RE: Ferrari Portofino: Driven

[PhantomPH]

Gandahar said:

As they sang in the film Grease, tell us more tell us more..does he drive a fast car?

Yeah...erm...they never said that in Grease.


Incase you were curious:
"Tell me more, tell me more,
Like, does he have a car?"

[Gandahar]

PhantomPH said:

Gandahar said:

As they sang in the film Grease, tell us more tell us more..does he drive a fast car?

Yeah...erm...they never said that in Grease.


Incase you were curious:
"Tell me more, tell me more,
Like, does he have a car?"

Thanks

Notice they did not ask

"does he have a big keyboard"

Perhaps in the remake.

[ReverendCounter]

Dan Trent said:

Probably not the platform to be plugging my other outlets but I'm keeping busy! As a freelancer I'm learning to be utterly shameless about self-promotion so Twitter (@trent_dan) will point you in the direction of my latest adventures. Am dabbling a bit on the mountain bike side too, which is fun and a nice additional stream.

Not ready for a real job yet, put it that way!

Dan

Well when you find yourself behind the wheel of lovely sounding exotica, perhaps you could give any resulting production an extra slant, by making a binaural recording when you're in the driver's seat, so we get to hear exactly what it sounds like going into the red.

I feel that audio very often takes second place when vids are being shot, so perhaps there's an avenue to explore - it's not expensive or difficult, but the results, when listened to on earbuds/headphones give a very realistic sensation of being in the scene, rather than watching it...just a thought.

Good luck anyway (doesn't sound like you need it)!

[Agent57]

Looks a bt like a Peugeot 407....

[Wills2]

unsprung said:

PhantomPH said:

AC43 said:

Rawwr said:

Anyone else find the interior is a bit of a mess? What the hell is going on here?

It's a bit Kahn/Halfords.

Halfords definitely do the best car interiors....

Taste is maddeningly subjective, isn't it. I like the interior as various functions have their discrete spaces. Looks both ergonomically correct and appropriately athletic.

I do prefer this interior in the (slightly ruddy) tan. In black, however, I reckon that many more would find it inviting. Just my two cents.

There is lots going on in there but I think it looks fantastic and very high quality.

[Dan Trent]

ReverendCounter said:

Well when you find yourself behind the wheel of lovely sounding exotica, perhaps you could give any resulting production an extra slant, by making a binaural recording when you're in the driver's seat, so we get to hear exactly what it sounds like going into the red.

I feel that audio very often takes second place when vids are being shot, so perhaps there's an avenue to explore - it's not expensive or difficult, but the results, when listened to on earbuds/headphones give a very realistic sensation of being in the scene, rather than watching it...just a thought.

Good luck anyway (doesn't sound like you need it)!

I once melted a microphone in the engine bay of a McLaren trying to achieve exactly that! But I'm with you.

Thanks for the kind words too!

Dan

[Cobnapint]

Gameface said:

andy43 said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

article said:

Its follow-up is much more comely,....
....For the Portofino, the engineers have again delved into the details; chiefly to chivvy at the passage of air through the engine....
... it gurgles a little too gassily and wants for the seamlessness....
... In Sport mode, with the paddles in play, the gear ratios suddenly shunt together with heft and speed, complimenting an engine that never demeans itself with too much linearity or mid-range paunch, but instead revs progressively and impeccably - and perhaps a little more vigorously than its forbear...
...The net effect is not unlike the inability of the drivetrain to make peaceable, blameless progress; Ferrari's persistence with a taut and edgy handling character ultimately handicapping fulfilment of the brief at the opposite end of the scale. Of course that rather makes the car sound like a chip off the old block: neither one thing or the other, doomed by a mandate just broad enough for Maranello to fail to wrap its collective head around...

I can just hear the gentle rhythmic thud of derestrictor's head on a wall somewhere...

Cackett must be doing it to take the piss now. No-one with serious journalistic training would consistently publish content such as he does.

This is one of his more 'restrained' articles. I only had to read one sentence twice this time.

He obviously didn't write it dressed in full William Shakespeare period costume like he normally does.

[Nano2nd]

PBDirector said:

I commented on the author's previous article - saying that I'd had to work really hard to read it.
I then noticed subsequent comments implying that this wasn't the first time the same criticism had been levelled at the same author; I had no idea of that when I made my comment.

If that's the case, I'd like to say that this article was perfectly readable to me.

[with the possible exception of: "The net effect is not unlike the inability of the drivetrain to make peaceable, blameless progress; Ferrari's persistence with a taut and edgy handling character ultimately handicapping fulfilment of the brief at the opposite end of the scale." -- try reading that passage aloud and tell me whether any human talks like that.]

funny enough i thought the same thing and possibly made similar comments previously and like you totally lost the plot on that last paragraph... please someone at PH reign this **** in! does writing like this seriously impress anyone?

[Grey944]

PBDirector said:

I commented on the author's previous article - saying that I'd had to work really hard to read it.
I then noticed subsequent comments implying that this wasn't the first time the same criticism had been levelled at the same author; I had no idea of that when I made my comment.

If that's the case, I'd like to say that this article was perfectly readable to me.

[with the possible exception of: "The net effect is not unlike the inability of the drivetrain to make peaceable, blameless progress; Ferrari's persistence with a taut and edgy handling character ultimately handicapping fulfilment of the brief at the opposite end of the scale." -- try reading that passage aloud and tell me


whether any human talks like that.]

Got half way and started skim reading, this guy can't write! Anyway the fezza sounds awesome.

[MitchT]

PhantomPH said:

I really like this car. I am surprised to read that the back seats get used...I assume lots of people have kids with no legs.

GranCab said:

The rear seats are about as useful/useless as those in a 911 or a DB11.

I'd be interested to know if they'd be any use for me ... 5' 7" with a mum and dad who are 5' 0" and 5' 5" respectively. With my seat in the relatively forward position that I'd have it in, would that render the rear seats sufficiently useful?

[Grey944]

Dan Trent said:

PhantomPH said:

That's fair. However, I think the main issue is that PH content is (probably for most) consumed whilst at work, on a break, on lunch, between other parts of life. I think the formulaic nature has been created by the understanding that content needs to be short and to-the-point because of the nature of consumption.

Giving us articles that are twice the length they need to be, just to satisfy someone's need to show they are somehow better than the status quo, means that the consumers will simply stop consuming.

IMHO, of course!

It's a fine line and not for me to comment on in PH's case. But taken to logical extremes you end up with listicles, top 10s or those faux, jaunty Q&A style reviews you see in some places. And as a consumer I generally find them something of a turn-off. Keeping flowing copy tight is a real discipline, especially if there's a lot of tech to communicate, and achieving that and being entertaining within a word count is a proper challenge. But one good writers should relish, though it's sometimes nice to indulge yourself if opportunity presents! It's all about hitting a balance and sometimes you'll go too far in one direction or the other but Nic, Matt and the rest of the guys are pros and constructive criticism will always be listened to.

Dan

Just stringing long sentences together for the sake of itdoes not make an engaging article.

The articles don't need to be short or to the point or listless Q&A's. They just need to be exciting and descriptive, explaining how it feels to drive the car, with a bit of technical stuff thrown in for the geeks!

Some of the other writers on here do a decent job, maybe the feature articles should be shared around the PH office??

Edited by Grey944 on Wednesday 14th February 21:57

[Active75]

MitchT said:

PhantomPH said:

I really like this car. I am surprised to read that the back seats get used...I assume lots of people have kids with no legs.

GranCab said:

The rear seats are about as useful/useless as those in a 911 or a DB11.

I'd be interested to know if they'd be any use for me ... 5' 7" with a mum and dad who are 5' 0" and 5' 5" respectively. With my seat in the relatively forward position that I'd have it in, would that render the rear seats sufficiently useful?

If its any help, we had a 2010 California for a while. I'm 5'8 and could fit in the back seat, just, if the passenger seat was moved forward. But the bigger issue was the rear seat back is almost upright, and quite firm. Anything over a 5 mile journey was very uncomfortable. Unlike the rear seats in an FF which are far more comfortable.

[mwstewart]

It would look really very good if the headlights and bonnet line were moved down 2". Safety regulations I guess!

[MitchT]

Active75 said:

If its any help, we had a 2010 California for a while. I'm 5'8 and could fit in the back seat, just, if the passenger seat was moved forward. But the bigger issue was the rear seat back is almost upright, and quite firm. Anything over a 5 mile journey was very uncomfortable. Unlike the rear seats in an FF which are far more comfortable.

I was wondering if there'd be usable rear space behind a 5' 7" driver. The rear seat backs do look very upright - can't be good! It would make more sense to me if this car had genuinely usable rear seats like the Maserati GranTurismo.

[suffolk009]

Grey944 said:

Dan Trent said:

PhantomPH said:

That's fair. However, I think the main issue is that PH content is (probably for most) consumed whilst at work, on a break, on lunch, between other parts of life. I think the formulaic nature has been created by the understanding that content needs to be short and to-the-point because of the nature of consumption.

Giving us articles that are twice the length they need to be, just to satisfy someone's need to show they are somehow better than the status quo, means that the consumers will simply stop consuming.

IMHO, of course!

It's a fine line and not for me to comment on in PH's case. But taken to logical extremes you end up with listicles, top 10s or those faux, jaunty Q&A style reviews you see in some places. And as a consumer I generally find them something of a turn-off. Keeping flowing copy tight is a real discipline, especially if there's a lot of tech to communicate, and achieving that and being entertaining within a word count is a proper challenge. But one good writers should relish, though it's sometimes nice to indulge yourself if opportunity presents! It's all about hitting a balance and sometimes you'll go too far in one direction or the other but Nic, Matt and the rest of the guys are pros and constructive criticism will always be listened to.

Dan

Just stringing long sentences together for the sake of itdoes not make an engaging article.

The articles don't need to be short or to the point or listless Q&A's. They just need to be exciting and descriptive, explaining how it feels to drive the car, with a bit of technical stuff thrown in for the geeks!

Some of the other writers on here do a decent job, maybe the feature articles should be shared around the PH office??

Edited by Grey944 on Wednesday 14th February 21:57

Reading the article you really wouldn't think that Cackett had actually driven the car, let alone seen it iin the flesh.

[PhantomPH]

Gandahar said:

PhantomPH said:

Gandahar said:

As they sang in the film Grease, tell us more tell us more..does he drive a fast car?

Yeah...erm...they never said that in Grease.


Incase you were curious:
"Tell me more, tell me more,
Like, does he have a car?"

Thanks

Notice they did not ask

"does he have a big keyboard"

Perhaps in the remake.

Oooo, touchy! If you feel that strongly I'll see you at Thunder Road. And we're racing for pinks.

[Black S2K]

Dan Trent said:

PhantomPH said:

That's fair. However, I think the main issue is that PH content is (probably for most) consumed whilst at work, on a break, on lunch, between other parts of life. I think the formulaic nature has been created by the understanding that content needs to be short and to-the-point because of the nature of consumption.

Giving us articles that are twice the length they need to be, just to satisfy someone's need to show they are somehow better than the status quo, means that the consumers will simply stop consuming.

IMHO, of course!

It's a fine line and not for me to comment on in PH's case. But taken to logical extremes you end up with listicles, top 10s or those faux, jaunty Q&A style reviews you see in some places. And as a consumer I generally find them something of a turn-off. Keeping flowing copy tight is a real discipline, especially if there's a lot of tech to communicate, and achieving that and being entertaining within a word count is a proper challenge. But one good writers should relish, though it's sometimes nice to indulge yourself if opportunity presents! It's all about hitting a balance and sometimes you'll go too far in one direction or the other but Nic, Matt and the rest of the guys are pros and constructive criticism will always be listened to.

Dan

There is a bit of a tradition of flowery prose over Ferrari reviews. Mel Nichols used to do it very well, without descending into a word-salad.

Far preferable to that Q&A 'hep cat' style, that actually isn't.

[Dan Trent]

Black S2K said:

There is a bit of a tradition of flowery prose over Ferrari reviews. Mel Nichols used to do it very well, without descending into a word-salad.

Far preferable to that Q&A 'hep cat' style, that actually isn't.

Indeed. When you go back through some of that stuff from back in the day it makes even Queef look a little underplayed! For my money Bulgin managed to strike the perfect balance between creative - and occasionally quite florid - writing enlivened by cultural references that made you feel like you in on the joke. All while delivering the hard, factual stuff you also wanted to get out of the story. And if he did have a strong opinion about something he'd tend to explain it and put it into context, rather than try and assert it as being the only one of merit. That balance between entertaining and informing is very hard to strike because you'll always be alienating some of your audience so much as you'll be patronising another portion. Setright was one extreme and enjoyable in his own way but, as I say, I think Bulgin managed to hit the widest possible audience and remains my personal benchmark.

It's like music though. Everyone will have their own tastes but I'd take interesting and creative over homogenised and lowest common denominator any day. And I think most here would too, which is what I loved about my time at PH and made it such a rewarding gig. The former carries risks and won't always please everyone but I'd take it over the latter any day.

Dan

[Yipper]

Grey944 said:

Dan Trent said:

PhantomPH said:

That's fair. However, I think the main issue is that PH content is (probably for most) consumed whilst at work, on a break, on lunch, between other parts of life. I think the formulaic nature has been created by the understanding that content needs to be short and to-the-point because of the nature of consumption.

Giving us articles that are twice the length they need to be, just to satisfy someone's need to show they are somehow better than the status quo, means that the consumers will simply stop consuming.

IMHO, of course!

It's a fine line and not for me to comment on in PH's case. But taken to logical extremes you end up with listicles, top 10s or those faux, jaunty Q&A style reviews you see in some places. And as a consumer I generally find them something of a turn-off. Keeping flowing copy tight is a real discipline, especially if there's a lot of tech to communicate, and achieving that and being entertaining within a word count is a proper challenge. But one good writers should relish, though it's sometimes nice to indulge yourself if opportunity presents! It's all about hitting a balance and sometimes you'll go too far in one direction or the other but Nic, Matt and the rest of the guys are pros and constructive criticism will always be listened to.

Dan

Just stringing long sentences together for the sake of itdoes not make an engaging article.

The articles don't need to be short or to the point or listless Q&A's. They just need to be exciting and descriptive, explaining how it feels to drive the car, with a bit of technical stuff thrown in for the geeks!

Some of the other writers on here do a decent job, maybe the feature articles should be shared around the PH office??

Edited by Grey944 on Wednesday 14th February 21:57

A main issue with PH articles is -- they pander too much to the PH baying mob.

Instead of getting immediately to the point and just saying "the Portofino looks like an MX-5 and sounds like a Golf R and is a bit rubbish"... they will walk around the houses to try and deflect criticism before everyone jumps on the thread to put the boot in... As a result, 10-to-20-word sentences often become 20-to-50-word unreadable waffle.

[counterofbeans]

Yipper said:

unreadable waffle.

Just like all your posts then