Disclaimer - Off Topic!
So, I've been looking for over a year at what to add to the garage that will scratch my itch for a fun car. I traded the 335 back in December and picked up the 550xi as my new daily driver, and my wife has an Audi Q5, which works well for hauling our 1-year old. But there's been a gap to fill - and I've been trying to figure out with what.
I've always been a Ferrari fan, so I looked at everything from my teenage dream car (the 355) to the 458. What I ultimately learned was that the 355, while still beautiful, is now 15 - 20 years old, and with that comes way more maintenance than I'd like. Don't get me wrong, while expensive to maintain, the cost wasn't the big detraction but rather the idea that my fun could be interrupted by having a car that visits the shop more than the open road.
I also looked at the 458, which is just an amazingly stunning car in both looks and performance. I've never been a big fan of the 360's and 430's, so the 458, to me, is a return to what I loved about the 355 - excellent proportions. However, I had a hard time imagining how I'd drive it. Well, not so much HOW but when and where. When I did the mental gymnastics of imagining ownership, I came to the conclusion that I'd really probably take it very, very few places.
I cross shopped other brands, including other cars I love such as the AM Vantage, 12C, and 911. But in the end, it was the R8 that won me over with its incredible mid-engine design (just stunningly beautiful IMO), superb performance, and best of all - driving accessibility. This is an exotic that can easily be driven wherever and whenever, which is exactly what I was after. I wanted to make sure that the car wouldn't sit in the garage waiting for the "perfect day" a few times a year, but I could take it out for a spin to the bank, a 200 mile trip to a client's office, or a night on the town. The R8 was one of few that could check all of the right boxes.
So, now I'm patiently waiting on delivery - which should hopefully be within a week or two. The car as optioned:
- 2015 R8 V10
- S-Tronic Dual-Clutch Transmission
- Brilliant Red Exterior
- Black Full Leather Interior
- Carbon Sideblades
- Carbon Trim
- Sport Exhaust
- Contrast Stitching
- Illuminated Doorsills
- I-Pod Interface
When the car gets delivered, I'll certainly post some pics and driving impressions. I'm hoping to get good use of it before the winter weather arrives - which here in CT can vary widely but hopefully late this year!
So, I've been looking for over a year at what to add to the garage that will scratch my itch for a fun car. I traded the 335 back in December and picked up the 550xi as my new daily driver, and my wife has an Audi Q5, which works well for hauling our 1-year old. But there's been a gap to fill - and I've been trying to figure out with what.
I've always been a Ferrari fan, so I looked at everything from my teenage dream car (the 355) to the 458. What I ultimately learned was that the 355, while still beautiful, is now 15 - 20 years old, and with that comes way more maintenance than I'd like. Don't get me wrong, while expensive to maintain, the cost wasn't the big detraction but rather the idea that my fun could be interrupted by having a car that visits the shop more than the open road.
I also looked at the 458, which is just an amazingly stunning car in both looks and performance. I've never been a big fan of the 360's and 430's, so the 458, to me, is a return to what I loved about the 355 - excellent proportions. However, I had a hard time imagining how I'd drive it. Well, not so much HOW but when and where. When I did the mental gymnastics of imagining ownership, I came to the conclusion that I'd really probably take it very, very few places.
I cross shopped other brands, including other cars I love such as the AM Vantage, 12C, and 911. But in the end, it was the R8 that won me over with its incredible mid-engine design (just stunningly beautiful IMO), superb performance, and best of all - driving accessibility. This is an exotic that can easily be driven wherever and whenever, which is exactly what I was after. I wanted to make sure that the car wouldn't sit in the garage waiting for the "perfect day" a few times a year, but I could take it out for a spin to the bank, a 200 mile trip to a client's office, or a night on the town. The R8 was one of few that could check all of the right boxes.
So, now I'm patiently waiting on delivery - which should hopefully be within a week or two. The car as optioned:
- 2015 R8 V10
- S-Tronic Dual-Clutch Transmission
- Brilliant Red Exterior
- Black Full Leather Interior
- Carbon Sideblades
- Carbon Trim
- Sport Exhaust
- Contrast Stitching
- Illuminated Doorsills
- I-Pod Interface
When the car gets delivered, I'll certainly post some pics and driving impressions. I'm hoping to get good use of it before the winter weather arrives - which here in CT can vary widely but hopefully late this year!
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire