Share your best drive in a Ferrari

Mondial brotherhood thread hijack

 

Could not resist adding "another" Mondial to this thread and a great drive.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xljnombkgqzf14z/%2Acorkscrew%20apex.jpg?dl=0

Best regards,

Robert

 

Mine was driving my '88 Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet on the Blue Ridge Parkway, especially the section where there are 20+ tunnels in 50 miles of road.

Stopped in Little Switzerland for lunch. Good food and a great view of the mountains while dining.

The Parkway is not a fast road, speed limit is 45, but top down in the fall, the beautiful colored leaves above and ahead, and, of course, going through the tunnels at 7500 RPM, it was a great treat for all the senses!
Alden
Mondials - yes, we actually "drive" them.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Two for me. Picked up my F360(MT) at Ferrari of Atlanta and drove it home to Central Florida. The second was at Daytona International...need I say more. Both firmly etched in my mind.

 

I had a woman from Make A Wish follow me into a parking lot and tell me about a young guy who had a bucket list wish to ride in a Ferrari... I absolutely jumped on board and ended up doing the drive on his birthday with perfect 70 degree weather...

They ended up filming the ride for the local hospice commercial, but seeing the expression on his face as we took the ride made the day... and I would do it again in a heart beat

http://northernillinoishospice.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/WinterPerspective2017.pdf

 

I would have to say each and every time I drive mine

On a serious note, it would be the first time I test drove a 348 before I bought mine. I didn't buy the one I test drove, but bought one 2 months after. That was in Toronto Ontario, in June of 2008

 

That's awesome.

 

+1

 

This was two years ago at the 17 mile drive in Carmel, CA on the way to the Concorso Italiano with my friend Clint with the blue 77 GTB.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

A few drives I'll never forget:

first drive ever in a Ferrari, test driving a 355B stick, while visiting local dealer as a surgery resident - my thoughts afterwards were WOW!

second, about 10 years later pounding around Road Atlanta in my CS, playing with a Porsche Turbo - the sound of the car down the back straight and under the bridge was unbelievable - probably similar to frantic sexual encounter with Sophia Loren in her prime....

third, 200 miles of mountain driving in one day along and on the Blue Ridge Parkway at speed, again in my CS about a year later, followed by a brisk 110 mile drive home in 1 hour, 5 minutes to get ready for work the next day - unforgettable

fourth, chasing a Porsche 962 in my 997 GT3RS during a private track day at Road Atlanta about 8 years ago, then observing 911 RSR's and 430 Race cars test from the paddock

Hope to create similar memories in my Speciale, RS and CS now gone....

 

I only got my Ferrari last summer, but the best drive was the one I had when I followed F12KID to meet other Swiss Ferrari owners for a drive in and around Stelvio Pass.

 

Lots of Ferrari drives were memorable for one reason or another, many too long to relate here. But the first Ferrari I ever drove was a 288 GTO, on a runway circuit. Spun it. The owner laughed and said he did the same thing frequently. Learned how to drive after that so I was much faster and didn't spin the 288s I was fortunate enough to drive later. Since the 288 has long been an icon for me it was certainly a memorable way to pop my Ferrari cherry and I'm still grateful to the owners for sharing their incredible machines with me.

 

best drive in a ferrari? can there be just one?

ok, here is one that stands out in my memory...

i drove my cs from monaco to geneva in 3 hours and 15 minutes.

a record that will never be broken.

 

Not sure if it counts as best or worst.
On one hand very exciting, on the other terrifying.

 

I think I was about four years old, around 1982-83. It was night time and Dad was driving Bambina (our 308GT4) with me in the passenger seat. I don't remember what we were doing but it was dark. Dad had a penchant for getting pulled over and I think if he got another he might get in trouble... We were heading home in Atherton, California - even then a very nice suburb in the Bay Area. On Atherton Ave. there is this S-curve that he loved to hit at speed (subsequently I did, too once of age) then the road opens up into a long straight that we take all the way home. The street is very dark and lined with now $30 million mansions. As we hit the straight we saw the red lights pull out behind us but we were already going 60 or 70. Pops decided to hit it and I imagine we were nearing 90. The cop had to already be nearly a mile behind us but we could see him pretty clearly. He turned off the lights let off the accelerator and downshifted to slow. He pulled a left onto a smaller street and went up a couple houses and pulled into a long dark driveway and killed the ignition. We sat and waited for about five minutes, looking out the flat back window. No lights... He started the car and kept the lights off. We backed out the driveway, slowly on to the small street and poked back out to Atherton Ave. No cars. He turned on the lights, got to the only stop sign and sped straight up the hill. A couple corners and we were at our long downhill driveway and parked in the garage. "Don't tell your mom" he said. I nodded and smiled. I don't think I ever told her.

It was the first time I knew my dad was a bad ass. It also let me know that it was okay to live a little on the edge. If it were today, we would have been caught for sure. Back then though wealthy, the town might have had only one guy on the night shift.... Today they probably have their own helicopter and fiber optic camera network.

I lost him almost five years ago. I miss him a lot. Fortunately he passed Bambina to me a little before so I could get her back on the road. He lost most of his money but he held on to her for me. People always ask me if my car is for sale. To me, its just too valuable. But every time I sit in that seat, I just take a moment to think about him and smile.

Pic below of Stephen Tillim and his 275GTB/4 - can you believe there was a little devil in that nice guy!?!

Sorry for being a little sappy.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I believe it was around 2001. Visited Lamborghini Chicago to look at a Ferrari Mondial they had in their inventory. Test drove it but wound up purchasing a Porsche 968 Cabriolet instead.

Still regret it.


Joe

 

Great story.
T

 

Agreed. Sounds like you had a great dad.

 

My first ride in a Ferrari was a then new 550 Maranello in the late 90's- a friend's uncle just purchased it- what a ride and experience!

But for best drive? I have two- in 2009 one of the collectors that lives by me (the "Tax Dr.")invited me over to drive a couple of his cars on a Sunday morning...I didn't think I heard that right on the phone and assumed he must have meant have a ride, but when I got there he pulled out his 599GTB and told me I was going to drive him on an errand that was about 30 mins (all highway) each way!!! WOW- that car...felt like I could drive that car cross-country- so powerful, smooth, amazing quality but that isn't the drive I wanted to mention. When we got back to his house he said "now it's time for you to drive The Beast"....I couldn't believe he let me drive his new GTB, then he disappears for a second and one of the other doors opens up and he does a cold start up of his essentially straight pipe ENZO!! The walls of his garage shook, and I think I started to shake from nerves. I will never forget that drive- once the car got warmed up on the backroads leading to the highway, he had me punch it!! I did in 3rd and 4th gear (full throttle 3 to 4 shift on the highway, about 1K shy of redline in 3rd but HOLY COW- the noise, power and F1 shift speed coupled with the power produced at that throttle and RPM- I thought the transmission fell out!). It's been 8 years and I know I will never forget that drive as long as I live (or am still mentally sane). I did drive the Enzo another time, but that was with a group of 4-5 of his Ferraris going to a car show, and we all drove normal speeds in a line of cars on the highway. This picture is that day when I first got to drive the Enzo (and 599)- when I got in my 911 to go home, I kid you not I thought something happened to the steering because it felt like I was driving a ford explorer, and the motor seemed to rev so low (next morning it felt fine to me and of course was fine..that's what will happen when you drive a 599GTB and Enzo for about 1.5 hours back to back then climb into a 911 cab

Anyway, the other best drive was when my 360 arrived. I had only been in a 360 once before when a guy I knew got one (I didn't drive it) back when it was new, but when the delivery truck opened the rear door (picture below) I could not believe this car was mine (I bought the car sight unseen from a great dealership so this picture is the first time I'm seeing it in the flesh). The feeling was only equaled when I got my first 911 after literally working and saving for years mowing lawns.... The first drive of the 360 was amazing. I can honestly say the drive of the 599/Enzo finally pushed me over the edge to finally make the move to Ferrari- both of these events occurred in 2009 so the prices of used 360s came to a more reasonable level- 6 figure car around 07, much cheaper by fall of 2009 and was the only way I was able to do it- I kept the daily driver longer, sold the 911, added some add'l money and made the jump!

Since then I've purchased other cars and was excited to get them, but nothing compared to the Enzo drive and when I finally got a Ferrari!! Both drives (enzo and first drive of my own Ferrari) were surreal for me.

Some of the other stories posted on this thread are really great by the way!! Keep them coming

-Andrew
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Most drives have some memory. One that sticks out is flying in to Orange County, CA, picking up an F40 and driving back to Phoenix.

When we arrived at our destination and checked our watches, we realized that we did the trip from the OC to central Phoenix in 3 hours and 20 minutes.

I don't know if it was a record, but it was memorable!
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Great story!