Cars We Drive!

[Cary Grant]

The 2014 M3/M4 dealer guide has been leaked:

http://blog.caranddriver.com/have-i...s-online/?src=spr_FBPAGE&spr_id=1458_28522855


http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=907004

 

[epb]



He sold his GT3RS 4.0 for the 599. Said something along the lines of he missed driving them since Ferrari blacklisted him. 

Me, I would have kept the GT3RS 4.0. Only 599 exception being a GTO. 

I'd have kept the Porsche too, but as much as Harris loves Porsches, he doesn't keep anything very long, despite being a reviewer and getting a steady diet of new metal for free. I'm impressed he's off the Ferrari blacklist, even though he's worked at getting back in their good graces (somewhat - he's bought two Ferraris since and praised them, but he's still been critical of their antics).

Ferrari also juices their review cars and dictates the crap out of what the review will look like. Frankly, the reviews are absolute garbage.

This is why Harris was banned. Other writers have mentioned their tweaking of cars in comparos in passing, but he wrote an entire article (for Jalopnik) criticizing them for the practice.

Tiff Needell was banned for about a decade, but he was pretty unrepentant. And I think he did something to mildly tick them off on his first review. It was a while back, but he was at a launch and got the last car available in the ugliest color.

 

[sonick]



Ferrari also juices their review cars and dictates the crap out of what the review will look like. Frankly, the reviews are absolute garbage.

This is what caused the whole tiff between Ferrari and Chris Harris in the first place; Harris wrote a big piece on Jalopnik calling out Ferrari on these tactics.

 

[Find Finn]



He sold his GT3RS 4.0 for the 599. Said something along the lines of he missed driving them since Ferrari blacklisted him. 

Me, I would have kept the GT3RS 4.0. Only 599 exception being a GTO. 

http://www.carscoops.com/2013/06/chris-harris-sells-ferrari-599-because.html

 

[whiteslashasian]



http://www.carscoops.com/2013/06/chris-harris-sells-ferrari-599-because.html

Pretty sure he's driving a Ferrari 512 TR these days.

 

[GreenFrog]

Does anyone know where I can watch the latest season of Top Gear on the internet?

 

[jet]

just watched the f40 f50 vid so good

 

[akatsuki]

So is there an exotic or near-exotic that doesn't have that kind of maintenance cost? I've owned a few Porsche's in my day, but never the higher-end stuff, I assume they are reasonable to keep? What about the R8 - I assume that Lambo engine is not exactly the poster child for low maintenance...

 

[sonick]



Does anyone know where I can watch the latest season of Top Gear on the internet?

FinalGear.com

 

[GreenFrog]



FinalGear.com

Thanks brah!

 

[HRoi]



So is there an exotic or near-exotic that doesn't have that kind of maintenance cost? I've owned a few Porsche's in my day, but never the higher-end stuff, I assume they are reasonable to keep? What about the R8 - I assume that Lambo engine is not exactly the poster child for low maintenance...

Any 2012 and newer Ferrari. Complimentary maintenance for 7 years. They're absolutely not low-maintenance, but at least you're not paying any extra for it

 

[aravenel]

I'd really be interested to know what that Ferrari offer does for their bottom line--how much it increases sales, how much it costs them to do maintenance on all these cars now, etc.

 

[GreenFrog]

bout tree fiddy

 

[KenRose]

it would be interesting....considering they limit production to be far less then demand for their cars. Logic would be that they don't make much on it, I'll bet they could offer the car without the service at the same price and sell just as many.

I'd really be interested to know what that Ferrari offer does for their bottom line--how much it increases sales, how much it costs them to do maintenance on all these cars now, etc.

 

[Blackhood]

It is more to do with long term branding. They are saddled with a reputation that says the cars are delicate flowers, in need of constant care. By offering the 7 year warranty they are trying to make be people more brand confident. I suppose they are going after the MB AMG customer, who wants German engineering in their super car.