Ferrari Memories (In Honor of Top Gear's Ferrari Issue)

[YSSMAN]

In honor of Top Gear's All-Ferrari special, I think it may be time for us to do a segment of our own:

- Do you remember your first Ferrari spot?
- If you've driven, how was the first drive?
- Any other fond memories?

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Being the first to go, I'm sorry to dissappoint on my first Ferrari spot. I've seen a lot of Ferraris in my 20 years on Earth, but only more recent spots stand-out. But, I'll do my best...

Going all the way back as far as I can recall, I do remember seeing a red Testarossa whilst in the back of my Mom's car on the way to the Babysitters. This would have been in the early '90s, as I believe it was in the Corolla at the time. It was just in front of the Grand Rapids Airport, and I remember looking strangely at it thinking "Is that a Ferrari?" and then confirming that it was true, much to my excitement.

...I'm sure there were earlier Ferraris, but I just don't remember them. Later spots, usually in the past five or so years such as the neighbor's 355 Spyder, a Mondial t convertible near Pando, various 360s, and newer models at auto shows continue to dominate my mind...

My first, and I believe only time in a Ferrari was in a 308 Quattrovale (sp?) a few years back at a specialty car dealer that used to be open here in Grand Rapids. It was sky blue, had a tan leather interior, and I had never really been in anything like it before. The only time I'd seen a gated shifter like that was in an older Corvette, but it felt so strange in the Ferrari. Furthermore, it was so low to the ground, I had a hard time getting in and out... And I wasn't even fully-grown (I was maybe 5'9" or 5'10" at the time).

Other notable Ferrari memories are just the basic ones. A few spots here, a few spots there, but nothing really stellar. There are a lot of rich folks in Grand Rapids, but we're more likely to buy a Porsche or a Mercedes than a Ferrari in most cases, so the Ferrari memories are usually regulated to going outside of town.

...One of importance was the Enzo at the North American International Auto Show, which probably remains to be one of the most-expensive cars I've ever laid my eyes on. Everyone was crowded around it, taking pictures and otherwise looking with that blank stare of lust and jealousy. I remember a guy walking up to it and getting in, and thinking about how lucky he was. I saw another one later on at the Grand Rapids Auto Show a year or so later, this time yellow (as opposed to red), and there was actually a line to see it.

I'm still a sucker for older Ferraris, but thats normally what I see the least of.

 

[benzoboy]

I remember my first Ferrari spot

A bright red 308 (NOT a replica), the exhaust noise was fantastic and it looked great, by far my favourite Fezza

BTW, what cover did you get? I got the 1975 312 T

 

[Speedster502]

I got the cover No. 4 of the Ferrari 1962 268SP. Hmm my first Ferrari that I ever saw...I really need my Dad to write about his Ferrari 550 drive...My first Ferrari was a Red 360 Spider at the MPH04 Car Show. Me and my Dad sat next to it while eating our lunch. We never said a word, both of us were gawping at the car. Of course my Dad's dream came true and now he has driven a Ferrari. I can say he throughly enjoyed it.

 

[KSaiyu]

I've got the Peter Sellers with his Dino cover.

My first Ferrari spot that sticks in my mind was a red Testarossa, and I remember thinking that HAD to be a Ferrari even though back then I didn't know what a Testarossa looked like (especially from the rear).

As for more recent, I was lucky enough to go to the Ferrari 60th anniversary weekend at Silverstone so finally saw a lot of Ferrari's I had only seen in books/movies, plus saw my all time favourite a REAL 250 GTO in racing livery.

Seeing the parade of 43 F40's was a highlight too, seeing as how much every car nut loves this car (it doesn't matter if you're into tuner cars, American muscle I believe you HAVE to like it!)

Just for YSSMAN (I prefer the older ones too):

 

[TheCracker]

I can't remember the first time i ever saw a Ferrari, they're not uncommon in Europe and it was probably a long time ago now (I can, however, remember the first time i ever saw a Lambo like it was yesterday )

I suppose my greatest Ferrari moment would be from a few years back when we competed at the Coys Historic Festival at Silverstone. There was a Ferrari owners club display backing onto where we were parked at the edge of the paddock. I put my tent up about 3 meters away from a line of 8 F40s parked together.

 

[MagpieRacer]

First one I saw was a Ferrari 355 screaming down a motorway.

 

[YSSMAN]

Awesome stories!

I do wonder how many of us are going to see;

- A 308 first
- A Testarossa first
- A 355 first
- A 360 first

...The small, V8 models seem to be the most popular. I'd even care to bet that most will be red...

 

[harrytuttle]

Do you remember your first Ferrari spot?

I honestly can't remember. A 308 or a 365; it was one of those, because I remember the general shape. It totally defined what a Ferrari should look like to me. I've seen older ones (and obviously newer ones) since then, but the 308 (if it was that) is the prototypical Ferrari in my mind. Not necessarily what it should look like, nor do I think of it as the best. But when someone mentions "Ferrari", some guy in a Hawaiian shirt and a mustache always comes to mind.


If you've driven, how was the first drive?

Never driven one, but definitely had a few rides. The best (and the worst) was the F40. It was to be a short drive up the parkway, and I thought the owner was young enough to enjoy the hell out of it. Unfortunately, he totally pussyfooted the thing, never getting over 39 MPH (with a speed limit of 40). He goosed it once or twice, but never got on it. Total letdown, but I did get a good feel for what it was like to be in a supercar. It was one of a handful of major influences for what I'm working on now.

 

[exigeracer]

I've got a million Ferrari memories, I live in a rather glamorous city, so seeing a Ferrari is easily a weekly occurance (my last one being a 430 Spyder on Sunday). I think my first Ferrari memory was seeing a whole street lined up with them for the Ferrari Club's annual Canadian Grand Prix street festival. I must've been really young when I first attended that thing. I've gone almost every year of my life to that event, most years are very similar, but some stick out in mind. One year it was absolutely dumping rain outside, and we still went, which was a lot of fun. I met Eddie Jordan one year, some years we got some rarer cars showing up (I also start to refer to it as "we") such as a mint F40, some current and past Challenge cars (533, 360, 430) and other oddities from Italy. I start using we, because a family friend of mine eventually picked up a used 308GTS-QV, brought over from Europe (escaping the nasty bumperettes and other North American-regulated parts).

This started my first-hand experience with the cars. He would regularly take me for rides through the mountains, giving some good boots coming out of turns and generally pushing the car to its and his limits. He began participating in the Club's events, going on to become a very respected member. We would show up to those Club events in the red 308, we would go watch the F1 races with the 308 and his current car, and I did minor work for them as well.

The years passed, and he decided to upgrade from the 308 after a thorough rebuild, to a clean, black 89.5 Testarossa. I grew older as well. I did security for the Ferrari Club at their F1 festivites downtown. I've been offered to drive the car on numerous ocassions as well, but had to pass up because of insurance reasons.

My friend has also taken me to Circuit Mont Tremblant for their Ferrari Festival, complete with all-access to the entire facilities (I'm going back this Saturday), completing the day by showing up in his beautiful Testa. It was nice running my hand along the fender flares of a shiny 250GTO, sitting in Schumacher's car from the 2000 season (IIRC), or standing just behind the pounding exhaust of a 333. That had to be my best memory of being with Ferraris, that day at such a beautiful track.

Another good memory was when I got to go see his Boxer 10 being rebuilt, and being able to inspect the whole ordeal first-hand, up close and personal. The gigantic piece of metal sitting on the table while the shell of a Ferrari Testarossa was on the side on blocks. Amazing.

Despite all of these experiences, I don't think I would ever want to own one. New ones are ridiculously overpriced, slightly used ones are marked up, and I would much rather buy and restore an old Elan or something over an older Ferrari (which is probably also marked up because of collector status of the badge). Either way, they're still nice machines in the superficial respect.

Here are some of those memories in photograph.

 

[McLaren]

My first Ferrari sighting was a black 512M quite a long time ago.