Another Ferrari promotional video, this time for the launch of the 599GTB Fiorano (does anyone actually call the 599 the Fiorano?). For this Ferrari have elected to show the 599 in a pseudo race with an F40, presumably to show that some twenty years later the relatively luxurious 599 (note the 599 driver wears a suit while the F40 driver is more casually dressed) has the performance to match and exceed the stripped out raw supercar F40.
I have some experience of the 599 as I enjoyed a rather nice trip to Le Mans and on through France in 2007. Other than seats that gave me a numb backside however I adjusted them (and they adjust in just about every direction) the car is sensational. It does however have one major flaw in that it is far too big for European roads. Park a 599 next to a Daytona or even a 550 and it is massive. I do hope that its replacement is a smaller lighter car (but retaining a V12 if in smaller capacity).
Somehow despite at least riding in just about every Ferrari made in the last forty years I've managed to miss the F40. Anyway despite the arrival of the Enzo it remains to many the iconic Ferrari of the modern age with high resale values despite actually being made in relatively large numbers (Ferrari made around 1300 about the same as the Daytona, despite originally planning only around 400).
While I'm sure the 599 can out perform an F40 (and if not the new 458 Italia certainly will), I suspect the rawness of the F40 would still make this the car of choice for that two for the open road blast depicted in this film, but the fact that the 599 can match it's performance while still having a large boot and all the creature comforts (backside aside) is a true sign of progress. The slightly depressing thought is that if we look ahead twenty years when eco regulations will probably restrict cars like either of these, will we see the 599 as the zenith of GT Supercar design, or is there a few last hurrahs left?
No comments:
Post a Comment