I've had Camaros all my life, old and new (and Glenn, an F-car is a Camaro/Firebird
). And then I wanted something exotic. And fast. And beautiful. I toured Europe looking at 2 Ferrari 365 GTC/4s and 2 Panteras. The reason I looked at that Ferrari is that I think that it's one of the most beautiful cars ever made (can't afford a Miura), and the reason I looked at Panteras was that I loved them since I at the age of approx 18 heard one accelerating on a street between 2 high buildings, I never forgot that sound.Well the 2 Ferraris were looked at first due to geography. Both needed lot of work, and the one I drove was neither fast nor exciting to drive. One of the Panteras were not ready to be looked at even though I had told the guy I was coming, so we skipped that one. So there was one Pantera left. In the other part of Holland, so we floored the Jeep we were driving (complete with tools and a jack) and managed go get there on a beautiful summer evening. When I saw the car in the garage, I knew this could be it. When he started it, I knew I had to have it, it's the best sounding Pantera I've ever heard. He drove first, quite fast, and then I drove. This was the first time I drove a midengine car.
It handled like nothing I've tried. So I bought it.A year later my friend bought a Ferrari 348. I've driven that as well, and it feels like a Pantera -15%. Less power, less handling (my subjective view), less noise. But of course he has the Ferrari brand, and everybody goes crazy when you say you own a Ferrari in this country. Personally I'm too old to enjoy that, I'd rather be incognito (hard to believe with a red Pantera, I know).
I often think that I'm lucky I didn't buy the Ferrari. Less car, much higher expense, much more attention from people who haven't got a clue about cars, I don't need any of that. My friend has just sent his Ferrari to 80k km service, I do all service myself.
I understand the appeal of Ferrari, I almost bought one. But I didn't, and I know everyday I made the right choice (for me).