Category: Experiences

Finali Mondiali of the Ferrari Challenge – Here’s what you’ve missed

Last weekend, the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza has hosted the Finali Mondiali (World Finals) of the Ferrari Challenge, an international monobrand competition consisting of North American, European and Asia-Pacific legs. ROSSO attended the event and is bringing you on a journey in Italian excellence.

The atmosphere

The Finali Mondiali are the single biggest Prancing Horse kermesse in the world, and a true full-immersion experience when held in Italy. Hosted by the Mugello circuit last year, the Challenge always sees an Italian stop for the European leg in Imola, a truly historic track. Monza, however, is in a league of its own. The Temple of Speed has always been the greatest representation of motorsport excellence, both in Formula 1 and in smaller categories. Tifosi from all over Italy and the rest of the world come in swarms in the small Italian town, celebrating the Italian excellence and racing pillar that Ferrari is. Fans have the chance of admiring classic, era-defining racing and road cars in the exhibition paddock and join the mechanics in the pits, enjoying an unprecedented insight on the Maranello spirit. Here you can find a selection of some of the great opportunities offered to the Ferrari fans in Monza.

Fierce competition

The Ferrari Challenge sees dozens of Ferrari 488 Challenge supercars fighting each other by the inch on track. The Finali were entered by no less than 37 of these V8 3.9 beauties, in their race-adapted setup: a different rear wing, 126-litre fuel tank and, of course, specific safety devices.

Exclusive video content and more – for your entertainment

ROSSO has covered the whole weekend life, with a firsthand, almost interactive approach. If you want to live the full experience through your own eyes, as if you were there, then check out my takeovers on my Instagram blog and over at ROSSO.

Spending My Sunday in the Ferrari 458 Spider

 

According to the nine awards the Ferrari 458 Spider received when it debuted, it’s one of the best cars of the early 2010s. I can now FULLY understand why… allow me to explain.

Photography: Max Lammers

To Spider or not to Spider

Convertibles have never been my favourite type of Ferrari. I spent a significant amount of time in an F430 Spider and there’s just too much wind noise to have a proper conversation, plus it can get chilly fairly quickly (depending where you are) if you don’t turn on the heater. A day in the Ferrari 458 Spider drastically changed my mind. Having no roof over my head the whole day made me feel so much more connected to the outside world as we drove through picturesque Dutch villages and hilly forest roads.

 

 

The initial plan was to take some pictures of the car and carry on with my day. The owner, who is also one of the founders of a local Ferrari club, had other plans. He wanted to drive the whole route for an upcoming tour of the club. I didn’t stand in the way of his plans for a second because this meant I could spend my whole day in the passenger seat of a 458. Who would say no to that?

Exploring the countryside

We took off and the owner wasn’t shy about putting all 570 horses on the tarmac. A Maserati tailing us had a hard time keeping up. We took the scenic route through amazing parts of the western Netherlands, where we scared cows and cyclists before stopping for a nice lunch in Laren.

 

 

The three exhaust pipes (inspired by the F40) of Ferrari’s last naturally aspirated production Spider sounded heavenly, with their beautiful and instantly recognizable high-pitched scream.

The 458’s red line starts at 9000 rpm and gives you 7 gears to play with; there’s no doubt it must be a joy to drive. The driver began our journey with the infamous Manettino dial in sport. When I asked if he could switch it into race, I felt an instant change in the cars’ behaviour: up shifts were quicker, down shifts were more aggressive and the acceleration blew me away.

The first of many videos

 

 

Around five weeks ago, I started a degree in Creative Business at a university in Amsterdam. My favourite subject is Storytelling & Video, where I’ve become more familiar with editing in Premiere Pro. I uploaded a small video of my day in the Ferrari 458 Spider on YouTube. Please remember it’s only my fifth video and everything was filmed on my iPhone 8 Plus. Do let me know what you think of it or have tips or feedback!

Thanks to the owner for allowing me to join. I truly enjoyed and appreciated the car, our lunch, good conversations and the photo results!

 

Inside Miami’s Craziest Ferrari Collection

 

I visited Garage 26 on a rainy Friday morning in early September. This secret supercar bunker overlooking suburban Miami will finish construction in the next month or two, and when it’s done, it will be home to some of finest private automobile collections in the world.

Photography: Christian Cipriani

As I walked in, I asked a man which floor I was going to. Later that morning, he was introduced to me as the retired Mexican driver Adrián Fernández, who for decades raced Formula Three, IndyCar and LeMans.

“You’re looking for the fifth floor,” he said, stepping over framed awards piled high beside one of his race cars. Today, he co-owns Fernandez Racing, but that morning I found him and an assistant organizing years of memorabilia in his space on the building’s fourth floor.

Wall-to-Wall Supercars

When the elevator doors opened on level five, my eyes met a lineup of Ferraris that could make the Pope curse.

Against a wall of windows sit the Super Six – both the coupe and Aperta versions of the LaFerrari, followed by the Enzo, F50, F40 and my personal holy grail, the 288 GTO. Just a month ago I wrote about never having the chance to see this car in person, and here I was, face-to-face with her.

I said hello to a few other people browsing the collection but they soon left me alone in a roomful of iconic Ferraris. This is as close to church as I get. I had a supremely peaceful morning walking quietly among these magnificent machines, admiring their design, taking photos, running my hands along the seats and bodywork. It was a special experience.

Completing the Super Six

The latest addition to Garage 26 is an exquisite 1985 288 GTO Berlinetta Scaglietti – chassis 56643 – acquired this summer from California. An in-depth report from the incomparable Marcel Massini details the car’s provenance: Sold new through a Hong Kong dealer to Sam Tramiel, the son of Atari founder Jack Tramiel, and collected in person from Maranello, it was observed during the 1985 F1 Grand Prix in Monte Carlo and later relocated by Tramiel to England, where it was sold to a dealer in California and legalized for U.S. roads. This two-owner vehicle arrived in Miami in 2018 with only 7,600 km (just over 4,700 miles) from new. It is one of just 272 in the world.

Sitting beside the 288 GTO is the collection’s 1990 Ferrari F40, purchased new by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen from Grand Prix Motors in Seattle. Today, it still only has about 2,000 miles on it and is in mint condition.

As you turn the corner to a red wall decorated with an oversized Ferrari logo wall and shelf-after-shelf of scale models, the rest of the collection reveals itself. This side is dedicated to limited-edition, track-focused models like the 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia, 458 Speciale, 599 GTO and F12tdf. Squeezed in there are a 550 Barchetta and one of just 80 examples of the 599 SA Aperta. As I opened the door and saw floor-to-ceiling red, I knew this could only be the work of one man.

“Yep,” said the owner. “I bought this car from Michael Fux.”

A Collection of Great Investments

Beyond his collectibles, which also includes a whole wing dedicated to Porsche (918 Spyder, Carrera GT and the insanely beautiful 959, among others), the owner has a significant number of “daily drivers,” like the 812 Superfast, Ferrari FF and more. It’s safe to say he’s dedicated to building one of the world’s best Ferrari collections.

It’s not that he isn’t into other brands, but investments differ from passion purchases. We spoke about Pagani and he said that he was actually in the process of ordering a Huayra Roadster but backed out, and made a good point about why: Paganis cost millions new, so where does the value go from there? I love Pagani, but I don’t know if the brand has been around long enough to prove its potential for significant long-term appreciation the way Ferrari and other brands have.

For now, this collector says he’s content with limited-edition Ferraris and Porsches. And as for the building, it was originally going to be a place where serious collectors could purchase display space for their cars, but now it’s going to be an elegant friends-and-family hangout – a destination for likeminded collectors to appreciate one another’s cars in an atmosphere of luxury, privacy and fun. Sounds like my kind of place.

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Things You Didn’t Know About Being A Monza Marshal

This picture was taken by Andrea himself last year. The prima variante is one of the best marshaling posts, right in the middle of the action.
This picture was taken by Andrea himself last year. The prima variante is one of the best marshaling posts, right in the middle of the action.

 

Are you aware of the difference between extrication and decarceration? Do you want to know more about how to become a race marshal? Today I’ve met with Andrea, who covers the role at the Italian Grand Prix, to find out. Additionally, we went for a road trip with his stunning Ferrari F355 Berlinetta to Modena and Maranello, where the Ferrari magic happens.

Andrea, what does it take to become a race marshal?

“Here in Italy, you have to take a three-day course at your local Automobile Club, then you have to take a final test. Once passed, you are eligible to be called to any event taking place at the Autodromo and abroad too. We are all volunteers, but we do receive a small reimbursement which should cover travel and food expenses.”

Is it a particularly time-consuming job?

“During the year, I am usually called for ten events at the Autodromo. Of course, you give your availability at the start of the season, clearly indicating the days when you would be free to come. Once you are called, you have to attend a pre-race briefing (for the Italian GP, this happens on Tuesday) where the Race Direction discloses a full timetable of the event, not available to the general public and specific regulatory additions for the race. Usually, the Race Director goes through the previous year’s highlights, to indicate what’s been good and what can be improved.”

What is your responsibility as a race marshal?

“We have to take care of the drivers’ and of the audience’s well-being. Our priorities are clear: we have to safeguard our own lives, then the drivers’, then the audience’s. The car comes last. During the Italian GP there are 260 marshals divided in various marshalling sectors and posts, each one of them having a Head Marshal. To that, you have to add firefighters, medical personnel and extrication teams, making it 600 people around the track. If you are marshalling in the pit lane, during some competitions you are assigned one or two boxes: your job is to check if any infringement of the Sporting Regulations is undergoing. For obvious reasons, only expert marshals are assigned to this post.”

What do you do if an accident happens in your sector?

“The first thing we do is checking the driver’s health conditions. We are under no circumstances allowed to touch him or her: if they cannot come out of the car on their own, medical personnel and extrication or decarceration teams must be called. These last two teams intervene in different events, the first being involved in GPs and single-seater competitions, while the latter are called for GT competitions. As the name suggests, a decarceration team’s job is slightly different: if the rollbar is deformed in the accident or collision, it can literally form a cage around the driver. Their procedure is highly technical, that’s why marshal do not perform it.”

 

In the Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena, which we visited today, you can also admire an accurate reproduction of Ferrari's on-track technical direction.
In the Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena, which we visited today, you can also admire an accurate reproduction of Ferrari’s on-track technical direction.

 

What about communication with the Race Direction as regards flags and Safety Cars?

“All communication is made between the Head Marshal and Race Direction. We are not allowed to use the black and white flag (warning a driver about unsportsmanlike behaviour) and the black flag (disqualification). We can use the red flag (session stopped) only if told so by the Race Direction.”

The Ferrari F355 Berlinetta

Thank you for your precious insight, Andrea. Tell me more about your stunning F355 Berlinetta.

“I have acquired this beauty four years ago: it took me a while to find exactly what I was looking for, since I wanted a stock model, without any kind of tuning or modification. The V8 engine this car carries is one of the best Ferrari has ever produced, and its sound is amazing. What I really like about Ferrari is that you are always a top-class cliente to them, whethere you’ve bought a 488 Pista or not. This car is a true pleasure to drive around, especially since I’m a former rally driver. I never take her to the Fiorano circuit, because I know I might get the temptation of joining the competition again!”

 

This Black Ferrari 458 Speciale Is Her First Of Many

The meanest Ferrari 458 Speciale in town!
The meanest Ferrari 458 Speciale in town!

 

Although the majority of car enthusiasts are male, female fans (and owners) are certainly emerging. Figures like Alex Hirschi and Emelia Hartford are great examples. Rajia Bibi, a London-based entrepreneur and good friend of ROSSOautomobili, has been in the car scene for many years and she’s a great inspiration for female car-lovers out there.

Photography and Words: Max Lammers

An average day at a Ferrari dealership

 

 

Hanging out at HR Owen Ferrari is great: the staff is very kind, the showroom is filled with stunning cars and you get to see customers coming in and out to spec their new Ferraris. At some point, a customer was configuring his new 812 Superfast and I was able to sit down with him and salesman Garry O’Dea in the Atelier. They picked dark blue – I believe it was Blu Pozzi – in combination with a tan interior and gold wheels and it looked fantastic!

While I was waiting for Rajia at the dealership, a stunning black Ferrari F12tdf with red accents arrived. Knowing that this exact car is her dream car, I sent her a quick video and when she arrived she was super excited to see it and talk to the owner about potentially buying it from him. The owner was a kind gentleman and truly passionate about the brand. When he opened the bonnet of the car, my jaw dropped. Part of the factory team signed the engine with a white permanent marker. That’s some real dedication!

 

 

Her first Ferrari

Rajia bought her first Ferrari – this 458 Speciale – in 2015. She previously owned various exotic cars such as the Maserati GranCabrio and Audi R8, but it was only when she purchased the Speciale that she realized she was entering the world of serious cars. Her main car goal is to own a LaFerrari one day, preferably in black.

 

 

Rajia and I go way back. We first met at the 2016 Paris Motor Show where she invited me to check out the newly unveiled LaFerrari Aperta. Earlier this year, we got to spend time around the 488 Pista at the Geneva Motor Show. She has always supported ROSSOautomobili and I am thankful to call her a friend. From an entrepreneurial point of view, she’s a fighter: she overcame early challenges to qualify as a Doctor in 1997 and started several businesses along the way. She’s very into tech and is currently working on a company to better the healthcare industry.

Aren’t Ferrari’s supposed to be red?

I asked Rajia where her love for black cars came from, and she replied: ‘’I owned two red cars, but both brought me bad luck. After a while, I moved to black cars and fell in love with them. The fact that they look so aggressive, mysterious and enigmatic really helped.’’

After spending some time at HR Owen, we got in the car and drove to the first photo location. Earlier that day, I searched for some nearby (so-called) mews – small, quiet backstreets typical of London. I sent her down a very narrow road, but she seemed to know her cars’ dimensions well. She parked up, got out and I took these pictures.

#17

 

 

These shots are among my favourites of the whole trip. I love the contrast between the dark and menacing car and its brighter surroundings. As you may have noticed, there’s a number 17 on the side of the car. She took delivery of the car on July 17, 2015, the same day racing driver Jules Bianchi passed away from injuries sustained in his Suzuka accident nine months earlier. Bianchi’s racing number was also 17. As a tribute, she added the number 17 to her car.

Another little detail of the car is a plaque inserted between the two seats. It reminds her, and her passengers, to always stay driv3n.

That’s the end of my reporting from London. I really enjoyed spending time around all these inspirational people and amazing cars. Let me know in the comments below which Ferrari is your favourite of the whole trip, and check out all the articles below if you missed any.

 

Featured



This Black Ferrari 458 Speciale Is Her First Of Many


This Black Ferrari 458 Speciale Is Her First Of Many




Is The Ferrari 812 Superfast Too Powerful?


Is The Ferrari 812 Superfast Too Powerful?




These Two Ferrari Collections Will Blow Your Mind


These Two Ferrari Collections Will Blow Your Mind




If Batman Was Italian, This Ferrari 488 GTB Would Be His Daily Driver


If Batman Was Italian, This Ferrari 488 GTB Would Be His Daily Driver




California Meets London: Join Us In A Blu Pozzi Ferrari 488 Spider


California Meets London: Join Us In A Blu Pozzi Ferrari 488 Spider




Visiting London Dealerships And Shooting A Ferrari Portofino


Visiting London Dealerships And Shooting A Ferrari Portofino



Is The Ferrari 812 Superfast Too Powerful?

 

The Ferrari 812 Superfast is the latest creation of the Ferrari front-V12 GT cars. Those GT cars go all the way back to the 1940s when Ferrari revealed their first proper road car, the 166 Inter.

Words and Photography: Max Lammers

Silver exterior, Bordeaux interior

 

 

I met up with the founder of AARK Racing to take some pictures of their new 812 Superfast, which they acquired through HR Owen Ferrari and configured with salesman Garry O’Dea. The outside is finished in Grigio Ferro, a stunning shade of silver. The wheels are in black and most carbon options were ticked.

The inside, finished in Bordeaux, is a bit bolder: ‘’I really wanted something different, and when Garry told me I could, we went for it! I love the contrast with the rather plain exterior. I used to own an F12tdf which I bought in silver with black wheels and a full red interior. We had to pull some strings, but this interior is one of the first tailor made parts you can find in any 812 Superfast.’’

Is the 812 Superfast too powerful?

 

 

The Ferrari 166 Inter was intended as a luxurious way of driving from A to B. The ride was comfortable and it wasn’t as focused on performance as the GT cars of today. The V12 in the 166 Inter produced around 90 bhp and the car could reach a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph). The latest successor of that 166 Inter is the 812 Superfast, a proper supercar that packs 789 bhp and is capable of going 340 km/h (212 mph).

But did Ferrari went a bit nuts? In my opinion, no. Although the car lives up to its name, it really knows how to put the power down. I asked the owner to accelerate at a stoplight and was impressed by how well the car gripped the road. Both the engine and the tires were cold – we definitely left some tire marks – but we reached 108 km/h (67 mph) in under 4.5 seconds. In Central London.

Daily driveable exotic?

I asked the owner about his view on my statement: ”I think the 812 Superfast is very powerful but a person who buys an 812 expects that power, otherwise they coud buy a 488. I had the chance to take the 812 Superfast around Brno [Czech Republic] after I finished testing my 488 Challenge and it is really direct and well-balanced, especially when the tyres warm up.”

Like I mentioned in this article about the F12berlinetta, the 812 Superfast is no exception to the rule. You could drive this car to the track, drive it hard on the track and then grab some milk at the grocery store on your way home. I would need to spend more time in one to give a proper answer, but in the few minutes I sat in the passenger seat, the car felt like it had tons of performance potential, but couldjust as easily turn into a Grand Tourer with the switch of a button.

Thanks to AARK Racing for allowing me to spend time around this magnificent piece of engineering.

 

These Two Ferrari Collections Will Blow Your Mind

Enzo Ferrari at Simon Furlonger Cars
Enzo Ferrari at Simon Furlonger Cars

 

If you’re a frequent reader of our website, you’re aware that I divided my day with Ferrari 488 GTB owner Toby in two articles. This one is part two, so if you haven’t checked out the first part, click here and make sure to come back after reading it. This part will be about our visit to Simon Furlonger Cars and a private car collection in Kent.

Words and Photography: Max Lammers, Simon Furlonger Cars

The dream workshop

 

 

When we drove from VVS UK to Simon Furlonger Cars the weather was horrendous. Toby is a very good driver and performed some impressive accelerations along the way, but as you can see on the pictures it was almost impossible to get any good outside shots. When we arrived at Furlonger, the weather still hadn’t cleared up so we couldn’t take any cars out for a ride. There are some plans to collaborate with Simon Furlonger Cars in the future, so no worries!

We were welcomed by salesman Matthew Honeysett and after a drink, he showed us around the workshop and happily provided more information about the various cars. The yellow F48, for example is – disrespectfully said – a poor man’s F40. The Munich-based car tuner, Koenig, modified a stock Ferrari 348 TS with extensive bodywork and an upgraded engine. We wandered through the workshop and stumbled upon a 250 GT Lusso in for a service and Matthew showed us the roof mechanism of their 575 Superamerica. I always found the roof mechanism of this car impressive; it doesn’t fold in, the whole roof just flips 180° and rests on the luggage area.

Supercharged Ferrari 275 GTB/2

 

 

We then walked towards the proper showroom. And with proper, I mean real serious stuff. What to think about a Classische Certificated Enzo, a Classische Certificated F50 and the ‘’Colonel’’ 275 GTB/2. Although Furlonger is mainly focused on Ferraris, they also had the third Countach imported into the U.K., a Bugatti EB110 and a super rare Jaguar XJR 16. The latter was the more successful one of the two XJR 16’s Jaguar used in the IMSA Championships in the early 1990s. It managed to win four races in 1991 which resulted in a 3rd place in the Championship. The car also finished third in the 1992 24 hours of Daytona.

Back to the Ferraris.. the 275 GTB/2 mentioned earlier was first owned by Mr Ronnie Hoare, also called the ‘’Colonel’’. Ronnie Hoare is widely known as the Colonel. Thanks to his efforts, Ferrari became an established brand in the United Kingdom. He sold this Celeste Chiaro Metallizzato 275 GTB/2 to Mr. Raymond Thompson of Sussex after meeting him in Paris the week before. In February 1968, the car changed hands once again. Thompson sold the car to a Mr. David Griffith-Hughes for £3750.

Autocar author Ronald Barker (1920 – 2015) wrote an article called ‘’FERRARISSIMO!’’ and described the journey of Griffith-Hughes fitting a supercharging to the V12. He always dreamt of owning a Ferrari, but also wanted to know how smooth a 12-cylinder would run with a turbo. Click here to give the original article a read.

Private collections don’t get any better

 

 

After leaving Simon Furlonger Cars, Toby and I were craving for some food. After a pizza and a burger we were off to see a private collection in the Kent area. We were shown around by Ollie Streek, son of the owner of the collection. The collection is spread out over three garages. The first one had some of the highlights of the whole collection: an newly acquired F40, a pristine condition F355 Berlinetta, Dino 246 GTS and a few more Ferraris. None-Ferraris worth mentioning were a Jaguar Project 7, a low mileage Ford GT40 and a Lamborghini Diablo and Countach, both finished in black.

 

 

Toby mentioned the collection in earlier conversations and said there was a blue 365 GTB/4 as well. I asked Ollie about the car and he told it was in the second garage. This garage had the 365, but also contained a few Datsun’s, Bentley’s and proper war machines such as a tank that served in the Afghanistan war. The 365 GTB/4 Daytona sat on a service bank because it was used at the Le Mans Classics in June earlier this year and needed a little check-up.

 

 

To my surprise, both these garages were just half of the whole collection. At first glance, the third garage was pretty regular, but when Ollie opened all the doors I was speechless. Among all the memorabilia, an Aston Martin DB4, DB9 and DBS were parked in the first section. The second door went up and we were welcomed by a TVR, Lotus Esprit, a proper Formula 1 car, a Porsche 911, a classic Mustang and the first ever Lotus 7 produced. While wandering through the garages, I noticed two Jaguar E-types: a coupe and roadster. Just like Enzo Ferrari, I have to admit the coupe is certainly among the most beautiful cars ever made.

I’d like to thank Toby for the great day, Matthew at Furlonger for kindly showing us around the cars and Ollie for his hospitality.

 

If Batman Was Italian, This Ferrari 488 GTB Would Be His Daily Driver

Nero Daytona Ferrari 488 GTB

 

Toby (@TbyDriver) has always been a big Ferrari fan, so when he purchased his first Ferrari, a 458 Italia, three years ago, his dream came true. Last year he added a Tailor Made 488 GTB to his garage, and recently sold his 458 for his upcoming 812 Superfast. Exciting times to say the least, but why is he such a big fan of the prancing horse?

Words and photography: Max Lammers

Why Ferrari?

 

 

Like every other young kid, Toby also dreamt of one day owning a super car. He set a goal when he was 15: to own a Ferrari before the age of 30 (he only missed it at 31!). I asked Toby about his passion for Ferrari and he explained there’s basically nothing better on the market. ‘’Porsches may drive extremely well, but don’t have the same style as a Ferrari. Lamborghinis are extravagant and wild, while Ferraris are elegant and precise. Nothing engages the driver as Ferraris do. And driving is my main pleasure.”

The reason why Toby bought a 488 GTB in Nero Daytona with yellow details is pretty funny as well. He explained, “When people first hear I have a Ferrari, they always sigh and say, “I bet it’s red! So I always say NO…. it’s black of course!” Toby went on to explain he loves them in red but loves people’s reactions to other colours more. Toby’s 488 was a tailor made to his exact spec with custom black additions and yellow details. As a product designer himself he has a eye for details. It’s not overdone, but could still be the personal car of Batman’s Italian cousin.

Toby’s current goal is to one-day park a LaFerrari in his garage. Although he loved spending time around the Enzo at Simon Furlonger (more on that soon), his heart goes out to the LaFerrari. It’s the current pinnacle of the brand and a real turning point in their history.

Rare Lamborghinis and photographing a 458 Speciale

 

 

The reason I met up with Toby, apart from spending the whole day in a 488 GTB, was to visit some local collections and dealerships. Sadly it was pouring down with rain, so we couldn’t take out any of the cars we would visit.

Our first stop was VVS, which is a Lamborghini specialist based in Cranbook. Bear with me before we take a look at their 458 Speciale, it’s definitely worth mentioning some of their current Lamborghini’s. They had four Murcielago SV’s, special edition Gallardo’s such as the Super Trofeo and three Perfomante’s, various special editions of the Huracán such as the Avio and Spyder. Among the modern cars, a Countach and Diablo were parked at the back of the showroom.

After wandering around the showroom for an hour, Toby managed to get the guys replace the Gallardo Performante for the 458 Speciale. This example is finished in the magnificent Rosso Corsa complemented by black racing strips and grey wheels. As one would expect with the Speciale, the interior was totally stripped out. Who needs floor mats during a track day anyway? What you definitely need are the seats that seem the fit everyone and the racing harnesses that will keep you in place. Can’t imagine what a blast it would be to drive one of these around the track.

Part two of our day will be posted in two days’ time. Make sure to stay tuned. Thanks to VVS for their hospitality and showing us around the showroom.

 

California Meets London: Join Us In A Blu Pozzi Ferrari 488 Spider

Ferrari 488 Spider

 

Londoner Rajin Mehta managed to find a gap in his busy schedule to show photographer Khalid Bari and myself around his classy 488 Spider. We met up in a garage with some other cool cars and when we all arrived, Rajin started the car, but then, this happened…

Photography: Khalid Bari and Max Lammers
Words: Max Lammers

Fixing a flat battery in the middle of London

 

 

When he pressed the infamous START ENGINE button on the Blu Carbon steering wheel, nothing happened, you just heard a quiet beeping sound. The sound you don’t want to hear when you’re about to take out one of the most unique 488 Spiders to come out of Maranello. It was the sound of a flat battery..

Rajin immediately jumped in his other car to get a portable car charger from HR Owen Ferrari. When he came back and tried to jump-start the car, nothing happened. We tried a few more times, but the car kept beeping and showing all sorts of warnings. At some point, we even got a warning the airbags weren’t activated. He then called the road service, but they took around three hours before showing up. Luckily, the guy who eventually arrived knew what he was doing, the turbocharged V8 came to life when Rajin pressed the button once again. The rainy weather cleared up as well, so after a quick shoot in the garage, we drove to some other locations.

Typical British scenes

 

 

I then jumped in the passenger seat and we followed Khalid in his car towards the first outside location. The location was rather sketchy, but pictures turned out great. Blu Pozzi is one of the hardest colours to capture, especially when the surroundings aren’t letting any light coming through.

Unfortunately, it was still raining but we managed to find a very nice looking mew. Mews are basically a row of houses that were built in the 17th and 18th centuries and had their carriages houses (turned into garage spaces later on) below. Rajin parked up the car and the shots I took are definitely among my favourite ones of the whole trip. It’s a very recognizable London atmosphere, with a one-of-a-kind 488 Spider in the middle of it. You can find more pictures over here. Pictures shown below are taken by commercial photographer Khalid Bari.

 

 

Although we didn’t spent a lot of time outside, the power of the car was noticeable whenever Rajin put his foot down. The turbocharged engine is still debatable among diehard Ferrari fans, but it does sound really good. Ferrari did a great job with the sound of the engine. It was a shame it was pouring down with rain, otherwise he could have done some more accelerations. The potential of this car is incredible, I cannot wait to get in a 488 Pista to see what that monster is all about.

Two-tone exterior and blue carbon

 

 

Let’s talk about the configuration of the car. Rajin is the first owner of the car which he directly acquired from HR Owen Ferrari. Mainstream colours like red, yellow or black aren’t really his thing, so he knew it had to be something special. He had always been a big fan of two-tone cars, but it persuade him to actually get a two-tone 488 Spider when he saw a picture of a dark blue 250 GT California Spider (pictured above).

The main body colour is Blu Pozzi and the roof is finished in Argento Nurburgring. He knew Blu Pozzi was one of the cheaper colours, so he could go crazy with the other colour. And he did, because it cost him around 7.000 pounds to get the roof finished in this beautiful shade of silver. Parts such as the front splitter and both air-intake-dividers are made out of carbon. Although it’s a real unique car, it wasn’t enough for Rajin, so he added a coloured variant of the interiors’ carbon package. He went with blue, an option that set him back around 16.000 pounds. I have to say, it’s a bold choice but it looks incredible in daylight.

Thanks to Rajin Mehta for bringing his car out and thanks to Khalid Bari for joining the shoot.

 

Visiting London Dealerships And Shooting A Ferrari Portofino

Ferrari Portofino with HR Owen Ferrari London

 

London is well-known for its incredible car culture. Especially in the summer, it’s the perfect place for car enthusiasts. I bought myself train tickets and arranged a hotel room for four nights to meet up with some likeminded petrolheads! This is how my first day went..

Words and Photography: Max Lammers

Ferrari SF15-T and F12tdf at HR Owen Ferrari

 

 

After my friend (@ferrarifreak7) picked me up from my hotel on Wednesday morning, we drove to the South Kensington based HR Owen Ferrari dealership. They always have some great cars on display, but I was not expecting to see their SF15-T, which was given to them as a reward for being named Ferrari Dealer of the Year in 2015. Ferrari built the car from factory parts, but it didn’t came with an engine. Nonetheless, a great sight to see among the F12tdf and two 488 Spiders who happily joined the iconic F1 car.

The F12tdf on display is truly a unique example: Argento Nurburging with Nero Stellato racing stripe and a red/black alcantara interior. The car is in pristine condition and has done just over 300 miles. In terms of configuration, this one is very well-balanced. The brake calipers match the interior, the stripes match the wheels and it all matches with the stealth overall look of the silver paint job. One slight problem… it’ll set you back around 900.000 pounds.

Verde Tevere 250 SWB and naked LaFerrari Aperta

 

 

Next up was Joe Macari. This impressive dealership is based in a London area where you wouldn’t expect to see cars like an F50 or the F12tdf with a custom Zanasi front bumper parked outside under a layer of sand dust. After we parked the car and starting walking towards the main dealership, we noticed their 250 GT California Spider lurking in the showroom. We entered and were greeted by a bunch of Lamborghinis.

We were distracted by a line-up of incredible cars such as a LaFerrari Aperta without any stripes, a black 275 GTB and a Verde Tevere 250 GT SWB. The latter is one of the most noticeable examples ever made and a friend of ours took inspiration from it for his 488 Pista spec. Before noticing the lower placed wing mirrors, we thought we were dealing with a LaFerrari Coupe. This example had the removable carbon roof and a fairly standard interior.

Shooting a Portofino with HR Owen

 

 

We got in the car again and drove off to Premier Park, a small industrial park with companies such as Topaz Detailing, Pagani U.K. and the HR Owen Service Center. Unfortunately, we can’t mention the cars that were in for service, but I honestly think I have not seen a better gathering of Ferraris in my entire life. Helen Wakerley, media manager at HR Owen Ferrari, showed us around the service center and compound. She eventually took us out in their new Portofino demo.

The car is finished in Nero Daytona over a tan interior and sports the optional wheels. The Portofino features the same engine as in the GTC4Lusso T with a slightly detuned output of 592 bhp. The car replaced the California T and it looks amazing in real life. The big hips of the California disappeared so the Portofino really is a more elegant car. Find more pictures of the car here.