Invited to test drive the 599 at circuitdebresse.fr by my Swiss Ferrari dealer. Three 599's arrived from Maranello with test drivers (Challenge champion, MC12 development driver etc.). Format was 2 laps with the pro's to get a feel for what the car is capable of and then you lap. In a word - phenomenal! All three cars had the carbon-ceramic brakes, 20" challenge wheels, pirelli tyres, racing seats (one daytona, 2 standard). The cars were nero daytona, grigio titanio and argento nurburgring in my order of preference! I am very familiar with this circuit as I have done 4 full days of Formula Renault 2000 driving there and 1 day there in my Challenge Stradale. The running joke I had with one of the test drivers was that if I could keep up in my Stradale then I'd cancel my order! He laughed and then proceeded to lap this circuit (with 2 fairly long straights) about 3 seconds a lap faster than me in the Stradale! I then beat my Stradale times in the 599! The new gear change technology, F1-Superfast, is fantastic. It just bangs in the gears when the revs are over 7000 - it reminds me of the sequential gearbox in my formula car! The power is relentless. It was still pulling hard in 6th on the back straight before some heavy downhill, off-camber, braking into a 180 degree hairpin! I was asked to leave the traction control on but had the manettino set to "race". There's was hardly any pitch/roll into the corners - certainly less than he 550 Maranello. Traction control does trigger but only after a little oversteer etc. Did I cancel my order? Duh! Not a chance - roll on next summer, as I normally drive from Zurich to various European tracks for Formula Renault 2000 events and some "gentlemen" racing in the Ferrari. The 599 will blow an awful lot of the current crop of street cars into the weeds. I just can't wait to get to drive it with CST (traction control) off! Lighthearted aside: Lapping in my Stradale with a passenger, pretty quickly. Ducked up the inside of the one and only Porsche at the event, a GT2. Driver was not impressed, proceeded to follow me down the pit straight "full on". I braked rather late and trailed the brake into the turn, GT2 uses my brake point and ... ends up 50 feet in the gravel trap. Needless to say, I was rather popular with the marketing, sales, challenge staff from Ferrari Switzerland & Maranello for the rest of the day and had many 599 laps for my efforts ;-) - Brian
Good write up! Sounds like the 599 is another great example of a Ferrari. I bet the GT2 owner wasn't very happy!
I see. Lapping faster than the Stradale is amazing indeed. Feels more GT and less boat-ish than the 550? Any dealers from Ferrari CH? G. Forgione perhaps? Cheers - Michel
Brian, tell them the whole truth: The Porsche owner spun it after having been in the kitty litter....then tried the 599 and conceded that there are 2 separate worlds........ By the way, sounds like you went on wed, but on tues there were 2 customers (no names, pls) who had the 599 so wound up that it was overheating after 5 laps..... At Spa, the 599 was a hard act to follow (in a CS). At Ricard with the same test drivers (the Maserati guy is REALLY good!) 2 of us managed to get the better of them twice. The real issue is that it is SOOOOO HEAVY that in a CS you outbreak it and get through corners so much more quickly that the power only just keeps it ahead down the straights - as long as they are not too long. At Fiorano it is 1.5 secs a lap quicker with the traction control ON than with it OFF.
Somehow I don't think that Ferrari had a 6/7 year old Porsche as it's design benchmark (at least I hope not). Never mind the unaccounted differences in driver capabilities. For those of you who seem to think it's an "either/or" proposition between Porsche and Ferrari, let us see how the 997 GT2 when released stacks up against the 599. The 599 will never be the track beast that a similar design era 997 GT2 will be, size/weight alone will prevent this from happening. However, I'm of the believe that the marques are so different that they should be considered "in addition to each other" as opposed to alternatives; and to those who can only have one, I say..work harder, they're both worth the effort!
No pics I'm afraid, if I get some from some of the other guys I'll post them. It was not my intention to compare the GT2 to a 599 - indeed these cars woud make for rather nice companions... Pretty impressive, ChalStrad, to pass Alexandro in your CS at any track! He's an impressive pilota - strange that there was always a queue of females waiting to be his passenger - eh? ;-) I've ordered black/black, perhaps with powder-coated standard wheels, yellow calipers and shields - don't know yet. Won't need to decide until November. Carbon-ceramic brakes are a definate as well as daytona seats - standard seat leather was a little "sweaty".
Thanks, Brian! THe girls flock to him because he is really just such a great guy.... right? When you say black do you mean regular or metallic? My CS is Nero Daytona nuovo - the metallic and it is a whole lot easier to take care of. We, The Club Ferrari France, are doing our season finale at Dijon on 27/28 october. Care to join? Great track for a CS....
Going for Nero Daytona. Was at Dijon in June, 'love the place. A bit of a "conjones" track but what a ride. Pouas is an awesome turn. I'm managing 1:20's-ish there in the Renault. Thanks for the offer to join you guys... I'm in Ledenon and Anneaux-du-Rhin in October so might run out of "days off".
Nice write up, that car is seriously quick, but then it seems to be great tourer, just pop it into 6th and cruise the autobahns
Just to make sure I'm not misunderstanding; Some here lapped faster in a 360 CS than a 599? With a race driver at the wheel of the 599? Or am I confused? Thank you.
Thanks for the pics............nice to see the 599 in colors other than red and without those horrible pentagram wheels in the initial press cars.
