Are you a coupe or convertible person? Most people have a strong preference one way or the other. For those who like convertibles, having a top on the car botches the experience. Our Club Members are often pretty vocal one way or the other.

Personally, I am a coupe fan. Though oddly, for the past six years I have driven three different convertibles as my daily drivers with another two previous targa top cars before that. I think it is sheer coincidence I've been driving so many convertibles, but it was probably about five years ago I became more a fan of coupes than convertibles. Hopefully here soon I can finally get back to enjoying a coupe for my next car. ;) I have/had a 2006 BMW Z4 3.0Si, 2005 Honda S2000, 2002 Honda S2000, 1982 Ferrari 308 GTSi, 1995 Honda Del Sol Si (in order of ownership). It's a motley crew, but all were fun cars when I had them.

I like coupes for several reasons. One, I am not a big fan of getting tons of sun and wind while driving, plus all the noise top up or down. Besides, in San Francisco, it is often too cold to drop the top. Keep in mind, I am using my car as a daily driver, not a weekend car, so that has an impact on livability. I'm on my phone a lot while in the car commuting and coupes are quieter. Also, as the hard core sports car fan I am, I like a bare bones sports car, and that is typically not a convertible. Though the S2000, one of the cars I drive, is one of those pure sports cars and happens to only come in convertible form.

These days, more car manufacturers are introducing folding hard tops that solve this issue. The key is when the top is up, the design has to look fully integrated and not make-shift when the top is up such that you are compelled to put it down. The folding hard tops are improving, for sure and even Ferrari is getting into it now with the new Ferrari California.

So, in which camp are you? Do you prefer the sun and wind of a convertible? Or do you prefer the sleek roof line and chassis rigidity of a coupe?

Labels: Club Sportiva, convertible, Driving experience, exotic car share club, sports coupe

I am very proud to announce a new program that has just been launched. Club Sportiva clientele may now pick a single monthly payment that includes both their leased luxury daily driver as well as a Club membership. Simple, convenient and easy! We've had such rave reviews about access to the exotics with many questions about why we also don't offer access to high-end daily driver vehicles along with our Club membership that we decided, let's add an additional service.

Now you can lease your regular car with Club Sportiva? Yes! Club Sportiva can provide you a luxury car for everyday use. Using our custom LeasePlus program, you get the best of both worlds. Our popular LeasePlus program allows you to lease a luxury car, as you already do, for daily transportation plus the enjoyment and excitement of a couple days per month of use with the exotic and luxury cars of the Club Sportiva collection.

You benefit from our buying power as we negotiate the best traditional lease rate through our brokerage service and pass on the savings to you while allowing you to pick an easy, single monthly membership payment plan that also gives you easy access to the entire Collection for those fun opportunities when a Ferrari or Bentley is uniquely suited.

LeasePlus is straight forward, simple with a single monthly payment. Leaving you nothing to do but enjoy full access to a luxury daily driver plus the variety of exotic cars a few days per month. Check out the dedicated page on our website as well.

Club Sportiva has consistently been the most innovative company in our industry and LeasePlus again sets the bar high for others to follow. Call to inquire when your next lease approaches.

Labels: Buying Experience, Club Sportiva, daily driver, Driving experience, exotic car share club, LeasePlus, simple and single monthly payment

This question is both the bane of many car debates (Ferrari vs Lamborghini) but also addresses the more elemental question, does any car compete with Ferrari? Well, driving both brands extensively and back to back is the only way to honestly answer this great debate. Driving them for a short jaunt (like a media ride & drive) isn't adequate to really get to the heart of the issue as is not driving them back to back - a year apart isn't going to work.

I've driven or ridden in a number of Ferraris and Lamborghinis ranging from 308s to an F40 and from a Uracco to Murcielagos. But, in May 2005, when I visited Club Sportiva's partner operations in Germany to test drive the then-new V8 Ferrari F430 F1 coupe for a high speed autobahn fling against the V10 Lamborghini Gallardo e.gear, I was certainly anxious (massive under statement) to experience some new exotics. It also opened pandora's box for what Club Sportiva's future would hold because until that point, the company specialized predominately in classic cars since being founded in 2003.

Being, at that time, a lifelong Ferrari nut who defiantly bought my first Ferrari 308 while working at Ford Motor Company's headquarters in Dearborn, MI at the brash young age of 28 in 2001, I plainly assumed the Ferrari F430 experience would easily trump the Lamborghini Gallardo. It's a Ferrari, right? Duh... Whoa, not quite so fast or easy there boy. Is there an underdog theme appearing here? Maybe.

My first back-to-back comparo was in Germany on the autobahn. One day spent zealously tearing about in a yellow Gallardo followed by a glorious day in a red F430. Both paddle shifted. Both phenomenal. I drove the Gallardo from southern Germany past Lake Constance to Zurich, Switzerland for the night, so it was a blend of Autobahn blasting mixed with some country environs. I then immediately piloted the F430 to Strasbourg, France via the amazing Black Forest. Miles and miles of twisties, need I say more? Point being, both jaunts were more than adequate opportunities to familiarize oneself with the brands in question and to issue a judgment.

After the initial two days, it was actually a tough call. The Ferrari was everything it is cracked up to be and probably worth the three year wait if you don't have the $30,000 premium to pay to cut the wait list and get a car in a month. Screaming good looks, wailing engine and exhaust causing adrenaline highs, easy to operate. Actually, maybe too easy - almost to a fault, quite honestly.

It practically didn't feel like a Ferrari having driven many others that set a low bar; the F430 is very easy to get in and out, excellent visibility, great ergonomics, generally tight fit and finish, the front valance has great ground clearance without scraping, the passenger is completely at home and comfortable, unlike most exotics. Hmmm, maybe Ferrari hired some Toyota engineers - hope not. It was a very satisfying experience, but not wholly exotic in nature due to the well-rounded engineering execution of the car. Not what I first expected, but impressive nonetheless.

Another simple yet ingeniously well engineered feature is the rear view mirror that is shaped such that the lower inch allows you to see the engine every time you check your mirror reminding you of the V8-wonder pounding away just behind your shoulders. No other car maker has designed the engine to be at one with the driver as with the F430 and I suggest being sure to adjust the rear view mirror as such to allow you the honor and pleasure when you are out in an F430, be it Club Sportiva's or your own!

The handling is very twitchy with the rear wheel drive and the light weight nature of the car. It feels less well planted and raw, keeping the driver constantly aware of throttle input and keeping an eye out for wet pavement in the corners, Altogether, an existential driving experience approaching that of being in car heaven. Now, how is that Lambo?

Well, Lamborghini is managed by corporate parent Audi, so might I expect some German influence? Let's see. Yes. The interior is buttoned down unlike any previous Lamborghini that had fragile, finicky, fit and finish. The interior is robust, but who the hell cares about that. Let's hear the good stuff.

First, the exhaust note was entirely different from Ferrari. If you can't beat their race bred tenor, simply do it differently. And differently the Gallardo's V10 engine and exhaust note is. At first I was disappointed, expecting it to be much like the resonate scream so distinctly and patently Ferrari. But instead, it was a deep rip-roar of a V10. More an angry growl than a scream. When about to down shift the e.gear transmission, the driver must nearly excuse the car to passengers for the abrupt and loud flatulent sound that the car emanates when matching revs. This is actually a good thing, but much different from the daintier scream of the Ferrari. The deep growl of the Lamborghini that first disappoints for not being more extroverted quickly settles in as the more livable day to day as you don't have to pause a conversation until after the shift, as with the Ferrari. In 2007, the Gallardo exhaust was re-tuned to combine the angry growl at low rpms with a shriek starting at 4,500 rpms and it is glorious.

The Gallardo is AWD and feels tremendously well-planted as a result but also 200 pounds heavier. This is a real trade off. Surprisingly, I preferred the security of the feeling of planted traction with 500 horsepower as opposed to the hang-on-by-the-seat-of-the-pants feel of the F430's rear wheel drive. As such, I felt more confident to carve the corners even if the Gallardo is at slight a weight disadvantage.

The Gallardo's seats are not comfortable over long distances, which I've further confirmed with Club Sportiva's Gallardos in the U.S. Annoying, but something I am willing to put up with. The car is also viciously low in the front and loves to grind on many drive ways, though they now raise the front end to resolve that issue. The front of the car quickly dips out of view leaving the driver to wonder just where is the front bumper. These traits give the car an exotic feel which I prefer in an exotic car which I felt the Ferrari was too polished and trying too hard to be a daily driver for anyone wealthy enough to get in line for one. The Gallardo can certainly be a daily driver for a lucky few, but you never forget you are piloting a $200,000+ sports car, where the Ferrari lets you over look that fact.

The result: the Lamborghini Gallardo wins by a hair in my books. The best facet of the two cars is that they are truly designed to be different. Someone lucky enough, like Club Sportiva Members, can really enjoy these two cars and not feel that they are clones of one another. If you had a different car to drive for each day based on your mood, these two would suit different needs, much as the Bentley Continental GT and the Aston Martin DB9 have also carved out their independent niches. This is fortunate that the manufacturers have recognized that they can't each try to be a Ferrari knock off, so each has its unique claim to fame.

For those tiffosi who can't imagine liking the Lamborghini, I'd suggest not scoffing at the brand any longer and get educated with some first hand experiences, if you haven't already. You will likely remain a Ferrari fan, but I think many people will have a newfound respect for the raging bull from Sant'Agata.

Club Sportiva can put you behind the driver's seat and let you be the judge. Ultimately, that is what it is all about, not reading my comments on the blog but having the opportunity to drive the cars you want to experience. Then you can post your own first-hand comments. Now it is your turn! Comments encouraged.

This blog post was first published as an article in Ferrari Life Quarterly's March Issue. Check out some of FLQ's other great topics.

Labels: Autobahn, Club Sportiva, drive and decide, Driving experience, exotic car share club, Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo

What is the crookedest street you've driven? Some favorite mountain road? Lombard? How about Vermont Street at 20th in San Francisco? I first learned about the street from my friend, Fireball Tim, when he was in town to film a couple segments for MyRide.com. His video segment is hilarious: view the link here. Everyone knows Lombard, but did you know it has an evil, lessor known twin in Potrero Hill? Vermont Street is the wild, untamed, little known version. It is not as scenic, not manicured, not cobble stoned, not tarted up for tourists and the homes along it aren't palaces. But, it is quiet, with no waiting lines as you approach and you can generally drive it without a single car in sight. Not bad...

Vermont Street is also the new favorite site for the annual Bring Your Own Big Wheels race and contest. It is a wacky competition that will make you laugh and it happens to use this very same crooked street in San Francisco. Here is a pretty funny link to a video that captures some of the zaniness that occurs. The madness of BYOBW itself mirrors the oddity of Vermont Street. A match made in heaven.

So last weekend I had the diamond black Bentley Continental GT while friends were in town from Los Angeles and on a whim I sought out this mysterious and little known street. We had brunch in Potrero Hill at Slow Club and were on our way to a Giants vs Padres game with time to kill. What to do for 30 minutes? Then it hit me, let's look for Vermont Street and find the curvy block that Fireball Tim talked about. The Bentley was a funny choice for a crooked bohemian street with some seven wild turns, but it worked well.

Since it isn't busy there, I was easily able to get out and snap a few photos at several points on the hill. Imagine trying to do this on Lombard. You'd have 200 drivers having road rage! I found Vermont Street to be charismatic and full of character. Lombard is commercial and mainstream by comparison, making the new find refreshing. I recommend when you are in the area, drive down and see what you think.

Did you know about this street? Have you driven it before?

Labels: Bentley Continental GT, Club Sportiva, Crookedest street, Driving experience, exotic car share club, Lombard Street, San Francisco, Vermont Street

Having driven two 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo coupes extensively, both with e.gear, I had a pretty good idea what to expect with Club Sportiva's 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder but I was looking forward to trying the manual transmission. Even with a high bar set, I was actually surprised at how well the car drove. For starters, as you walk up to the car, it is truly a stunning, aggressive and beautiful design. The upgraded Calisto rims are like artwork. I prefer coupes over convertibles, but even losing the roofline, the Spyder still looks stunning. You will get a lot of thumbs up and hoots while in the car, more so than in a red Ferrari because the Lamborghini Spyder lacks some of the assumed pretentious reputation of a Ferrari.

A couple things jumped out as improvements and surprises. First, the six-speed manual transmission is really incredible - it is smooth and easy to operate. While I had enjoyed the e.gear paddle shifted transmission on the Murcielago and the two Gallardos I have driven, the Lamborghini six-speed manual is a pleasure to drive. It is effortless, well balanced, with short throws and without the notchy, gritty-ness I feared. From the very first shift, there is no anxiety while rowing the gears. Blipping the throttle to match revs helps on down shifts certainly but up shifts too. The flywheel is so fast that revs drop quickly and a little spurt of the throttle helps smooth the clutch engagement while sounding glorious to boot.

The Ferrari and Maserati manual gearboxes require a little focus and attention and some patience. The Ferrari gearbox has historically been tough to shift from first to second while cold, even on the new F430, though greatly improved over previous V8s. The Gallardo manual doesn't suffer from this. The Ferrari manual is also a bit finicky and requires some finesse as the shifter gnashes its way around the famous Ferrari gated shift pattern. The Lamborghini also uses a gated shift pattern but curiously doesn't make the metal-on-metal gnashing sounds that so often happen on a Ferrari as the shifter's shaft rubs the metal gate. A minor point, sure, but a pleasant surprise on the Lamborghini (they have evolved so much from the days of the Diablo and Countach). I suspect some Audi involvement has intervened here, but as long as the gearbox is perfect, that is what I want.

The stock 2007 Gallardo Spyder exhaust is more high-strung than the previous deep growling V10. The angrier exhaust note is welcomed and sounds better. From idle to redline, the note is more stirring than the previous Gallardo tune. As the revs climb, it really opens up to a wail at around 4,500 rpms and just gets better from there. It lacks the world renowned Ferrari shriek, as it should, or else it would be a copy cat. Lamborghini did a great job of enhancing the exhaust note while keeping it clearly distinguished from Ferrari. While driving around, you can't help but goose the throttle over and over to hear the V10 bark. There is nothing better than being constantly reminded of the massive engine behind your shoulders than to hear the menacing exhaust note, regardless of your gear selection.

The acceleration and grip is phenomenal. Lamborghini goes with the AWD system that adds 300 pounds, but in exchange, it gives the car's driver a sense of invincibility in the corners. With 520 hp (up from 500 hp), you want, make that need, to put the traction to the road and Lamborghini does that well. No scary, twitchy handling during most driving. However, when the rpms are over 5,000, the throttle is very sharp and responsive, allowing the slightest peddle input to have the maximum response. At idle and low speeds, this response is the opposite - the throttle is numb from a stop or at low speeds, which evidently helps prevent you from errantly launching the car into (and under) the vehicle directly in front of you.

The seats are a bit better too. While I will need a longer stretch behind the wheel of the Spyder, the 2004 Gallardo seats were quite uncomfortable after an hour, making longer trips less than ideal in an otherwise great car. I think a couple minor seat adjustments have resolved this. If not, there will be another post... The interior is great, with solid ergonomics and cool yellow stitching everywhere you look.

Over all, the Gallardo is a great exotic car and Club Sportiva's Members have a thrill ride awaiting them. Sure, it costs $2,000 to have the side mirror replaced if you knock it loose, and maintenance is expensive, as are all exotics, but the Gallardo Spyder is an unforgettable drive with a magical charm you won't be able to shake. I think I'm in love, again.

Labels: Club Sportiva, Driving experience, e.gear, exotic car share club, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, V10

It is pretty exciting, but an article I wrote was just published in Ferrari Life Quarterly comparing my driving experiences in the F430 to the Gallardo. I suppose this is my first article to be published! Kinda cool... The article started life intended as a blog post, but then Ferrari Life got wind of the topic and picked it up for the publication.

In the article, I compare the Ferrari F430 to the Lamborghini Gallardo while driving on the German Autobahn during a recent trip to meet our German business partner. The notion is, Drive and Decide between Ferrari and Lamborghini. Most of the photos were taken my me on the trip, too.

Read the article in PDF form. My article starts on page 10, right after the 430 Scuderia article.



Ferrari Life also recently wrote a Ferrari Buyers Portfolio on V8 and V12 Ferraris from the 360 Modena to the 308 and the 550 Maranello to the 365. The book has been periodically sold out on Amazon, so it is selling well. It is well illustrated and contains some very cool insight into 13 Ferrari models that we all want to drive... I've read it cover to cover and recommend it. The book was published by Brooklands Books, ISBN 1.85520.7478. Buy it at Amazon.com for $21.56

Here is the direct link to the article in case you need it:
http://www.ferrarilife.com/library/download_pdf.php?type=flq&id=91

Labels: Club Sportiva, drive and decide, Driving experience, exotic car share club, Ferrari F430, Ferrari Life Quarterly, Lamborghini Gallardo

Where do I start when describing my experiences with an ultimate exotic car? Let me start by clarifying my driving experiences with the 2004 Lamborghini Murcielago e.gear involve driving the car numerous times during the 16 months that the car was part of Club Sportiva's Elite Collection. This post isn't based on a single drive during a media/press event but is instead rooted in as much wheel time as any owner.

Describing driving a Lamborghini Murcielago is a bit like describing Christmas day at age ten. You anticipate it, you dream about it, you can't sleep because you're giddy thinking of it. And then, before you know it, you are twisting the key that enlivens the 6.2 liter V12 and you are in heaven with your foot on the gas peddle.

The one-of-a-kind experience, first offered by the Lamborghini Countach and then the Lamborghini Diablo, starts with opening the upright scissor door. Next, it is about reaching for the seat belt. It isn't there...in the normal place anyway. What kind of radical rocket ship is this anyway? The seat belt is inboard over the driver's right shoulder and straps to the left towards the door. Even after my 20th time driving, I still initially reach the wrong way, much like putting the key in the ignition of a Bentley or a Porsche with the left-side ignition. And yes, you better get buckled in fast.

Whirl the key that triggers the starter to begin its effort to fire up the big, heavy breathing engine. The starter strains to waken the giant...and then it happens, the engines turns over and the slumbering bear is awake. The idle quickly smooths to a deep grumble. Before pulling the paddle into first gear, I'd always take note of the massive dimensions of the car. It is a lot bigger than expected and identifying this in the beginning of the drive can help avoid expensive carbon fiber panel repairs!

In first gear, give it some gas and it lurches forward lacking finesse at slow speeds. At speeds under five MPH, it lurches forward in one foot increments, none of this inching forward gingerly in tight parking spaces with this raging bull. Press the gas hard and the torque is summoned faster than police to a donut shop. The bellow from the engine and exhaust is very different from the Ferrari, Maserati or Porsche. It is deeper and more low-key without the scream of the wailing antics of the Ferrari. You'll be pulling second gear with the paddle just about 60 MPH. As the speed builds, so does the deep roar of the V12. You'll also begin to notice how the steering gets heavy and remains precise even through high speed sweepers. Actually, the steering is phenomenal. On Skyline Boulevard, just south of San Francisco, even at 60 MPH on some of the turns that would ordinarily create a rush of fear as you seek your line, the Murcielago steering is precise and dialed-in, offering tremendous confidence.

On most roads, you only need two or three gears unless you are flirting with losing your license. When driving, the front hood quickly drops out of sight. Because you are seated forward, you know it only extends a few feet beyond your feet and much of the car extends behind you. The exhaust system alone is as big as the back seat of the Aston Martin DB9 and peaks out from its enshrouded black mesh behind the engine.

The Lamborghini Murcielago is no light weight, though it masks its weight and size well with stiff suspension and 580 hp with 470 lb-ft of torque to motivate its 3,600 pounds. The carbon fiber body, while light, is tremendously expensive and potentially problematic. The front lower valance is about $18,000 and the rear quarter panels are about $25,000, before paint or installation. And they are prone to warping with time and heat as the resin matures. This isn't a car you want to carelessly back into something and it isn't a car for the faint of heart. Carbon fiber doesn't dent, it instead tears and you obviously can't have a dent guy solve that. It is forgiving if bumped lightly, since it flexes, but a $5,000 repair on a normal car can be $30,000 on a Murcielago. So yes, that obligation to avoid the body shop wears on you while driving.

So does the sticker price. Club Sportiva's Murcielago cost $297,000 when new in 2004. That is like driving around in a decent Illinois home. Then, to punch the throttle hard under acceleration while leaving the apex of a mountain road is asking for trouble. Like I said, this isn't a car for the faint of heart... At least the AWD system helps tremendously to put down the power in a smooth way. If it were rear drive, the twitchy-ness would make it harder to enjoy while pushing it on a windy road. The 300 pounds added for AWD are worth the trade-off, in my opinion.

Because the Murcielago is such an overload for the senses, the e.gear transmission is a benefit. Normally I don't feel this way, but shifting the car through Lamborghini's gated manual shifter just adds one more degree of complexity that isn't needed. The Murcielago is a wickedly sinister weekend car. It is a bit too over the top to be used more than for weekends, when compared to a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430 or Ferrari 599 Fiorano. If you seek a rare and exciting drive that challenges your senses, this is the car. If you want a car that is easy to use and enjoy, the Murcielago is not the right car.

Every time I climbed past the upright door and sunk low into the alcantara-suede trimmed interior, I savored the rarity of the experience. This is the type of car that epitomizes why companies like Club Sportiva exist, offering enthusiasts the special and unique opportunity to drive a car that is entirely impractical. We look forward to getting the Lamborghini LP640 in the future! Is the Murcielago your type of car? Comments welcomed.

Labels: Club Sportiva, Driving experience, e.gear, exotic car share club, Lamborghini Countach, Lamborghini Diablo, Lamborghini Murcielago