Ferrari 488 Spider
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Cold wind and wet clothes. Icy roads and melting snow. That’s what it’s like right now. However, as I stare out the window my imagination is taking me back to a world where snow is artificial and cold winds the result of frigid air-conditioning. A world where the tarmac is hot and my clothes still wet, but mostly because the Ferrari’s A/C is no match for the searing desert sun.
That, and I might have a hard time relaxing in a car that’s worth almost half a million euros back at home. Luckily, Dennis, my passenger for the day, was kind enough to put his credit card on the line. Still, there are 670 horses powering the back wheels, roughly 600 more than the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia I had driven the week before.
My first proper experience in a rear wheel drive sports car. My first experience sitting in a Ferrari and my first time driving one. I’m not going to lie, I was nervous about taking the car out in heavy traffic. Rush hour over there is chaotic at best, but I didn’t have to worry. Space was given, generously.
For a moment it felt like we were in a movie and at that moment everything felt right. No worries, no thoughts, no stress. There was a certain sense of awe and it somehow had a wonderfully calming effect on me. At the same time, I knew that just one downshift, just one push on the pedal, could tear us right out that state and send us into a blur. It was perfect.
Even though I consider myself to be a petrolhead or car enthusiast, I was never really attracted to Ferrari and unlike many boys and men, I never had the desire to drive one. That’s not because I thought it’s one of those dreams that’s beyond reach, but more because I always considered it a brand for playboys and showoffs. The kind of car one would drive to emphasize the size of one’s wallet and perhaps to compensate for the size of something else.
While Dennis has driven plenty of cars since, his latest being the Porsche 911 Carrera, I haven’t had the time to team up with him since and share the experiences. So all that’s left for me is memories. Memories of a dream I thought I didn’t have, but now I do and I can’t wait to fulfill it, again.
Text: Tom de Raad
Photos: Dennis Wierenga
Car: Ferrari 488 Spider
