Luxury Insider - The Online Luxury Magazine

Now relying on the GPS navigation and seeing that the Italian country roads always seem too small for two cars to be on at the same time, I start my drive to the lunch area. I think I am a little further away than I should be... Never mind, it is time I put the suspension and traction control systems to the test. I already know from the highway drive that the power of 620 bhp is fantastic; so much better than the F430, and really just as good as the Enzo. But as a bonus the F599 handles so beautifully that it makes the driver wonder if he is having flashes of Schumacher-like talent, or whether it is simply the car that is so good. I seem to be able to place the car exactly where I want to go. Not a wheel off line, not a sound from the tires. Perfect!

My co-driver at this point nervously tells me to take it easy. My reply - let’s put it into Sport mode and see what happens. To my amazement, the car moves and drives even faster. In Normal mode, I was being both lazy and cautious. Now with Sport mode engaged, blasting down the beautiful B-roads with twists and bends all over the place, the car feels fantastic. The only sounds I hear are the beautiful exhaust, and the throttle blips produced by the downshifting of the gearbox. Even my co-driver is impressed by the mechanical symphony as he doesn’t protest, though I must admit, I couldn’t have heard him even if he had.

The 599 takes on the roads like a much smaller car. It accelerates perfectly in every gear, and also brakes unfailingly with the CCM carbon-ceramic disc brakes all-round. There are no words to properly describe how Sport mode feels - the heightened steering sharpness, the way the rear end helps to assist progress in the turns, the way it just flows through the bends like they don’t matter at all.

Race mode boasts even more aggressive shifting, more power, and more speed as a result; indeed, more of everything. It is in this mode that a skilled driver can allow the tail to slide and have even more fun. Sublime.

[Pullout:

Eventually we reach the rest area, albeit an hour late. There were plenty of stares and questions as to where and how we got lost. Yet the slight embarrassment was inconsequential to me, for I managed to explore the F599 that much more. I still cannot adequately put into words how good the car felt, nor am I adequately technically-inclined to explain fully what they have done, except to say that the technology in this car is harnessed in an extraordinary way allowing it to drive  in a way that is close to perfection.

With its Enzo engine and F1 technology, Ferrari should have people lining up for the F599 in droves. Yet it is still a production car you could live with on a daily basis. There is usable space in the cabin along with a good 330 liter boot, good ergonomics that are well thought out, and ample creature comforts. Because it is a production car, and not limited like an Enzo, you wouldn't have to wait for a special occasion to drive it; indeed, every day with a F599 would be special.

Now it is time for my co-driver to take the wheel. Time for me to sit quietly and admiringly in the passenger seat, to reflect upon my day driving this fabulous Ferrari, and just how to get one for myself.