My Time in a 458

Amazing, perfect, incredible; are the first words that come to mind. Driving a 458 is everything you would expect. The acceleration is exhilarating, the handling complete perfection, and the body is of course beautiful. Mere mortals stop to admire the car and peer through the windows to see who could be driving this machine. 

So how does a kid from Detroit score 20 minutes in a €200,000 piece of Italian perfection? 

Fiera campionaria is a festival held in the city of Padua, a small college town just outside Venice. At this festival, you can find camping gear, home goods, used cars; seriously anything your heart desires. 

While strolling through the event with some friends, I stumbled across two gorgeous Ferrari 458s. Any car fans heart skips a beat when a Ferrari is in the vicinity but this time I managed to keep my composer. We walked over to get a closer look when an Italian man approached us. 

"Are you fans of Ferrari?" Years of magazine articles, F1 races, and clips of Jeremy Clarkson bolting around race tracks ran through my mind. "Absolutely!" I said. 

"€100 for 20 minutes in the 458, you drive." Now my heart started to miss beats. I instantly accepted the offer and within 10 minutes my hand graced the door handle of a bright red Ferrari, the proper color. 

I sat down and strapped in. The Italian in the passenger seat instructed me. "Place your foot on the break, turn the key forward, and press the start button." A symphony of tuned exhaust, cheers from friends, and a feeling of euphoria consumed me. 

We set off though the festival and onto the motorway. This being my first time driving in Italy, I was a bit nervous. Not to mention the fact that this was my first time behind the wheel of a Ferrari. Not knowing what to expect I put the pedal to the floor as we merged onto the freeway. A flurry of red lights filled the dashboard as the engine waged war on the tires fighting for grip. I was thrown back against my seat as a grin formed from ear to ear. 

"How do you feel?" The Italian asked. I stumbled and struggled to find words. I believe I muttered something along the lines of incredible. But either way you get the idea. This car is like nothing else. They say money can't buy happiness but I fairly certain it is impossible to be as while driving a 458. 

www.ferrari.com for stats and more info

Alfa Romeo 4C will debut at Goodwood

Alfa Romeo 4C will be debut at Goodwood Speed Festival 2013, after its presentation to last march Geneve Motor Show. From the next July 12, the first 4C Launch Edition will debut on the famous english track in the event organized by Lord March.

Expectations are pretty high: Alfa Romeo 4C has a carbon fiber tub, front and rear crash box, and hybrid rear frame mainly out of aluminium to keep its weight below 900kg, with a 1.75L engine totally aluminium-made with 240Hp and 350Nm. Official datas say that 4C will be able to reach 100km/h in less than 4.5 seconds.

The 4C is going to production in May 2013 at Maserati plant in Modena, with an expected production of up to 2,500 units per year and will be the first mass-produced Alfa Romeo car for re-entry into the US market.

The launch edition of the 4C will be available only in "Carrara White" or "Alfa Red" with carbon fibre trim and other extra accessories. Price tag is starting from 60.000 euros.

Rolls Royce Wraith will go Convertible!

Rolls Royce Wraith Coupè

Rolls Royce Wraith will probably be produced also in a convertible version, that is what Torsten Muller-Otvos, Rolls-Royce CEO, said at the Rolls Royce Wraith Coupè presentation. Indeed, we'll probably have to wait one or two years to see this convertible model.

Rolls Royce is enlarging its market to an highest level offering customizing model allowing customers to choose car parts one-by-one. Sales data are really encouraging for the brand, in fact 900 Rolls Royce Phantom and 2500 Rolls Royce Ghost has been sold in the last year and the US market is growing every year.

Rolls Royce Wraith should bring to an increase of 1200 to 1500 units per year with another expected growth with the Convertible model. 

Furthermore, Torsten Muller-Otvos denied the possibility – at least for the next years – of producing a SUV model, saying that SUVs don't represent Rolls Royce style, driveability and comfort. In the end, even though its productivity is growing, it seems that Rolls Royce won't decentralize its production, and it will still produce in its Goodwood plant in West Sussex.