F40 drive...........

When you slide into the cockpit, you are enveloped with the aura of the 80’s...the smell brings back memories like “Stranger Things,” the stark 7 gauges stare at you, and the steering wheel is tilted up like a go kart - bare bones and thin in your grip with the ironic fragility of the three thin spokes...dead center, nothing but a yellow encompassing prancing horse and a small embossed yellow horn symbol.
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Startup the V8 and it wakes up a monstrous but tame grumble, and just listen to the 80’s rumble, and feel the tremor of the reverberations through your spine. Pull the cord of the light crude carbon fiber door closed and that silly electronic seat belt (darn US federalies) buzzes back and pretends to harness you. Watch the temp gauges slowly climb as the engine warms and you soak in the 80’s aroma of leather, gas and memories.



After about a 10 min cruise through the backroad switches, pedal to the metal and feeling the warp speed boost through your spine like a roller coaster...up, down, all around, spine tingling, hands clammy, pupils dilated. Brakes are warm but demand firm compression, early brake straight line, heel toe downshift, hit apex, roll throttle on and launch!


Quick note of the accelerator and brake pedal. I’ve raced a few cars before, but nothing feels as perfect as the position of the accelerator next to the brake pedal in the F40 to facilitate an easily executed heel/toe...pedals perfectly aligned next to one another with the perfect height and depth compression. Smash the breaks with toe, and blip the throttle with heel to rev match that down shift, Just sublime.
Road feel is pin point, and feedback is all encompassing, closest to the go kart feel of a Lotus but with tremendously more monstrous power on steroids. Hit warp speed boost again...swoosh!!!! What drama!


After 45 min., I’m near my abode and don’t want to return, but reality sets in with kids and dogs yapping. I settle back down to earth, park and listen to the engine and soak in a bit more of that 80’s grumble.....
Pull the cord on the door to open the time cockpit and I’m back to 30 years later. When you step out of this historic icon, you have to stare at its beauty and try to understand why there are all the countless aero bits and vents.

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You have to open the rear enormous decklid to stare at the V8 turbo, a mechanical wonder...
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You try to piece together what Ferrari was trying to accomplish in the 80’s and you’re just simply awestruck.




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