Bought this Soul Red Crystal ND MX5 a few weeks ago - new (more sensibly sized) aerial will be added along with Cobalt exhaust within the next few weeks:
I had a Cobalt on perpetual back order, got bored and got a Cobra road type for my NC instead.
Show Us Your Motors!
- Thread starter Lopéz
- Start date
I had a Cobalt on perpetual back order, got bored and got a Cobra road type for my NC instead.
The 360 has landed
Of course took it for a blast on some of my favourite roads.
Surprising points, I always remember 360’s been not that quick, this feels pretty damn rapid but it’s running CS mapping and has a Novitec exhaust so yes it sounds amazing, not insanely loud but toneful.
The ride quality another surprise, it is superb, as comfy if not comfier than the Alfa in comfort mode.
It’s also running full CS alignment settings so the handling is superb and I had AV Engineering fit new PS5 tyres for me and fully inspect and service the car.
Over the last few months I’ve looked at around seven 360’s and driven four, every single one had issues of some kind mainly from neglect in its past or drove like a bag of spanner’s. Perfect example was a late 2004 example with only 23,000 miles but it felt slow and had zero steering feel or response, was also on 13yr old tyres. Drove a silver one and felt similarly lose and disconnected.
The yellow car I drove admittedly drove nice and had new Michelins on which helps and it stopped well and felt strong, but Ferrari found so many issues mounting to a large bill with some unexplained issues.
This car is just spotless, only 34,000 miles and though it cost me more to buy in theory it should cost far less as it’s in a condition I’m happy with, all it needed to pass inspection was a wiper arm and hub nut, about £500. The drive is sensational, very similar to my Boxster Spyder but a far more special engine and the gated shifter I never got all the hype until today, click clack.
Of course took it for a blast on some of my favourite roads.
Surprising points, I always remember 360’s been not that quick, this feels pretty damn rapid but it’s running CS mapping and has a Novitec exhaust so yes it sounds amazing, not insanely loud but toneful.
The ride quality another surprise, it is superb, as comfy if not comfier than the Alfa in comfort mode.
It’s also running full CS alignment settings so the handling is superb and I had AV Engineering fit new PS5 tyres for me and fully inspect and service the car.
Over the last few months I’ve looked at around seven 360’s and driven four, every single one had issues of some kind mainly from neglect in its past or drove like a bag of spanner’s. Perfect example was a late 2004 example with only 23,000 miles but it felt slow and had zero steering feel or response, was also on 13yr old tyres. Drove a silver one and felt similarly lose and disconnected.
The yellow car I drove admittedly drove nice and had new Michelins on which helps and it stopped well and felt strong, but Ferrari found so many issues mounting to a large bill with some unexplained issues.
This car is just spotless, only 34,000 miles and though it cost me more to buy in theory it should cost far less as it’s in a condition I’m happy with, all it needed to pass inspection was a wiper arm and hub nut, about £500. The drive is sensational, very similar to my Boxster Spyder but a far more special engine and the gated shifter I never got all the hype until today, click clack.
The sound track is musical, very toneful.
Not sure what it revs too been changing up around 8500rpm but engine feels very flexible like the 458’s, got plenty of shuff 3000rpm onwards.
Clutch and gearbox weighting feels perfect, it’s more enjoyable to shift than the S2000 was but unlike the S2000 you can’t rush it but it is the most interactive manual I’ve ever used in a car, very enjoyable.
Almost makes me feel Ferrari made a big mistake dumping the manual like they did but they went chasing technology and numbers, a real shame.
Soldato
Nice! @Gibbo
You should post some videos of the noise
Are you sticking with just the exhaust or planning a full Novitech send? (Twin supercharger, rear wing etc).
You should post some videos of the noise
Are you sticking with just the exhaust or planning a full Novitech send? (Twin supercharger, rear wing etc).
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Man of Honour
That's beautiful, Gibbo. I'd have that over the 458 any day of the week!
Soldato
Gibbo, he’s chasing Shmee down!
Ferrari dropped the manual as no one bought it once the F1 gearbox was introduced. They just went with market forces. It's also easier to design a cabin that doesn't have to cope with a gear lever and stuff.
Soldato
I think I read that the last manual Ferrari, the California, only sold 2 or 3 (depending on source) cars in the world. One RHD and one or two LHD cars. If this is true, I can understand why Ferrari dropped the manual. Having been lucky enough to experience it in an F355, it is a real shame that it is no longer available. Ultimately, they have to make want the market wants. It doesn't make financial sense to engineer a manual if you are only going to sell a couple of examples (as much as I love the gated manual!).
Caporegime
Yet people are aftermarket converting 599's to manuals, because better.
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This.
Market demand changes and now manuals are a rarity people want them again and hence the huge success of some recent driver focuses launched cars such as GT86 and GR86 etc
Soldato
Yeah enthusiasts are often a very different person to the original buyers! I worked on manual F type for a few years, yet its so rare I've never driven one and we don't make it anymore! It needed a manual to be seen as a credible sports car in the US... yet no one bought it. A bit like the M5.
Caporegime
You considering CS wheels? Think they look amazing in CS guise.
Soldato
Very true! I also worked on the manual F-Type and was lucky enough to drive one. A much better and more enjoyable car than the automatic. Shame that no one bought them. I still really dislike the new look though
I was if the car had come on standard starfish wheels but quite like these but if an 18” set of CS motorsport wheels come up for fair money I’ll grab them, don’t want the 19” road CS wheels.
Second day with the car and on track we go (parade laps) though I of course played the game of making my own gaps to do full sends in some of the corners, got told I was a very naughty boy, an 812 also decided to stop on circuit and then proceed to do launch control another very naughty boy, to which of course I gave full chase.
Got to take the 296 out on a wet circuit, shockingly spooky how for RWD 800HP you can get power down. Though I had so much more fun in the 360, it talks so much more to you as your approaching the limits whereas the 296 was no steering feel just grip and then understeer, but quite communicative from rear. Still a superb event by Ferrari and amazing hospitality as always, easily the best of any car brand I’ve experienced they really know how to flatter the customer.
Got to take the 296 out on a wet circuit, shockingly spooky how for RWD 800HP you can get power down. Though I had so much more fun in the 360, it talks so much more to you as your approaching the limits whereas the 296 was no steering feel just grip and then understeer, but quite communicative from rear. Still a superb event by Ferrari and amazing hospitality as always, easily the best of any car brand I’ve experienced they really know how to flatter the customer.
Attachments
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Few from my trip to Germany earlier this month...
It begins
Group begins to grow
Off to Germany we go
Train
Off to Mathey Motorsport after throwing my wheel weights
Buckled wheel getting refitted, new one ordered (£1600) and gets fitted on the 2nd.
Car Park
A track shot, not gonna share loads
It begins
Group begins to grow
Off to Germany we go
Train
Off to Mathey Motorsport after throwing my wheel weights
Buckled wheel getting refitted, new one ordered (£1600) and gets fitted on the 2nd.
Car Park
A track shot, not gonna share loads
Caporegime
@Gibbo Congratulations on - yet another- beautiful car, what a thing of beauty that is!
At this rate, you’ll be moving to a house next to a multi story car park, so long as the car park is included! 
At this rate, you’ll be moving to a house next to a multi story car park, so long as the car park is included!