[From 2019]
We start the morning, after way too little sleep, with a TV station interview covering our little road trip. While saddened to leave the
comfortable embrace of the Ritz after spending such little time there, we did
want to make Denver
that night. After the high-speed testing
at Nardo, Bertone added small Lexan aerodynamic devices to the under-tray, one
each in front of the front wheels, to provide additional stability above 200
mph. Whatever benefits they provide,
these little deflectors are also scraping on every coin we drive over. In his Indiana
stint, Dan hit an unavoidable minefield of construction potholes hard enough to
jolt me awake (and convince me that I’ve shattered my left kneecap). And in so doing, has cracked both
deflectors. They are designed to be
easily replaceable, but we don’t have any replacements with us. Unsure of the aerodynamic effects if we just
remove them (particularly on the high speed runs planned for later), Glenn
steps up and wraps them in duct tape. Yes,
we’re fixing a
unique $2 million concept car with duct tape in the driveway of
the Ritz Carlton. First class all the
way, baby! I dare Dan to display the car
at
Our trip today consists entirely of
heading west on the Interstate. The 612
Scaglietti is well-suited for this purpose, despite its niggling ergonomic
challenges. The cruise control switches
are much more tactilely pleasurable than the Chevy bits on the Bertone, but
they are much harder to use. Perhaps
Ferrari thinks that cruise control are like cup holders; really only for Americans?
The
612’s hyper-expensive Bose entertainment and navigation system is the prime
culprit here. Sure, it produces rich,
atmospheric sound that can be tuned to your utter delight, but that’s only if
you can work the interface. Two
reasonably bright, gadget owning guys spent 8 days trying to figure out the
system, and it still left us scratching our heads. Connect to an iPod? Sure, but good luck trying to call up the
right album or select a different song.
This difficulty is dwarfed by the sheer frustration offered up by the
navigation system. Want to pan a
map? Rotate a knob to move up and down;
then push the knob to rotate the angle of movement, and push the knob
again to enable movement along the new axis of direction. Forget it.
It was far easier, faster and more accurate to use Google Maps on the
iPhone. What’s frustrating is that the
underlying audio hardware is so damn impressive, with only the crippling
interface letting us down. Attention,
Steve Jobs….
Having said all that, the 612 is
clearly the best car for today.
Comfortable, supportive seats, plenty of room, ice-cold air conditioning
(the equal of any American pick-up truck and about 5 times better than any
Ferrari of a decade ago), Sirius comedy (once you figure out how to select it),
and easy cruising at 120 mph – there is no better way to cross Missouri and
Kansas, other than a Gulfstream jet.
Clearly,
as we kept driving west through the flat Midwest ,
we had a lot of time to whine to each other.
The top of the Mantide’s doors are made out of clear Lexan and glass. Resembling nothing so much as the cockpit of an
F-16 Falcon, it’s the perfect car for seeing the sights, short of a
convertible. But less than great for crossing
Kansas , as
it’s basically a giant greenhouse. Glenn,
of Irish descent and pale of skin, was the lucky driver for this stint. He draped a towel over his head and ears,
pulled a cap over it, and dubbed himself Glenn of Arabia. There would be more consequences later.
Amazed that my compatriots have never
had the world’s best fried chicken, we make a slight detour in Topeka for dinner, to a
Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits. A large
box of spicy fried chicken, some red beans and rice, and fresh biscuits. Nom nom nom.
Outside the Popeyes, the word had gotten out, and the locals had formed
a small car show around our conveyances.
Modified Civics and Mustangs were roaring into the lot to check out the
exotic machinery. “Never in a million
years did I think I’d ever get to see cars like this in Topeka !”
As the sun set, it became
self-evident just how viscerally stunning the Mantide is. With LED lighting up front and back, it’s
nothing less than an alien starship, particularly as it passes you at a high
rate of speed, shockingly silent as the engine is barely above idle. The 16M generates the most squeals of
delight, as it’s at least recognizable.
The 612 glides along, nearly unnoticed in this company.
As we enter the flatlands of Eastern Colorado , a major thunderstorm is brewing against
the horizon. For this New Englander,
never have I seen a thunderstorm that stretches 180 degrees against the
horizon, giant purple thunderheads glowing with lightning strikes. The closest feeling I can summon is that of
standing on the fields of Armageddon, witnessing the End of Days. The gusting winds are discomforting, but all
three cars handle it mostly with aplomb and only a few white knuckle moments.
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