funny post .. i recently did a survey on non car people who don t give a f about about ferrari, porsche and all the other big toys. i showed them 3 pics of the front , rear , side of each car. 348 355 360. 10 woman / 10 men ages 25-65 the survey was based on pure looks only, no year provided, no hp, no f1 paddle crap etc.. 15/20 chose the 348 of the front , side and rear. 18 of 20 on the side profile ! so the worst one has to be the 348.
1. pic one is really ugly 2. pic two is worse. 348 hands down . Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I mentioned the 914 cause for a VERY long time porschephiles looked down on them cause they were developed with vw. I owned 3 914's and I still love them to this day. It just took forever for them to gain respect. I remember when you could get a 914/6 for 12,000. Now nice 4's are getting into that area.
They are such a fun car to drive, other then the shifter, I think they are a great car. 94-95 spider is for me one of the best driving Ferrari's.
Lest we forget the 348 was the best thing since sliced bread when it came out, Rave reviews on looks and performance (except tail wag breaking at high speed, which is controversial at best). had a 2 year waiting list on orders as people couldn't get them quick enough. Started the first Challenge Series with the 348 etc etc etc. One thing I've learnt with Ferrari, each model is the best until the next one comes out. When the 355 came out suddenly ours was thrown into the shadows. No longer did they talk about how much better it was than the 328, no, now it was how bad it was compared to the 355. Then came the 360, revolutionary new style, 355 now antique looking with problematic actuators and those valves hmmm ! Then along came F430. A h how boring the 360 looks, lack lustre, plain simple curves, lack of power and today we have the 458, what performance makes the 430 look positively average and that frumpy whale tail of the 430 how bulky it is compared to the 458........ Anyway I think you all get my meaning .! The 246 is a great example, the ugly under powered rust bucket one year, classic beauty the next. Remember what Enzo said of it when someone complained about the rust. "you buy our engineering, our motor, the body we give you for free"
I actually have started to read the 924 and the 944 are gonna start shifting as well. Been looking to get a 944. Want a white one 85.5 or newer
This question is in very poor taste, asking us to look down upon our brother Ferrari owners. As a 348 owner I feel equal to all, superior to none.
Threads like this are thoroughly annoying. I don't know why 348 people think their cars are just ugly ducklings and the red headed step child of the Ferrari world. The truth is that the 348 is the last Ferrari that took real skill to drive hard. The 348 has a unique character that a driver who appreciates tactility and smooth inputs will love. It is a Ferrari that will spit out punters. Just like women, the beauty is subjective. I loved everything about my 348 for 20 years, and now she is being loved by an Fchatter. 348 owners... just remember, you have a great Ferrari. If you want to talk Ferrari 'dogs', look no further than the 250GTE.... but even they have a fan base. Even the ones that haven't been turned into 250GTO replicas.
I was at willow springs racetrack when FNA introduced us to the 348 on the track. FNA had paid race drivers give us unlimited fast laps in these new 348's. It was an awesome experience and the day I got hooked on them. The pro drivers beat the livin heck out of those cars and they kept on taking it. It was the greatest thing since sliced bread around 1990. I was lucky enough to race one a few years later.
I have an appreciation for all Ferrari's. There are things we prefer about each. There are things we put up with for each. I like the 80's testarossa styling just fine. I might like the 348 better as a driving experience than it's big brother the TR. If it had the adjustable steering rack height of the 355 it would fit more, taller people. I like the 400 and 412 just fine. I like the mondials just fine. No real loser to me. I can appreciate most of the vintage cars but don't think I could own one or enjoy the driving experience. Robb
As a fairly new 944 owner, I'm curious about what you read! Look, I'm as a big a champion of the 348 as anyone is likely to meet. I do have my favorite Ferraris (mostly pre-2000's) and there are a few I'm not dying to own...but, at the end of the day, I'm a Ferrari fan and I wouldn't kick a darn one of them out of my garage. There is something to appreciate about each and every one! I can't say that about any other notable marque. Special cars, these things. Very, very special.
Excellence had an article on them 6 months ago. And one of the euro mags had something on them as well. And guys no offense but I started this thread because I was tired of reading about how the 348 is junk etc. I wasn't trying to pick on any one particular Ferrari but I get sick of hearing about it and thought this would be a lively discussion. But man it seems Ferrari owners and fans tend to defend every single little nit picky thing about these cars. Just because I think the ferrari xxxxxxx was crap and horribly styled doesn't mean my opinion is gold or even should be listened too. I really thought a few 348 owners would chime in respectfully and say why they think their 348 is great and why they chose it over a different Ferrari. Cause that is exactly what I did. I could have bought a mondial, 308, 328, 355 etc.... But I chose the 348. Sorry if my post offended you.
Golly I guess I'm going to crawl under a rock and hide. We own a 1982 400i cabriolet, a 1994 348 spyder, and a 1981 308gtsi. According to this post we have 2 of the worst dogs to ever sport a horse. I should be embarrassed to take them out of my car barn, I guess. Maybe I need a wig and dark glasses so I won't be recognised when I'm out driving. The so called experts here have trashed 2 of my cars. am I disturbed, no way, I just consider the source. I have never found a civilian tell me any of my cars are dogs, or ugly. In fact just the opposite, they admire the design and the mistique of the mark. For those of you uninformed the 400i is a very incredible road car far out pacing the Mercedes of the era the 450sl. While the 400i is not a tire burner, it was never intended to be. It was designed as a high end road machine. I will take my 400i over any other grand touring car of the era. From 50 to 125 mph it is smooth modestly loud and hugs the road like its on tracks. Steering is nimble and responsive. Brakes are huge and stop easy and with modest effort. When cruising at 100mph you enjoy the throaty exhaust of a magnificent V-12 puring along. Due to the roadability and weight you have no idea how fast your are actually driving. I invite any of you nay sayers to stop by and try it for yourself. The 348 is the last mans Ferrari built. From that point the cars became mass assembly line products. We don't have to do is to put up with troublesome suspension, cracking manifolds, dropping valve guides just to name a few issue the newer cars have. We don't have cruise control or paddle shift pump issues either. What the 348 was designed for was a mans driving machine, about the only toy is electric windows. We we visted the factory and toured the clasique department they were restoring 3 400's from the ground up, they are held in very high regard there. I also saw photos of Enzo just before he died driving his favorite Ferrari a 400i, incidentlly it was the last Ferrari he ever drove. If its good enought for Enzo, it's good enough for me. I purchased my 400i in 2008. since that time I have enjoyed the increase of my investment far more than the cd's or other bank investments I have. At this point my 400's value has almost doubled over what I paid for it in 2008. How many modern Farrari owners can say the same. I do not buy any of my cars as investments, I buy them for the pure enjoyment of owning and driving a wonderful road car, if they appreciate so much the better. The 348 is just plain fun to drive. It's not neck snapping fast but it gets me up and down the road. I like the design, it stands out from the crowd. It sits well and is a joy at 100 mph. It's just a fun toy to play with. The civilans stop and look as we drive by or park and get out. Folks stop and ask about the car, they have no idea how much its worth, they are interested in talking about a Ferrari, again this car is just plain fun. glad you folks did not trash my 308gtsi too, Howard Musolf 1981 308gtsi 1982 400i cabriolet 1994 348 spyder
that's the best posting on this entire thread...... the worst thread i'v ever come across since i joined F-chat.
If you find that you have time and inclination to bad mouth or belittle the 348, It makes me think whatever model you have or say you have, does not hold your attention enough or is just lacking your appreciation. I am enamoured with my 348 enough so that I can look and appreciate any Red Car I see on the street or show room but cannot find the time to denigrate any other model. I spend all my time in admiration of my 348ts. Not suffering from ADD or have knowledge that Ferrari made a "worse" car.
I don't think anyone is offended or upset. If anyone is, they could use some real concerns in life! There have been a lot of threads like this one though, so I guess for some it falls into the "how often should I change my timing belt" category
I actually think the 348 is the best looking Ferrari 8 ever, a mini testarossa, best in all black, but this pic is my favorite (link title is off) http://ferrariw.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ferrari-308-gtb-gts4.jpg
This question in the original thread is like meaning "someone has to go". Today, in real life and especially in tv-shows, there must be one idiot losing out. That´s what´s lying in this question. Competition between people, competition between cars. I think the whole idea bullying cars and people are uninteresting and boring. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Or as Niels Lofgren said asking what is good music, and he replied; "everything that touches your heart". I think that´s quite beautiful. We are all humans and so are the people that created our cars.
