The Great North Run

When was the last time you had fun in a car? Pure thoughts only please…and first off let’s define ‘fun’. Does your idea of it involve driving a car that’s the road-going equivalent of a sensory deprivation tank, where you sit in the back and the chauffeur is screened-off in the front? A car where you need to look at the rev counter to check that the engine is running? If so then it’s a good guess that your wardrobe is full of tweed and your doctor has told you to watch your blood pressure. Nonetheless, there may still be hope for you if you take this simple test. Look out for a Ferrari 430. Days, weeks, even months might go by before you spot one, but when you do so you will stare longingly at it whilst your heart pumps a little harder – and you may well be on the way to a new you. Burn the tweed, eat more fruit, join the gym and book a test drive, because this is a car that’s sure to set your pulse racing.

It’s no wonder, because Ferraris have a racing pedigree unlike any other cars, and their technological advances in Formula One are seamlessly integrated with the firm’s road-going cars. Every element seems to have a real purpose, and the 430’s design wasn’t simply penned as a piece of automotive art: the large air intakes are essential to cool the massive carbon-ceramic brakes and dissipate the heat from a 4.3 litre V8 engine that produces 483 BHP at 8,500 revolutions per minute; the body design prevents low-level flying by producing downforce that effectively sucks the car closer to the road the faster one goes. High blood pressure aside, other medical conditions become apparent as soon as you sit in the driver’s seat. A slight tremor first appears in your right hand when the key enters the ignition, then in your left as you contemplate the red engine start button on the steering wheel. The car can also cause neck pain, particularly amongst pedestrians, and you can’t help but notice admiring glances from passers by. These smiles can be infectious and it’s easy to find yourself grinning back at total strangers, although one’s serious side soon takes over, as real concentration is required to keep under 30 mph within urban limits.

...The best thrill of his life...

Once on the open road, I pointed the Ferrari northwards and headed for the worst weather forecast in the UK over the last 12 months. This car has an outgoing personality topped by that gorgeous sound, which gets better the faster the world flashes by. With ice and snow on the way, I made the best of the dry tarmac, sunshine and relatively empty roads north of Leeds. After four hours driving on long stretches listening to the varying exhaust notes – less audible whilst cruising and banshee-like when accelerating – curiosity got the better of me and I pulled into a service area to inspect the rear plumbing.

Two of the four exhausts each have an actuator valve, and I assume these open when the car accelerates. Makes sense. After all, we humans cannot sprint and breathe through our noses alone. Lifting the engine cover in a public place is a real bloke magnet. “Is it broke?” “How fast does it go?” “How many points do you have?” Time to go. Leaving the A1 with its tedious number of CCTV cameras at RAF Dishforth I moved on to the virtually deserted A19 and gave the F430 a real chance to clear its throat. The distant peaks of the Cleveland Hills, which fringe the North Yorkshire Moors, had already been dusted with the first fall of snow, and I headed for the high ground and moors beyond. After congested southern roads, this wealth of vacant tarmac made for a thrilling experience. However, a full half hour of empty stretches and ominous black clouds rolling over the hills began to concern me: had everybody else headed indoors for safety?

The Ferrari is fitted with an electronic drivesetting control or ‘Manettino’ switch, situated next to your right thumb on the steering wheel; this offers five selectable positions – from zero traction control to a ‘snow and ice’ setting. What the car doesn’t have is a snowplough, which suddenly seemed a great idea as I headed for the coast and the salt-laden roads. I had chosen to stay in a small village well off the beaten track and that night the whole area was blitzed with thick snow and gale-force winds. The next morning saw the car covered and the roads apparently impassable. After sweeping away the snow from the windows, I climbed in and switched to snow and ice, before rolling out of the driveway onto the treacherous surface. The car behaved impeccably, with its immense power reigned-in and the traction control working overtime, and I was able to navigate back to the A19 with ease.

Ferraris are a rare breed of car with very few on the road, and they are almost non-existent the further north one ventures. People seeing the car break into spontaneous conversation, as two passers-by would when walking their dogs in the park. One lady announced to me that it was her grandson’s 18th birthday, so would it be OK if he could just sit in the car? No problem. He, me and the car disappeared up the road in a cloud of salty spray, and his face looked like one of those freeze-frame snaps taken when you ride the Big Dipper in Blackpool. At the end of the experience, the fit young man seemed to have lost the use of his legs as he climbed out of the car saying it was the best thrill of his life. OK, perhaps he had led a sheltered existence, but I’m sure I would have felt the same at his age.
After five days of regular use I realised that the F430 is a supercar that can be used as everyday transport, although your doctor would probably prescribe an alternative vehicle to give your senses some respite. So if you still have the use of your legs you should treat yourself to a test drive, or get your head examined…

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