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View Full Version : A day in a Ferrari 550 Maranello!

TT
08-13-2005, 02:38 PM
And what a day! Sadly passenger seat only, and after dingo's report it could sound a bit boring, but hell it wasn't!

To make a long story short: this weekend there is a Ferrari meeting in the Alps, this guy I know, who happens to own a 355 GTS and a 550 wanted to go and asked me if I wanted to go with him.. well, you can guess the answer! So today at 7:45 am I was parking my 320 and I was jumping into his 550.
It has a Tubi exhaust, and that's really good news since stock 550 are very quiet and not that fun!

The meeting was more than 100 km away, alpine roads included.. how cool is this?????? The 550 is an amazing machine, it pulls very strong, it grips great and with the Tubi exhaust it turns heads and sounds gorgeous!

We arrived there and discovered which other cars were taking part.. stuff like 288 GTO (black), 250 GTO '64, an old 250 Europa, 275 GTB, some 360CS, included one with opening roof and red/white/red stripe, F40 and a total of 40 cars...sweetness, and great to be there with a Ferrari since the parking lot was opened to owners and co-pilots only :!: :arrow: easier to take pics and enjoy the day!
In the morning there was a rally, with 60 km of alpine roads, various tests along the road and so on.. it was again GREAT!
Back in Crans Montana, JC my hero gave passenger rides to ppl (you could just pay 20 CHF and jump on one of the cars for a quick blast.. LOT of ppl was waiting for that).
More pics, more fun and then back home with 250 pics and some vids

Time to edit them.. it was amazing!

Here are just a couple of 550 pics and onboard video, I hope to post the meeting pics soon, but later today I will have online around 80 pics of another Ferrari meeting :!:

Little pause on the road in the early morning... such a sweet car
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/1520/ferrari550018pm.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ferrari550018pm.jpg)

Here is the car on the parking lot in Crans where the meeting took place
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/9864/ferrari550021xc.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ferrari550021xc.jpg)

And a couple of onboard shots
http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/4507/ferrari550036gh.th.jpg (http://img357.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ferrari550036gh.jpg) http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/8817/ferrari550043pf.th.jpg (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ferrari550043pf.jpg)

and here is a 1 min onboard video
http://rapidshare.de/files/3947803/F550onboardtowardcrans.zip.html
430csjj
08-13-2005, 02:46 PM
Great story and good vid aswell!! Video is a bit shaky, should of used your tripod!!
davide
08-13-2005, 02:50 PM
Aah, give me the pictures!
martin100
08-13-2005, 02:52 PM
Damn you´ve been very lucky again to drive in such a car! Must´ve been an awesome day. The best car i´ve driven in was a Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6. Was quite good but of course no comparison to a Ferrari...
TT
08-13-2005, 03:01 PM
Great story and good vid aswell!! Video is a bit shaky, should of used your tripod!!

LOL it was a bumpy road afterall. We had a camera mount, but his videocamera was already on it, so...
ARMAN
08-13-2005, 07:02 PM
Lucky TT :P You must have enjoyed it, so thats the reason you was not at JW for severals days(+ F meeting ofcourse) :wink:
sameerrao
08-13-2005, 07:36 PM
TT any pics of that black 288 GTO???
TT
08-13-2005, 07:50 PM
Lucky TT :P You must have enjoyed it, so thats the reason you was not at JW for severals days(+ F meeting ofcourse) :wink:

Actually I left JW to visit family for 5 or 6 days. While there I went to a first Ferrari meeting (pics just posted). I came back Friday to find an email asking me if I wanted to be passenger in the Maranello to go to this other F meeting.. how to say no :D

TT any pics of that black 288 GTO???

Of course I took a couple ;) but none is edited so far :bah:
dingo
08-13-2005, 08:33 PM
Now that I know how it feels I can appreciate how cool this must have been for you......the list of cars you've riden in is getting quite long already. :wink:

I just love the 550/575 - such a great looking car that really can be used everyday. :D

Congrats, and now get a ride in his 355. :wink:
Astonfan
08-13-2005, 09:04 PM
your lucky. i agree with dingo, get a ride in the 355. that car while it maybe a little slower, is still really fun and sounds amazing. also cant wait to see more pics especially of the f50 if you have any
TT
08-14-2005, 03:42 AM
The original idea was to take the 355 (it's a GTS BTW), but the organizers asked him to take the Maranello since they already had enough 355 :bah:

As for the F50, I am sorry Astonfan, it was a typo :!: it was in fact just an F40 :shock:
dingo
08-14-2005, 03:45 AM
The original idea was to take the 355 (it's a GTS BTW), but the organizers asked him to take the Maranello since they already had enough 355 :bah:

As for the F50, I am sorry Astonfan, it was a typo :!: it was in fact just an F40 :shock:

just an F40 :roll: .....don't even bother posting the pics then, thats just crap. :P
dingo
08-14-2005, 07:05 AM
I've just watched the video - I really like the acceleration out of that hairpin (just after overtaking the van). :D
FPVPSI
08-14-2005, 07:46 AM
Sounds like you had a great time... 8)

the 550 has such a great chape.... :D ...so whats it like compared to the other ferraris you have been in?
TT
08-14-2005, 12:17 PM
Uhm.. interesting question.. the other Ferraris I've been beeing a couple of 360 Spider (stock and free muffler) and the Enzo...
The acceleration is positively stronger than the 360's one, that's for sure. The V12 is very present with the Tubi exhaust and it's much cooler than a V8, even one with loud exhaust. To have the long bonnet right in front of you is damn cool too. The cabin is comfy, there is plenty of space to take with you a couple of small bags and so on. Seats are very supportive, maybe a tad too much for long travels, but good for mountain roads.
It had the H gate, the magical one while the two 360 had F1 paddles and the clicking of that manual gate adds a lot to the experience.
The 550 has maybe not even 500 hp but it pulls very strong with seemngly endless power. On the highway, overtakings are managed effortlessy and in such a cool and easy way!
And despite the sheer size the handling seems pretty good, well planted on the roadl, and quick out of corners. Steering seemed kinda direct, not sure if the sport mode also modify it's rake. Sport mode was always on.
During the rally there was an agility test.. you know, very tidy slalom, parking, reversing and so on.. and the 550 was like a whale.. the engine at the front doesn't help with the steering angle I think, but the driver was sure used to it, so he made it seems still plenty acceptable.
And finally, even in silver/grey, it attracts lot of positive attention from ppl!
Obviously you can't compare it to the Enzo which is on a different planet ;)
Astonfan
08-14-2005, 11:27 PM
TT, somehow i think i'll be fine with pics of the lowly f40 ;) makes sense why they had him take the maranello but the GTS is imo the best 355
Wutputt
08-16-2005, 03:22 PM
Another Ferrari meeting? Damn these meetings must grow on trees in Switzerland!

Great you had an enjoyable ride in the 550. The owner is a really nice guy!! He doesn't hesitate to share the experience of his cars with other petrol heads (he took me around for a spin at Spa a month ago). This is how all exotic car owners should be!

TT, did you got a ride in one of the other Ferraris during the passenger rides thingy?