The F50 is now a quarter-century old. Is it getting more love in it's older age? I don't understand why many have frowned on the F50 in the past (and presently). I have always loved it, as well as the more generally loved iconic F40. If I had my choice between an F40 and an F50, price and rarity aside, I would take the F50. When I look at the F50, I see some similarities to the 360 (general lines, headlights, tail lights, rear grill, exhaust pipes, bumpers). Maybe that is why I am so drawn to the F50/360 designs. Is it just me?
Personally i dont love the F50.. To my eye the F40 is a much more appealing design.. That said ive always loved the curves of 360 which is why i eventually bought one but i have several friends that dont care for the look of it compared to earlier wedge cars.
I love my 360 but the f50.. it's kind of not there and not here.. its halfway baked styling wise in my opinion. In my eye its more 355 than 360.. neither in one design age nor the other.
The F50 is my all-time favorite looking car and the 360 is the runner up. The interesting thing is whenever Merc does a front bumper design "inspired" by F1 cars it just looks absolutely awful. I don't like anything about how they did it in the Enzo. The F50 design was just magic that can't be repeated.
I don't think it looks like the F50 at all, but someone here that I can't remember at the moment did compare the 360 design to the McLaren F1. They went as far as say whoever designed the 360 clearly took design cues from the McLaren F1. I didn't think so initially but after looking at it some more it kind of does. It may explain why I like both designs too. edit: it was @TheMayor https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/146163304/ I am not sure why the F50 doesn't get much love but people love the F40 so much...the difference is a landslide favoring the F40. The F50 imo is an improved F40...all composite material rather than partially. N/A V12. More modern design with still huge wing. And removable top...what's not to love?
F50 = Formula 1 car with a carbon fiber body F40 = 355 with a body kit and a couple of turbos bolted on
The vents don't look the same and I don't even know where the ac control pod is for the F50...looks hidden if it isn't just a heater.
I was staring at all of this while I was riding in one (??) Could I have been so mesmerized by the experience that I wasn't seeing straight? Sure, we'll go with that story. When I win the lottery, a yellow F50 is first on my list. A few years back, right as I was walking out of Jack in the Box, a yellow F50 rolled right in front of me. He got in the left hand lane and was stuck at the light. I sprinted to my car and jumped out onto the street. He had went through the light, and, fortunately, I just made it also. There was another light under the overpass (left lane) to enter the freeway to go South (the direction of Ferrari of Los Gatos) so I got in that lane. I couldn't see the car, but I did see what looked like an empty spot in traffic up ahead. As I was rolling my windows down, I kept saying to myself, "Please let that be him, please let that be him"... Once my windows were down, I heard the car growling. I was giddy. The light turned green, he jumped onto the freeway and was a dot on the horizon in what seemed like an instant. And the SOUND the car made as it went through the gears was absolutely insane. Just like a Formula 1 car. I have a buddy who has an F50, a LaFerrari, and a ton of other cool cars. He gave me a ride in the F50 one day and let me sit in the drivers seat and start up the LaFerrari. That was enough for me. I couldn't imagine driving one as I would be SO nervous.
You may be on to something. I've always loved the F50, and the 360 too (especially in the 360 guise....automotive perfection!). Most people as you say aren't a big fan of the F50 (they often talk about it's looks), and 360 also doesn't get the most love.
I feel like the 360 is equal parts Enzo and F50. That 5 valve sound is amazing though. A black F50 is hands down my dream car. Plus, they don't look that hard to work on.
The F50 is really a car you love the more you see it in person. It does not photograph very well most of the time. But when you see it in person, it has much more presence than an F40 which i love dearly.
I woke up in the middle of the night and it dawned on me - It was an Enzo I was riding in when I noticed that the vents and climate controls were just like the 360. Not an F50. I've never ridden in an F50, unfortunately. Never even sat in one. See, this is what happens when you get old...
I think that it's obvious that the the 360 is the grandson of the 250LM. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
