Well, I finally got my chance to drive a Ferrari. It took 40 long years (my lifetime) to fulfill that dream, but it was well worth it. We had a day off work, there wasn't a cloud in the stunning blue sky, PCH was relatively free, and the weather was in the 80s. These are the days that a bright-red Ferrari is designed for...
That said, it's a freakin' Ferrari. A racecar, ostensibly, which requires a certain amount of work. I am 6'1 and over 200 pounds (although I have seen Shaquille O'Neal driving an F430). I have size-13 feet as well. All of these work against me in this car. Because the pedals are so far offset, I can practically heel-toe-clutch with one foot, so consequently, nearly every time I lifted my left foot from the clutch, it got temporarily snagged. I took the T-top off every chance I could get, partly because my head rubbed against the roof and I didn't want Ferrari-pattern baldness.
The key is sometimes difficult to turn on or off and requires patience and a delicate touch. Reverse is a challenge, requiring a shift into 1st, then a firm hand pushing the gearlever toward the floor, then forward into reverse. Works the first time about 20 percent of the time. Anything resembling a speed bump or a dip needs to be negotiated at a snail's pace. The car requires patience and inspires respect. As it should.
And baby, it's worth it. I'll drive it again in a heartbeat.
Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor, @ 49,778 miles
estreka says:
09:05 PM, 10/ 9/07
While I doubt I'd ever want to own an '80's Ferrari, I must say I'm envious.
stephen987 says:
06:01 AM, 10/10/07
Um, have you tried driving with narrower shoes? Driving mocs, ideally, but in a pinch slipper socks would work.
funkymunky says:
10:38 AM, 10/10/07
The point of our long-term ownership is to gauge whether the fun is worth the quirks, bills, etc. So far, it seems pretty good.
And that's an excellent point on the shoes. Driving mocs or something like wrestler shoes would be a very good idea.
billymay says:
06:41 PM, 10/12/07
Yup, Puma Speedcats or similar work nicely.
estreka: I own a 328, and have been in the newer Ferraris as well. There really is something to the experience of these cars that is more 'raw' and vivid than the later ones. If you have a chance, definitely drive or ride in both. A lot of Ferrari enthusiasts would rate the F40 as the best supercar ever, due to the immense power of its V8 and the absence of electronic nannies. The 328 doesn't have that kind of punch, but the manual steering, Momo wheel without an airbag, manual/gated gearbox and snugness of the cockpit are uniquely Ferrari. Not ergonomically great, but somehow it all works perfectly when you're settled in.
doug: The shift forks sometimes need adjustment. It should slip into reverse easily, though I always slip the lever toward 1st (clutch remaining disengaged) then into reverse - that uses the 1st gear syncro to prevent grinding when engaging the un-synchronised reverse gear.