Driving the Ferrari 430 and 458

Driving the Ferrari 430 and 458

Today SirJames Buchanon and I spent the afternoon as the guest of Ferrari of Atlanta, where I was invited to test drove a couple of their cars.  While there, and equally as enjoyable, we talked shop about Ferrari history, and learned an absolute ton about these incredible automobiles and their lineage.

Ferrari’s are basically rolling pieces of art.

I drove the Ferrari 430, which grew out the Ferrari 360 and is the baseline or ‘entry level’ Ferrari, is you want to call it that. It was a very solid ride, very stable, and with a smooth evolution of power.

And then I drove the Ferrari 458, which in my opinion is the signature platform and the brand leader for the Ferrari lineup overall.  And it is a monster, in every positive sense of the word.  If I ever were to own a Ferrari, this would be the car.

The 458 is calm and even predictable when you need it to be, and then when you step on the accelerator, out of nowhere, it becomes a growling, snarling lion.  One of the most impressive things about this car is its dual clutch gearbox, which allows for absolutely un-interrupted roll on of the power. You literally do not let your foot off of the accelerator as you shift gears.  No heel-toe shift technique.  The Ferrari computer system handles the entire job for you.  I had never witnessed this before in another car.

If you are interested in learning more about Ferrari, you contact my new friend Steven Eckhoff, Ferrari Brand Manager at Ferrari of Atlanta.  You can check out all of the photos from the visit to Ferrari of Atlanta in this photo stream here.

John Hope Bryant

 

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