We have all probably tried to draw cars on a notepad in our younger days, but a car’s shape to look good from all angles in different lights is really very difficult to achieve, particularly when all these angles are compromised by cabin room, engine position and a myriad of other considerations.
So why do Ferrari seem to get it so right? Firstly I suspect that culturally the Italian’s simply have what it takes. Perhaps it is their passion and confidence that only comes from an ancient history that when it destroyed itself, left us for centuries in the dark ages.
Rome 2000 years ago really was the epitome of taste and balance in many ways, just consider the dress sense of the Roman Legions or building architecture of the Roman provinces compared to the Normans, some 1000 years later.
OK Ferrari doesn’t go that far back by a long way, but never the less there is that sense of history that seems almost to go beyond its years of existence, Ferrari simply seems to add up to more than its constituent parts and is without doubt, viewed to be something more than just a car manufacturer.
Sit waiting for the first Ferrari to appear during first practice at the Monaco F1 Grand Prix and I would challenge anyone to not have their hairs on the back of their neck stand up once the crowd reacts to that first glimpse of that red car from Italy.
Allow me give you an insight into my rationale behind the reasons why I have a Ferrari in the garage and not a Porsche or some other equally high regarded marques. Firstly, like most people I have to drive to get to work to go shopping etc etc. now to be honest, most of my driving I have to do, in that I just need to get there!
For this reason I have a car that lets me relax and just get on with the job of transport, this car is not the Ferrari.
So for me, the car I wish to take out to make driving special has to be very special to me. I would also strongly maintain that for a car to remain special you cannot drive it every day; ration the special occasions and they will remain still, special occasions.
So what’s it like owning a Ferrari? I suppose in order to answer this I need to give you an idea of financial perspective, at this point I must say that part of me hopes that people who have infinite money reserves, cannot appreciate a Ferrari as much as people who don’t – but to be honest, I am not sure that has any bearing on reality.
So, whilst I am fortunate enough to be able to afford a Ferrari, my ownership it is not without serious personal sacrifice financially. Not having children is a great help in this respect also!
So, my current Ferrari is actually the third I have owned, my first was a Ferrari 348TB (1994), then an F355 Berlinetta (1997) and at present a 360 Modena F1 (2000).
All of these models are V8’s and are classed as the entry level Ferrari (I suppose the Ford Fiestas of the Ferrari range); the V12’s are the expensive Ferrari’s!
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I am going to start with the negatives first! I can assure you that not a week goes by without my consideration of what the hell I am doing with a Ferrari in my garage, so why is this?
Well frankly, at the back of your mind (knawing away at you) are parts prices mixed with labour prices, mixed with longevity of consumables.
I shant bore you with facts and figures but I would personally recommend £250 – £350 per month set aside for maintenance and consumables alone.
Skimping on Ferrari maintenance or servicing is not an option; this will kill residual values and is always a false economy. Bear in mind also that Ferrari’s do very little mileage 4000 miles a year is probably about average; again of course, higher mileages affect residuals significantly also.
If you used your head, you would not own a Ferrari, but, in that statement just made, lays the whole point of Ferrari ownership. You buy and own a Ferrari with you heart and just keep forgiving it repeatedly; your head is just along for the ride!
I shall leave talk of performance and handling to better qualified glossy magazine writers. So, let’s cut to the chase…
That metallic rasping howl at nearly 9000 revs when the exhaust opens its valves and starts to breathe properly.
That deep red subtly curved bodywork that you feel you can dive headlong into once you have waxed it.
That iconic prancing horse sat in the yellow shield that is shared between modern day F1 cars and the primitive race cars seen on grainy black and white film reels.
That sense of occasion and that (undoubtedly completely false) feeling that you are somehow providing some kind of public service to other road users and pedestrians by opening up those exhaust valves at every possible opportunity.
The fact that when you get out of your own car but simply cant help but stand and look at it admiringly instead of nonchalantly walking away from it as if it were the norm.
The last paragraph probably best sums up why I own a Ferrari and probably will keep on owning a Ferrari until it bleeds me dry! |
