What a most excellent car show this was. A Ferrari for every budget. From fixers at 40K (Yes, some were for sale) to a $15M La Ferrari, the gamut was covered quite nicely. Very nicely. Not being a high volume manufacture there were an awful lot of one off models here. All told the 140 cars here for the day covered the gamut from the curvaceous sexy 50s to the current sinister, evil, menacing La Ferrari.
Also at this show were a few other super cars, exotic and downright sexy performance sedans. I'm talking Saleen S7, Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli and a selection of Aston Martin.
But enough of the other makes, lets focus on the main event, Ferrari. This is a storied brand, the lustful dreams of young men and old alike. It history on the race track was translated in to road cars for the public, or at least those in the upper incomes. Its a brand that exudes speed, style, class, and wealth like no other. Its pure sex appeal with 4 wheels planted firmly on the ground sweeping ess curves.
My absolute favorite car of the show, wasn't one of the super cars, but this 1952 212 Export Coupe. Right hand drive and flawlessly restored. Not a dimple in the paint, a pit in the chrome. The leather on the seats seductively draped, tucked and folded. I want one just like it. Or just a ride in it up the 1 from SaMo to Port Hueneme. Am I asking for too much in life?
Engine where a back seat would be in any other car. The 458 Speciale V8 screams and sings like nothing else I've ever hear before. Trust me, I'd rather have that next to my ears than a whining toddler in a car seat kicking my seat back. Any. Day.
I wish I had scribbled more information on this car onto the old note pad or had the foresight to snap a pic of its information placard. This was one of the true beauties of the show. All curvaceous sexy curves. Voluptuous even. Something about the cars from the 50s and 60s that I prefer over the new models. These cars were sex on 4 wheels, something few other manufacturers have ever really duplicated.
And what's a Ferrari show without a few Dinos to illustrate what really put the brand on consumers radar in the late 60s into the early 70s. Produced for a few short years it was the "affordable" Ferrari sub brand with potent V6 or V8 motors. They had everything to offer in term of fun to drive spirited handling, sexy bodies of a Ferrari only no V12 or high price tag. It was a hit for the brand. By 1974 they decided to brand all as Ferrari and with it the demure spitfire that was Dino went with it.
1984 Ferrari launched the Testarossa..the world took notice. Fast, incredibly fast and powerful for the era...while everyone else was mired in the the malaise era they did something about it. Made a fast, powerful car, MPG be damned, CAFE be damned car and put the world on notice that those regulations didn't mean the end to fun cars. They sold and sold well in spite of its nearly 185K price tag and gas guzzler tax. I think this car and its subsequent variations lit the imaginations of designers and started the super car craze that we are riding right now. Even 30 years later this is a drop dead gorgeous automobile. It has stood the test of time.
And I end this post with the top dog of the Ferrari line up today. A road going super car like few others. The La Ferrari. Batman only wishes his car looked as evil wicked mean and nasty.
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