Ferrari: Beyond judgments
Owning a Ferrari always comes with a baggage. While it generally impresses people, there is a part of the population that will judge you for being “a show off,” wasting so much money on a car, being impractical and a Bunch of other nasty comments.The even bigger truth is that often our judgment comes from envy or ignorance. We have neither reason nor need to understand why someone would pay double digit million pesos to buy such a car. Yes you get to showcase your taste but it also comes back to bite you.
On the other hand Who wouldn’t want to own one or at least get a chance to be behind the wheel even just for a selfie? It’s more than chick or click bait, it really draws crowds, even more when two dozen plus Ferraris show up at a gas station. But what is it really like; the car, the ride, the price and the responsibility of owning a Ferrari? To answer all that I had to force myself to take on such a difficult assignment that required me to drive from Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig all the way to Baguio City and to drive with the top down! Yes I agreed to be the designated driver of a Ferrari 458 Spyder at the 70th anniversary celebration dubbed “Driven by Emotion.”
From the minute I took the wheel, I was immediately agitated!
Why? Well imagine driving a 20 plus million peso car through Metro Manila then all the way to Baguio? That is the exact same price of my house and lot at today’s inflated prices! Then sitting next to me for the entire ride was Mr. Willie Soong chairman and Big Boss of Autostrada the official Ferrari dealer for the Philippines. How’s that for pressure or maybe an “expression of trust and confidence”? Either way the price and responsibility of being on the driver’s seat of a Ferrari is not to be trifled with.
Immediately after putting on the seat belt I faced my first technical challenge.
I never had a chance to sit in any of these cars before so I had no idea where the gadgets, buttons etc. were located.In fact my initial impression was I was in a trainer plane or jet simulator where your hands barely stay 6 inches away from the steering wheel. The reason for this is because in many countries where Ferraris are sold, they have roads where you can drive above 200 to 250 Kph. In those speeds you want both hands on the steering wheel and immediate access to instruments while barely taking your eyes off the road.
I inserted the ignition key and voila it wouldn’t start!
I knew that of course because with such modern cars you first step on the brakes then press the start button colored red just like in the race cars. The next thing you’ll notice is that this car does not have a “Stick Shift” but uses paddles. I HATE paddles simply because I never really learned or got to use them! So there is our first reason for dislike: ignorance is sometimes covered up with contempt. At least that’s my confession. Funny enough, it only takes five to ten minutes driving and you know why F1 drivers have the same system in their cars.
If you imagine the extensive electronics, computerization and programs hidden inside the steering alone not to mention the rest of the technology wrapped under Italian leather craftsmanship, it becomes easier to understand why the dashboard costs as much as my entire kitchen! Unbeknownst to many there is so much AI or Artificial Intelligence imbedded underneath that controls transmission, brakes, suspension, steering, most especially engine management that even tells you that you’re not driving correctly because your clutch is overheating. It even tells you that your tire pressure is not right. We did not even have a spare tire because we had high tech tire maintenance in case of a flat.
Aside from the cost of ownership, the biggest challenges or tests for a Ferrari driver would be skills, discipline, as well as self-control. When you think about it, a Ferrari owner is almost the equivalent of an airplane pilot and his aircraft. Maintenance and proper usage is a must and all of it has to be done with precision in terms of schedules and standards. Many of the driver/ owners I met at the anniversary run have undergone various levels of driver training in Italy, Germany and now China.The reason for all of this is because the greatest temptation is to floor the pedal and find out how fast you can drive.Not everyone can resist the temptation but it helps if every driver/owner knows how to properly operate and drive a supercar.
Getting back to the baggage or judgments people pass on Ferrari owners, for the very first time I actually made an effort to know who these Ferrari owners are and where there money comes from. Some of them I knew from many years back and I know that at least 3 out of the 16 owners in the group have been in the construction business for several generations.Two were high level Regional bank executives and at least two were retired corporate lawyers for some of the countries biggest corporations. One guy owns a big customs brokerage company, a very young owner heads a legitimate international trading firm based in Abu Dhabi while another has a huge business for construction supplies and logistics. Believe it or not two owners made their millions making siomai and burger. Yes they saved up for years but now they own their “Prancing Horse.”
There are many other stories and details to share on this adventure ride but the best thing I can mention was how so many Filipinos from all walks of life lined up along the road waving, cheering and giving the motorcade a Thumbs Up. There was no resentment just appreciation and enjoyment because to them, I suppose, it’s great to know that Filipinos also have Ferraris and that is something to dream off and believe that the Filipino can!
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