This Rare Ferrari Is a Tribute to the Famous Designer Sergio Pininfarina

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This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

This Rare Ferrari Is a Tribute to the Famous Designer Sergio Pininfarina

This article was published by Joe Donaldson (@Joey D) on May 9th, 2018 in the Car Culture category.

 

[Epic B]

Does this car even have a roof beyond the targa style body?

 

[Joey D]

Does this car even have a roof beyond the targa style body?

Yup, it's the same roof from the 458.

 

[Slo_Wass_Mike]

I am a huge fan of Ferrari and Pininfarina. That being said, I am not a fan of this car at all. The A pillar forward is a terrible mess and the front clip is god awful. I do like what's going on after the A pillar though.

 

[Chikane_GTR]

The front is the only part i find ugly the rest is fine

 

[Epic B]

Yup, it's the same roof from the 458.

So it's a retractable hardtop like the Spider?

 

[SiriusR]

Somehow I find the production version of Sergio one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever made. There's one in blue with golden rims - pretty much the perfect iteration of 458 in my eyes.
The concept, on the other hand, is quite wacky imo.

 

[McLaren]

They've been trying to move this thing since August last year. It was originally listed for around $6 million, but it's taken a huge hit since then, dropping to $5 & $4 million over the last 6 months. Now it's projected to take in half of its original asking price.

It's almost a little surprising given that it is a rare Ferrari and none of the others have cropped up for sale, tmk.

So it's a retractable hardtop like the Spider?

No top.

 

[LaSupra]

Not to dig or anything but does anyone else see a bit of Silvia S14 in the front grille?

Quite an interesting design but it just doesn't have that Ferrari feel to it. Looks like a concept from 10 years ago or something.

 

[SilkCutXJR]

Not to dig or anything but does anyone else see a bit of Silvia S14 in the front grille?

Yes, it does look like that!

 

[D3V]

That's terrible, ugliest ferrari ever. Without doubt a proof that Pininfarina isn't here anymore.
I don't count that thing as a ferrari.

 

[Kovu]

That's terrible, ugliest ferrari ever. Without doubt a proof that Pininfarina isn't here anymore.
I don't count that thing as a ferrari.

To be honest - I dislike almost every Ferrari that came after the 360 Modena. Ferrari had its best time with Pininfarina himself, design-wise. Ironically, the old models even were the 'better' 'sportscars' than what Ferrari produces today (today they seem to be exclusive luxury goods only, with too much power and unresponsive handling).

Back when I was a teenager, I always wanted to drive an F40, Testarossa, 348, 355... today there's not even the 458 having that same appeal to me. I'd actually prefer to go for an Alfa 4C, Alpine A110, Lotus Elise/Exige/Evora...

 

[HenrySwanson]

Reminds me of a shoe looking at it from that angle....

 

[Joey D]

So it's a retractable hardtop like the Spider?

No top.

Based on everything I read about the car, it's a removable hard top.

 

[RodSk8Dude]

It looks like a GTA car.

 

[VXR]

(today they seem to be exclusive luxury goods only, with too much power and unresponsive handling).

Wait, what?

 

[kikie]

There use to be one for sale in the Netherlands. It's gone now.

You learn something new... - Cars you didn't know existed, until now! >>> #4511

 

[Kovu]

Wait, what?

I don't know about how you feel with modern Ferraris - but they don't provide the outstanding handling their old counterparts still used to have. To me it seems modern supercars compensate the lack of handling with power (which isn't only the case for Ferrari, I think the same goes for others like Lamborghini, Bugatti, Pagani, McLaren, Porsche...)

Of course I can only judge this from driving in simulators - but older 'supercars' tend to be true 'sportscars' whereas modern 'supercars' try to demonstrate an excess of power.

This why I think today that Alfa Romeo, Alpine, Caterham, Lotus, Toyota, Subaru etc build better sportscars than Ferrari.

 

[DigitalBaka]

I agree with @Slo_Wass_Mike , the front of this car is a mess. I understand that concepts are concepts and concessions need to be made but if it's a tribute to the designer that made you who you are....put in some effort.

 

[VXR]

I don't know about how you feel with modern Ferraris - but they don't provide the outstanding handling their old counterparts still used to have. To me it seems modern supercars compensate the lack of handling with power (which isn't only the case for Ferrari, I think the same goes for others like Lamborghini, Bugatti, Pagani, McLaren, Porsche...)

Of course I can only judge this from driving in simulators - but older 'supercars' tend to be true 'sportscars' whereas modern 'supercars' try to demonstrate an excess of power.

This why I think today that Alfa Romeo, Alpine, Caterham, Lotus, Toyota, Subaru etc build better sportscars than Ferrari.

Reports of the real cars, especially with something like the 458 Speciale said the cars were sharper than ever. Sure, if low speed tactility is your watch word, then so be it, but a 348tb is going to look like a shambles next to a modern Barchetta.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I don't know about how you feel with modern Ferraris - but they don't provide the outstanding handling their old counterparts still used to have. To me it seems modern supercars compensate the lack of handling with power (which isn't only the case for Ferrari, I think the same goes for others like Lamborghini, Bugatti, Pagani, McLaren, Porsche...)

Of course I can only judge this from driving in simulators - but older 'supercars' tend to be true 'sportscars' whereas modern 'supercars' try to demonstrate an excess of power.

This why I think today that Alfa Romeo, Alpine, Caterham, Lotus, Toyota, Subaru etc build better sportscars than Ferrari.

Literally everything I've read about the 458 — the car on which this is based — has pegged it as one of the best-handling Ferraris. Not just of the current lineup, but ever.

Reviews of the latest V12 front-engined cars have touched on Ferrari hitting the limit of what's really possible with the basic setup. Things like the steering being too darty to keep that feeling of alertness, combined with the sheer power of the V12, can make it a handful. That I understand. But that's a whole different beast.

I've ridden along in a 650S and 911 GT3 RS, and driven a 911 GTS and 718 Cayman S on track. I wouldn't say any of them are over-compensating with power versus handling. If anything, they have too much of the latter; I feel that the only way to get the true personality of the cars is to be travelling at far above road-legal speeds. The handling is so composed and accessible now that these cars can flatter all but the most ham-fisted of drivers.

 

[Tornado]

This is why in 2013, shortly after Pininfarina’s death Ferrari wanted something special to honor him.

They must not have thought much of him, then.

 

[Kovu]

Reports of the real cars, especially with something like the 458 Speciale said the cars were sharper than ever. Sure, if low speed tactility is your watch word, then so be it, but a 348tb is going to look like a shambles next to a modern Barchetta.

That's my point: driving a sportscar doesn't necessarily mean to be the fastest on track (of course it does in a race of the same class), but to experience the dynamic behavior of a car.

As far as I can see, todays supercars aren't even near the driving fun of a Caterham Seven, KTM X-Bow, Alfa 4C... etc... or classic sportscars.

 

[McLaren]

Based on everything I read about the car, it's a removable hard top.

It doesn't. The original concept was to showcase an open top vehicle, similar to the SLR Sterling Moss. They kept that same idea for the production car; the windscreen was fitted (along with lifting the nose) for regulation purposes according to Ferrari.

 

[TurismoBad]

Not a fan but maybe it's the paintwork that accentuates wrong parts of the design ?

 

[SiriusR]

Not a fan but maybe it's the paintwork that accentuates wrong parts of the design ?

I think so myself. Not a fan of matte black bits.

Looks so much better without of them. 👍

 

[TexRex]

I spy with my little eye, something simply stunning...

Spoiler

 

[McLaren]

Everything next to that blue Sergio is way more interesting, and I think the only 1 cheaper is that 288 GTO (and not by much).

 

[Mike458]

From the side... it looks okayish... but what the hell is going on with the front and back?

 

[SiriusR]

Everything next to that blue Sergio is way more interesting

Debatable. Even not taking elitists' hatred towards anything made in XXI century, F50 isn't that bad to not to deserve attention.
The 288 GTO (though not as stunning design-wise) and 410 Superamerica Series II are definitely great, but I'd disagree on 400 Superamerica Coupe, which looks like a E-type ripoff (which would somewhat make sense though).