Article written by me: Defining the passion.

Palm trees towering above like giant soldiers, the blue ocean lapping up against the pure white sand and my hair is being rustled by a gentle breeze more akin to a massage. Ahead is endless blue ocean over which the sun is setting in one giant ball of yellow. The effect is truly mystical, the sun giving the see a gold like quality as the light catches the swell.

My feet sink into the white sand, each grain massaging the pours of my skin. Right now my mind focuses far out to see, to a place far, far away. All around me people go about their business.

For me the rest of the world ceases to exist as I glance at the horizon and inhale the salt air. In my pocket is the key to a piece of motoring art; a car that just by looking at it makes the heart skip and beat. A piece of excellence that’s unrivalled for the charisma and emotion it exudes. Merely opening the door one senses how special this machine is and once seated in the superb seat ones senses take in a this unique environment. Ones nose picks up the smell of fine leather that is lovingly hand stitched. Ahead the curvaceous wings flow down to the purposeful nose. Glance in the rear view mirror and admire the purity of the air scoops.

Ahead of me the famous black horse set in yellow back round stares at me. To the left of me the chrome gear leaver sprouts from its chrome gate. All around people look and stare, the effect is probably akin to being a fashion model. Fire up the engine and behind me the V8 erupts in a wall of sound, grasp that chrome gear leaver and select first gear, “clack” first gear selected. It’s at this point that the reality sinks in, the reality of driving one of the most superb looking and sounding cars. Flex one s right foot and the revs flare, the rear wheels chirp and everyone turns and stares.

As the road opens up one can move through the gears, the gated gearshift being a both a delight and a challenge. On the horizon the sun sits low filling the cabin with a yellow glow that reflects on the various aluminum trim panels. Ahead a few corners loom, turn in and the steering weighs up, one can almost feel the road surface through the steering wheel. Body lean is at a minimum, power through the corner onto the next straight, work the engine harder towards that 8800 rpm red line, foot down and both ears are being serenaded with the sound of the engine screaming its way towards the red line. “Clack next gear selected and out chase towards the horizon continues unabated. Corner looms large, change down and brake, the brakes pulling the car down from speed being akin to being slowed by a giant invisible hand. Turn in and the sheer adhesive qualities of the Pirelli tyres truly astonish one as the car flies round the corner with virtually no lean, the steering clearly communicating how much grip is available.

Twenty minutes later and ones senses have been truly bombarded by this car, its ability is truly mesmerizing. The sound, the sheer power and the grip combine to leave one truly in awe. Perhaps what most difficult to describe is the passion one feels even looking at this car and to drive or be in one of these cars is an experience that sticks one mind.

One gets out of the car and admires the styling and frankly its astonishing how beautiful it is, some people argue that nothing made by human hands can compete with the purity of beauty seen in nature. Well in this case that view doesn’t hold true.

Standing there admireing the car, my mind is cast back to the very history of Ferrari, the myths and legends surrounding the company and its founder the late Enzo Ferrari. I cant but help thinking that in every car the legend of the great man lives on. As the sun sets and gentle darkness descends I quietly thank Enzo Ferrari for without his enormous contributions motoring as we know it today would be very different.

Sometimes number and figures are rendered meaningless by passion and emotion and perhaps a Ferrari is a case in point, numbers representing 0-100 times and top speed are secondary because when one has experienced the passion and emotion a Ferrari contains numbers do really mean very little.

 

Thanks for the comments guys. Have a few more articles, including one about going 290 km/h top down in a 360 spider...

 

Interesting that you say that, for I havent been in V12 Ferrari....

 

Thanks for the offer! Down here in South Africa V8 Ferraris are by far the most common, of the local Ferrari club, at least 60% of the cars are V8's. As far as I know we only have 2 456 GT's,

 

Thats kinda difficult as the whole effect of the piece would be lost..