Maranello

No useful shopping space though, just a funny boot in the front bonnet!

So come on then, where's the review :P

Chris

Well I was expecting to rubbish the pant-wetting journo's hyped-up love of these things - but it is pretty much as they say - perfect (except the exhorbitant price obviously!).

Everyone looks at you - which is pretty disconcerting.

At a junction only 1/2 mile from the dealership a black Merc C-class pulled up across the exit infront and blocked our way out the junction. As three people jumped out and came towards us I though we were going to be ambushed for the keys :eek:

It turned out that really bizarrely there was a treasure hunt running today and they needed to get a picture of themselves with a red Ferrari.

The salesman told them to bugger off and snap one of the cars on the lot.

Back to the road-test: it makes the most fantastic noise, it handles amazingly (it has adaptive suspension and traction control which you can adjust from the steering wheel).

The feedback is brilliant - a Porsche 911 C4S I drove a few weeks ago had the most disapointing and wooden steering I think I have EVER felt!!

The gearlever moves with precision and click-clacks into each gear. The engine revs to 9k, but is torquey enough that just a few rpm over tick-over allows docile driving round town and in traffic. The clutch is precise with a very smooth biting action (no jerking) and is nicely weighted - the Porker's clutch was a He-man strength job - very wearing.

The seats were very comfy, the ride aswell - no bumps felt - so the adaptive suspension was doing its bit.

In fact surprsingly easy to drive.

Needless to say it goes like soil off a shovel!

I can't find any fault really (except the cheap-skate use of ONE small Fiat Uno sourced symbol which flashes feebly for both indicators

- I like nice big arrows for left/right thank you)

cracking. were you just test driving, or are you considering buying?!

interesting to hear your comments about the porsche in comparison..... would have thought it'd be better...

You waltzed into the dealer for a test drive? :eek:

I thought they checked for platinum cards first!

interesting to hear your comments about the porsche in comparison..... would have thought it'd be better...

Now that would be a bargain:

Porker 60k

Furry 120k

Winner: Porker !! (better than a 2/3 price Audi = Skoda)

Just looking thanks ...

You waltzed into the dealer for a test drive? :eek:

I thought they checked for platinum cards first!

No - I was invited to drive the car.

I even parked up in my Skoda - ha ha! (wearing shorts, t-shirt and trainers - I did shave today though)

I asked the salesman how many other customers popped over in their Skodas - he wasn't fazed, he said they get all sorts of cars in.

they must all be different then when idrove one it was great for short stints but seemed a bit like hard work wheras the 911gt2 was no harder than a mondeo to drive,both awesome cars tho .

I had a ride in a friends 360 f1 spyder a few years back, and as Ferraris go it was crap I would say.

One of the biggest factors about buying one for me would be the noise, this one sounded like a sewing machine, and an electic one at that, it was pathetic unless you were going to take it to 7 grand plus everywhere. Then there was the flappy paddel gearbox that made you headbut the dash eveytime you changed gear, a truely monumental waste of money that car was.

Having said that I would imagine that with the manual box, and the challenge stradale exhaust (which sounds awsome) it would be a truely brilliant car, and probably worth every penny.

Most recently though I did get to drive one of the new BMW m3's what a car they are!!

They look amazing, they really have got the stiyling just right if you ask me, the V8 sounds like a pack of wild rabid dogs that want to come and tear you limb from limb, it is almost terrifying, and beatuiful at the same time.

I also like the way that when you boot one out of a corner, as the back starts to twich the active dampers tighen the outside of the car, an try to keep it level, a the traction control just takes the edge off the torque.

The clucth is as light as what you would find in a mini, the power is instant at all times, the gearbox has a nice feel to it, just like all bm's, but could possibly be better, it is a touch heavy and a touch long throw, but I could cope with it.

The biggest let down is the fact that when you are in one there is nothing special other than the typical M style clocks that you get in all M cars. All the seats, swithces are just like any other bm, and I think that they shoudl have done a bit to makeit a bit more different inside. Not a big thing but hey if im spending 50k plus on a car its the little things that can make the differance sometime.