812 GTS driver feedback please. | Page 4 | FerrariChat

812 GTS driver feedback please.

Discussion in 'F12/812' started by khal360, Jul 27, 2020.

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  1. RamsHmb

    RamsHmb Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 22, 2017
    1,030
    San Francisco
    Full Name:
    James
    I will post more next week but picked up the GTS yesterday and the car is totally exceeding expectations. In person it’s a stunner....things that I wasn’t sold on in pics are completely great in person. IMHO...it’s a way more cohesive design compared to the SF. I have been in any twisties yet but I actually feel like the seat is more comfortable. And on sound, both the dealer and I like the GTS better...it’s has a little more bass. We did multiple side by side start ups and it sounds fantastic. Will be up north tomorrow on some roads that I can really open it up on and will post after. One last observation. There is something about the a pillar that gives it a more sporty look. Not sure if it’s the angle or width. The car visually looks smaller to me compared w SF. I am super pleased about my decision. More to come...also, if there are specific questions please let me know.

    ps- I think lukey pointed this out .but my headliner is a fabric. Bummed as I would have preferred alcantara or possible leather. If it’s important to you, make sure to cover in your build. The fabric is a little meh to me
     
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  2. j09333

    j09333 Formula 3

    May 7, 2004
    1,142
    Well said!


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
    Il Co-Pilota likes this.
  3. KarlA69

    KarlA69 Formula Junior

    Oct 9, 2017
    759
    UK
    Full Name:
    Karl
    Thanks for the post and glad to hear initial impressions are good. I’d love to hear about
    - how is the experience with the roof on but rear window lowered... do you get a decent amount more exhaust / engine noise (versus all windows closed)?
    - with roof down, how is the wind buffeting (versus other convertibles you’ve driven)?
    - any other notable differences from the 812 SF?

    many thanks and look forward to your feedback!
     
    of2worlds likes this.
  4. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Mar 3, 2012
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    The wind buffeting seems more than the 488. They have added a few little foils to try and address it. It’s more noise than discomfort. It doesn’t detracts from what is a unique and excellent experience though - V12 Ferrari, no roof!
     
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  5. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Mar 3, 2012
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    It may also point to another thing. Was the GTS planned after the aerodynamics for the Superfast were signed off?
     
  6. SVCalifornia

    SVCalifornia Formula 3
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    Mar 28, 2011
    2,447
    Silicon Valley
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    Keith
    Same on the Roma! I changed the headliner spec to Nero leather...

    sav
     
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  7. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
    6,023
    Hopefully some place nice.
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    A.B
    Would be very surprised if this was not the case.

    Sent from my SM-G930F using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  8. Scudmsl

    Scudmsl Formula Junior
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    Aug 12, 2014
    837
    USA
    I am really glad my dealer talked me into the alcantara roof based on your and lukey’s feedback.
     
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  9. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Mar 3, 2012
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    Drove from Como to Lake Geneva today, via Gotthard and Furka passes. I’ve driver the Furka about 8-10 times, but never seen it as busy as today. The Gotthard was little better.

    The roof headlining has stopped bothering me, but I would have spec’d different if I had thought. It actually smells quite nice though!!

    The roof up, back window down configuration is as you would expect - more noise than closed, less than with the roof open. The car is now limbering up though. The brakes are beginning to feel better (early on there is an initial over-resistance early in the travel which I didn’t like - especially as a left-foot braker, where your weight moves when you start to press the brake and you have to account for that in your judgement). The action is beginning to be smoother.

    The sound is also livening up some more. The sound is absolutely fantastic. It is very, very well judged and really sounds sporty, aggressive, engaging. There is added bass (as Ram said) and it gives a really old-school feeling. I really love it. Ferrari are so good at this stuff IMV. The race-mode downshifts have suddenly become a little more aggressive/jerky. Not sure that is great in this car - works in the Pista but that is a more hardcore experience and doesn’t have the delicious sounds the 812 makes when downshifting.

    The feeling down a mountain I mentioned before may be about brakes and weight partially, but there is something else. Outside temperature at 34 degrees in the mountains and tyre temp gets to 55 degrees at the rear and 48 at the front, give or take. Pressures move up to about 2.8 bar at the front and 2.6 at the rear (cold should be 2.3 and 2.1). However, cold pressures set there, as per the manual, were clicking the pressure warnings. Mine are now 2.4 and 2.2 cold. This seems to give a feeling of less grip at speed when hot in the mountains. I think for the kind of driving I like, the tyres, perhaps more than the car, are complaining.

    Tomorrow morning I’ll be leaving early and there’s a very nice road in my route. Hopefully I’ll beat the traffic and get a much better feel for what this car is all about.

    So far my conclusion is that it is absolutely beautiful, sounds wonderful, makes for a very fast and powerful car with which to attack great roads but under the most extreme of road situations, its mass needs to be managed more carefully than a Pista.

    If you love fast, beautiful, 12 cylinders and 8-9/10ths driving, I can’t think of anything better.
     
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  10. Ferrari 360 CS

    Ferrari 360 CS F1 Veteran

    Dec 4, 2004
    6,707
    Cape Town,SA
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    Jacques
    Beautiful spec!
     
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  11. KarlA69

    KarlA69 Formula Junior

    Oct 9, 2017
    759
    UK
    Full Name:
    Karl
    Thanks for the detailed and interesting driving report! I'm certainly no 'tyre guy' but I have read on threads here that the stock tyres for the 812 SF / GTS aren't great and that Michelin Pilot Sport 4 are better.... might that solve some of the above mentioned issues?

    Also, I'm glad to hear you think it sounds great and I don't mean to labour the point about the sound. However, I have an x pipe which I was planning to fit to mine (move over from 812 SF). Do you think that would improve things (raises the pitch of the exhaust tone), or better in stock form, given the type of sound...? I do plan to drive mine for a while before making any changes, but I would still appreciate your views since you have the car :)

    Thanks
     
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  12. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Mar 3, 2012
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    If you want volume, really high volume, you might need an after marker exhaust. But that probably applies to the SF too. For quality sounds, that can be quiet on occasion but loud and full of intent on others - especially when the roof is down - the stock is excellent IMO. It is exactly what I want, when I want.
     
  13. john Owen

    john Owen Formula Junior

    Dec 27, 2018
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    John Owen
    Great read on your totally unbiased ownership..How much of these compromises would you attribute to the extra high up weight and reduced torsional stiffness compared to the 812 SF..I really like the SF so just wondering to what extent the open top affects the dynamics of the 812.
     
  14. RamsHmb

    RamsHmb Formula 3
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    Jan 22, 2017
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    My Thoughts above ;)
     
  15. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    The torsional stiffness was one of the big surprises for me. It is actually better than our Pista Spider! I think the central drive shaft tunnel must be part of the reason. I guess the SF would feel the same on a mountain pass. Don’t get me wrong, the car is great in the mountains, just not quite as great as a Pista, nor a standard 488.
     
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  16. Thecadster

    Thecadster F1 Veteran
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    Apr 27, 2017
    6,705
    Is it just me, or is anyone else picturing @Lukeylikey looking something like this on those glorious mountain roads in Europe...I can close my eyes and see him doing his best Jethro impersonation.

     
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  17. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Mar 3, 2012
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    I’ll maybe see if I can post some video when I get home. We’ll go back to Italy in October, when it is quieter but for this trip, much more sedate driving due to the crowded roads. I did manage to have some fun though....:) The Furka is a bit tight for too much ‘Jethroing’ though, at least for me. If you drive it in a precise style, you can have great fun on it though, especially going down the side heading towards Brig - much better tarmac, beautiful sweeping hairpins, brilliant road engineering.

    This morning’s drive was pretty good but I did it in the dark we were so early! My eyes don’t work at Ferrari speed in the dark anymore!! Had great fun as the sun rose though. Back in the UK now (literally just - writing this on the Chunnel!)

    One other thing I missed about my spec. Alcantara carpet is ace! I thought it would wear too quickly but I think it will be fine, and it is so luxurious and expensive feeling.

    High speed run from Lausanne this morning, car in its element and I don’t feel at all tired.
     
  18. JackCongo

    JackCongo Formula Junior
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    Dec 22, 2006
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    Jacques
  19. RamsHmb

    RamsHmb Formula 3
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    Jan 22, 2017
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    Hey Karl. I realized my response maybe wasn’t clear but in the one that i I said “comments above” if you expand the text that your wrote, I put my comments next to yours. Hopefully that makes sense
     
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  20. RamsHmb

    RamsHmb Formula 3
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    Jan 22, 2017
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    Hey Karl. I realized my response maybe wasn’t clear but in the one that i I said “comments above” if you expand the text that your wrote, I put my comments next to yours. Hopefully that makes sense
     
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  21. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
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    Mar 3, 2012
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    #97 Lukeylikey, Aug 12, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2020
    As promised, a 5 min video of a few in-car clips from our recent trip to the Alps. Featuring roads in the Jura, Gotthardpass, Furkapass, Nufenenpass and lake Como. There is a clip in the middle on the Furka that shows how busy it really was. The other clips are some of the few occasions the roads were clearer. This never really gets more than 8/10ths of what I feel comfortable with on the road since cyclists, motorbikes, cars, vans etc. were always nearby and often on the wrong side of the road so I really had to drive with some thought for that. But it gives you some idea of the lovely sound this car makes, there are both roof up and roof down moments and the sound levels are completely unaltered/unedited. The female warning sound from the passenger seat was in evidence a bit but hopefully you’ll forgive her - I couldn’t be driven by someone like me so credit for that!

    By far the hardest bit of driving here was at the end, 5am and it was much darker than the camera made it appear. I don’t find that easy any more. Credit to the LM 24 hour drivers.

     
  22. JackCongo

    JackCongo Formula Junior
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    Dec 22, 2006
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    Thanks for the video. Having the steering wheel on the wrong side doesn't help!
     
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  23. khal360

    khal360 Formula Junior

    Feb 17, 2005
    282
    Thanks for sharing. I would kill (jokingly) to have those roads close by for a GTS run.
     
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  24. Scudmsl

    Scudmsl Formula Junior
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    Aug 12, 2014
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    I don’t think I can like that video enough! Absolutely fantastic. Thank you for sharing. Makes me very excited to get mine!
     

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