Futch:
Finally I took delivery. Just epic. What a car! By far the fastest and most intense to drive. So much fun too, it just gives you more and more confidence as you push. It's a bit big on some mountain passes but it's alive! The hybrid tech is awesome, the E engine torque fills at low revs and helps at high revs for max power.
We pickup the car up at the factory. So far Ferrarri has delivered approx 50 cars. The guys were super nice, I called them to tell them we'd be 8 mates! No problem they said. Private factory visit then invitation for lunch at Montana and then the delivery. The coolest delivery ever. Champagne canapés blah blah blah. Then Fabrizio chief test developer took me for a spin. Easy drive out of Maranello and then floored it! That will answer the question about the brake in procedure then. Sport, Race, TC OFF, kick the back out, the TC calibration is the work of genius. Then back to the factory, pictures, keys and ciao ciao! Off we went, four car, 355, 458 Speciale, F12 and Laf.
2000km, numerous mountain passes, started full blast with col de Turini, a rally de Monte Carlo special, it's a bit difficult to judge far right side because you sit so low and the wheel arch is quite big but it's ok. In Sport the TC castrates the power too much, in Race too, better response and gear changes but still no slide. TC off is the way to go, soon the learn to lean on the car, it talks to you, it's approachable and yet the V12 is savage, so violent, traction is ridiculous, coming out of hairpins floor it in 1st gear, nice oversteer, 2nd gear and you're already too fast for mountain roads. The Speciale was better suited, obviously. More passes, non stop, gorgeous weather, the stuff of dreams, Vars pass, Izoard pass, drove all the way up to 2200 meters.
The brake pedal is a bit weird, it's quite hard, because of the regen of the E engine but you get used to it.
There is an E mode called Start & stop EVO, it's not like the 918 or P1, you can't drive it in E mode but you can crall in E mode. Ferrari says it's to leave your house in E mode and silently (the car is mega loud when it starts). So you can crawl in E mode but as soon as you accelerate the V12 starts.
Noise: Freaking awesome. Extremely loud. Just so so angry. It doesn't sound as sweet as the LFA or Carrera GT but it's so much louder, it's epic. Then there are the other noise, the HY Kers makes the weirdest noises, when you brake it sounds like a Star Wars spaceship landing, then when you accelerate gently, you hear all sort of weird noises coming from the back, very mechanical and unusual.
Performance: Biblical. We clocked 0 to 200 in jus above 7 s, starting from a tool booth without launch control. Race mode and floor it. This is the first road car I drive where you can feel the downforce, on the motorway from Genova to Nice, you have fast bends, the faster you go, the more planted the car feels. It's freakish. Not GT2 levels of course but half way there, it's amazing. And at the same time, suspensions in bumpy road mode of course, so it's comfortable.
Comfort: Perfect, in bumpy road mode it's just perfect. Makes the LFA hard! Inside it's super snug. No room at all. The driving position is perfect. I'm 6ft and I have to push the pedals all the way back but the steering wheel adjust very close. It's the closest in driving position I've been to a GT2 car. The view too. It's ultra low. The view out is perfect. The huge mirrors let you see back very well too.
The instrument cluster is amazing. Full digital. You can personalise everything. You can switch between classic display and race display. There are two cameras for the telemetry, one filming ahead and one filming the driver and can view data and video after a track day like in a race car. Can't wait to try it.
Drawbacks: Details but the boot is ridiculous. So unless you have a support car you can't take stuff with you which is a shame. The GPS is standard Ferrari which means it's shit. The Hifi is also pretty crap but at least there is one. The paddles are fixed, same as other ferraris and that sucks, race car paddles move with the steering wheel and it's easier to shift in fast bends. Frankly that's it.
This car is a triumph. It's mega mega fast and yet it's so easy to drive. Best road car ever made for me. Period.
I don't know how I missed this post. Enjoy her in good health.
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