Winning Team: Ferrari 430 Scuderia
In contrast to the chaos of the jammed up roads in town, the tarmac that winds its way up into the hills above Modena is sparsely trafficked. If God were a car enthusiast, these roads would surely be one of his playgrounds.
This is Ferrari country, and for any car enthusiast, rapidly ascending this sinuous road in a new Scuderia is the stuff of dreams. For the lucky few with their names at the top of the list, it will also be a reality when the car goes on sale in early 2008 as an additional model in the Ferrari range.
From the highest point, I look down at the layers of hillside and the multiple hairpin bends we have just negotiated. The view from up here is spectacular, but I know there is more to the Ferrari experience than just driving the car. A Ferrari is also pure theatre for anyone who sees it in motion, so I ask my driving partner to drop me off at the summit, retrace our steps a few corners and return at full chat.
I can hear the Scuderia long before its red, dart-like shape burst into view on the hairpin bends below. In the still air, its exhaust note echoes off the rugged landscape, rising to a crescendo that instantly falls an octave as the next gear ratio engages. This is a moment for a car nut to savor and replay again and again afterwards in his mind.
At first glance the Scuderia looks like a more hard-core F430, but Ferrari think they have made enough changes to their staple mid-engined car to name it after their Formula One racing team. Scuderia is Italian for Team.
