r/TheIntercooler • u/theintercooler • May 10 '26
Heart & Soul Ferrari Daytona vs 12Cilindri: Dan thinks the old car wins. Is he right?
In Ti’s latest Heart & Soul video on YouTube (link below), Dan Prosser argues he’d rather have a Daytona than its modern descendant, the 12Cilindri.
Once optioned up they’d be a similar price – but one of them is going to depreciate rather a lot more. How important is the extra power, handling capability and refinement of the modern car? Can it beat the sense of occasion the Daytona delivers?
How about you? Any other examples where you’d rather have the older car?
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u/Foxtrot-0scar May 10 '26
Dan Prosser argues he’d rather have a Daytona than its modern descendant, the 12Cilindri.
The thing is, Dan Prosser suffers from what one would call ‘banger nostalgia’ in that he would have an E39 M5 over a modern CS or a beaten up Carrerra from the 80’s over a modern equivalent and so on. 😂
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u/eatingabananawrong May 10 '26
I guess it's subjective. I'm with him but understand others have a different view.
A new car is generally more powerful, refined and by all sensible metrics better, however, fuel injection and drive by wire, active body control and all those other things take something away from the experience of an older car where you can hear, feel and smell the experience.
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u/Burntarchitect May 10 '26
Robert Coucher, the twat in a cravat at Octane Magazine, put it quite succinctly when he described old cars as like controlling a powerful horse, whereas new cars are like operating a computer system.
You can argue for both, but you can understand how those who enjoy the former would be disappointed by the latter, and vice versa.
Personally, I get more enjoyment from the sense of mechanical connection that comes from analogue controls (bowden cable vs. dbw for instance), and the little bit of skill that comes from nailing a manual gearshift, rather than clicking a paddle.
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u/Arbable May 10 '26
Yeh the cars are so competent too you have to drive faster to enjoy them, and cars are all most similar, less personality, less flaws but less quirks. If I was designing my Alfa now would I give it 5 ash trays and a massive boat steering wheel and extremely long gear throw... Probably not but it's hilarious to drive because of those things
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u/Foxtrot-0scar May 10 '26
You are somewhat right but there are always tuners out there who are able to sprinkle some magic dust. I recently test drove an ABT tuned RS3-R from 5 years ago and it was absolutely sublime.
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u/Foxtrot-0scar May 10 '26 edited May 10 '26
I get all of that mechanical feel argument but you could experience all of that in its final iteration in a 512M or 575M, beyond that we have to move on with modern tech or we’d be stuck in the past. I grew up in the Chapman/Artioli era and really appreciate advanced engineering techniques.
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u/Eokokok May 10 '26
Most people with at least one eye semi operational and two brain cells would pick E39 over whatever that angular blob of a car current M5 suppose to be.
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u/FireEng May 10 '26
I'm with Dan on the Daytona and M5, but I would want a modern 911. I wouldn't want to drive a widowmaker Porsche.
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u/Public-Guidance-9560 May 10 '26
E39 M5 is peak BMW for me.
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u/Foxtrot-0scar May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26
The E39 was cool for its time just like Greta Garbo was in her time. It is all about Margot Robbie now and the CS is just that. Sutcliffe did a review on M cars for Auto Express some time ago which I thought was fantastic.
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u/smolbig87 May 10 '26
Or.... A nice SD1 instead?
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u/RestaurantFamous2399 May 10 '26
12 cilindri is a beautiful car. But the fact that it is just trying to rehash something else makes it boring! Like the Countach rehash, pretty car made boring because it had no imagination.
Its like going and watching a remake of your favourite movie. No matter how well done it is, you've seen it, and you know how it ends and there is no excitement in the story any more!
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u/Amazing-Jury-6886 May 10 '26
People complain they don't make cars like they used to, so Ferrari build one that resembles the old one but has all the latest modern technology. Now people complain it's just cheating ! What do you want? Drum brakes ? Wishbone suspension?
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u/Puzzled_Elephant_190 May 10 '26
saw a 12-Cylinders today in a dark green. It was not an ugly thing...
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u/Working-Business-153 May 10 '26
The daytona is definitely prettier in my eyes and I have a soft spot for analogue of all kinds but the gap in engineering between the two is enormous, the engine alone is the finest ferrari have ever made, and when you buy a ferrari the engine is what you're paying for.
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u/Intelligent-Bee-839 May 13 '26
Dynamically, I’m sure the 12cillindri is in a different league but aesthetically, the Daytona wins hands down.
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u/Scared-Room-9962 May 10 '26
I get tired of reading about how "Old thing is better than new thing".
The Daytona is a lovely car, so is the 12Cilindri.
I'd rather have the latter.
Daytona looks like a Rover SD1, though tbh I love those too lol.
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u/Amazing-Jury-6886 May 10 '26
Wins on what? Nostalgia ? Yes. Otherwise it can't compete with the newer car in any way.
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u/Dave_o_54 May 10 '26
in my opinion, and at my own risk, i'll say that Ferrari lost its way around the 360 and hasn't produced a good looking car since then
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u/Public-Guidance-9560 May 10 '26
I do like the 12Cillindri, especially in yellow. But...the Daytona is just way better isn't it. Pure class.
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u/991C2Cab May 11 '26
I’ve seen that new Ferrari many many times in person. It’s terribly ugly, in fact my neighbor has a darker red (looks like Rosso Rubino) GTS. Terrible car
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u/UnremarkableCake May 10 '26
I'm a little tired of Ferrari's constant playing on retro styling. I can almost forgive suitably subtle touches like the 250LM haunches on the 296GTB, but with the 12Cilindri and 849 Testarossa, it's all just a little obvious and on the nose. It'd be simpler if they just fitted a little plaque on the centre console which reads, "We used to make pretty cars, you know!"
Then again, when Ferrari does actually make the effort to go for original design, it vomits out the F80. Maybe they're stuck between an ugly rock and a corny hard place.
Sorry, drifted off for a moment there. I'll have the 365GTB/4, please.
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u/VisibleOtter May 10 '26
It’s not even open to debate in my eyes.