04 Mar 04
An 80s Testa-'tossa'
As far as the cars are concerned I'm not of the everything-was-better-in the-past school of thought. Since the dark days of the awful 80s Testarossa and under-endowed early Mondial things have improved massively, even if the styling tends to pander to vulgar mass taste. I mean that Perspex cover over the engine on the 360. What's all that about? Automotive porn, that's what it's about. It's saying Ferrari engineering is so great, so mystical we're going to let you, the great unwashed, see it in action. It's all too knowing, too crass.
And the Maranello. Won't anybody stand up and say it just looks like a big 80s Nissan Z car? Mark my words, people will be sniggering at those in years to come. The 456 was undeniably elegant and understated but the designers of the 612 have taken that on another stage by producing something bland and utterly under-whelming to look upon, although the dynamics will probably make up for it. The Enzo certainly has presence but you'd have to be a pretty confident and happy individual to feel comfortable driving it in daylight.
Understated 1976 400GT auto
Having said all that, I think there is a little bit of everybody that wants to own a Ferrari, no matter how much one may have professed, like me, to find the whole idea a bit vulgar.
Anyway, I can hardly talk in these terms too openly now as I've just bought a Ferrari myself, a 400GT. I have got a surprising amount of stick about this from friends - I'm far from alone in my views - but I can justify the purchase by saying that this was the last of the really cool big V12 models. Playing Top Trumps in the school playground in the 70s, I lusted after the 400GT more than the more dramatic Boxer or Dino. They still look, to me, suave and understated in the crisp Pininfarina house style of the day. They were never driven by footballers as far as I know and the doors lock automatically if you attempt to enter the vehicle while in possession of a mullet.
Admittedly the automatic transmission wouldn't have been my choice but the five-speed manual versions are out my reach. This one cost about as much as a major service on a modern Ferrari but, as one expert said, actually buying a Ferrari is only the first down payment. We'll see.
