458 and 599 Sunday Drive

colonel1961 · 10-12-2011, 05:02 PM

Last Sunday I got together with an acquaintance who had recently bought a 458 Italia and had seen me around town in the 599 and said we should go for a drive.

As I’ve noted before, we have some wonderful areas to drive in North Alabama and I’m pretty sure we hit most of them. We met in a supermarket parking lot and he said ‘C’mon, Junior – flash your lights if I go too fast!’ What a great way to start!

We hit Highway 65 in Jackson County which has both straight line stretches and wonderful curves, inclines, declines – and with great cambers for running at good speeds. He lead the way, since he had a radar detector and was somewhat more familiar with some stretches of road. What a thrill! We were able to really open the cars up – not just at speed, but acceleration, diving into turns, passing – quite exhilarating, to say the least. I won’t reveal any actual speeds, but we were moving at a nice clip.

The 458 is so beautiful in person. His car is Grigio Medio and it truly showed off the perfect lines that Pininfarina blessed the car with – photos do not do it justice. And the sound was so wonderful – the high revs on the 8-cylinder cars are something special.

He beat me off the line, slightly, any time we had to start from a standstill, or low speed. I think he also had an edge going through the turns, but I understand they are two different cars with two different goals. Nonetheless, the 599 did itself proud and he was pleased that I never had to blink my lights to have him slow down!

We stopped twice – once for gas and once at lunch (both in rural Alabama) – and we couldn’t have drawn more attention if we were from Mars. Still amazed at the caliber of the questions though. Little of the ‘What is it?’, but questions about top speed, horsepower, cost, et cetera – most of the folks recognized them as Ferraris and truly enjoyed seeing and hearing them arrive and depart. Kids took pictures and videos (and so did I!).

Anyway, a great way to spend the day – the most fun I’ve had to date in a Ferrari. And a nice way to make a new friend. Cheers!

JazzyO · 10-12-2011, 10:28 PM

Sounds like a wonderful drive Colonel! His car should be Grigio Medio (Italian for medium grey). It looks great in that colour, and your 599 looks fantastic in black.

Onno

Barry · 10-12-2011, 10:51 PM

Great way to spend a Sunday Paul. Plus the advantage of being beaten off the line is that you get to admire the 458 lines each time. That'd be my excuse anyway!

212Export · 10-12-2011, 11:21 PM

Thank you for sharing a great experience. Would love to koin you guys thru rural Alabama with my old thing. Last time I drive there was in the early 80's in a old Chevy station wagon. Just remember the long straights with smooth up and down movements in between within the endless forrests.

Boxer · 10-13-2011, 12:20 AM

Great write up. Sounds like my favorite type of run.

wetpet · 10-13-2011, 04:13 AM

Paul i'm jealous. Enjoy it!

colonel1961 · 10-13-2011, 09:51 AM

Thanks, all. It was a blast! Every time we got out of the car we were both just laughing our asses off at how much fun it truly was. And, of course, that's the whole idea behind the darned things!

Onno: 'Medio' indeed. 1/4 Italian and several years of Latin - you think I might have surmised the proper spelling...

colonel1961 · 10-13-2011, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 212Export

Thank you for sharing a great experience. Would love to koin you guys thru rural Alabama with my old thing. Last time I drive there was in the early 80's in a old Chevy station wagon. Just remember the long straights with smooth up and down movements in between within the endless forrests.

Shooting through the state on I-65 is very much as you described. In the Northeast portion of the state we are still in the foothills of the Appalachians, providing a rather dynamic and enjoyable set of roads to chose from...

Please join us one day!

amcasta · 10-13-2011, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colonel1961

Anyway, a great way to spend the day – the most fun I’ve had to date in a Ferrari. And a nice way to make a new friend. Cheers!

Sounds like a perfect day to me!

Two of my favorites!!! Does that 458 look beautiful!!! And man... your 599 is a dream!!!

Did you get to drive the 458?

colonel1961 · 10-13-2011, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amcasta

Sounds like a perfect day to me!

Two of my favorites!!! Does that 458 look beautiful!!! And man... your 599 is a dream!!!

Did you get to drive the 458?

Unfortunately, he didn't offer and I didn't ask. Would have certainly loved to have tried the left seat...

Thanks for the kind words about my 599 - it is a joy!

t1fosI · 10-14-2011, 02:15 AM

Fantastic!

.

tazandjan · 10-14-2011, 02:16 PM

Colonel- A really fun drive. Your 599 is gorgeous and I would much rather have a 599 than a 458, so keep enjoying driving her.

Andrew · 10-14-2011, 02:23 PM

Great write-up. I think I saw a 458 in SF with Grigio Medio, fantastic color for the car.

Even if you were beaten off the line, the V12 I'm sure could hold it's own.

Mighty Joe · 10-14-2011, 04:39 PM

Wow...Two beauties!!!

10-12-2011, 05:02 PM	#1
colonel1961 Owner Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Alabama Ferrari Life Posts: 995 Name: Paul	458 and 599 Sunday Drive Last Sunday I got together with an acquaintance who had recently bought a 458 Italia and had seen me around town in the 599 and said we should go for a drive. As I’ve noted before, we have some wonderful areas to drive in North Alabama and I’m pretty sure we hit most of them. We met in a supermarket parking lot and he said ‘C’mon, Junior – flash your lights if I go too fast!’ What a great way to start! We hit Highway 65 in Jackson County which has both straight line stretches and wonderful curves, inclines, declines – and with great cambers for running at good speeds. He lead the way, since he had a radar detector and was somewhat more familiar with some stretches of road. What a thrill! We were able to really open the cars up – not just at speed, but acceleration, diving into turns, passing – quite exhilarating, to say the least. I won’t reveal any actual speeds, but we were moving at a nice clip. The 458 is so beautiful in person. His car is Grigio Medio and it truly showed off the perfect lines that Pininfarina blessed the car with – photos do not do it justice. And the sound was so wonderful – the high revs on the 8-cylinder cars are something special. He beat me off the line, slightly, any time we had to start from a standstill, or low speed. I think he also had an edge going through the turns, but I understand they are two different cars with two different goals. Nonetheless, the 599 did itself proud and he was pleased that I never had to blink my lights to have him slow down! We stopped twice – once for gas and once at lunch (both in rural Alabama) – and we couldn’t have drawn more attention if we were from Mars. Still amazed at the caliber of the questions though. Little of the ‘What is it?’, but questions about top speed, horsepower, cost, et cetera – most of the folks recognized them as Ferraris and truly enjoyed seeing and hearing them arrive and depart. Kids took pictures and videos (and so did I!). Anyway, a great way to spend the day – the most fun I’ve had to date in a Ferrari. And a nice way to make a new friend. Cheers! Attached Images Colonel1961 - - - - - - - - Current: 599 GTB Fiorano F1 Former: 308 GTS QV; F355B; 360 Modena Spider F1; F430 F1 (2); 612 Scaglietti F1; 550 Maranello Last edited by colonel1961; 10-13-2011 at 10:03 AM. Reason: Spelling

10-12-2011, 10:28 PM	#2
JazzyO Owner Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Jersey, Channel Islands Ferrari Life Posts: 4,281	Sounds like a wonderful drive Colonel! His car should be Grigio Medio (Italian for medium grey). It looks great in that colour, and your 599 looks fantastic in black. Onno Future: 458 Italia (May 2012) Present: 550 Maranello, 330GTC, 365BB (x2) Past: eh - see above.

10-12-2011, 10:51 PM	#3
Barry Owner Elite Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Europe Ferrari Life Posts: 3,255	Great way to spend a Sunday Paul. Plus the advantage of being beaten off the line is that you get to admire the 458 lines each time. That'd be my excuse anyway! Barry Ferrari's: 360 Modena F1, 308 GT4 Other Italians: Ducati 916, Ducati 848 DD's: RR Sport, BMW 645ci, BMW 1200GS Adv.

10-13-2011, 12:20 AM	#5
Boxer Owner Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: UK Ferrari Life Posts: 12,774	Great write up. Sounds like my favorite type of run. Boxer Current: F40, F50, 612, 430 Scuderia Past: 360 Modena, 360 Challenge, 550, 575, 365BB, 512BB, 456 GT, F355 GTS, 365 GTB/4 Daytona, 308 GTB

10-13-2011, 04:13 AM	#6
wetpet Owner Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Chevy Chase, Md Ferrari Life Posts: 6,599 Name: Ed	Paul i'm jealous. Enjoy it! Everything you know is wrong Stop chatting and start living the ferrarilife!

10-12-2011, 11:21 PM	#4
212Export Owner Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Europe Ferrari Life Posts: 2,278	Thank you for sharing a great experience. Would love to koin you guys thru rural Alabama with my old thing. Last time I drive there was in the early 80's in a old Chevy station wagon. Just remember the long straights with smooth up and down movements in between within the endless forrests.

10-13-2011, 09:51 AM	#7
colonel1961 Owner Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Alabama Ferrari Life Posts: 995 Name: Paul	Thanks, all. It was a blast! Every time we got out of the car we were both just laughing our asses off at how much fun it truly was. And, of course, that's the whole idea behind the darned things! Onno: 'Medio' indeed. 1/4 Italian and several years of Latin - you think I might have surmised the proper spelling... Colonel1961 - - - - - - - - Current: 599 GTB Fiorano F1 Former: 308 GTS QV; F355B; 360 Modena Spider F1; F430 F1 (2); 612 Scaglietti F1; 550 Maranello Last edited by colonel1961; 10-13-2011 at 10:04 AM.

10-14-2011, 02:15 AM	#11
t1fosI Owner Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: London, UK. Ferrari Life Posts: 1,434	Fantastic! . Current: 360 Modena Future: ? ----------------------------- 'Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it.'

10-14-2011, 02:16 PM	#12
tazandjan Owner Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Ferrari Life Posts: 3,586 Name: Terry H Phillips	Colonel- A really fun drive. Your 599 is gorgeous and I would much rather have a 599 than a 458, so keep enjoying driving her. Taz Terry Phillips Present: 575M 135171 Past: Dino 246 GT 02984, 365 GTB/4 14009, 308 GTS 25125 Every day I look around, and if nobody is shooting at me, it is a pretty good day.

10-14-2011, 02:23 PM	#13
Andrew Administrator Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: San Francisco Ferrari Life Posts: 6,186 Name: Andrew	Great write-up. I think I saw a 458 in SF with Grigio Medio, fantastic color for the car. Even if you were beaten off the line, the V12 I'm sure could hold it's own. AvidSquare \| Drivers Network

10-14-2011, 04:39 PM	#14
Mighty Joe Owner Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA Ferrari Life Posts: 104	Wow...Two beauties!!! "Serious Black" 360 Modena f1

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