Porsche Carrera GT, 430 Scuderia, & a 308GTB

Porsche Carrera GT, 430 Scuderia, & a 308GTB

All the excitement around Monterey Car Week and the major auctions held their got me thinking about what car or cars I would add to the collection today if I had the extra space and roughly $1 mil to send. After perusing all the auction catalogues, not unsurprisingly I ended up with a number of choices that have either long been on the bucket list or are former occupants of our garage. In the end I settled for three cars. All at very different price points.

At the top of the value tree, the choice came down to a Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona or a Porsche Carrera GT. Two very different cars born almost 40 years apart. While both require skill to drive and are wonderfully engaging, the Daytona is a long-legged tourer while the Carrera GT is a race car for the road. The Carrera GT has brakes that work, the Daytona has brakes that can leave you with soiled underwear. Both are icons and have long been regarded as special. While I did own a Daytona for a couple of years a while ago, in the end the decision came down in favor of the Carrera GT as it would be a new experience. I also have an enormous soft spot for mid-engine cars, carbon fiber tubs, and barchettas. Another influencing factor is Mrs. SSO does not have a lot of patience for some of the minor “character” flaws that vintage cars can exhibit at times. In fact, I still occasionally hear about the rear-view mirror that suddenly detached itself from the windshield on a Ferrari 512BB over a decade ago and almost landed on her foot. Net net, the Carrera GT is the safer choice and would likely get a lot more use than a Daytona.

Second on the list is a Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Longer term I really believe the Scuderia will be regarded as the greatest of the Ferrari V8s from the 1st decade of the 21st century. In fact, I would rather be behind the wheel of a Scuderia than an Enzo. In many ways it is the last of the analogue Ferraris, certainly sports the best of the single clutch F1 gearboxes, and has an engine that raises the hair on the back of your neck with its high revving feral scream. The chassis is well balanced and handling highly predictable. The CCBs on the Scuderia also are the 1st generation to actually work decently at lower speeds and when wet. We owned a 430 Scuderia several years ago and to this day I regret parting with it. Correcting that mistake and adding another now would definitely be in-order. One of the best driving days I have had was in the Scuderia in Scotland driving along the west coast. A very fond memory that deserves to be built on.

The final car on the list is a Ferrari 308 GTB. In this case, it would have to be an early carbureted car from the late 70s. Like the 430 Scuderia, it would be a second coming of a model I have owned and enjoyed in the past. In the 1st iteration, I owned an early fiberglass 308 GTB (4th one built) but see no reason now to pay the current huge premium for a fiberglass car over the later steel bodied ones. The chassis on both are steel and prone to rust so the practical advantage is limited. Other than a slight weight advantage, the fiberglass bodies don’t really have any performance benefit. Looking at prices, I do believe 308s are probably the best value in the classic Ferrari world right now. They are 1/7th the cost of a Dino 246 but in my option, drive and handle better. While they may not have quite the beauty of the Dino’s lines, if you are over 6’ the 308 is a much more comfortable fit.

Will these “wants” become realities, I certainly hope so. Right now, the great limiting factor is space. I also don’t like to own more cars than I can use on a semi-regular basis. What the right number is, I am still not sure but do think we are getting close . I am a firm believer that cars need to be driven and the ones that sit for extended periods develop issues. While I doubt all three will be added in the next year, at least 1-2 might.

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Epic Drive Pt 3: Cliffs, Grottos, Hairpins, & the End

Epic Drive 2017 Days 3 & 4: Cliffs, Grottos, Hairpins, & the End

By Karen

Hotels reviewed in this article: Hotel Serge Vieira, Le Vieux Logis, & Château de Mirambeau

Day 3

Breakfast at Hotel Serge Vieira was fit for a King. We had a private room for the 6 of us overlooking the valley. The coffee was perfect regardless how it was ordered : expresso, latte, macchiato, …. The array of juices were all freshly squeezed. The pastries were so fresh that they were still warm from the oven. The selection of cheeses was nearly as good as the cheese cart rolled out last night. The platter of cold meats & smoked fish was something from a top boucherie. The jams were homemade and the butter locally sourced. This was just the beginning. The waiter then offered various hot dishes from omelets to quiches, eggs any style, local bacon, & sausages. It was by far the best breakfast any of us had ever experienced.

We were in no rush to leave. We all enjoyed another exquisite coffee and discussed the day’s route and alternative side trips.

Hotel Serge Vieira was top notch at every level: Food, Wine, Service, Contemporary design, the grounds, the Owners and Staff. It was hard to leave, but we will definitely be back.

Hotel Serge Vieira
E COUFFOUR,
15110, Chaudes-Aigues
Tel. : +33 4 71 20 73 85
contact@sergevieira.com
http://www.sergevieira.com/fr/
Karenable rating: 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

We decided to take the long, scenic drive along the designated Michelin “green” roads from Chaudes-Aigues to Tremolat with a stop at St. Cirq Lapopie (officially France’s most beautiful village). After ‘hot wiring’ the F40 again we were off.

SSO was in heaven. I have to say, I loved the drive (as a passenger that is). It was stunning. The route took us along windy back roads with hair-pin corners that nearly stopped my heart at times. The F40 on these roads is a testament to SSO’s driving skills. It was like a great cardio work-out for him with arms and legs constantly in motion. Both the gearbox and steering rack got very through workouts. There turbos were also whistling and popping constantly. Other parts of the drive were more tranquil as we drove along the river on one side and grotto’s on the other.

Nobody was hungry after that breakfast, so we carried on to St. Cirq Lapopie. Even from a distance, you could see how beautiful this hillside village was. We walked up to the village along a cobble-stone path with flowers everywhere. There were many quaint little shops, restaurants, and boutique hotels. It was a sunny & hot day, since we skipped lunch, we all indulged in some homemade ice-cream. I am sure the cows in France only eat the finest grass as it was so creamy and delicious.

I was excited about returning to Relais & Chateaux’s Le Vieux Logis. It used to be one of my favorite little hotel gems and we have returned to it multiple times over the past decade. We have always enjoyed it for the creative menus, and the lunches and dinners served under the manicured arbor trees in the inner courtyard. The grounds were always impeccably kept and the outdoor pool clean and inviting. The rooms were filled with antique French furniture with matching bedspreads, cushions and curtains made from stunning fabrics. Fresh flowers were everywhere, inside and out.

But as we pulled up, something was different. The hedges were not manicured, the lawns had not been mowed in a while, the paint was peeling away from the building’s side. They did not come out to meet and greet us as usual. Not great signs.

I don’t know if the ownership changed, but Le Vieux Logis was looking and feeling very “Vieux” (old) and might I add run down outside and in. On a positive note, the food was still good but no longer great. I will not elaborate further on our experience there other than to say, we will not return.

Le Vieux Logis
24510 Tremolat, France
Tel.: +33 5 53 22 80 06
Fax.: +33 5 53 22 84 89
vieuxlogis@relaischateaux.com
http://www.vieux-logis.com/en/
Karenable rating: 🍾🍾

Day 4

The drive from Tremolat to Bordeaux was unmemorable. Interminitent rain and more traffic than we needed made it a bit of a slog. Rain and traffic are not the F40s friend. Once we got to Bordeaux it took about 20 minutes of driving around before we were finally able to locate enough parking spaces for the group. We then walked around the town, didn’t buy to much wine, had lunch before heading back to the cars to drive to our destination for the night.

Château de Mirambeau
1 Avenue des Comtes Duchatel
17150 Mirambeau
France
Tel. : +33 5 46 04 91 20
Fax : +33 5 46 04 26 72
http://www.chateauxmirambeau.com/en/hotel-luxury-bordeaux
reservation@chateaumirambeau.com
Karenable rating: 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

I had heard about the Château de Mirambeau for years and always wanted to stay there. With this trip ending near Bordeaux, I finally had my chance. As we drove up the long drive to the château the tension mounted inside me, hoping not to be disappointed like I was with Le Vieux Logis. With only a glimpse of the hotel, I instantly felt relieved, this place was spectacular.

The property was perfectly landscaped with gorgeous flowers growing everywhere. We stepped inside to the elegant reception and barely noticed our bags had been removed from the front of the F40 and wisked away by the porters. We were escorted into the receiving room, offered champagne, and an array of afternoon cnapes. As we settled in the guys reverted to martinis, with this trips creative twist, a fresh oyster to replace the olive. Despite the bartenders initial confused look, he was quite happy to to keep us all well hydrated.

While the guys were enjoyed the vodka soaked oysters, I ventured out to tour the grounds. This is a property that is just beautiful. The pool and the gardens were equally inviting as was the elegant terrace with individual umbrellas hovering over each table. As I walked a little further along the path, the grounds kept provide one pleasant surprise after another. I soon discovered the Spa which was as spectular outside as it was inside. It even had its own outdoor relaxing area and pool. I could easily spend the better part of the summer here. I wish we had more than one night and I did let SSO know that we would be coming back.

I then returned to the receiving room. Our bags had already been taken to our rooms and they were ready to escort us. I had an idea of the guest room grandeur from the website but believe me, the photos do not do justice to them. I had to check out the others’ rooms just to see if they were all as spectacular. They were, this place is truly special.

I was excited about dinner. The reviews were almost too good to be true, equisitly presented food with favors that were delicate & profound. As we entered the Dining Room, it was stunning, even the chairs were special. Fresh flowers on every table, the linen was starched and hung regally, the porcelain and the crystal was the finest. The menu was impressive. I could not decide as everything sounded wonderful. Another glass of champagne was ordered as I poured over the decision. In the end, it really didn’t matter what you ordered, it was all spectacular. The presentation was so beautiful you almost did not want to eat it. This set in motion a debate, which was the best restaurant, Serge Vieira or Château de Mirambeau ? In the end, we agreed they were both spectacular but different. The night was not over….yet. There was an incredible Cognac Bar that we discovered just beside restaurant. SSO and I had an early start the next day as we had 550 miles to cover so we only stayed for one drink. The rest of the gang … well who knows. They were not leaving until later and we didn’t run into them at breakfast the next morning.

The drive back north was tough. The rain started as we were pulling out of the Chateaux’s driveway and by the time we hit the highway it was a downpour. Putting new rubber on the F40 right before this trip really paid off now. While visibility was poor at best and you could see the water streaming across the highway, the F40 stayed well planted. In these conditions, SSO basically just sits in his lane, maintains a large gap to other traffic, and treats the accelerator like it is made of egg shells. As long as you stay off the turbos, the F40 is not that bad in the wet. After about 4 hours, the skys cleared, more rapid progress commensed and a milestone was reached. The odometer on the F40 hit 50,000 km.
We spent our last night in France at a fairly forgettable hotel near Calais. It was another early start the next day to make our train. The rest of the journey went smoothly and before we knew it we were dropping the F40 back off at its “car hotel”.

What a a sensational week with dear family and friends. I only wished we could have stayed longer. We will return, SSO promised!

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Epic Drive 2017 Day 2: From Beaune to Chades Aigues & A F40 "Moment"

By Karen

Hotels reviewed in this article: Hotel Serge Vieira

We awoke to birds chirping in the trees outside our room and the sun streaming through the windows. We enjoyed double expressos in bed as we checked the day’s routing including where the closest gas station was so we could fuel up. What a great way to start the day!

We had agreed last evening to meet for breakfast at 9am. It seemed like we had just eaten and we were back at it again. We entered the quaint, Bistrot in the former kitchens of the 1750 building with the fire roaring and the sound of laughter in the air. Our Swiss friends had already arrived (it was 9:10) and started breakfast.Another double expresso kick started a delightful breakfast of homemade yogurt, granola, fresh fruit, pain au chocolates, croissants, French stick with pots of fresh butter and herb de provence omlette. Croissants and omlettes just don’t taste the same outside of France.

While the engines warmed, we reviewed the day’s routing, lunch plans and potential stops along the route; and also tested the walkie-talkies. We always ensures the routes are flexible and that there is a faster route or highway route if we need to make up time somewhere for what ever reason. Today that turned out to be a good thing…

After about 45 minutes on the road, we all pulled into the gas station to fill-up. The usual crowd draws thick – after all, how often to you see a Ferrari F40, Ferrari 575, Porsche GT3 and a Porsche Cayman R lined up across 4 gas pumps in the middle of no-where in France? While the French may not ‘value’ investing in super cars the same way say the Swiss or Italians do, they certainly know their cars. However paying for gas in France is always a ‘cluster f**k if you are using foreign credit cards. How can they turn something so simple into something so complicated?

Through the walkie-talkies we could hear ‘engines on’, ‘good to go’ and then discussions on who would be sweeping or leading the pack. My dear husband added ‘ sh*t, the car won’t start’! The guys parked their cars and came over to help push the F40 from the Gas pumps over to the parking spot ahead.

We opened the engine cover & the front clam shell. This rare site only served to attract more people.

What the heck was going on? Was it a dead battery? Check … nope. What about a dead starter motor? …no, not that either… Must be a dead alternator? … nope This was getting crazy, the car had just been serviced. Memories of another holiday when we had to flat bed a Ferrari back to the UK came flooding through my mind. While the Swiss contingent phoned their Ferrari mechanics in Switzerland, SSO called his in the UK. The clouds were growing darker and the crowds thicker. After 15 minutes on the phone with the chief mechanic at Carr’s Ferrari in the UK, we tried what they suggested, carefully, step by step, and finally, the F40 came to life. It turns out the contact between the ignition and the immobilizer had failed. So there we were in a gas station in France, basically hot wiring a Ferrari F40. The main challenge going forward became, we had to hot wire the car every time we started it for the balance of the trip.

The rain stopped, the sun came out and we were off. So not the best start to the day but not a disaster either. The ‘Michelin green’ roads meandered us from town to town with more turns in a mile than Texas has across a 500 mile stretch. We and the F40 were thoroughly enjoing it. The route took us 450 km through Levernois, Autun, Digoin, Vichy, Ambert, La Chaise Dieu, Allègre, Langeac, St. Flour, Chaudes Aigues. There were hair-pin turns that I could barely capture on film. It was one of the best driving days we had.

We reached the village of Chades Aigues, at the foothills near our next hotel :

Hotel Serge Vieira
E COUFFOUR,
15110, Chaudes-Aigues
Tel. : +33 4 71 20 73 85
contact@sergevieira.com
http://www.sergevieira.com/fr/
Karenable rating: 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

and by 6pm; we could see our castle in the distance. A long, winding & windy swept road took us there. When we arrived, the wind was still howling and the rain still pouring but the hospitality was invitingly warming. It was actually more like a Michelan Restaurant with 4 over-night rooms than a hotel with a restaurant. Don’t get me wrong, they were contemporary, state of the art hotel rooms. The view from our room of the mountains & the storm was amazing. A quick change from driving shoes to dinner attire and it was time to meet for cocktails.

With thunder & lightening around us, we toasted the day and just how lucky we all were. We agreed on the Tasting Menu wit the recommended Wine Pairing – so no decisions to make. While this might have spared SSO’s brother from choosing the wines, I am not sure it was any less expensive.

After the ‘amuse bush’, we had a tour of the kitchen; it was impeccably clean and organized and the Chef and his sous chefs were proud & passionate about their work.

The food was presented exquisitely, the flavors were extraordinary, & the wine pairings were spectacular.

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May 2018

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Epic Drive 2017 Day 1: Arrivals, Foie Gras, & Wine Wars

By Karen

Hotels reviewed in this article: Château de Courban & SPA Nuxe, Hostellerie de Levernois

We landed Saturday morning at London Heathrow after a 10-hour over-night flight. You’ve got to love BA’s Arrival lounge – there’s nothing better than a few double expresso’s and a hot shower to make you feel human again and to acclimate a 6 hours time zone change.

After picking up the F40 from it’s ‘hotel’, we stopped half way between London and Burgundy in a charming home, turned boutique hotel:

Château de Courban & SPA Nuxe
7, rue du Lavoir Le Château
21520 Courban fr
+33 (0)3 80 93 78 69
http://www.chateaudecourban.com
Karenable rating: 🍾🍾🍾🍾

located on the outskirts of a tiny farming community. When we were told to park out back, we looked at each other and thought we are in the middle of no-where and were not sure about this. As we pulled around to the back, we were relieved with the neighbors: a few Lamborghini’s and other Ferrari’s.

It constantly amazes me to find these gem places in the middle of France. Maybe not Michelin starred but it seemed like they were aspiring to it. Champagne and h’orderves on the terrace around their infinity pool at sun set was a delightful way to end the drive from London and start the France leg of trip. Dinner was exceptional. The presentation was as gorgeous as the food. Fresh Flowers on every table, crisp white linens, silver, crystal and porcelain. Gourmet food is clearly the top priority in France. Breakfast was equally delightful.

Rested and well fed, we were off to Beaune to meet everyone at the Relais & Chateau’s hotel:

Hostellerie de Levernois
Rue du Golf
F-21200 Levernois
Tél. +33 3 80 24 73 58
levernois@relaischateaux.com
https://www.levernois.com/en/
Karenable rating: 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

This is one of those gourmet restaurants with rooms. One of our Swiss friends has been telling us about this place for years. He and his wife frequent it a few times a year for an exquisite meal to celebrate life, birthdays, anniversaries.

The vast manicured grounds meet you at the entrance of the property and follow along-side you all the way to the front of the hotel (and beyond). If you look closely, you will find elegant lawn furniture tucked discreetly in under trees to laze in the shade and read a great book or just be.

SSO clocked their outdoor terrace – perfect as we had not had lunch yet and didn’t want a full-on lunch as we knew we had dinner reservations in their Gourmet Restaurant.

The waiter told us there was no lunch menu per say on the Terrace but he would see what he could do for us. In the meantime, I enjoyed un coup de Champagne. ‘Do for us” turned out to be some local foie gras and jambon.

In the distance you could hear the roar of the other supercars arriving. We knew SSO’s brother had borrowed a Porsche GT3 (they had to get luggage to fit) but we weren’t sure what our Swiss friends would be arriving in. Pulling up the drive behind the Porsche GT3 was a Porsche Caymen GTR and a Ferrari 575. The 3 cars trundled down the stone lane, through a narrow, green hedge tunnel to the parking lot. Impressive line-up – the camera’s were flashing (not just ours).

The gang joined us. They preferred to compare the local Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet so I joined suit. Reconnecting after a couple of years, there was a lot to talk about. Lots of laughs, lots of Montrachet, lots of pictures. The afternoon slipped away from us and it was suddenly time to get ready for dinner.

We met in their bar, in the background there was someone playing a grand piano. How elegant. We asked the waiter to bring the wine menu as SSO’s brother, while not a sommelier, could be and loves pouring over the wine binders. Despite the teasing, in all seriousness, his cellar back in the US could give any of these cellars a run for their money. The story-telling and laughter continued. Great friends and family are a key ingredient to a great life.

Our table was ready in the understated but a very elegant dining room. The Chefs and their immaculate kitchen were in view of our table which added to the ambiance that evening. The food was outstanding. It’s incredible the pride of the Owners, the Chefs and the Staff. We met them all & enjoyed their comments, stories and recommendations throughout the courses of dinner.

In addition to fine wines, another passion of SSO’s brother is French Cheese. That’s a bit of an issue as SSO cannot even stand the smell of cheese. So over time we have set ‘rules’: no more than 15 minutes discussing and making his cheese selection and no more than 15 minutes to enjoy it. And so the tradition continues.

After a wonderful evening, we took a stroll through the manicured park enroute back to our room. The moon was shining brightly guiding our way. When we got back to our rooms, the Relais & Chateau evening service had done its thing: Bed turned down, water at each side of the bed, fresh fruit plate and of course, the towels all refreshed, a spritz of lavender filled to air to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Next Up – Day 2: Bourgogne to Bordeaux: From Beaune to Chades Aigues with a Ferrari F40 in distress……

Tag: #ferrari