The manual-transmission Ferrari 458 is finally here

[Hagerty]

"Porsches are perfect." Mammy should know. The Iranian-born mechanic has worked on every everyday and exotic car you can name, from Fords to Ferraris, Rolls to Rovers. When it comes to Porsches, Mammy's a true believer, a man who puts his right foot where his mouth is.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/the-manual-transmission-ferrari-458-is-finally-here/

[FrankCanada]

The FIAT G.55 Centauro airplane best airplane in the world II "Fiat G.55 was so good that a team of German experts came to the conclusion that it was the best fighter in the Axis, possibly the world. Kurt Tank, designer of the Fw 190 had nothing but praise for the G.55 and went to Turin to look at its potential for mass-production" So I think you are telling us- Ferrari = fighter plane, Porsche = tank.
I think that's about right

[RobertFarago59]

I can live with that analysis. In fact, I do.

[Josh_Arakes]

I've never driven a Ferrari but I fly fighter jets and they're harshly and brilliantly sublime.

[RobertFarago59]

Hit me up.

[AG1962]

I want to read Josh Arakes’ account of a test drive in your Ferrari—

[JerV8Flat4]

This pretty much read like a whole lot of words to say “I have a Ferrari.”

[RobertFarago59]

You forgot “and I’m keeping it.”

[Envy]

It's what happens when you get "paid by the word" 😕

[RobertFarago59]

I am not paid by the word. But I think you knew that.

[Envy]

Couldn't agree more 👍

[MeanMrMustard]

Never got the desire for these.. I didn’t get the car as an extension of my **bleep** gene.
In fact, some guy asked me ( years ago ) why I was driving ( then ) a Beetle… I said because my ____ was big enough.

I will ask tho… what fun is driving around town in a car you never barely take out of second gear?
Don’t answer, I know, to see and be seen. Thats the two inch answer.

[RobertFarago59]

In auto mode, the 458’s transmission shifts to seventh gear by 40mph. So you’re definitely out of second gear.

As for Ferrari as genital compensation, correlation does not equal causation, and here’s no reliable data set upon which to formulate a credible hypothesis.

[Envy]

😆

[AG1962]

Good writing is good writing, regardless of the author’s questionable taste in transmissions and even more questionable roadside cop manners. For the sake of all that is holy in Automobilia, do get that car swapped to a gated six-speed!

For the doubters and the haters: the engine sound ALONE is a good reason to own such a car, if you can afford one (and maybe if you can’t too). Thank you for this cocky, yet self-aware and very funny essay. My recommendation for further fun and mayhem: ship your Ferrari to Germany for a driving holiday and really get to know the other side of 200 km/h — in traffic.