

    Story illustration: See: {F IM <Equity> EM <GO>} to track Fiat's
    performance in recent years. For Fiat's management:
    {F IM <Equity> MGMT <GO>}. For a graph of European automotive
    stocks performance, see {BEAUTOS <Index> GP <GO>}. Click on
    {FONE<GO>} for Formula One stories and {ISPO<GO>} for top sports
    stories.

    To contact the reporter on this story:
    Jeremy van Loon in Berlin at (49) (30) 70010-6231 or
    [email protected].

    To contact the editor responsible for this story:
    Dan Stets at (49)(69) 92041 145 or [email protected].
     
  12. rob lay

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    #12 rob lay, Jun 27, 2005
    Sorry, 32.8% loss factor! :)

    I've heard several excuses that because of the computers and wheel sensors, an accurate dyno number won't be given. Supposedly if you take the engine out you will get 238 at the flywheel. Seat of the pants the car really does feel like 238. I haven't had much chance to race yet, but between the huge brakes and handling the car is fast compared to the Vettes, WRX's, and M3's everywhere but straight lines. I'll post my videos when I get a chance. With only 3" coming off the cats and no muffler it sounds better than a side-draft carb Ferrari 12. OK, I lied, but it still sounds really good. Deep grumble at low with pops, then whines at 9k like angry killer bees.
     
  13. matteo

    matteo F1 World Champ

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    #13 matteo, Jun 27, 2005
    I sold my Borla because of the harmonic buzz @ 4000 RPM @ 80 MPH.

    I have heard that the MAFS retards the motor if there is not enough air flow while on a dyno. It's a neat car but they should have done more R & D on it.
     
  14. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

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    #14 SrfCity, Jun 27, 2005
    I wonder what's really behind what this German guy is trying to do. Is it a bad PR thing set up by the competition, is the guy just trying to get out of owning it, is he trying to leverage Ferrari for something or is he just trying to make a point?
     
  15. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #15 Dr Tommy Cosgrove, Jun 27, 2005
    How does he know his speedo isn't just wrong. They all are anyway.
     
  16. GTE

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    #16 GTE, Jun 27, 2005
    Chances are speed is actually lower than speedo indicates.
     
  17. 285ferrari

    285ferrari Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #17 285ferrari, Jun 27, 2005
    At that speed the speedo can be way off. I just got a 04 Crown Vic with 100 miles on it. We have to have our cars calibrated with radar for court. Mine is off almost 3 miles per hour at 70 mph.
     
  18. WCH

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    #18 WCH, Jun 27, 2005
    And I thought we had a worldwide exclusive on idiotic litigation.
     
  19. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

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    #19 Ken, Jun 27, 2005

    I don't think it's idiotic to expect a product to perform as advertised.

    I think Ferrari should have advised him to take the car to a dealer for an inspection. If they couldn't tweak the car to make it right (assuming the 300 KPH wasn't a bald faced lie) then they should have accepted the car back.

    Ken
     
  20. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #20 ryalex, Jun 27, 2005
    I'm just surprised because I thought a CS would easily pass 175mph.

    Too much drag/downforce compared to the stock 360? I imagine that the rear diffusers could retard speed at least 6-10mph.
     
  21. FastLapp

    FastLapp F1 Rookie

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    #21 FastLapp, Jun 27, 2005
  22. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #22 ryalex, Jun 27, 2005
    Lap times are one thing, but top speed runs only require pressing your right foot down and keeping the wheel straight until the RPM's max out in 6th.

    I'm assuming he can do that almost daily on the right autobahn.
     
  23. WCH

    WCH F1 Veteran
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    #23 WCH, Jun 27, 2005
    "I don't think it's idiotic to expect a product to perform as advertised."

    I'm tired of living in a world where litigation is the answer to every one of life's disappointments, no matter how trivial.

    Let's give our plaintiff the benefit of the doubt, and assume he tested the top speed of his CS under exactly the circumstances on which Ferrari based its top speed claim. We have a guy with sufficient wealth to afford a CS, and who finds it will only go ... what ... 170mph? Ooooooh nooooo! Instead of selling the car and moving on, he takes up the judicial system's time and resources suing Ferrari.

    I checked my owner's manual - claimed top speed is 186.4 mph. I'm not sure there's a track in the US - at least, one I've ever been to - where I'd expect to get to that speed. I can't say I'd have suffered any great loss by being deprived of a few mph at the top end.

    Sorry, no sympathy here. Sell the car and move along - but insist on a test drive next time.
     
  24. Ken

    Ken F1 World Champ

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    #24 Ken, Jun 27, 2005
    Well, I have no sympathy for this guy either. I bet Ferrari will win in court as well on technicalities. I would never sue a car company over this kind of issue, for me it's a waste of effort.


    However I do still think that any car company should post realistic numbers and not just a 'best case scenario' thing. Remember the fake HP numbers from the 1960's in the US? Today they are much stricter on what is published.

    Ken




     
  25. Z0RR0

    Z0RR0 F1 Rookie

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    #25 Z0RR0, Jun 27, 2005
    I disagree on the lawsuit thing, but I do agree he is right to be pissed that the car doesn't perform as advertised.

    I'd just sell the car and turn to the darkside. And get a cookie with whipped cream.
     
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