The Big Drive Photo Gallery

I now know what I will be working for!

OooooooooooH! Dat vas nice!

This is mine! No, mother, it's mine!

Damn!   That was good!!!!!!!!!

Here are some more pictures that capture the spirit of the day.  The looks on their faces says it all.

 Hope you enjoy!

Copyright (c)  2012   Eugene Carmichael

A Fabulous Sunday Drive

Here she goes!

Today, Sunday 13th May, 2012 was a day for a very special drive for my wife, Lorna, and our son, Nathaniel. For what I am assured was a sum of money very well spent, they each took a drive in a Ferrari 360 Spider, and a Porsche 911 Carrera.  The day could not have been more perfect, and they were both looking forward to the event.  They signed up with HCC Sports Car Madrid, who was actually located in Barcelona, and who came down to Valencia to take out the excited drivers.

My wife set off in the Ferrari, with the top down, and my son was in the Porsche, although they left with my son in the lead. It was thought that she would slow him down, but she gave a good accounting of herself. She refused to be intimidated by the big Leaping Horse. Good on her! Midway through their forty kilometre journey they traded places, so she came back in the Porsche.

The Ferrari 360 Spider has a 400 bhp V8 engine, that is mid-mounted, and can get you from standing still to 60 in 4.5 seconds. That is some serious G-forces. It has a six speed gearbox and can cruise around 300 km/h, though she didn't test that out as they drove along normal roads. The original cost of the car was $162,000, but if you can afford that you won't be too daunted by the 11 miles per gallon you get on the highway.

The Porsche is a name that has such cache that it is almost like saying "Private Property". Most of we normal mortals will never get to sit in a Porsche or a Ferrari, let alone to be the one to actually push the starter button and release the clutch. My son, the male model looked as though he was on a job with his flash sunglasses. That car, which is very light on its feet can take you from sitting still to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. Better be sure you are on a straightaway the length of an airfield, as you are good to liftoff. The top speed is the same as the Ferrari, at 300 km/h. This means that both of these cars are Formula One worthy.

Interestingly, both cars feature a dancing horse as its logo, or part of the logo. This is because of the affiliation with the city of Stuttgart, Germany, and its Coat of Arms.

There was also a third car available. A bright yellow Lamborghini just sitting there waiting for me to step into it. The problem is that at my age and weight, once I stepped into it, that would be followed by the great drama of trying to extract me from it.

I think I will lose some weight before giving it a try. Meanwhile, I will have to be satisfied with driving my own Jaguar.

Visit http://www.hccsportscars.com/

Copyright (c)  2012   Eugene Carmichael