Which F-Car is the most fun to drive?

I've driven three 328 GTSs, a 308 GTS QV, a 3.2 Mondial Cabriolet, two Mondial 8s, a 360 Modena, two 355 Spiders, a Testarossa, two 550 Maranellos, a 575M Maranello and a 612 Scaglietti...

It's kind of hard to compare the experience of, say, the 612 to the experience of, say, the 308 GTS QV... I will say that, for me, the older cars seem to yield more of an experience than the newer ones... While the 612 is incredibly fast and handles really well for such a "big" car, it's not nearly as visceral as the Testarossa...

Of all the Ferraris I've driven, I think the Testarossa gives the driver more of an overall experience than anything else... The Testarossa sets brilliant fire to all of your senses... The Tubi exhaust and the engine work together, orchestrating a magical symphony of noises that make you want to chop the hand of the passenger reaching for the radio buttons. The manual steering commands your attention and allows you to feel every tiny nook in the road. The classic "temperamental red head" gearbox opens up to you in a very intimate manner once she's warmed up... No matter what you drive on a regular basis, the acceleration of a Testarossa should be satisfying to anyone... Despite her wide rear, the Testarossa, when in the hands of a competent driver (read: not me) can really stick to the road... I get all light-headed just thinking about it...

The first Ferrari I ever drove was a 3.2 Mondial Cabriolet and it was an hour-long road down the coast of Malibu... So as you can imagine, I hold that car in very high regard... It was an amazing experience...

The Mondial 8s were lots of fun...

I thoroughly enjoyed the tight feel of the 308 GTS QV cockpit... It yields a sense of immediacy with all the essential controls right in front of you... It's a nimble car that's a lot of fun to squeeze into sweepers and push right out without worry or concern... I could easily see enjoying a 308 as a daily driver and purposely living far away from the office...

The 328 GTS is as fun to drive as it is iconic... Think 308, only more refined, just as visceral and more fun...

I am cursed when it comes to 355 Spiders, so I won't go there.

The 550 Maranello is a force to be reckoned with... The torque is anytime, anywhere, always on tap, just ask and it's there... The acceleration is eye-opening - literally...! The 575M is just downright intimidating...

The Modena, though clearly a newer car, definitely presents the driver with a raw-yet-refined driving experience... It nears the top of my list for most fun ever... The manual gearbox is smooth and seems to encourage quicker shifts - which in turn, encourages more acceleration... The 360 is voluptuous enough to be strikingly beautiful and nimble enough to make you think you're in something smaller... The power steering is tight and laser accurate... I'll never forget my night flying down some main road on Long Island, in a blacked-out Modena, threading traffic like some exotic Italian needle, hellbent on sewing everything into a nice, neat rearview mirror-shaped cluster of irrelevance... Damn it's hot in here.

 

The one you own!

 

WOW what an experience, I guess you can say ''been there done that''

 

Gotta take a cold shower, be right back with a reply.

 

I was thinking about being a wisearse and say MY GALLARDO...but after reading that,I am going to have to go to a ferrari dealership and drive some others that I have missed.Impressive writing.You could sell that to Ferrari.

 

I don't want to hijack the thread, but this is a poem I wrote after my first ride in a Testarossa... There was another Testarossa and a 328 GTS with us on the run... Riding in a Testarossa and looking at another one at the same time conjured these emotions:


Testarossa, Testarossa

Her potion; sordid and potent.
Forged is this opus, gorgeous in motion.
The sort of commotion that forms
when swarms of convulsions are warm
and orders are spoken, borders are broken
through hordes of emotion.

Testarossa, Testarossa...

Fleeing, we sought roads;
seeing we lost those
in the rearview, a clear view
and a screaming exhaust note
had me dreaming,
speeding thoughts so seething,
air breathing through taut nose.

Testarossa, Testarossa...

Bending with curves.
Sending the verve to nerve endings; a purge
was the never-ending with her.
Sensing the swerve, gently, we were
intensely a blur.

Testarossa, Testarossa.
Get the most of extra closeness;
test the roads with sex in doses;
dressed in prose addressed to focus,
say it twice, Testarossas.

 

My 328....cuz' it's mine. The few I've ridden in/driven (328, 456 & 308 QV) were all wonderful....I think any F-car is just plain fun to drive. Viva la roja!!!

 

Never a dull moment ...
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All ferrari's make you feel special.

 

There are only two for me that fit the bill of most exciting. The 246 and the 512 Boxer are the best for all aound thrills. The most exciting I've ever been in running but not moving was a 206SP. Oh wait a minute, a ride in a Europa was pretty good too.

 

Well, what happened? Inquiring minds want to know....

 

Carbon, do you mean to tell me you have never driven a Daytona?


If that is in fact the case, that is a situation we must rectify as soon as possible. And I happen to know of a pretty sweet running Daytona located less than an hour from you....


I have driven a 246, 512BBi, 308GTB, 308GTB QV, 355 and my Daytona. Ill take the Daytona every time. Steering is heavy, clutch is heavy, gated shifter requires a firm and deliberate hand, fast downshifts reward a skilled double clutch and the term "Torque Monster" is well earned!

The car comes alive as speed builds. Long, very fast sweeping corners through deserted rural two lanes highways.... the Daytona turns it into magic. It bellows from the exhaust and NOTHING howls like 12 weber carbs sucking in huge amounts of air through velocity stacks. Its totally old school in its handling, you drive the car on the throttle and use the balance it with the steering. Lift gently and the nose tucks in nicely, hard throttle on corner exit and she drifts to your track out point perfectly. (BTW....Carbon: No, you cant try that. I did read about the 355..... ) Its comfortable on a long trip and the interior is both classy and sportscar aggressive. The seats are of course phenomenal and created a trend that carries through to today.

The older cars make demands on the driver and assume your undivided attention in so many ways the newer cars do not. They simply demand that you be aggressive yet smooth and always aware of the balance between throttle, brake and weight transfer. Grip is not endless, yet the slide can be controlled and balanced. The throttle is so much more integral to making the car go where you want it to go. It makes for a very special experience when you have an opportunity to give




Terry
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My 348...........as its the only Ferrari I have driven so far. And what an experience it is to drive!! Everytime I drive the car, I do not want to stop. The car oozes so much character, it is unbelieveable. It has a raw, gutsy feel everytime im behind the wheel. I feel like Micheal Schumacher in the drivers seat everytime I go for a drive. The power comes on great higher in the rev range. The torque is also very good, coupled with the close ratio 1st and 2nd gears in the clunky gearbox. It really snaps you back in your seat when you want to have some fun. The stock exhaust note also sounds lovely. A Capritso/Tubi would be better. A very good entry level Ferrari with great performance, which is what lured me to purchase my 348. After the 1st test drive of it, I was hooked. The look of admiration from people while I was test driving the car, was worth the purchase price alone. The performance is excellent and the overall 348 experience for me is magical.

Here is the obligratory pic of my 348.
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355 for me, I've always found it forgiving and I feel more confident so I can enjoy it more, closely followed by my Mondy Qv

 

Terry, why dont you lend your daytona to Carbon for the weekend?
Of course I agree with you, even though I also enjoy the 275 if I could keep only one it would be the Daytona.

 

nno--absolutely beautiful. You can hijack a thread any time you want! I mean, really, who's telling who to sell what to Ferrari? Wow. I feel like I just drove--wait, am driving, one. Any chance you have more of the same? I would love to read. Feel free to pm. And sorry, no comments on which is the most fun to drive. I have yet to drive one myself.

M

 

Driven a few Ferraris and I think the Testarossa still gives me the best overall satisfaction its exotic and great to look at and is still a pretty quick car and its got 12 cylinders.

 

They all are. 328 for down to earth sensation and road feel, not the most powerful car, 512 tr for design and the roar of 12 cylinders, 360 spider for the top down, wonderful modern F1 formula updates and design!!

 

Driven...? Are you kidding me...? I've never even ridden in a Daytona...! The only person to ever offer me a ride in a 365 GTB/4 was our very own Malcolm Barksdale, but I felt obligated to turn him down because I didn't want to be rude to someone else who had already offered me a ride in another car... LOL, I still think about that day and regret it...

Terry, you name the time and place - and I'll be there...!

 

Thank you, Matthew... I used to have a website where I kept all sorts of poetry and short stories about Ferraris... It's not up anymore; I'll have to dig all that stuff out from somewhere else... When I do, I'll let you know...

 

I have driven a QV, 328, 348, 355 and 360.

I'll probably be outsted from the brotherhood for saying this, but I sure as heck loved the short time I had in a 6-speed 355.

 

I've driven most Ferrari configurations, 6, 8 and 12 cylinder, old and new, and I own a '60s Lamborghini with a 12, but my most memorable drive was in my Dino 246GTS. I took it out to Concorso Italiano a couple years back and afterward drove up to Los Gatos for dinner with a friend. The return to Carmel took place at 1:00 AM. The air was cool, I had the roof off and drove down Highway 17. There was no traffic, and I could go as fast as I dared over the Santa Cruz mountain road. I had the little V6 right near the redline most of the time as I sawed up and down through the gears and tossed the car left and right. With the stone hillside on the right and high concrete barriers on the left, the howl of the engine was electrifying. I felt like Mike Hawthorn or Phil Hill. When I got back to Carmel I spent several minutes just sitting in the car thinking, "THAT, is what a Ferrari is all about."

 

We will let ya slide this time mate....

 

This one is easy....TESTAROSSA!

Or it could be because that is the only Ferrari I have ever driven.

Of course, if I could find enough willing owners, I would be happy to drive many more models and offer my expert opinions comparing their car to the Testarossa!