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FrankGrimes
10:53 AM

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
I've never much like Ferraris in general and I really didn't like the 360 or 430 but this thing is awesome!

I love the way this car looks everywhere interior exterior front or rear! #ferrari458italia
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powermatic
12:54 PM

@FrankGrimes: I like it too, all except the headlights, which look like Ferrari is trying to crack the RiceRacer demographic. But even those aren't enough for me to not enjoy the design in a really visceral way. The profile is particularly compelling. #ferrari458italia
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area_educator
09:18 AM

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
Anyone else find it nearly impossible to focus on an in-car video when the driver steers like that, arms crossed up half the time? #ferrari458italia
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mricyfire
09:37 AM

@area_educator: when you are borrowing someone's $300,000 car I am sure you will be driving just as careful with your two hands always on the wheel...just saying
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area_educator promoted this comment Edited by mricyfire at 11/07/09 9:41 AM mricyfire was starred mricyfire was unstarred

area_educator
03:51 PM

@mricyfire: Noooooo... If I were borrowing someone's $300,000 I'd be driving carefully, avoiding getting my arms crossed up like that. #ferrari458italia
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powermatic
11/06/09

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
Odd how a see-through engine cover looks great and cool on a mid-engine car, but looks absolutely dorktacular on a front-engine. Life is funny sometimes. #ferrari458italia
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Otto Suksumake
11/06/09

@powermatic: Yeah its like a body builder with his fly is open. #ferrari458italia
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DoogieFullHouser
11:10 AM

@Otto Suksumake: There is an excuse in a mid engine car... that rear window, in a front engine there isn't. All the Vette is showing is the engine cover.

That being said I don't think anyone would say a bad thing about the shaker hoods from the past. Its difference between faking it and being legit. Like dummy hood scoops and brake louvers. #ferrari458italia
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area_educator promoted this comment DoogieFullHouser was starred DoogieFullHouser was unstarred

area_educator
04:09 PM

@DoogieFullHouser: Minor point: on the ZR1, as confirmed previously here on Jalopnik, most of what you see in the window is not an engine cover-- it's part of the intake or the turbo, iirc. #ferrari458italia
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weatherman
11/06/09

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
For the price of this you could get 384 Ford's new 1993 Tauruses and still have money left over for little tree-shaped air fresheners for each one of them. Is it really that much better than a fleet of Tauruses? #ferrari458italia
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pauljones
11/06/09

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
It would take at least three beers before that car started looking good to me. #ferrari458italia
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area_educator
08:44 AM

@pauljones: Start drinking, then! This is a beer-goggles-influenced one night stand you'll regret far less than the others. #ferrari458italia
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MaWeiTao
10:01 AM

@area_educator: At least until he smashes into something and finds himself and the car crippled. #ferrari458italia
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skaycog
11/06/09

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
Very sexy! I would be the envy of all my girlfriends! And I liked the car too. #ferrari458italia
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günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi
11/06/09

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
so... is my browser messed up or what...? where is the link to send my story for why i deserve one of these more than anyone else............? #ferrari458italia
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Nitrous Oxide
11/06/09

@günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi: Here, good luck!
[www.northpole.com] #ferrari458italia
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günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi promoted this comment Nitrous Oxide was starred Nitrous Oxide was unstarred

günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi
12:40 AM

@Nitrous Oxide: aww crap... employees are not elegible at that site. and well.... i've got to do something through the holidays.... #ferrari458italia
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wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx
11/06/09

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
It looks like something out of a video game. Its absolutely gorgeous and cartoonish.

Its like Jessica Rabbit. You know cartoons aren't hot, but if you had to toss it in one, it'd be Jessica Rabbit.

Or Daphne from Scooby Doo. Those purple tights made me a man.

Wait, but what about Wilma Flintstone, I hear you say? The Godmother of hot cartoons? And Lois Griffin, her surrogate granddaughter? And what do all these cartoons have in common?

Red hair. Like our girl from Maranello here. I'm jealous of the overweight cartoon husband that gets to put this fireheaded beauty to bed every night. #ferrari458italia
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SerialThriller
11/06/09

@wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx: I raise my glass to you, sir. #ferrari458italia
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pauljones
11/06/09

@wrx-tyrannosaurusWrx: When did Jessica Rabbit start looking like Kate Moss? #ferrari458italia
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I was drivin' that Model A
11/06/09

In reply to Ferrari 458 Italia, Reviewed
I was really hoping at least one manufacturer...a high-end, supercar manufacturer at the very least...would resist the bumper-to-A-pillar headlight housing look.

Makes me want a 328 GTSi.
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Edited by I was drivin' that Model A at 11/06/09 4:06 PM

Turboner
11/06/09

@I was drivin' that Model A: It is getting quite annoying. I'd even take the pop-ups over those. The rest of the car isn't bad, though... #ferrari458italia
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Rabbi Dave
11/06/09

In reply to Local Motors Rally Fighter: The First-Ever Creative Commons Car
Yeah, cars for the masses by the masses. A $50,000 off roader. That's what the masses want. Any warranty with that?

Good luck. #localmotors
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egoods
04:27 AM

@Rabbi Dave: $50k puts it in the same league as the Raptor and Power Wagon. Heck, do a Rubicon up enough to compete with that and I'm sure you've put more then $50k into it. So, yes, for the off-roading masses they've created a relatively cheap, well designed, off road vehicle. And it looks so kick ass. #localmotors
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Novaload
11/06/09

In reply to Local Motors Rally Fighter: The First-Ever Creative Commons Car
I will volunteer to beta test this on my daily horrible commute of 148 miles through some godawful urban road decay and idiotic drivers.
Seriously, I'll do it for free. And make notes. #localmotors
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skitter promoted this comment Novaload was starred Novaload was unstarred

scroggzilla raids again
11/06/09

In reply to Local Motors Rally Fighter: The First-Ever Creative Commons Car

Surrender a Rally Fighter, Local Motors, or I shall release my dogs of war! #localmotors
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bzr
11/06/09

In reply to Local Motors Rally Fighter: The First-Ever Creative Commons Car
Honda Civic tailights and Teddy Roosevelt? Now I've seen everything. #localmotors
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drewdrawshashtags
11/06/09

In reply to Local Motors Rally Fighter: The First-Ever Creative Commons Car
It's an interesting start.

Jay Rogers seems like a good guy and I like what he says, but I feel like a lot of what he does doesn't fit.

First of all, I think the end result is cool, but far from fantastic. It looks disjointed and designed by committee. I think most of us would agree that the greatest car designs in history have come from the singular vision of one person and not from the "wisdom" of the crowd.

Secondly, it seems to me that Local Motors got 2899 members to work without compensation. With all of the recently unemployed designers floating around the world right now (and maybe, you know, in Detroit), I'll bet they could have had something even more incredible. Alas, they probably would have been expected to be paid for their work. You know, given a job instead of a prize.

Third, the whole idea of Local Motors is to create unique vehicles for niche markets and build them using members of the community its designed for. But crowdsourcing the design out to all of the world's design students (most of their design community) doesn't jibe with that philosophy. Shouldn't they be crowdsourcing the ideas for the car from desert racers, then paying one single-minded designer to rip out the coolest thing ever from that input? Wouldn't that make more sense and be more in keeping with their supposed concept? I think so.

And finally, there's the point that, other than the gimmicky crowdsourced design process, this is really just another cottage/kit car company. They use parts-bin parts? Awesome. Lotus, TVR, Bristol, Vector and every other small manufacturer has done that for decades, and often crucified for it. Many, like TVR, have done it better than LM.

Yeah, I have opinions on it and I realize a lot of people will disagree with me, but I think it's time that someone other than the LM hype-machine gave the other side of the story. #localmotors
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FrankGrimes
11/06/09

@drewdrawshashtags: I think all your criticism is pretty logical.

I am no expert on this project but from what I have read they give away prizes as in cash and pretty substantial amounts too. To those ideas they use.

To me this thing looks like a rock crawler although a nice one. It's got a cool BMW diesel but it looks like something someone built in their garage.

I think my biggest concern is price. They explain how much cheaper it is to use already developed parts but still charge $50,000 for the thing. Does that price include the labor done by the owner to build it. What would it cost if it was turnkey?

I find it funny they proclaim how green it is with the diesel engine and the lack of paint. I can't picture someone into the environment blasting through the desert and doing burnouts. I am sure they have some reason why that's bad for the environment. #localmotors
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drewdrawshashtags
11/06/09

@FrankGrimes: They do give away prizes to the winners, but that doesn't mean that the others participating didn't essentially do tons of development for them with no compensation. That means those of us trying to earn a living as designers won't generally participate and students have the most to gain.
There's a reason why this type of competition is explicitly advised against by organizations such as the AIGA. #localmotors
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HiramJahoovafat
11/06/09

@drewdrawshashtags: Looks like it was designed by a committee that neglected to convene on occasion... #localmotors
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d3c509b aka Steve
11/06/09

@drewdrawshashtags: I am an engineer, and I would volunteer some of my time to accomplish something like this.

Most engineers are quite "stifled" in corporate structures, and don't have the freedom to be creative and develop freely. A project like this gives them the chance.

If software developers can work on "hobby" projects like XBMC, why can't a hobby engineer help develop a 2+2 RWD shoot brake with a twin turbo v6.

Both seem fun to me! #localmotors
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drewdrawshashtags promoted this comment d3c509b aka Steve was starred

drewdrawshashtags
11/06/09

@d3c509b aka Steve: This is a vehicle designed to make a profit. It won't be free to download or built for the masses as a non-profit organization like Mozilla or XBMC. So you volunteer your time, and Jay Rogers makes that more cash on each 50G car. If that sounds good to you, go for it!

Also, imagine having a 2nd year student get paid for an engineering solution that's not as good as the one you spent weeks on because the "crowd" liked it better. Wouldn't that be frustrating?
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Edited by drewdrawshashtags at 11/06/09 4:28 PM drewdrawshashtags was starred

FrankGrimes
11/06/09

@drewdrawshashtags: What type of design do you do? I am a student pursuing an industrial design degree. #localmotors
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drewdrawshashtags
11/06/09

@FrankGrimes: I used to be a car designer (but haven't been for a long time). Theses days I'm mostly an illustrator. #localmotors
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drewdrawshashtags was starred

FrankGrimes
11/06/09

@drewdrawshashtags: I used to want to be a car designer. Doesn't seem worth it anymore. #localmotors
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kleinlowe
11/06/09

@FrankGrimes: Same here. I couldn't stand the thought of spending decades being the lower-left-tail-lamp guy just to have the chance to maybe, someday get to be the hood scoop guy. I've heard auto design is the Major Leagues of design - which means unless you're lucky, aggressive, hyperfocused and willing to step on people to climb up, you'll never get in.

If I ever get the bug to design cars I'll do kit cars - with the growth of micromanufacturing and things like this it seems like there's a 1000x better chance of seeing your ideas on the street. #localmotors
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snapoversteer 'bout to get told
11/06/09

In reply to Local Motors Rally Fighter: The First-Ever Creative Commons Car
I have serious doubts about the wisdom of the crowd, but I sincerely hope that Local Motors finds some success. The way cars are made currently is the result of anticompetitive shenanigans by huge car companies going back decades. The result is artificially high barriers to entry mostly based on regulatory capture and artificially homogenous product offerings. I'd love to see more companies and greater product differentiation. #localmotors
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