tommallett

In the last few days I have had two conversations about Ferraris and what it means to drive a car with a prancing horse in the centre of the steering wheel. Both times the conclusion has been that it is an experience that cannot be matched by any other brand on earth.

The allure has always been there for F1 drivers, Fernando Alonso included. Even if it is not the best car or the best financial package (for the record Alonso is on a fair packet!) they still want to race for the Scuderia.

A colleague of mine was fortunate enough to test a 458 GT3 car in 2011 and he said he had to take time out from actually driving the car to simply soak up what it meant to drive a Ferrari. I think he was overawed.

Then a video popped up on youtube (I’ve reposted them on here a few times) by Chris Harris - the British car journalist and compulsive car buyer. He’s out of favour with Ferrari at the moment after making some suggestions that they did not entirely agree with, but I’m not going into that. Anyway, despite his dispute with the manufacturer he has gone out and bought a 599 GTB and all because he missed driving them.

I have my own little love affair with Ferraris too and as far as I can work out it boils down to this: every time I climb into a Ferrari, whether it is great or not so great, I feel special. It can be a tatty 348 or a screaming 599 GTO and with the sight of that emblem comes a flutter of the heart. I have not experienced the same with Lamborghini nor with Porsche. Ferrari is special.