California - This month's EVO.

[Pugsey]

So, last month (it may have been the month before), based purely on the same pics/spec sheets that we've all had access to, Metcalfe saw fit to rubbish the California and effectively question it's place in a 'proper' Ferrari line up. This before having seen the thing in the flesh let alone having driven it.

Guess what? This month he's been out to Ferrari, seen the car in the flesh - still not driven it - and is starting to think it may actually be A GOOD THING. Good grief he even uses words like 'so this really is a drivers car then'! Perhaps he has one on order..................

God help those who base their buying decisions on these mags.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 21st July 11:31

[AndrewD]

I long ago gave up on the words in Evo. People who just learned to drive putting their Evos in ditches one minute spouting things like "detailed steering feedback" the next. The pictures are pretty though

[mcar]

Pugsey said:

So, last month (it may have been the month before), based purely on the same pics/spec sheets that we've all had access to, Metcalfe saw fit to rubbish the California and effectively question it's place in a 'proper' Ferrari line up. This before having seen the thing in the flesh let alone having driven it.

Guess what? This month he's been out to Ferrari, seen the car in the flesh - still not driven it - and is starting to think it may actually be A GOOD THING. Good grief he even uses words like 'so this really is a drivers car then'! Perhaps he has one on order..................

God help those who base their buying decisions on these mags.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 21st July 11:31

Did you used to contribute to evo with your long-termers? Almost persuaded me to buy a boxster!!

IMO the long-termers is the best section of the magazine as you usually get a pretty frank response as to what the cars are like to live with on a daily basis and get a good idea about running costs/probelms etc. it's also interesting to hear conflicting reports to the original road testers comments after having lived with one for more than a 2 hour drive on a manufacturer's route of choice.

Back on topic, i'm looking forward to reading what they have to say about this rather controversial car when I get back this evening.

Edited by mcar on Monday 21st July 14:14

[here]

Read the EVO mag and have to say that in the picture of the California with the 599. The 599 wins hands down. In from the side in that picture the California looks like a Corvette. In fact i thought i was looking at a Corvette at first Not a flattering picture.

[playerone]

here said:

Read the EVO mag and have to say that in the picture of the California with the 599. The 599 wins hands down. In from the side in that picture the California looks like a Corvette. In fact i thought i was looking at a Corvette at first Not a flattering picture.

I thought it was a mock up not a production body. It looks so bloated around the rear arches. From the side profile the guy sitting in it looks like his head has shrunk.

For me its just like the Audi R8. It looks wrong from the side profile but from almost every other angle it looks pretty good.

[Pugsey]

mcar said:

Pugsey said:

So, last month (it may have been the month before), based purely on the same pics/spec sheets that we've all had access to, Metcalfe saw fit to rubbish the California and effectively question it's place in a 'proper' Ferrari line up. This before having seen the thing in the flesh let alone having driven it.

Guess what? This month he's been out to Ferrari, seen the car in the flesh - still not driven it - and is starting to think it may actually be A GOOD THING. Good grief he even uses words like 'so this really is a drivers car then'! Perhaps he has one on order..................

God help those who base their buying decisions on these mags.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 21st July 11:31

Did you used to contribute to evo with your long-termers? Almost persuaded me to buy a boxster!!

IMO the long-termers is the best section of the magazine as you usually get a pretty frank response as to what the cars are like to live with on a daily basis and get a good idea about running costs/probelms etc. it's also interesting to hear conflicting reports to the original road testers comments after having lived with one for more than a 2 hour drive on a manufacturer's route of choice.

Back on topic, i'm looking forward to reading what they have to say about this rather controversial car when I get back this evening.

Edited by mcar on Monday 21st July 14:14

Might have done....... Depends whether you're going to have a go at me for pursuading you into the wrong car! Totally agree on the value of Longtermer sections in general - although I'm not sure Aston did when my Vantage broke down umpteen times in the first few weeks!

[pattyg]

Anyone see the pic of the puny exhaust within the big chrome surround. They'll need to fix that surely.

[Stormblue]

Ferrari's can be a bit camera shy at the begining, I remember when a friend was the first outsider to shoot the 360 Modena, he thought he'd make a a big play on those front air intakes and took the shots low down. Ferrari were not impressed and couldn't believe it was the same beautiful car.

So lets wait to see it in the tin, it may just grow on us or ......

[mcar]

Pugsey said:

Might have done....... Depends whether you're going to have a go at me for pursuading you into the wrong car! Totally agree on the value of Longtermer sections in general - although I'm not sure Aston did when my Vantage broke down umpteen times in the first few weeks!

No didn't get one in the end, but would still consider one in the future and recommended one to some relatives recently. How come you stopped writing for them? Would be good to regularly hear from someone who changes their cars often and generally has one of the 1st of anything exciting.

[andrew.]

it has false exhaust pipes fhs

[Pugsey]

mcar said:

Pugsey said:

Might have done....... Depends whether you're going to have a go at me for pursuading you into the wrong car! Totally agree on the value of Longtermer sections in general - although I'm not sure Aston did when my Vantage broke down umpteen times in the first few weeks!

No didn't get one in the end, but would still consider one in the future and recommended one to some relatives recently. How come you stopped writing for them? Would be good to regularly hear from someone who changes their cars often and generally has one of the 1st of anything exciting.

Mutual decision really - I didn't want to be tied to keeping my cars for a specific period of time - as you noticed I DO like to chop and change! Also I moved to a 997GT3 after the Aston and with a few complaints coming in from readers that Longtermers was getting a bit 'top heavy' we decided that was another reason to call a halt. Still chat to/see the guys though and with California, MK2GT3, F430 Replacement, FocusRS, GTR etc etc coming along I may be back with something one day! Get a Boxster if you get the chance. Great car and still the 'best' one in the range IMHO - nearly got another one this year - well, my girlfriend nearly did. In the end she got a 135iMSport convertible. Not quite a BoxsterS but pretty damned good I have to say!

With apologies to all for straying so far OT.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 21st July 22:58

[simonspider]

Pugsey said:

mcar said:

Pugsey said:

Might have done....... Depends whether you're going to have a go at me for pursuading you into the wrong car! Totally agree on the value of Longtermer sections in general - although I'm not sure Aston did when my Vantage broke down umpteen times in the first few weeks!

No didn't get one in the end, but would still consider one in the future and recommended one to some relatives recently. How come you stopped writing for them? Would be good to regularly hear from someone who changes their cars often and generally has one of the 1st of anything exciting.

Mutual decision really - I didn't want to be tied to keeping my cars for a specific period of time - as you noticed I DO like to chop and change! Also I moved to a 997GT3 after the Aston and with a few complaints coming in from readers that Longtermers was getting a bit 'top heavy' we decided that was another reason to call a halt. Still chat to/see the guys though and with California, MK2GT3, F430 Replacement, FocusRS, GTR etc etc coming along I may be back with something one day! Get a Boxster if you get the chance. Great car and still the 'best' one in the range IMHO - nearly got another one this year - well, my girlfriend nearly did. In the end she got a 135iMSport convertible. Not quite a BoxsterS but pretty damned good I have to say!

With apologies to all for straying so far OT.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 21st July 22:58

I never felt any pressure to keep SG54LAM for any length of time - I think the Orange Lambo was in there 3 years or so - I just enjoy contributing full stop. In my opinion there should be at least 2 Supercars in Longtermers that cover plenty of miles, so people who are interested see how much these cars really cost to run. Readers have written in and complained that I drove SG54 too much and it was too 'special' a supercar to be used so regularly. You can never win. In any case its still going strong

[R.P.M]

It is the pages of the long termers I flick to first. Always. I only wish there was more exotica runing, it seems to be a bit light on that front of late.

As for the Cali's exhausts!! i'm not sure I will sleep tonight. Truly dreadful.

Rpm

[Pugsey]

simonspider said:

Pugsey said:

mcar said:

Pugsey said:

Might have done....... Depends whether you're going to have a go at me for pursuading you into the wrong car! Totally agree on the value of Longtermer sections in general - although I'm not sure Aston did when my Vantage broke down umpteen times in the first few weeks!

No didn't get one in the end, but would still consider one in the future and recommended one to some relatives recently. How come you stopped writing for them? Would be good to regularly hear from someone who changes their cars often and generally has one of the 1st of anything exciting.

Mutual decision really - I didn't want to be tied to keeping my cars for a specific period of time - as you noticed I DO like to chop and change! Also I moved to a 997GT3 after the Aston and with a few complaints coming in from readers that Longtermers was getting a bit 'top heavy' we decided that was another reason to call a halt. Still chat to/see the guys though and with California, MK2GT3, F430 Replacement, FocusRS, GTR etc etc coming along I may be back with something one day! Get a Boxster if you get the chance. Great car and still the 'best' one in the range IMHO - nearly got another one this year - well, my girlfriend nearly did. In the end she got a 135iMSport convertible. Not quite a BoxsterS but pretty damned good I have to say!

With apologies to all for straying so far OT.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 21st July 22:58

I never felt any pressure to keep SG54LAM for any length of time - I think the Orange Lambo was in there 3 years or so - I just enjoy contributing full stop. In my opinion there should be at least 2 Supercars in Longtermers that cover plenty of miles, so people who are interested see how much these cars really cost to run. Readers have written in and complained that I drove SG54 too much and it was too 'special' a supercar to be used so regularly. You can never win. In any case its still going strong

Hi Simon. You may have misunderstood me. I meant that I have a tendency to chop and change cars so often that it wouldn't have worked in Longtermers anymore. I think a car needs to be in there for a minimum of six months and ideally longer. I don't think it would be fair for readers to expect to follow a long term running report on, say, a GT3 only for it to drop out after three months and I didn't feel I could look Harry in the eye and tell him with any certainty how long I might keep a given car for. Obviously not a problem for you lonnnnnnnngterm beasts! Can't believe people complained at you actually using the car as God intended. Hey ho, as you say you can never win.

Edited by Pugsey on Tuesday 22 July 11:13

[here]

Back onto the original subject of the California and not massaging the Evo contributors egos;)
I must say that the comments about the California's exhaust system is very disturbing. They are using false exhaust tail pipes???? Well two anyway Whats that about? False tail pipes!!!!

[Pugsey]

here said:

Back onto the original subject of the California and not massaging the Evo contributors egos;)
I must say that the comments about the California's exhaust system is very disturbing. They are using false exhaust tail pipes???? Well two anyway Whats that about? False tail pipes!!!!

Yes, silly really. All they needed to do was conceal what they'd done a bit better and we'd never have known! I suspect that there are actually loads of cars where the final tail pipes are larger than they, technically, need to be , purely for styling purposes. Much the same as airsoops that don't go anywhere, wings that don't do anything etc., etc..

[R.P.M]

I remember seeing a picture of the new lexus IS-F with a similar exhasut layout. From a certain angle you could see daylight through the bottom tail pipes.

I am a big fan of the california's shape but false details like the exhausts, make me worry about what else has been designed for asthetic reasons only.

I'm just waiting for the bull to come out from ferrari about how the fake pipes play an integeral part in making that wonderfull noise....


Rpm