Time as come

So life changes, things happen, and choices have to be made.
And after 3 years of fun and amazing adventures it's time to let it go.
A change of cities, a change in jobs, and unfortunatly the lack of conditions to store my precious next to me.
It saddens me and fills me with a great sense of loss, but it must be so.
My last big drive was a 600km blast filled with highspeed climbs, high-G turns, and awesome overtakings..
I loved it, I love it, and I'll always will.
But alas it must be.

To everybody who shared my passion and my many milles of adrenaline I thank you.
Someone else will enjoy it now, and maybe one day I'll be able to have another silver bullet to enjoy the amazing roads of Europe.

'Till then..

Millionaire dreams

What a month this has been!
Through all the work and some well spent time at the beach enjoying the last few rays of summer sun, I managed to do a long drive with my car, amazing as it is and how I can manage to be so far away from it for so long.
I also had some close encounters with some proper 4 wheeled monsters, as you can see from the pictures below.
A million Euros is a lot of cash!
And you can’t stop but wonder: would I really, REALLY spend a million euros in “just” this car?
I mean it’s THE car of the decade, but even now I doubt it will ever dethrone the mighty Macca from the top of the automobile food chain.
I haven’t driven neither unfortunately, but it kind of makes me wonder: would I?
When I could have a Zonda F for less, a Bristol fighter for a lot less, and even a nice pristine Enzo with some Edo tuning for about the same..
Ultimatly, you would choose according to your liking!
I’m still a bit of a racer, and to me the sleek lines of the Enzo with the Edo treatment would have me from the first glimpse.
The Zonda would be my “sensible” choice. The one to drive everyday and not worry too much.
The Bristol, well, if I lived in London.. Maybe…
The Bug is an amazing achievement and my kudos to VW and Bugatti for having it built.
I have seen the road tests and videos, and it is an amazing piece of machinery.
Having seen one in the flesh it does have outstanding craftsmanship and interior quality and care in it’s design.
But it’s a big, heavy car.
And that’s an issue for me.
You see lightness, for me, is the ONLY way to go.
I practically sold my car to pre order the next Ferrari when they put out the millechilli prototype, and it’s no secret how I feel about their first derivative of that project (just read the next post).
Lotus is “IT” for me, mainly because of the lightweight mantra.
They just fly, where others rattle and shake.
And when it comes time to turn (what really separates a great car, from a fast car) they just go like some divine hand is holding them down to the pavement.
After some particularly spirited driving I often wonder if Collin himself wasn’t giving me some pointers from above, or discussing with Senna how I could have negotiated that better.
There’s another option of course: the MC12.
I was actually more excited about it than I was about the bug.
It’s just so.. out of this world!
It’s a racer through and through!
And the sound it makes is addictive.
You just want more of it, like some high-octane and decibel junkie!
It’s cheaper too, with examples being sold for less than a Mill.
Lighter, witch means it doesn’t need 1001HP, 624 are more than enough.
And you can use it to impress your neighbours, who won’t be impressed if you show up with a Veyron, they’ll just take you for a snob!

Ah well, if someday I’ll happen to have a million quid lying around I know I’ll have a hard time choosing…

I didn't have my camera or phone with me when I "met" the MC so this is your standard google pic

Avenue Montaigne, Paris. Unforgetable day!

quattro cinque otto

I have a love affair with Italy!
I suppose that in a country that hails beauty in all it’s forms and shapes like that one, I too feel a bit more beautiful (or less ugly).
I’m a sucker for Italian food and clothing, but most of all Italian cars!
The sleek lines of a Pininfarina designed Ferrari, the sheer monstrosity of a Lamborghini Murcielago and the finesse of a Pagani Zonda..
Truly the stuff of masters, and as an art form, it’s one that’s been perfected through the centuries, having all the great impressionist artists as forefathers.
But this week, I drooled!
Not over Monica Bellucci – pretty common drooling symptom on a male adult of the human species; but over the pictures of the new Ferrari 458 Italia!
Oh My God!
It renders all other cars before it common and, in fairness, quite blunt.
The prowess of it’s design is only surpassed by the technological achievements in it’s engine compartment.
The specific output; the torque, the acceleration figures, the consumption figures, and, to those green heads out there who only think in CO2 terms, the low emissions, they just keep me yearning, aching for one in my hands.
The price is high, of course.
But it’s a Ferrari for crying out loud.
It’s the epitome of automotive brilliance.
Ok, so there’s the Pagani.
But a Ferrari has heritage, history, blood, sweat and an Ocean full of tears!
It’s the story of a man towering above an entire industry.
And it’s red.
Red ones go faster after all.
And this new one….
Even it’s name is evocative of those great Ferraris of yore.
458, meaning it’s a 4.5 litre engine with 8 cylinders.
And then, as a tribute to the country that saw it become the stuff of legend, more than just mere childhood dream: Italia!
I love that country.
And I love that car!
I want one!

Universal truth

"Race car driving is like sex: all men think they're good at it" - Jay Leno on Top Gear

In the 'Ring..

Strange things pass by when you're in the Ring..

In and out

So after nearly two months of arriving from the trip the car has been in and out of the shop with constante pressure losses that seem to elude everybody.
Luckily the guys at Speedsterforum.de and vx220.org are the greatest bunch and keep feeding me info on what must i check and what can be wrong with it so it's not all bad.
I mean at least I am aware of others like me and it keeps you dreaming about the day when your car will be as good as theirs (that's especially true to you cs! I do love that black thing you drive!).

One bittersweet truth that I am now coming to accept is that I must go to Germany once again with my car for a proper tune up.
Maybe not to upgrade it, but just to have it checked out by someone in the know..

It's also a very good excuse to return to the 'Ring :)
Let's wait and see..

my co-pilot

You’re only as good as the person standing next to you.

This is a great truth, and never before had I experienced it as I did on this trip.
Fred’s a great guy, but life wouldn’t normally connect us, fate did.
We took a post grad degree together, and from a professional liason we became friends with a craving for motors and cars.
Oh, and airplanes!
And, when things went wrong in my dream journey I didn’t back down or decided not to go.
No.
I immediately called Fred and asked him to join me.
Which he did.
And it was the BEST thing that could have happened.
I mean, having someone next to you, talking to you, cheering you, and even waking you up when you just want to sleep out your tiredness.
It was amazing, I don’t think I’ll ever thank him enough.
And, obviously, my performance at the ‘Ring was not humiliating because of him.
“full speed, right turn after the straight, watch that apex…”
A knowledgeable and dependable person.
I was really lucky with my decision and he was the most amazing and stocked guy that I could have as a partner in this long trip.

And yes, Maria, trust me, he was a saint!! -> I did try to take him off the track once in a while but he stoically resisted. Guess French women aren’t that cute after all :P