With the Baja having 200HP, and the Ferrari 400HP, it's obvious the Ferrari is going to win on the road. The Ferrari is fairly light but still heavier than the Baja, and combined with traction issues the Baja isn't twice as slow as you'd first think.

0-100kph in the Baja passes in about 6 seconds flat, maybe high 5's if you really launch it hard. Traction is never an issue in the Baja, as it feels like it wants to wheelstand in first and again into second - the soft suspension accentuating the effect with the front lifting to full travel.

0-100kph in the Ferrari 360 Spider is simple to achieve, and all done in about 4.5 seconds. With 400HP you'd normally fight for traction, if you didn't have traction control (also helped by the fly-by-wire throttle). Gear shifts are virtually instant, thanks to the F1 style paddle shift semi-auto (which incidentally as an option costs about as much as the Baja!). As it screams it's way to 100kph and beyond the V8 sounds more like the Baja's V6 than a traditional V8 you'd find in a muscle car.

The paddle shift semi auto is definitely cool, it has a traditional clutch which is controlled by the computer. There is no clutch pedal.

Inside the car's the Ferrari is roomy for a sports car, and noisy for something worth $300K+. But noisy in a good way. The induction and exhaust noise of the Ferrari is constantly behind you, letting you know it’s still there waiting to be unleased. The computer even blips the throttle on down shifts to match speed and rpm. The suspension also transmits every little bump in the road.

The Baja is quiet, refined and comfortable over the rough QLD roads in comparison. In fact the quote from the Ferrari owner when taken for a spin in the Baja being “I can’t believe how smooth it is”. Driving normally will give you a quiet ride, the mud tyres being the loudest noise. That’s until you hit the throttle and let the quad cam V6 spin towards the 8,000rpm redline. The result being a satisfying induction roar and screaming exhaust note to challenge the sounds of the Ferrari. It’s only a challenge though, as the Ferrari is quite the mechanical symphony.

Off road is no contest of course. The Ferrari is scared of most suburban drive-ways (hence the photo’s on the street), so even the road is too off road for it. It is a supercar after all. The Baja is on the other hand an off road car, so loves the hills, dirt, mud, sand, whatever. The high soft supension, offroad tyres and lack of sway-bars allowing the VW to embarrass most 4WD’s offroad.

This of course has the opposite effect when faced with corners. The Baja getting plenty of body rolls in corners, and howls of disapproval from the mud tyres if pushed too hard. I still handles reasonably, but can be out cornered by most low budget front wheel drives. The Ferrari on the other hand loves the corners, this is where the stiff suspension is rewarded. You will out-handle almost everything on the road. You will however pay for this type of driving with expensive tyre bills.

But how do they pull the birds? Well I have found the Baja works on teenage females, and gets a lot of "it's cute" comments, but doesn't really pull the birds. The Ferrari on the other hand gets plenty of attention. A little too much male attention though...

But of course if I really want to go fast in a straight line, I would buy a bike. In fact I have one, and yes it does accelerate quicker than the Ferrari. It’s also more fun in the corners, but that’s another story…



[ Edited on 5-8-2006 by Baja Wes ]

They must be paying you too much hey Wes.....

SWEEET!

They're paying someone too much, but it's not me :P

One of my Dad's clients / friends. He has heaps of rich ones. Another one of them has a Dodge Viper GTS, and I reckon it's more impressive than the Ferrari. The Dodge just has incredible amounts of torque, any gear, any speed it just reacts and is on the verge of breaking traction. The Viper doesn't sound very good though.

Hey Wes,
Lets put the 360 and the 430 together for a comparison.
And as far as pulling the birds, what can you do with them in a ferrari anyway? I reckon a nice split gets more looks.

nice, what's the story behind that sweet puppy?

I'm like your dad, wealthy clients. This one however is my boss's I mostly look after the boat but have to run the car weekly as well just to make sure it's all good for when he visits. Crap job eh!
Cam.

man some people have it tough :P

:thumb

you need an assistant cam

Matter o' fact yes I do, but as glam as it looks and sounds it's still a job. Could be worse though.
So if you've got a Master class V/ MED III or better and can restrain yourself when we "charge the batteries" apply within.