Ferrari styling - best appreciated a few years on?

[MJK 24]

Just looking at the pics of the Zymol treated 360 CS in another thread. Looks beautiful from all angles.

However, when the 360 came out, I recall walking around one in complete and utter dismay wondering how the hell they got it so wrong compared to the 355. A few years on, I love them.

Ferrari 430? Not remotely keen on the styling at the moment but past experience suggests it'll grow on me favourably over time.

Does anyone else only start to apprecaiate a model when they're out of production? I could quote numerous example from all ends of the market...

[MJK 24]

redgta said:

One thing I'll say for Ferrari, the launch of a new car does seem to get everyone talking about design as they push the barrier, rather than stick to any same old formula.

This is very true.

[MJK 24]

V12AML said:

MJK 24 said: redgta said: One thing I'll say for Ferrari, the launch of a new car does seem to get everyone talking about design as they push the barrier, rather than stick to any same old formula. This is very true. Yes i agree that this is perhaps a good thing for Ferrari to keep doing something different. On the other hand Astons Martin's Range has pretty much stayed the same in the way looks go since the DB7 was launched back in 1993 (except the 90's V8), but i wouln't say for them its time for a change.

I think Aston must be struggling for ideas now. They launched the Vanquish to universal praise re the styling. Then the DB9 came out. Far prettier that the DB7 (in my opinion) but very similar looking to a Vanquish. Now we have the little V8 and the styling remains VERY family orientated to the point where someone who had a little knowledge about cars, but wasn't as Aston enthusiast, may struggle to tell the cars apart.

Likewise the 4 door saloon that appeared in Autocar a few weeks back. Lots of (over?) familiar styling queues on show.

I think the Astons mentioned above from recent times are very attractive, but I can't help thinking that they're making a rod for their own back having such a 'look' across the whole model range. They're struggling to do something different in my opinion.