F430 blamed for stupidity....

[McLaren]

The federal government may ban sales of Ferrari's bread-and-butter F430 in late 2006 unless the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration grants the company a waiver on airbag requirements.

It isn't that the F430's airbags aren't safe — they meet or exceed most NHTSA guidelines. But the F430 lacks sufficient protection for a small number of female occupants who aren't strapped into the correct position in the event of a crash. The same problem applies to child occupants. If the waiver isn't granted, Ferrari will be unable to sell cars built after September 1, 2006.

NHTSA suggested the company accelerate production and stockpile pre-September 1 cars to keep dealers supplied with cars for the two remaining years in the F430's production cycle, but Ferrari pointed out that it is already building the cars as quickly as it can to meet demand.

In its petition, Ferrari details its plans to continue the F430 line until late 2008, when it will "be replaced by a newly designed eight-cylinder model." What that means for rumors of a possible 10-cylinder Lamborghini Gallardo fighter isn't clear.

Lotus initially expected it would need a similar waiver to sell the Elise in the U.S., but ultimately found it could meet the requirement with off-the-shelf airbag technology. Ferrari, on the other hand, says in its petition that it has extensively tested available components without success. "The issue is not one of cost, but one of impossibility," the document states. (Emphasis added by Ferrari in its filing.)

"We focused on the work that had been done in an attempt to comply," observed Ferrari North American Corporate General Council Dave Wertheim. "We think there is a very high degree of safety in the car," he emphasized.

When the wheels of the federal bureaucracy will churn out a decision is anybody's guess. "There is no expected timetable," said Wertheim. What do Ferrari's oddsmakers think it'll decide? "We're cautiously optimistic," he said.

Waivers have typically been considered the realm of tiny startups and importers of limited numbers of unusual cars. Even though Lotus complied with the airbag requirement, the Elise still required waivers for other elements, such as lighting. The Crosslander SUV under consideration from Romania, for example, will require a waiver for its complete absence of any airbags, which is a much taller order than Ferrari's request.

Ferrari points out that only 13 percent of its owners have children under the age of 6, so that it is unlikely that many kids will ride in one of the waived cars. Further, the company pledges to provide, free of charge to any customer who requests it, a special child seat which will automatically deactivate the passenger's side airbag. The cars will also feature a manual cutoff switch for the passenger's side airbag.

If the notion of buying a Ferrari child seat sounds attractive, hold on. At this point that child seat is entirely hypothetical, says Wertheim, and even then it would only be available to those who own the car.

What this means to you: It's an interesting look at all the legal wrangling automakers must go through to sell cars in this country. But it does beg the question as to why Ferrari let this coming regulatory deadline approach without making the necessary improvements.

If I were Ferrari, I'd say "**** 'em."

Once again we blame a manufacturer for someone else's stupidity.

 

[Raghavan]

Oh yeah, blame Ferrari because a select few female occupants aren't strapped in correctly. Shouldn't they blame themselves for not putting on t heseatbelt propely?

 

[McLaren]

Remember, this is America. We have a tendency to blame people's stupidity on some manufacturer....

 

[Raghavan]

Remember, this is America. We have a tendency to blame people's stupidity on some manufacturer....

I wonder what would happen if ferrari threatened to pull out of the USA completely... That get their attention.

 

[McLaren]

Government wouldn't care. It would certainly raise the price of any Ferrari's left, and of course, US Ferrari owners would become outraged.

 

[Raghavan]

But US owners could make a petition for them to leave Ferrari alone.
God, i can't believe they're all over Ferrari for this bull****.

 

[Lee]

I wonder what is stopping them from "strapping" themselves in properly...

I'm sure if Ferrari do pull out of America they will be a prized item on the black market in America...

 

[Sting]

lol, females already have their rights, leave Ferrari alone.
Not that I care, I live in the UK and we will accept the F430, problemless or not!

 

[Jedi2016]

That's one of the stupidest things I've ever read. Why in the holy hell should a car manufacturer have to change their design for people who don't even wear their frikkin' seat belts? Aren't there laws in most states that require proper seat belt usage? That sure as hell ain't the car-maker's fault.

Or maybe... well, it IS a Ferrari, after all.. there's probably a larger percentage that a woman in the passenger seat may have her head the driver's lap.

I can understand the thing about passenger-side airbags, though. My own car has a feature that turns off the passenger-side airbag if it detects weight that's less than 60lbs. Although why I'd put a kid in the front seat when I've got a perfectly servicable back seat (with dedicated child-seat restraint hookups) is anybody's guess.

 

[Poverty]

Woman are usually like "I dont wear a seatbelt because I dont want my clothes to get wrinkled" Well your face will be a whole lot more wrinkled when you fly out the windscreen biotch.

 

[Ev0]

5 bucks says this is some pissed off environmentalist within the government trying to take a shot at Ferrari just because they don't like sports cars. This is absolutely absurd; it would be a crying shame if the US lost out on this phenomenal car.

 

[Raghavan]

I sure hope we don't lose the F430. it's one of the few cars i actually salivate over.

 

[Poverty]

the 360 was nicer than the f430 so I dont care.

 

[Raghavan]

the 360 was nicer than the f430 so I dont care.

How so?

 

[McLaren]

the 360 was nicer than the f430 so I dont care.

Doesn't matter. If the problem consists of the F430, it could lead to a re-review of other current Ferrari models, and possibly even Maserati.

 

[Jedi2016]

Doesn't matter. If the problem consists of the F430, it could lead to a re-review of other current Ferrari models, and possibly even Maserati.

That's the kicker.. there IS no problem with the car.

Car manufacturers should not have to alter their designs to protect against "what if" scenarios of people using the vehicle improperly.

 

[ExigeEvan]

That's the kicker.. there IS no problem with the car.

Car manufacturers should not have to alter their designs to protect against "what if" scenarios of people using the vehicle improperly.

IMO that's like saying guns shouldn't have safetys.

However, it is a stupid thing to though.

 

[iceburns288]

the 360 was nicer than the f430 so I dont care.

How so?

 

[Poverty]

I just think the 360 looks alot nicer. Performance wise its not as good but still very fast.

 

[Jedi2016]

IMO that's like saying guns shouldn't have safetys.

However, it is a stupid thing to though.

No, because the F430 does have safety features. It would be more like saying that a gun manufacturer should include a special kind of safety mechanism specifically for people who take off the normal safety, **** the hammer, then stick the thing down their pants and walk around.

A gun is not dangerous if used properly. Neither is a car. ANY car.

 

[JCE]

That's retarded.

1. Women in this country shouldn't be allowed to drive in the first place.
2. If seatbelts aren't being worn let the occupant die--it's natural selection.
3. **** the US Goverment--they need to STFU about stupid **** already.

I'm sick and tired of this country being nannified. It's fueling the fire for me to hurry up and move to another country. I just need money to move and a job in that country and it's go time.

 

[YSSMAN]

My only question is why it is only Ferrari that is in trouble? Im sure other exotic makes and models share the same problem...

Maybe Ferrari could get smart and do what Noble does... Sell the barebones Chassis and interior to an M12 or M400 and then sell the engine seperately... It gets the car labeled as a kit car, and makes it so the car does not have to go through crash testing and meet other safety standards...

 

[McLaren]

That's retarded.

1. Women in this country shouldn't be allowed to drive in the first place.
2. If seatbelts aren't being worn let the occupant die--it's natural selection.
3. **** the US Goverment--they need to STFU about stupid **** already.

I'm sick and tired of this country being nannified. It's fueling the fire for me to hurry up and move to another country. I just need money to move and a job in that country and it's go time.

I wouldn't go that far about women. Plenty of them can drive well, my sis' included.

 

[ExigeEvan]

That's retarded.

1. Women in this country shouldn't be allowed to drive in the first place.
2. If seatbelts aren't being worn let the occupant die--it's natural selection.
3. **** the US Goverment--they need to STFU about stupid **** already.

I'm sick and tired of this country being nannified. It's fueling the fire for me to hurry up and move to another country. I just need money to move and a job in that country and it's go time.

And to find a country that doesn't nanny you.

Well that's the UK and Switzerland off the list for a start.

@Jedi- Guns have a trigger. Cars have brakes. (The trigger stops the gun firing constantly as soon as it is loaded, the brakes stop a car from moving, no matter how it starts.).

Guns have safety switches. Cars have Airbags. Safety stops the trigger being pull by addicent. The Airbag is usually incase the brakes don't stop you intime (You don't stand much chance in an head on colision no matter what).

Both stop 'what if' scenarios. The safety if you handle teh gun in a way that the trigger could go off, the airbag incase you don't leave enough room from the car infront if something goes wrong (And I'll concede alot of other scenarios aswell).

 

[eliseracer]

I'll never own one, so it doesn't bother me. I can't see anyone other than Ferrari being mad about this.

 

[iceburns288]

The only people mad about this are the people who are on the waiting list for an F430. Myself included, with expected October delievery. However, that delivery would make the car's build date around mid-August... hmm. Well, the people who own 'em will be thrilled, as if production stops the values will rocket.

 

[SRV2LOW4ME]

Its stupid people that make companies put warnings like "do not spray on your corn flakes and eat them" on hair spray bottles. Thats not an actual one, but theres many out there that are that stupid.
Sad to think that companies have to take the blame due to people not using the product in the manner for which it was designed.

 

[YSSMAN]

If you want an example of a stupid law ruining simple things:

I work at Steve and Barry's, a University Sportswear chain, and we had to remove all of the ties from our hooded sweatshirts because some dumbass kid decided it would be fun to screw around on some blacony and attempt to hang from something like Spider-Man with his hood ties... Apparently he ended up hanging himself, someone got sued...

 

[Wolfe]

@Jedi- Guns have a trigger. Cars have brakes. (The trigger stops the gun firing constantly as soon as it is loaded, the brakes stop a car from moving, no matter how it starts.).

Guns have safety switches. Cars have Airbags. Safety stops the trigger being pull by addicent. The Airbag is usually incase the brakes don't stop you intime (You don't stand much chance in an head on colision no matter what).

Both stop 'what if' scenarios. The safety if you handle teh gun in a way that the trigger could go off, the airbag incase you don't leave enough room from the car infront if something goes wrong (And I'll concede alot of other scenarios aswell).

No, Jedi's example was very clear. Using a seatbelt improperly or not wearing it at all is exactly as he described with the gun -- disassembling or otherwise disabling the safety that the gun came with, rendering it useless/inoperable.

God, I hope this s*** doesn't spawn a return of those @^%#^$^ automatic seat-belts...

 

[Kylehnat]

1)Women should not be allowed to drive Ferraris
(Britney Spears destroyed a 360 drivetrain by trying to downshift into 2nd gear at 90+ mph; that's proof enough for me)

2)Children should not be allowed to ride in Ferraris
(I wouldn't want them spilling their juice under the seat, would you?)

3)Ferraris should not have airbags. It adds too much weight. If I were to crash a $200,000 car, I'd rather not live to see the results.