V12V Driven

[Pugsey]

My thoughts on the car from Donnington - for what they're worth.

Actually 'lighter' and more responsive in feel than the V8. A suprise when the main difference on paper is dropping in a dirty great V12! Much less roll and all together more tied down. It feels very different rather than an evolution. The quickest way round in a V8 is to hustle it - the car eats kerbs. The V12V doesn't like kerb hopping and responds to more precise and delicate inputs - the classic race drivers approach of less is more, or smoother is quicker. The V8 is more immediate fun - a hoon if you like - the V12V is just plain FASTER but a purer experience. Awesome brakes at the beginning of the day and at the end. No fade no degredation. Through Cranner Curves the V8 feels good - until you try the V12 which makes the V8 feel about as planted and direct as a barge (of course I exaggerate).

I'd say the V12 is 25% about the new engine/extra power and 75% about all the other mods, which suprised me.

Now, Donnington is a smooth race track. Tomorrow I'm spending a couple of hours on road so will get a better 'real life' impression of the car then.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 13th July 19:14

Edited by Pugsey on Tuesday 14th July 07:40

[Murph7355]

Soooooooo. Is it making you smile?

And what happened to your mate that was stripping a V8 out btw?

[Pugsey]

Murph7355 said:

Soooooooo. Is it making you smile?

And what happened to your mate that was stripping a V8 out btw?

Hi Murph. On track the V8 made me laugh and smile - the V12V made me want to shave off another few tenths/get that braking or turn in point 'just so' etc. Two very different experiences. Depends how you feel on the day I guess. For me looking back on the day it's the sheer speed the V12 carried through Craner Curves and it's braking abilities that I look back on with a smile. ON the day there's no denying that the V8 was a hoot but as a racer I prefered the purer approach I guess.

I have a feeling that the V12 will offer up more smiles and laughs on road where outright speed and getting every exit/apex right are not priorities. I'll soon know!

Oh dear! The V8 is sitting - in stripped out state - under a dust sheet, in a barn. Hasn't been looked at for months. It WILL be finished er, at some point, probably..........................

Edited by Pugsey on Tuesday 14th July 07:53

[Grant3]

Interesting Pugs, thanks for posting. I do really fancy the V12, just the small matter of the price!

It's coming up a year with the V8 Roadster & much as I'm still loving the car (particularly the roof off experience in my first drop top)my feet are itching, but what next ?????

[XXXAngelXXX]

off topic: since you guys are Fezza experienced - my neighbour is buying 1 1/2 year old F430 with 6000 kms on the clock anything special to look for ?

[AMD1]

Grant3 said:

but what next ?????

A DBS Volante???

[Murph7355]

XXXAngelXXX said:

off topic: since you guys are Fezza experienced - my neighbour is buying 1 1/2 year old F430 with 6000 kms on the clock anything special to look for ?

Check the history and service records, then general condition. It should be rock solid at that age/mileage. F1's pretty much essential, otherwise it's whichever options float his boat.

Send him over to clubscuderia if he needs more detailed advice/input

[Murph7355]

Pugsey said:

...
Oh dear! The V8 is sitting - in stripped out state - under a dust sheet, in a barn. Hasn't been looked at for months. It WILL be finished er, at some point, probably..........................

Definitely a shame.

I wonder if some level of "comfort" could be preserved whilst stripping a lot of weight...if the std car could shed 200kg, I reckon it'd make an absolutely stonking motor...

[GT2man-2]

Murph7355 said:

I wonder if some level of "comfort" could be preserved whilst stripping a lot of weight...if the std car could shed 200kg, I reckon it'd make an absolutely stonking motor...

The Aston N24 shed 250kg, had a cage and when I went to try one wasn't that unbearable to sit in.

[Pugsey]

XXXAngelXXX said:

off topic: since you guys are Fezza experienced - my neighbour is buying 1 1/2 year old F430 with 6000 kms on the clock anything special to look for ?

ALWAYS go to an official dealer. A car that age will be effectively 'as new' - probably with tiny mileage - and come with full Ferrari warranty so absolutely no worries. The F430 is a 'modern' Ferrari that could be used everyday and will stand far more miles than most people put on them. Buy, enjoy and don't worry.

Ah, I see your friend has already found a car - sorry didn't notice that earlier! All above still applies and if the one he's found doesn't fit the description tell him to look elsewhere - it's a buyers market.

By the way, I went manual. The F1 is a fantastic box - but I wanted the classic open gate in the cabin, and the clack clack of changing gear. PLUS (and it's a big one) the ability to dip the clutch and blip the throttle whenever I wanted - was is OFTEN in a Fezza. Boy racer eh?

[Pugsey]

Grant3 said:

Interesting Pugs, thanks for posting. I do really fancy the V12, just the small matter of the price!

It's coming up a year with the V8 Roadster & much as I'm still loving the car (particularly the roof off experience in my first drop top)my feet are itching, but what next ?????

Gen2Thug, Ferrari (cough), Macca, Ferrari (cough).........................

[jus]

Fantastic, let us hear your on the road thoughts Pugs! I'm increasingly won over by the V12. May have to line up a 2010 one then, with new B&O sound etc!

[XXXAngelXXX]

thanks for the Fezza info - he is doing everything right then - its a serious official dealer - car comes with full service history (service done etc.) F1 and a warranty. thanks again !

[jus]

Must be honest chaps... a mate and I did a bit of a drive together one weekend, me in the 4.7 Vantage and him in his F430 Spyder F1. We swapped cars and then swapped again. I was left rather underwhelmed by the F430, and it felt completely gutless and very rough riding on the road. Back into my 4.7, it was wonderful, gobloads of torque, a real sense of making urgent progress, smooth sublime handling, etc. I must say I was completely surprised, as was the owner of the F430!

st, sorry for the thread hijack!

[Pugsey]

jus said:

Must be honest chaps... a mate and I did a bit of a drive together one weekend, me in the 4.7 Vantage and him in his F430 Spyder F1. We swapped cars and then swapped again. I was left rather underwhelmed by the F430, and it felt completely gutless and very rough riding on the road. Back into my 4.7, it was wonderful, gobloads of torque, a real sense of making urgent progress, smooth sublime handling, etc. I must say I was completely surprised, as was the owner of the F430!

st, sorry for the thread hijack!

Hi Jus. Something VERY wrong with that F430 then! Noticeably faster/more grunt than a V8V. Better handling/grip/brakes AND - most of all - a really excellent ride on public roads. Really, he needs to get it checked out - they are quite settup sensitve but that wouldn't explain the 'guttless' bit. I'd be worried if I was him. As you know I've no brand loyalty what so ever - I love em all so just telling it like it is. V8V is a thing of great joy but, truly, 430 is on another level.

I'll post up V12V road impressions late tomorrow.

Edited by Pugsey on Wednesday 15th July 08:30

[Pugsey]

Murph7355 said:

Pugsey said:

...
Oh dear! The V8 is sitting - in stripped out state - under a dust sheet, in a barn. Hasn't been looked at for months. It WILL be finished er, at some point, probably..........................

Definitely a shame.

I wonder if some level of "comfort" could be preserved whilst stripping a lot of weight...if the std car could shed 200kg, I reckon it'd make an absolutely stonking motor...

Had a long chat with my dealer the other day. If I don't go for the V12V (which I was originally hoping would be more Porche GT3ish than it seems to be) then we're looking at putting one of AM's new GT4 cars on the road. He reckons around £100k for rhd plus aircon then £5/7ish for SVA. Now THAT would be an awesome bit of kit and maybe more what I was looking for in the V12V. Obviously a totally bare racer inside - cage and all! - but a few creature comforts wouldn't be hard to add and airjacks would be oh so cool in Tesco's car park! Check out the various pics around of the white one with grey detailing. Yummy!

[jus]

Pugs...have you spent considerable time in a 4.7 V8V though..? Large difference from a 4.3. Lots of low down torque, etc.

[Pugsey]

jus said:

Pugs...have you spent considerable time in a 4.7 V8V though..? Large difference from a 4.3. Lots of low down torque, etc.

Yes. 2,000 mile Euro jaunt recently plus - at a guess another 1000 miles or so from time to time. Most recently some lapping at Donnington this week along with the V12V. 4.7 is a great improvement all round over the 4.3 as you say. BUT, believe me, I'm right about the F430 v V8V comparison - there's something wrong with your mate's car both suspension and power wise. Either that or your 'seat of pants ometer' is way out - but knowing what I do of you I doubt that.

[jus]

Pugsey said:

jus said:

Pugs...have you spent considerable time in a 4.7 V8V though..? Large difference from a 4.3. Lots of low down torque, etc.

Yes. 2,000 mile Euro jaunt recently plus - at a guess another 1000 miles or so from time to time. Most recently some lapping at Donnington this week along with the V12V. 4.7 is a great improvement all round over the 4.3 as you say. BUT, believe me, I'm right about the F430 v V8V comparison - there's something wrong with your mate's car both suspension and power wise. Either that or your 'seat of pants ometer' is way out - but knowing what I do of you I doubt that.

Well, I must say, that my expectation of the Fezza and experience there-of simply didn't match up. I found the engine to be extremely peaky I must say. You can rapidly reach high figures on the speedo but there's not much sense of urgency about it, you just don't seem to get much of a feeling of the whole thing, whereas the V8V is instantly satisfying.

Anyhow, sod the lot, I'm having a 2010 V12V in anycase that'll put that Ferrari lot in their place

[Grant3]

AMD1 said:

Grant3 said:

but what next ?????

A DBS Volante???

Sorry AMD1 too floppy & not sporting enough for me, although I'll have the V12