I am going to keep a running tally as we go.
Ferrari has the Clienti program. For a fraction of the cost (OK for several orders of magnitude difference) we have in essence joined the RCR equivalent. The old man has ordered an SLC, and to tide us over Fran was gracious enough to loan us his own black and green car that you are probably already familiar with.
So my father trailered the car back from Detroit, arriving yesterday evening. Then he got up early and continued an hour and a half south to VIR where I was running the Lola on south course at a member day. He would be running in the no-passing Touring Lights, the perfect place to shake down a new car.
Let me start with the things on the car that are not right. First, even in company that included many expensive eye candy rides (including a new 430 Scuderia) this thing looks sooo mean that it's almost embarrassing when you are not a seasoned driver. Be prepared to clear stores, clear buildings, or in our case, clear paddocks.
Second, it's black, it was hot, and it doesn't have AC. I recommend AC.
The pedals were not set up for me. I had to reach.
It is a race car. Yes you can drive it on the road (the front lift is killer). But it defines hardcore. It makes a "hard core" car like a GT3 look like a Volvo wagon with trunk full of groceries and potted plants.
Something is wrong with the clutch engagement at this time. It is not fully disengaging, making shifting tricky. Unlike prior problems, it is engaging completely, so once in gear it is not slipping and all is good. It required a bit of double clutch downshifting. I decided to just run 3rd and 4th, not wanting to damage anything.
It has Hoosier slicks and very quick front geometry, meaning it is a bit twitchy in its current setup in fast straights.
It's loud.
It sounds really, really good
Rear visibility is on par with other supercars. Meaning it sucks.
The digidash crapped out just before we took the car, so we had only the sound of the motor to go on.
I only got about 5 laps of south course. Remember that I am in third gear, so in slow corners (40 mph?) the motor was lugging. Depress the pedal in third at that speed and be prepared for an experience similar to warp drive. The car absolutely hurtles towards the horizon. Then forth gear and again it rockets on. It is hands down the fastest car I have ever driven (that includes - recently - a Gallardo Superleggera, which felt like a, well, like a road car in comparison).
What impressed me most was the chassis and feel of the car in corners. Keep in mind, I am in a new to me, ill-fitting, ill-shifting, crazy powerful one hundred thousand dollar car THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME on cold slicks. And I was truly stunned by the feedback, the balance, the poise of the car. What is the point of having a car like this if you are unable to enjoy it? I have no fears about that. When it is right - when it fits, when it shifts, when it is cool in the cabin, when it is ours and not Frans, and when used to it, the rewards will be unmatched. It does not need traction control, stability control, or antilock brakes (or bigger brakes for that matter. The regular ones are fantastic.)
BTW, I think it will eat the Scud for lunch right now. Dialed in, it's no contest.
Pics and more impressions to follow. THANKS FRAN!
Ferrari has the Clienti program. For a fraction of the cost (OK for several orders of magnitude difference) we have in essence joined the RCR equivalent. The old man has ordered an SLC, and to tide us over Fran was gracious enough to loan us his own black and green car that you are probably already familiar with.
So my father trailered the car back from Detroit, arriving yesterday evening. Then he got up early and continued an hour and a half south to VIR where I was running the Lola on south course at a member day. He would be running in the no-passing Touring Lights, the perfect place to shake down a new car.
Let me start with the things on the car that are not right. First, even in company that included many expensive eye candy rides (including a new 430 Scuderia) this thing looks sooo mean that it's almost embarrassing when you are not a seasoned driver. Be prepared to clear stores, clear buildings, or in our case, clear paddocks.
Second, it's black, it was hot, and it doesn't have AC. I recommend AC.
The pedals were not set up for me. I had to reach.
It is a race car. Yes you can drive it on the road (the front lift is killer). But it defines hardcore. It makes a "hard core" car like a GT3 look like a Volvo wagon with trunk full of groceries and potted plants.
Something is wrong with the clutch engagement at this time. It is not fully disengaging, making shifting tricky. Unlike prior problems, it is engaging completely, so once in gear it is not slipping and all is good. It required a bit of double clutch downshifting. I decided to just run 3rd and 4th, not wanting to damage anything.
It has Hoosier slicks and very quick front geometry, meaning it is a bit twitchy in its current setup in fast straights.
It's loud.
It sounds really, really good
Rear visibility is on par with other supercars. Meaning it sucks.
The digidash crapped out just before we took the car, so we had only the sound of the motor to go on.
I only got about 5 laps of south course. Remember that I am in third gear, so in slow corners (40 mph?) the motor was lugging. Depress the pedal in third at that speed and be prepared for an experience similar to warp drive. The car absolutely hurtles towards the horizon. Then forth gear and again it rockets on. It is hands down the fastest car I have ever driven (that includes - recently - a Gallardo Superleggera, which felt like a, well, like a road car in comparison).
What impressed me most was the chassis and feel of the car in corners. Keep in mind, I am in a new to me, ill-fitting, ill-shifting, crazy powerful one hundred thousand dollar car THAT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME on cold slicks. And I was truly stunned by the feedback, the balance, the poise of the car. What is the point of having a car like this if you are unable to enjoy it? I have no fears about that. When it is right - when it fits, when it shifts, when it is cool in the cabin, when it is ours and not Frans, and when used to it, the rewards will be unmatched. It does not need traction control, stability control, or antilock brakes (or bigger brakes for that matter. The regular ones are fantastic.)
BTW, I think it will eat the Scud for lunch right now. Dialed in, it's no contest.
Pics and more impressions to follow. THANKS FRAN!
