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Our Top Ten Favorite Routes & Roads

Our Top Ten Favorite Routes & Roads

Mrs. SSO and I were recently discussing a few road trip options for the fall when the conversation morphed into a discussion on our favorite routes, roads and why.  The only criteria we agreed was these were roads we really enjoyed driving and would go out of our way to drive these routes again.  Some of the routes are fairly short while others are full day spirited drives. What they all have in common is stunning scenery and a path that both challenges and rewards the driver.  All of these roads are best driven in a supercar.  Here are our top 10 in no particular order:

Scotland: Great Western Loop

This was probably my most memorable day of driving in the last 20 years.  It’s a combination of brilliant low trafficked roads with stunning and constantly changing scenery.   We started just south of Inverness at Aldourie Castle and headed south on B862 to Fort Augustus.  From Fort Williams you head north on the A82 and then west on the A887.  At Bun Loyne you switch over to the A87 west and follow it all the way out to the Kyle of Lochalsh which is a good place to stop for fuel and a snack.  From there you need to double back a bit to the A890 which you will now follow north along the coast until it comes to an end at the intersection with the A832.  Take this road east until it come to an end at the A835.  Finally follow the A835 back to east Inverness.  This is a full day full on vigorous drive that a Ferrari 430 Scuderia, 458 Speciale, or either a McLaren 675LT or 765LT are perfect for.

 

Wales: Conwy to Snowdonia to Brecon Beacons

Some of the best driving roads in the UK are in Wales.  The landscape is stunning and constantly changing.  It never stays flat for too long, and when you aren’t being challenged by the never ending changing of direction that the tarmac follows, there are always tall stone fences right on the edge of many of the roads to keep your attention focused on the task at hand.  The width on many is modest and from experience I can confirm that the rear end of a Ferrari F40 will completely fill up the gap between the edge and center line on many.  Probably my favorite route for a good days drive starts in Conwy, drops into Snowdonia before winding down to and through the spectacular  Breacon Beacons.  In Conwy start by taking the A470 south to Dolgellau.  At Dolgellau change over to the A494 east and stay on it until you reach Balla.  At Bala take a right onto the B4391 south until you hit the A490.  Stay on the A490 all the way down to Welshpool and then take the A483 south.   The A483 will take you back to the A470 which you then take you right through the Brecon Beacons National Park.  The other alternative is to take the A40 at Brecon and this will eventually lead you to the M50 and the highways back to London.  I’ve driven four different Ferraris on this route, a manual 575, the 430 Scuderia, the F40, and a 365 GTB/4 Daytona.  While you will make the most rapid progress in the 430 Scuderia, it’s the fairly petite by today’s standards, 365 GTB/4 Daytona which is probably the most rewarding to pilot across Wales.

 

 

Switzerland: Furka, Grimsel, & Susten Passes

No top 10 list would be complete without a few Swiss mountain passes thrown in.  My favorite set are the Furka, Grimsel, and Susten All three can be driven in a day.  I would recommend starting with the Furka before heading over to the Grimsel and then looping up to the Susten.  If you can hit them early on a weekday its far preferred as the weekends can be thick with slow moving traffic.  Busses, campervans, and large groups of bikers are all to be avoided if at all possible.  Driving these passes well requires both skill and a bit of intestinal fortitude.  Guard rails are few and far between and leaving the roadway will ruin your underwear.  In many spots it is alos likely to end with your becoming a permanent part of the local landscape.  Of the three, I would rate the Furka the most challenging and the Susten the most relaxing of the three.  Total distance is a bit under 100 miles but give the terrain it will take the better part of a day.  Pulling into a few of the scenic parking spots is highly recommended as the views are just stunning in all directions.  To get to the Furka Pass, take Rt 19 west from Hospental and up thru the Furka Paa.  This connects to Rt 6 north at the Grimsel Pass.  At Innertkirchen its Rt 11 east across the Susten Pass and then onto Wassen.  At Wassen you can then hop on the highway which will take you north toward Zurich or south towards Milan.  I’ve driven all of these passes in both a Ferrari 360 Modena (6 speed manual) and the F40.  While a lot more work, the latter was the more memorable experience as the gearing better suited the terrain.

Portugal: Cascais to Peniche

The Portuguese Coast is both rugged and stunningly beautiful.  Centuries of wind and the relentless pounding of the Atlantic have carved spectacular cliffs and bays along the jagged coastline.  This drive starts in Cascais, runs down the coast to the windy beach at Guicho before heading up into the hills towards Sintra.  You then drop down to Cabo do Roca before continuing to wind your way up to Peniche.  If the Swiss Passes lay the majesty of the Alps in front of you, the lasting impression of the Portuguese coast is rugged beauty and the power of nature.  In terms of routes, this is a very easy one.  You take the N247 west out of Cascais and follow it all the way up to Peniche.  The only deviation is the short run off the N247 to Cabo da Roca before you retrace your track and rejoin the N247.  I’ve driven this route in at least a half dozen different Ferraris.  Probably my favorite was the 308 GTB.  It had great balance, plenty of low end grunt, and you could get it flowing wonderfully through the bends.

 

Spain: Cordoba to Ronda to Marbella

Spain is awash in great little traveled back country roads.  One of my favorite routes is the drive down from Cordoba, thru Ronda, ending in Marbella.  This area is one of the most beautiful in Spain and the roads here are a wonderful combination of quick, hilly, and challenging.  Coming out of Cordoba you take the E5 south to Ecija.  From there it’s the A351 to Osuna.  At Osuna connect to the A451 and continue to follow it south until it turns into the MA7404.  At Canete la Real, pick up the MA6401 which will eventually become the A367 which will take you into Ronda.  Ronda is well worth a stop to walk around the town.  After exploring Ronda, find the A397 south towards Marbella.  Shortly before you get to Marbella, you will connect to the AP-7 which will take you into the city.  Given the terrain, this is perfect mid engine supercar country.

 

Germany: Hildesheim to Fulda

Having spent quite a bit of time in Germany, I have had the pleasure of driving most of the different Autobahns.  In many ways, they are no different from highways in any other European country, it’s just that in certain bits, you can drive as fast as conditions allow.  I’ve never gotten that excited about just going fast in a long straight line, so the novelty of the Autobahn wore off quite quickly.  There is one bit however that really is quite exciting to drive and that is the section of the A7 from Hildesheim to Fulda.  This is one of the oldest parts of the Autobahn network and was originally opened in 1937.  It cuts through the rugged and hilly terrain just west of the Harz highlands and straight bits are few and far between for a large section of it.  Pick a time when traffic is light and it makes for a very exhilarating, rewarding high speed drive.  Just about any front engine Ferrari V12 GT is the perfect car for this drive.

Italy: Florence to San Marino

Italy is another country just covered in great, and in many cases ancient, driving roads.  You do need to be careful on choosing a route as the Italian Government hasn’t been flush with cash in quite a few centuries and the last time road maintenance was an investment priority, the Roman Legon’s where stationed along the Rhine.  One route that has been well maintained is the SS67 that runs east from Florence, across the spine of Italy to the E45 in Forli.  Its quick with constant elevation changes as it winds across the mountainous spine of the Italian peninsula.  Once you reach Forli, take the E45 to the E55 to Rimini.  At Rimini you pick up the SS72 to San Marino.  After exploring San Marino, I would recommend a bit of a different route for a change of scenery going back to Florence.  Leaving San Marino, head back to Forli.  In Forli, find the SS9ter.  Follow this back west until you intersect with the SS67 which will then take you back to Florence.  Like the Great Western Scotland loop, this is Ferrari 430 Scuderia, 458 Speciale or McLaren LT territory.

 

France: Chaudes-Aigues to Bergerac

Over the years we have done many great drives in France with a wide assortment of different Ferraris, Porsches, and McLarens.  One of the most memorable routes is the run from Chaudes-Aigues to Bergerac.  It’s one of the prettiest and least trafficked areas of France and this route take you through both the hills and valleys.  To reach the route, you take the A75 south until you hit the D13.  The D13 will take you directly into Chaudes-Aigues where you pick up the D921. Stay on the D921 until you run into the D34 and then take this west to Cambeyrac.  At Cambeyrac you will cross the Truyere River onto the D920 briefly before taking a slight left onto the D107.  The D107 runs along the river and turns into the D141.  The D141 continues to run alongside the river until it intersects with the D901.  Continue west on the D901 until you see signs for the D42.  Take the D42 until it comes to an end at the D963.  You are on the D963 north briefly before taking a left onto the D627.  The D627 will turn into the D72 and then merger with the D21.  Where the two roads split again, take a hard right and follow the D627 towards Ruau Bas.  From there you pick up the D840 to Capdenac.  At Capdenac you leave the riverside and take the D802 to Montfaucon.  At Mountfaucon switch over to the D2.  The D2 ends at the D820 which you take south briefly before turning right onto the D23 to Concores.  At Concores you pick up the D12 to the D81 before turning onto the D673 as you continue to make your way west.  At Pont Carral, it’s onto the D6 which becomes the D46 and then the D52.  The D52 dead ends and then it’s a left onto D60.  Stay on the D60 until you reach the D52 and follow it to Saint Laurent la Vallee.  At Saint Laurent la Vallee it’s onto the D51 to the D703.  Take a left onto the D703 and follow the signs to the D25.  Once on the D25 follow the signs to Le Buisson de Cadouin.  At Le Buisson de Cadouin take a left onto the D29 and this will take you to Lalinde.  At Lalinde follow the signs to Bergerac and after a few corners, you will pick up the D660.  The D660 will take you right into the charming town of Bergerac.  Like several other routes on this list, I have driven several different Ferraris through the area.  Of the group, it’s the 550 Maranello that stands out in my mind as the most memorable.

California: Pacific Coast Highway

The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is one of those roads that would make the top 10 list of about 99.9999% of those driving enthusiasts who have had the opportunity to enjoy its stunning beauty.  Technically, State Route 1 (the PCH) runs for 656 miles from one end of California to the other.  However, the bit you want to drive is the 70 mile section between San Luis Obispo and Monterey.  This is the oldest section of the PCH and was built back in 1934.  It is carved into the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean with straight bits of tarmac few and far between.  In sections, you do feel like you are suspended high above the water below.  If you dare take your eyes off the road, you can catch views of the surf crashing into the rocks below you as you round each hairpin turn.  Guardrails appear to be mostly an afterthought and designed more to stop a Ford Model T than anything built post 1960.  If you do overcook it, your next stop is Hawaii.  If you are coming from the south, take Rt 101 north to San Luis Obispo where you will pick up SR 1 (the PCH).  After a brief jog out to the coast, it’s now 70 mile run north to Monterey.  The first time we drove the PCH was in a McLaren 675LT Spider.  With the roof down, I cannot think of a better car to do it in.  Near instant power, outstanding brakes, huge amounts of grip, and phenomenal steering make it the perfect choice.

 

Montana: Bozeman to West Yellowstone

This is a road I’ve driven at least 50 times by now.  You pick up Rt 191 coming out of Bozeman and take it all the way down to West Yellowstone.  For most of the drive, the road follows the Gallatin River and is surrounded by towering mountains on both sides.  The Gallatin has etched itself over multiple centuries through this section of the northern Rocky Mountains. It’s feed by the snow melt that comes cascading down the mountains every spring.  Like most of the roads on this list, it’s never straight for long but does have a few sections where you can open it up and the corners tend to be more of the sweeping variety than hairpins.  In light traffic, it really flows, and you can make rapid progress.  Early mornings and mid days are the best times to drive it.  It’s perfect Porsche 911 GT3 RS country with gears 2-4 being your close friends.

 

Summary

It’s one thing to have a great car.  It’s another to have a great environment to enjoy it in.  When you can combine the two, that when you get those highly rewarding memorable experience that you will talk about for years.  I’ve tried to capture our top one’s here. 

 

What are yours?  Any routes we should try next?

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September 2022

 

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Heatwave Drives: Porsche 911 GT3 RS & Ferrari F40 

Heatwave Drives: Porsche 911 GT3 RS & Ferrari F40 

This past Sunday was a glorious day, if you were a cactus.  Not a cloud in the sky, and no shade to be found anywhere either.  Temperatures were pushing triple digits Fahrenheit, the lawn had turned a light shade of brown,  and the few tourists I had seen earlier in town had not discovered the miracle of sunscreen as they were as red as the lobsters we had devoured the prior evening.  I had a few hours before I needed to be anywhere, so it was a good opportunity to pull a couple of cars out of the garage and just go enjoy a drive. While I am a big fan of convertibles, this was the type of weather where you can feel your brain cells boiling when your dome is baking under the scorching sun.  Something with a roof and at least semi adequate air-conditioning seemed to be very much in order.  The cool environment also would lend itself to a bit more of a workout so manual and highly engaging were in order.

Porsche 911 (997.2) GT3 RS

The first set of keys I grabbed happened to belong to the white red eared winged Teutonic beast.  Since its arrival on the east coast, the Porsche 911 (997.2) GT3 RS has become a bit of a favorite and is looking more like a long term keeper with each passing day.  It’s a car that scores at the top of the charts on driver’s engagement.  Its lack of polish is the secret ingredient as pushing a GT3 RS is a very visceral rewarding experience.  The GT3 RS is a car that demands concentration and effort to get the best out of it.  From the moment you put your foot on the brake, push in the clutch pedal, and turn the key to the right, it is a loud, vibrating, ball of muscle.  Release the clutch pedal when you are not in gear and it sounds like someone is shaking a metal box of spanners right behind your head.  Sound deadening in the cabin is limited to whatever ear hair the driver has.  The clutch is firm and very exact.  The stick shift is stiff and deliberate.  Each movement of the gear shift is finished off with a firm click into the next gear.  Changing gears is a deliberate full fist exercise, not a casual batting of a stick around a rubbery selector.  Miss the right gear notch even slightly and you will land in the wrong gear, a very bad thing, especially when downshifting.  The racing buckets are excellent, in fact I would rate them as best seats in any of the Porsches we have owned.  They wrap around you and keep you firmly planted behind the wheel.  The seating position is higher and is more upright that other supercars.  The windshield is far less raked back as well which reinforces the more upright driving positioning.  This results in great line of sight to each of the front corners making road placement almost second nature.  The 997.2 is the last generation 911 with hydraulic steering.  The weighting and feedback this provides is outstanding.  To top it all off, the air conditioning blows ice cold so it’s a perfect choice for a blazing hot summer day.

 

Driving the GT3 RS requires a high degree of concentration and driving it hard, requires a fair amount of skill.  While the GT3 RS has huge amounts of grip, you never forget that it will bite you quickly if you get it wrong.  Your right hand is constantly moving from the steering wheel to the gear shift.  The clutch is not of the forgiving type so getting the timing right between right hand and left foot is critical.  The GT3 RS needs to be pushed to get the best out of it and this is also where it truly rewards.  Cruising is not its forte.  Corners are definitely slow in, fast out.  At the apex you can feel a very slight bit of body roll and the physics of having an engine is hung off the back axle.  Moving that weight around smoothly is key to getting the most out of the GT3 RS.  As it swings through a corner you need to balance that movement and then pick the right moment to stop its sideways progress and bring it back into line.  Power delivery is also very different.  Below 4000 rpm, it is lazy and a bit gutless, once you get it into the 5000 rpm and up range, it starts to come into its own and just flies.  The big ceramic brakes retard forward progress most impressively.  In a way they are almost too sophisticated alongside the old school transmission.  The GT3 RS is one car where it feels like you can scrub speed off even faster than you can pile it on.

 

For an hour drive on some great back country roads, the GT3 RS is a highly rewarding choice. While the lack of sound-deadening coupled with the very firm suspension do cause a fair amount of brain and body damage when exposed to for extended periods, you barely notice in on an hour’s outing.  GT3 RS does well on the roads around here, nothing is straight for very long and you can get the car flowing smoothly through the multiple “s” curves as you wind through the woods.  On my go to “I have an hour to go enjoy a drive” route, the GT3 RS both struggles at times and really shines.  There are a few sections that are quite slow through a series of switchbacks and when the revs drop, the engine gets quite lazy.  On the quicker bits it shines and feels very dialed in.  Passing is a bit of work as it needs proper planning.  To do it well requires a bit of planning and proper set up.  A well-executed pass on the GT3 RS involves dropping down 2 gears, having space to give yourself a bit of a run before you swing out, burying your right foot as you enter the left hand lane, and then shifting up as you swing back right as the slower moving obstacle now recedes in your rear view mirror.  The GT3 RS demands skill & concentration.  It will happily remind an average driver that they are exactly that and you do feel that the GT3 RS will bite if you get it a bit wrong.

Ferrari F40

After a bit of fun in the modern yet old school Porsche, it was Ferrari F40 time.  One of my summer goals has been to get out in the F40 at least once a week and so far, we are on track.  The F40 is one car that rewards regular use and gets quite cranky when it doesn’t get it.  Many of the issues I have had with the F40 going back over our decade and a half together, can be traced back to periods when it did not see regular usage.  This year with its regular outings, the F40 has been running beautifully and feels very much like its old self again. 

 

Getting the F40 moving is as much an exciting event today as the first time I sat in the car.  First open up the front clam shell, unplug the battery conditioner, open the driver’s door, step with right foot into the driver’s footwell, swing your tushy into the driver’s seat, and then pull your left leg in.  The cabin is spartan by anyone’s standards.  The dash is covered in grey fuzzy cloth and the naked carbon fiber floor panels look to be held together with green gel toothpaste.  The smallish steering wheel is mounted a unique more vertical angle that takes a bit of getting used to.  If I didn’t know better, I would guess that Ferrari used a chimpanzee to model the driving position as its designed for a driver with long arms and short legs.  Key into the ignition, turn it two positions to the right, wait for the fuel pumps to pressurize, then give the black rubber start button a good firm push.  The starter motor whirls for a second before the engine catches with a deep baritone growl, and then settles quickly into a slightly excited state at 2000 rpms while the catalytic converters warm up.  Next step is to turn the air conditioner on and wait for the revs to drop down to around 1000 rpm.  Once the F40 has settled into its normal idle, a quick press of the suspension button raises the front nose and rear, then its left foot down on the heavy clutch, hand on top of the cool metal gearshift ball, push it over to the left and up into reverse, release the clutch while slightly flexing the right ankle, and then begin to slowly roll backwards.  Once clear of the garage, the upper body work out begins.  The F40 is by far the most physically demanding car we own and of all the cars we have owned in the past, I would only rank the Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona and 365BB above it.  With hands on the wheel at 9 & 3 o’clock, it takes a bit of muscle to get the steering wheel around to the right.  Foot back on the clutch, gearshift slotted back into first, right ankle rolled forward again, and we are off.  Slowly trundling down the driveway is done with only the slightest touching of the accelerator.  Our driveway is partially gravel and you can hear the pinging of each small stone that gets tossed up into the carbon fiber clad wheel wells.  At the bottom of the drive, look both ways quickly and then if it is clear, down goes the right foot carefully and we are off.  The revs climb to about 3500 rpm and then it’s a quick up shift to 3rd.  I try to avoid 2nd gear until the car is fully warmed up as it can be a bit notchy at times. 

 

With the F40 now fully warmed up and the clutch feeling right, it’s time to push a bit.  We cruised down a few back country lanes, before heading down along the coast and they up to the highway to give the turbos a chance to really let loose.  Hearing the turbos whistle behind your head never gets old.  I didn’t push the F40 hard, nor did I feel I needed to.  Getting it flowing down the windy back country roads is a wonderful, highly enjoyable feeling.  Inputs need to be smooth.  Keeping the car neutral and balanced is key.  It was all 2nd gear, 3rd gear, glaze the brake pedal, then back down into 2nd for the next curve.  You get into a rhythm as the steering lightens up, the nose goes exactly where you point it, and you set up each curve properly to keep the car moving smartly.  The F40 is a slow in fast out turbo lag beast in which you need to make sure all 4 wheels are headed in the same direction before seriously getting back on the power.  The F40 has an enormous amount of traction, but when it does break free, it happens suddenly and requires lightening fast reflexes to catch.  Most F40s that have been in accidents have rear damage as that’s the end that tends to go through the hedges first.

When the sun is out, it’s always a good time to go out for a drive.  While there are wind in your hair (or what remains of it) days, there are also cold air being blasted at your feet days.  Having a number of different types of cars to choose from, makes each a potentially enjoyable experience.  The Ferrari F40 and the Porsche 911 (997.2) GT3 RS are two cars that always engage, demand effort from the drivers, and provide an abundance of rewards when you get it right.  An hour or so in each is a great way to spend a summer weekend day.

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Supercar Market Insights & Analysis – July 2022

Supercar Market Insights & Analysis – July 2022

I’ve refrained from doing a market update for the past couple of quarters as a lot of what was happening in the supercar market overall just didn’t make a lot of sense.  Back in September 2021, I summarized the situation in the market (Supercar Market Update Sept 2021) as follows:

 

In summary, right now we have a sport & supercar market that has been on the rise this year. The bills from Covid-19 have yet to come due and where there has been severe financial pain, it hasn’t affected the supercar market, yet.  While money remains plentiful and cheap, the day of reckoning will continue to get punted into the future.  Looking at both recent auctions and going back a couple of years now, the hypercar bubble is history despite recent gains for both the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918.  These rises in P1 & 918 values are only taking them back to where they were when new.  While new hypercars still hold value, huge immediate gains on flipping them are a thing of the past.  Younger sports and supercars from the 90s & 00’s are where the majority of the gains in the market have been made in 2021 with the older vintage cars either holding are slowly declining.  Demographic shifts will likely accelerate this trend over the coming years.

 

How things have changed.

The Macro Situation

Which brings us to today. We are still a long way from the old normal and I doubt we will be getting back there anytime soon.  Today’s reality feels like it’s the new normal whether we like it or not.  Covid is here to stay, and we are going to be living with waves of outbreaks for the foreseeable future.  With a large percentage of the population bad at math, the window for creating herd immunity via near universal vaccination closed as soon as the highly contagious Omnicrom variants emerged.  While the Covid vaccines still seem to provide substantial protection against severe illness, they are much less effective at providing protection against moderate infection.  Hence Covid is still circulating widely globally which is providing fertile ground for continued mutation into increasingly virulent forms. 

On the economic front, the decade of cheap money is over.  Joe Biden’s US economy looks a lot like Jimmy Carter’s circa 1979.  Inflation is at a 40 year high, the stock market has tanked, and the Fed has raised interest rates 3 times already this year with a fourth coming in a few weeks.  The US $ is parity to the € for the first time in 20 years and is near an all time high vs. the British £.  The Iranians are busy stirring the pot and the Russian’s have invaded a neighbor again.  Just like the last time, it’s likely not going to end well for them.  Turns out that Russian tanks are just as vulnerable to US made hand held missiles as they were 40 plus years ago. 

The final warning sign that markets were about to implode was seeing Michael Saylor back in the national news.  Saylor is the majority shareholder and CEO of MicroStrategy, a mid-size software company based in Virginia.  Back in March 2000, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) brought charges against Saylor for cooking MicroStrategy’s books for the preceding two years.  This event helped kick off the bursting of Dot Com bubble in 2000 and within a month, MicroStrategy’s share price had tanked by 90%.  Roll forward to 2021 and like a human Cicada, Saylor has reemerged in the national news as one of Bitcoins more vocal public cheerleaders.  MicroStrategy, with Saylor still at the helm, has bet heavily on Bitcoin.  As of June 2022, that bet is $1.1 bil. in the red and in a bit of deja vu MicroStrategy’s share price is down 75% from its 52 week high.  Call it the “Saylor Sign” and when it appears, bad things are about to happen in the markets.

Instead of going through a methodical analysis of different parts of the Supercar market, as there are plenty of better informed people who already do that, I thought it might be more interesting to layout a few things that have caught my attention.

Bring A Trailer (BAT) & the BMW Z8 Craze

BMW Z8s have been a very hot BAT car for a while now and it looks like just about every Z8 in the US has changed hands in the last 2 years. In the BAT driven frenzy, average values have steadily risen by $50k to peaking at over $200k for a well-maintained low mileage Z8. The rarer automatic Alpina V8 versions have been going for a 50% premium over the base manual Z8s with four Alpina’s toping $350k in April and May of this year.  As a benchmark from the same 1999-2004 time frame, a Ferrari 360 F1 Spider is a $70-90k car these days.  The 6 speed manual 360 Spiders do command a premium despite being the “base” model when new. (the “manual” premium on 360’s is just a bit insane, every mid engine Ferrari built before 1997 was a manual).  Net net, you pay a premium to not have to shift a Z8 and you do the same to have to shift a 360.  In total 2,543 Z8s were sold in North America which is roughly on par with the 2,389 360 Spiders Ferrari sold.  Prices ($128k) and performance stats on both the Z8 & 360 were nearly identical when new.  This begs the question on why a BMW Z8 is worth 3x what a Ferrari 360 F1 Spider is today.  I suspect the rapidly changing market we are now in will have an answer for us on that shortly.

The Ferrari F12 & 812

I have been following the Ferrari F12 and 812 market fairly closely for about a year now.  Adding a Prancing Horse badged V12 GT to the garage has been high on my list for quite some time but I am not in a rush and refuse to pay a premium for a car that has traditionally been the depreciation hog of the Ferrari line up. Just 6 months ago, if you did a search for F12s across Ferrari US dealerships, you would be lucky to find 6 cars for sale.  Autotrader normally had 15-20 F12s but that was it.  Today there are 16 F12s on the US Ferrari preowned website and 48 on Autotrader.  While prices on F12s haven’t moved south that much yet, a glut of cars on the market that aren’t moving is a pretty good indicator of where things are headed. 

In the 812 arena, it’s clearly about to become a buyer’s market.  Ferrari US has an impressive 49 listed today with 80 now showing up on Autotrader.  Six months ago, there might have been 10 on the Ferrari site.  Many of the 1-2 year old 812s are still listed at or above sticker price. This is something that I have never seen before on a V12 Ferrari in my more than 20 years of Ferrari buying experience and just reflects the market madness of the last several years. 

I would not be surprised to see an average of a $50k drop in F12 prices in the next 12 months with 812s taking an even bigger hit.

The Hypercar Trinity

Prices on the 2013/2014 Hypercar Trinity, which include the oddly named Ferrari LaFerrari, the McLaren P1, and the Porsche 918 have been fairly stable recently.  LaFerraris now sit squarely in the $2.5-$3 mil. range depending on spec and mileage. Both P1s and 918s are up from an early Covid lows of $900k to $1.5-1.7 mil. now.  Where prices go from here will be very interesting to watch.  I expect Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche will be announcing their next generation of Hypercars either late this year or in early 2023.  In both Ferrari and Porsche’s case, they are likely to be loosely based on their LeMans 2023 Hypercar entries.  What this does to values on the last generation will be interesting to see.  The other factor that is coming more into play is the ever rising maintenance costs on these technology showcases.  When I hear owners with net wealth well into the 9 figure range being shocked by the service bills, it’s definitely eye watering.

The Koenigsegg Command Economy

Koenigsegg has operated in a very different value universe for multiple years now.    Prices on their new cars have risen astronomically in the last decade.  During this period, Koenigesgg, in a very command economy type approach, went to considerable lengths to make sure it’s cars sold at or above estimates (Car Market Q3 2019) in the rare instance when one has shown up at auction.  That all changed in 2021 and for a brief 8 month period, Koenigseggs seem to have joined the free market.  A record 4 Koenigseggs sold at auction in 2021 (vs.6 in total from 2015-2020) and not a single one hit its low estimate.  Since then Koenigseggs have disappeared from the auction circuit and only a small handful are even listed for sale globally, most with “Price on Application”.  With Koenigseggs clearly now labeled as non-appreciating assets by the open market, in today’s new economic reality it will be interesting to see if a number of owners decide to get out soon.

Vintage Ferraris

If you look at the longer-term trends on a few other models, it is generally consistent with where we were trending pre pandemic.  Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona’s seem to have stabilized back in the $400-$500k range. The last Ferrari 275 GTB (Short Nose) sold went for $1.9 million with another 275 GTB (Long Nose) as a no sale at the same price.  275 GTB’s have been on a very gradual slide backwards for the last several years and those sold at auction have either sold just over the low estimate or come up a bit short.  The Ferrari 250 Lusso is on a similar path.  Back in 2015 they were $2 mil. cars and now $1.2-$1.4 mil. is where the market sits.  This is in line with demographic shifts as the older cars are less appealing to the younger generation of enthusiasts who did not grow up with them on their bedroom walls.  These are also all cars that take real skill to drive and punish mistakes with massive repair bills.  In addition, with each passing year, finding both parts and a skilled mechanic who can care for the car are becoming increasing difficult. 

70’s Ferrari Fiberglass

Ever since I owned one well over a decade and a half ago, I have always been intrigued by the Ferrari 308 GTB “Vetroresina”.  These are the 1st generation Ferrari 308 GTBs produced in 1975-77 with fiberglass bodies.  Just over 800 were produced, making them fairly rare.  For the better part of the last decade these “glass” 308s have commanded over a 100% premium vs. steel bodied 308s.  In the Covid era, they have traded hands remarkably consistently in the $150k range up until the last 3 months.  After sales at $155k in both Feb and March, the next sale was at $135k in May, and the last to appear in July was a no sale at a high bid of $115k against a low estimate of $125k.  Whether $115-125k is the new market price, or if the slide continues should be clear in a few more months.

Summary

Right now, we have a sport & supercar market that is beginning to deflate.  Inventories are way up, even if prices haven’t moved much, yet.  The bill from Covid-19 and many of the excess of the last decade has come due.  Money, while still fairly plentiful, is no longer cheap.  Those models that have exploded in value during the Covid era are the ones most likely at risk of a rapid decent.  The Hypercar bubble is history and values on the LaFerrari, P1 & 918 have been stable for quite a while now.  The older vintage cars are either holding or in gradual decline.  Demographic shifts, as the percentage of the population that knows how to drive a manual car continues to decline, will likely accelerate this trend over the coming years.  To end on a positive note though, if you have the cash, the next 6-18 months could be a great time to buy.

The next karenable.com article will be on Aston Martin’s latest Cash Raise & Trading Update.

“Let me be crystal-clear, black-and-white: we do not need money.” – Lawrence Stroll Feb 2022

 

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July 2022

 

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Our Maseratis: The Granturismo Cabrio & a New Arrival

Our Maseratis: The Granturismo Cabrio & a New Arrival

I have always had a soft spot for Maseratis.  The first Maserati I drove was a 3200 GT close to 20 years ago.  It was a mad, engaging thing that wanted to be loved and was equal parts terrifying and refined.  It didn’t have turbo tag, it had turbo eternity.  It was the most on/off car I have ever driven.  The “squishy” clutch just added to the fun of trying to control the mad 3200 GT.  The interior was not bad in a Fiat parts bin mixed with a lot of Italian leather sort of way and it did sport a set of quite cool rear boomerang lights.  Mrs. SSO drove one and declared it demonic.  She is a big fan of linear acceleration.   Since this initial introduction, we have owned several of the trident fork badged Italian machines including a GranSport, Granturismo Cabrio, and one that just arrived.

 

The first Maserati we owned was a 2006 GranSport.  It was only with us for about 9 months.  It had a great Ferrari supplied engine and in sport mode, drove fairly well despite the horrible six-speed Cambiocorsa paddle shift transmission.  The switchgear was quite cheap with bits falling off on a regular basis.  On the road if you pushed it hard, it could keep pace with the Ferrari 360 Modena we also owned at that point.  The GranSport was another Maserati that was far from perfect, but it did have plenty of character. 

Mrs. SSO’s daily driver for the past eight years has been a magnificent 2014 Maserati Granturismo Cabrio. Other than a couple of bad batteries, the Granturismo has been completely issue free.  Unlike most 2+2s, you can actually fit real live adults in the back of the Granturismo without fear of death threats after 5 minutes.  The 4.7L Ferrari supplied engine is a joy to drive and has one of the best soundtracks of anything on the road today.  While not especially quick given its 2-ton plus heft, open the throttle up and the Granturismo can cover huge amounts of ground quickly and in a high degree of comfort.  Mrs. SSO normally drives it with the top down but it’s not claustrophobic even with the roof up.  Overall, the Granturismo is a great combination of elegance and performance.  It’s a car that is enjoyable to drive every time you get behind the wheel.

 

Recently, Mrs. SSO allowed me to borrow the Granturismo for a short road trip down to New York City.  The round trip was 420 miles, and it took about 4 hours each way due to the soul destroying I-95 traffic in Connecticut.  The early morning drive down was a bit of an adventure as the weather was not great and temperatures had dropped considerably the night before.  While there was no frost or snow in sight when I left, that wasn’t the case 100 miles later.  Central Connecticut had gotten a bit more than a dusting and the road surface was quite frozen as demonstrated by the several cars I saw that were parked at unexpected angles well off the side of the road.  Through all this the Granturismo behaved like a saint and did not jiggle its tushy even once.  The drive back a couple of days later was much more uneventful and there were a few stretches where I was able to open it up and push a bit.  The Granturismo both sounds and feels the best when driven in sport mode.  The heft disappears as you get it moving with the car flowing nicely while it shrinks around you.  The only negatives I noticed where just how dated the infotainment system was but if my memory is correct, it wasn’t exactly state of the art when the car was new.  All in though, the Granturismo is a very elegant special car and I do understand why Mrs. SSO is so fond of it.

Coming off the Granturismo trip, which was triggered by the office reopening, it became apparent that I would be doing a bit of long range commuting on a fairly regular basis over the next 12-18 months.  The Use Case here called for a car that would be comfortable for cruising for hours on the highway, able to handle stop and go traffic without breaking a sweat, carry more than two people on occasion, sturdy enough not to be fazed by the lunar landscape type roads around New York City, have a modern infotainment system with Apple’s CarPlay, and when the weather turns cold again, have four wheel drive for when the white stuff comes drifting down.  Nothing in the current garage quite ticked all these boxes but one of the latest versions of the Granturismo’s bigger 4 door brother, the Quattroporte, certainly did.  

 

Over the past decade we have had the pleasure of driving multiple different versions of the last 2 generations of Maserati Quattroportes.  Elegant with an edge is how I would describe them.  The Quattroporte is a luxury car that can move when you want it to.  The Ferrari supplied V8s have plenty of character and V6 twin turbo versions move smartly when pushed a bit.  The ZF automatic gearboxes are excellent and driving them in manual mode provides quite the enjoyable driving experience.  As I have had a soft spot for the QP for a while, we decided to see if we could find one that ticked all the boxes in an understated spec.

Quite fortunately my favorite Maserati dealer in Dallas, (who also supplied the Granturismo) just happened to have a 2018 Quattroporte Q4 Gransport show up in its inventory a couple of days before I reached out.  The QP Q4 is Nero/Nero and came with just about every possible option box ticked.  I think it has more carbon fiber trim than a couple of our McLarens.   The QP Q4 is powered by a 424 bhp 2.9L twin turbo V6 both designed and built by Ferrari.  The gearbox is a ZF-supplied 8-speed automatic gearbox and in the Q4 (4WD version) is connected to an electronically controlled multi-plate wet clutch which sends power through a drive shaft to an open differential.  When needed the system can divert up of 50% of engine torque to the front wheels. Reviewing the Use Case, the QP Q4 ticked all the boxes.  After a couple of phone calls, we had a deal and the Quattroporte was loaded onto a truck and sent on its way up to Boston. 

 

In our limited time together, I have already put 500+ miles on the QP Q4.  So far it has delivered brilliantly against the Use Case that was the base of its acquisition.  The big Maserati is a lovely, comfortable place to spend several hours getting from point A to point B.  It cruises effortlessly at highway speeds, and with a tug or two on the left hand paddle, you have plenty of power for a quick overtake.  Apple’s CarPlay on the Maserati’s touchscreen display works very well and I would retrofit it to every car (ex the F40 and Senna) we own if I could.  The seats are quite comfortable, and with the adjustable foot pedal box, setting up the perfect driving position is easy.  The start/stop function is a bit of an annoyance as it defaults to “on” every time you restart the car.  The car extended length and weight is only really noticeable when you hustle it down a back country road.  It’s a car that makes you feel like a responsible adult when you drive it.  The QPs appeal to my inner 7 year old is very limited.  Like every other Maserati we have owned, the preferred driving mode is “Sport” as it tightens everything up and makes the car feel more alive and responsive.

I can’t see a time anywhere in our future when there would not be a Maserati in the garage.  Mrs. SSO’s Granturismo Cabrio has been a terrific car.  It is always a pleasure to drive, and mechanically has been bullet proof.  The plan on the Granturismo is to keep it and run it into the ground.  Given the cars condition, it might just well outlive us.  It is still early days on the Quattroporte Q4.  It is a great match for the Use Case it is fulfilling but once that Use Case disappears, whether or not it stays is very much still an open question and will be for quite some time.  I have also toyed with the idea of trying to import a mad 3200 GT into the US once they hit the magic 25 years old threshold and are exempt from US DOT/EPA regulations.

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April 2022

 

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