And the nominees are...
Drop Top - The Driver Profile: Sunshine junkie.
Easy - any car with a removable roof when a fixed roof car just misses the mark, every time.

Torque Galore - The Driver Profile: Torque-monger. Any car that has gobs of torque at any rpm range, doesn't require much shifting as a result and pins you to the seat in the straights.

Slice and Dice - The Driver Profile: Performance fanatic. Light, agile, high revving, more fun for the driver than the second class passenger with very sporty styling, often a coupe is preferred for a stiffer chassis.

GT Cruiser - The Driver Profile: Boulevard king. Treats the passenger(s) with the same luxury and respect as the driver, smooth ride, easy to get in and out, often has a token back seat, heavy but comfortable.

While some cars fall into more than one category, I think many drivers tend towards a particular style of car. You don't have many people say their favorite type of car is a big comfortable grand touring sports car that their significant other enjoys for a casual weekend cruise and then they own a Lotus Elise, which is exactly the opposite of that. No, they want a Mercedes-Benz SL or a Ferrari 550 Maranello. Or the person who wants a convertible to enjoy the wind in the hair and then they own a Cayman S. No, they choose a Boxster or a Corvette convertible.

I am impartial to the Slice and Dice category. Give me a coupe, light weight, edgy styling and I am thrilled. The Cayman S, BMW's new or old M coupe or M3, Lotus Elise (hard top on, please), Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Porsche 911 C4S, Ferrari 360 Modena (Challenge Stradale, Mmmm), F430 (Scuderia is better yet) or Lamborghini Gallardo (Superleggera...) or Audi R8 to name but a few. I like the torsional rigidity of a coupe and generally, with few exceptions, the roof line looks far better on a coupe. Chopping the top loses a lot of the cool design appeal incorporated into the roof line.

Weigh in with your opinions. What category do you prefer? Did I leave out a category? Feedback wanted!

Labels: Club Sportiva, convertible, exotic car share club, GT, sports coupe, torque monster

Surprisingly and somewhat amazingly, Lamborghini unveiled a new car today for the Paris Auto show - the Estoque. And shockingly, it has four doors. This news is as big as the post when Ferrari unveiled an all-new model earlier this year - the California.

There are few examples of four door Lamborghinis over the decades. A brief prep lesson for the Trivial Pursuit hounds. The Lamborghini LM002 SUV was produced in limited numbers from 1986 - 1993. It was rare and generally unloved but mean and functional. The 1987 Lamborghini Portofino prototype, which never made it to production and then was reportedly destroyed in a wreck while on a transporter. It was slinky but no more than a wishful dream. Too bad. These are the two precedents for today's unveiling.

The Estoque will reportedly carry the V10 from the Gallardo LP 560-4, along with a number of design elements. Lamborghini is aiming for a 2010 launch. While this is aggressive timing, they are certainly trying to play catch up to other four doors from Porsche's Panamera and Aston Martin's Rapide. It is certainly a good time to be a car enthusiast!

The price is also shocking. At an estimated 150,000 Euros, or roughly $230,000 which is likely to increase by 2010, they are positioning this at the same level as the Gallardo. Among the growing family of Lamborghini models, however, this is logical.

The question in my mind is, do I like the look? My first reaction is neutrality, which isn't a traditional Lamborghini design element. Most other Lamborghinis have a shock value that allows you to see it and then immediately close your eye and envision it in your mind, seared in, that is. Not so much with this. Maybe they are going for a more mainstream design that is less polarizing? Eitherway, this redefines the term, four door sports car.

Labels: Aston Martin Rapide, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, four door sports car, Lamborghini Estoque, Porsche Panamera

With each new generation of BMW M3, it continues gravitating towards the appeal and approval of the mass market and further away from the original, raw E30 M3. This isn't to say the M3 is not an awesome performer and all around winner, but when anyone can use the car as a daily driver, it has then become too luxurious and ubiquitous in my books.

I know some hardcore BMW M3 nuts will say I'm crazy as they try to defend the M3 as perfect as it is now. Yes, the M3 is great performance car and yet can still be used with versatility. I am fine with that, don't get me wrong, but...the M3's position is as BMW's scorching racer and a racer shouldn't be out to satisfy everyone. The M3 has really just become the top of the line 3-Series, like Audi's S4. BMW needs to introduce the M3R (or something like CSL). Unlike the ultra rare CSL, which you never see, BMW should sell this lighter, racier, slightly more powerful car through all dealers, not just a limited run for the lucky few. I am suggesting that just like they sell the convertible and four door sedan along side the M3 coupe, there should also be a light version that is more raw.

There are certainly benefits with each new generation of M3 that has increasingly more electronic gadgetry and over rides (read rubbery-computerized road manners), a plush interior, a full bevy of amenities and thus the ever-present added weight and an increasing price tag. In general, this trend is across all categories of cars, so I am not saying that only BMW's M3 suffers from the bloating effect of more luxury nannies being added. The M3 has evolved too far from its roots as a raw, seat of the pants version of the 3-Series. Now it is as common and as smooth as its little brother, the 335i.

For anyone wondering, here is the evolution of the various BMW M3 generations: E30 (1986 - 1992); E36 (1994 - 1999); E46 (2001 - 2006); E92 (2008+ ). Sales volume has progressively crept upward as each model is designed to better accommodate the mass market.

Am I crazy to desire a harder core M3 than what is parked in every lot around town? I want an M3 that isn't designed to be a run-of-the-mill daily driver for the every-man. The M3 I want makes no sacrifices to accommodate comfort and luxury. That is what the original E30 was - simple, raw, pure sports car.

BMW, I dare you to build an M3 that isn't designed to sell 40,000 units. Come on, reinvent the M3. Please?

Labels: BMW M3, Club Sportiva, E36, E46, E92, exotic car share club, sports car, sports coupe

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

Club Sportiva has been fortunate to have so much media attention over the past several years. And it continues - we are mentioned in the feature story of "San Francisco" magazine's June issue on page 102 as part of an article called "The Seven-Year Rich." A fascinating article on the continued expansion of Bay Area wealth even during tough economic times. Club Sportiva was selected along with PlumpJack's Carneros Inn and XOJet as three exciting options to enjoy life without the commitments of ownership. Our phones have been busy as a result of yet another important recognition by the media that shared access is the wave of the future. Grab a copy quickly!

Club Sportiva is also featured this month in the What's Hot section on page 20 of "Front Desk," a recent publication by Modern Luxury, who publishes "San Francisco" magazine and others. We are credited as the innovative pioneer and leader of the car share segment in our sixth year of operation. Get your hands on it.

We were just featured in the "San Francisco Business Times" last month for a third time in two years. As the spokesperson for the luxury car share segment, the "SF Business Times" article profiled me, personally, which is pretty cool! While I prefer the spotlight be on Club Sportiva, it is fun every now and then, as the company's founder, to get featured. Take a look...

Club Sportiva was also recently featured on MyRide.com with a really entertaining video by Autobytel's celebrity host, Fireball Tim. It really is a great video. For your viewing pleasure...

Keep an eye out on television, in the magazines, online and in the newspapers for more press coverage on Club Sportiva!

Labels: Autobytel, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Front Desk, MyRide.com, San Francisco Business Times, San Francisco magazine

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

This post provided by guest blogger and Club Member John J.

I wanted to share an overview of the Club Sportiva tour of Bruce Canepa's design facility - Canepa Design. The tour was an intimate group of half a dozen of us getting the opportunity to see the facilities and the cars.

The opening of the tour was through the Museum currently housed on the ground floor with the cars that are also for sale. The large room contained over 40 cars ranging from true race cars to the more mundane Mustangs for sale. The cars in the museum included a broad array of cars, from some kept as they were acquired from racing to fully restored to a "Smithsonian level of quality." (more on this later as well) An example of the latter was Richard Petty's 1969 Ford. For those of you who know of Petty and his Plymouth affiliation, he did race with a Ford for one year - 1969. In one of the many wonderful stories heard during the tour was how the Ford engineers did not want him to race their car with all of improvements they came up with to try and beat Petty. He returned to Plymouth after a year and showed a remarkable improvement in the racing for Plymouth after his return.

The museum featured a number of race cars including Bruce's old skid racing car (one of his favorite to drive of all time), a recent vintage Nascar car (right next to another Nascar car from the 1970s showing the difference in vehicles), and Le Mans legal racing cars. The last were my favorites. They were impressive, although the second seat for meeting the Le Mans criteria looked awfully cramped. They opened up the engine compartment on one of the cars for us - a process that required two people not due to the weight of the fiberglass cover but due to its size and flexing as it was lifted. Underneath lay the 16-cylinder engine or more accurately the two V8s bolted together to make one engine. It was an impressive piece of engineering for something outrageous on the horsepower front. Of course, this overview only scratches the surface and omits many things, such as the Indian motorcycle and other treasures in the collection.

Sharing the space with the museum cars are the cars for sale. This collection ran the gamut from a highly customized Hummer H2 with all leather interior (and I mean all) to Mustangs, Porsches, Nissan Zs and even some race cars. There were two exotic stand outs as well. The first was a Countach with a mere 7,000 miles on it. The other exotic (Torbin are you still reading?) was a wonderful red Ferrari F40. It's simply a beautiful car, and I know it was whispering Torbin's name for an addition to the Club.

Now, after an hour of the tour we were all thoroughly pleased with the trip down to Scotts Valley, but little did we know the best was still to come - the shop. Canepa does the modifications for semi-trailers to make them more aerodynamic, saving significant amounts of fuel. To handle these and other cars, the shop is purpose built to handle all manner of vehicles including a two-story high painting booth for any vehicle you can imagine. Needless to say, the one semi-tractor in the shop had a minor presence overall.

On our entry to the shop my eyes drifted immediately to the Porsche 959 in the shop - a beautiful sight for the supercar of my dreams back in high school. I was so focused on the 959, I missed that there were six 959s being worked on at once. Others Club Members in our party took more rapid note of the three Mercedes-Benz Gull Wings being worked on, let alone the other cars including a couple of original Cobras.

We spent a lot of time with our guide, getting a delicious array of stories, including enough on the 959s to make their own blog. The 959 story includes Porsche using the lack of certification by US Department of Transportation so that Porsche could intentionally avoid selling the 959 in the US. Interestingly, this allowed Porsche to avoid contracts to build 959s for sale in the US. At the time, it quite possibly saved Porsche, as they were losing $100,000 per car in the mid-80s on the 959s. If you ever get the desire for one of these cars, Canepa does the modifications for them to be US legal and they track all that were built - so for a mere $500K to $650K you can get one.

Now, before leaving the shop for the backroom, there were a couple of other amazing sights. First was a Bugatti EB110 under a tarp awaiting work. The second was the non-descript gray car early in the restoration process. This car was the 'impossible' car to get, Dale Earnhardt's car from his first win. The car is being restored now.

The final stop was our foray into the back room - as large as the shop - filled with cars awaiting work. They ranged from more Porsche 959s to race cars to some truly special cars. The first of these was another Bugatti, this time one of three EB110 SuperSports built. Another was the best preserved of the original racing Shelby Cobras. It is a beautiful car, complete with the suitcase dimples in the trunk to qualify for European racing which required a suitcase to fit in the car.

The final car I will mention brings up Canepa's restoration work. It's a stunning old car that will receive their highest level of restoration. This involves such detail as photographing the bolts and screws to ensure they are put back including the position when they are re-assembled. They referred to this as their "Smithsonian Level" for car restoration and involves sourcing materials that match the period details. The car they are working on is a black inline 8-cylinder Duesenberg. It is Duesenberg chassis number one - the first car built by Duesenberg (I think in 1912 or 1913). It's showing wear and they will be working to restore the paint, parts and interior for the current owners.

I know I'd enjoy another opportunity to see the facility in the future and hope this gives those of you who could not join us a flavor of the tour.

-- This post provided by guest blogger and Club Member John J.

Labels: Auto museum, Bruce Canepa, Canepa Design, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Member tour, social network

What details do you know about Ferrari's carbon ceramic brakes? They are exotic, yes. They come from F1 racing, sure. Ferrari offered them as an option before now making them standard on their 2008 model year cars. Are they better than traditional steel rotors? If so, how and why? Are they best for track use or for road use too? How much do they cost, exactly? Is it worth it? I went straight to the source and asked an expert. The goal is to dispel misinformation, seek the facts and convey it to those, like me, who want to know more about this new technology.

Lenny Peake is the head mechanic at Ferrari of Silicon Valley, in Redwood City, California. He's been working on Club Sportiva's 2006 Ferrari F430, 2007 Maserati Quattroporte and 2003 Maserati Spyder for some time now. Lenny started with Ferrari in 1997 after a long stint with Jaguar. He has worked at Ferrari of Washington D.C., Ferrari of San Diego and now, Ferrari of Silicon Valley. Who better to ask than the man himself, tasked by Ferrari to run the service department at one of its top dealerships.

On a hot sun scorched Friday afternoon, Lenny and I sat in his office discussing the nuances of Ferrari's decision to make carbon ceramic brakes standard on all its cars and to turn its back on the traditional steel rotors that were once ultra high tech decades ago. Brakes aren't as sexy as exhaust systems that sound great or as involving as transmissions that you shift with but they are a critical component of every sports car.

A few highlights before we talk replacement cost, a common hot button for many are part of the gossip mill. First, Lenny informs me that the carbon ceramic brakes don't help you stop in a shorter distance, but instead they provide superior all around stopping performance across a variety of scenarios from repeated hard braking to emergency braking. On the track, they are most at home in an environment of heavy use with no signs of weakness. This is the strongest benefit to carbon ceramic brakes - ultimate brake performance under the harshest and heaviest usage.

The rotor and the pad are both made of carbon ceramic composite material. The terminology is a little different than with steel rotors. Ferrari uses the term carbon "discs." Carbon ceramic brake performance also improves as they heat up, which is generally the opposite of traditional brakes. Carbon ceramic brakes work fine when "cold" too, at least as well as steel rotors, but their performance increases as the composite gets warmed up with use, which is another reason they work exceptionally well on a track. Early Ferrari carbon ceramic brakes had a tendency to squeal at low speeds, when cold or when wet, making owners uncomfortable with what sounded like shoddy brakes. The pad compound has changed and this embarrassing squeaking issue has been resolved for the most part.

Ferrari doesn't let you retrofit your steel rotors for carbon ceramic discs due to the car's computer algorithm that calculates everything from wear measurements to stopping distances and ABS management to traction control decisions that differ greatly between the two different braking systems. So, if you want carbon ceramic brakes, you'll need to sell one Ferrari and get another!

The carbon ceramic system lasts longer than traditional braking systems, but not dramatically so. An indicator light will come on in your dash pod telling you that your pads are 50% worn. Ferrari recommends changing pads at 50% so that, should you do a grueling track day, you don't wear your brakes down to an unsafe level unknowingly or ruin your steel rotors/carbon discs. An important point to note, you can change your pads two times before you need to install new discs. Lenny also points out that carbon ceramic brakes don't improve your driving, they instead enhance the skills you already have. I think this means, don't get over confident just because you have the technology; applying it appropriately is what makes you faster around a track.

Now, let's talk cost. Yes, carbon ceramic brakes are exotic and thus, expensive. When you could still add them as an option, the package cost buyers about $18,000. Now that they come standard on all Ferraris, that cost simply goes into the base MSRP price of the car. Ideally, as Ferrari builds more of them and recoups its development cost and makes a handsome profit, hopefully we will see the carbon ceramic brake component prices drop to an even more reasonable level.

It is the replacement costs we must contend with on a more regular basis. Let's talk pad replace first, since that happens twice as often as disc replacement. Pads are replaced per axle, meaning fronts and/or rears, but not just the driver side front, for example. Parts cost runs $1,800 per axle, or $3,600 for front and rear. Parts for traditional brakes would $1,000 per axle, or $2,100 for front and rear, leaving a $1,500 price premium for carbon ceramic, or a 71% increase in service cost. The labor remains the same for either system and is not included in these rates, as it varies slightly from state to state.

Actually, the pad replacement is a bargain relative to the disc replacement, which an expensive proposition. When carbon ceramic brakes were brand new, disc replacement was $10,000 per disc, or $20,000 per axle, which they must be replaced in pairs. That's $40,000 for the front and rear...ouch. Fortunately, that has come down already in the past two years to $7,000 per disc, $14,000 per axle or a mere $28,000 for the front and rear. But, steel rotors are only $350 per rotor, $700 per axle or a paltry $1,400 for front and rear when compared to $28,000 for carbon ceramic disc replacement. That's a whopping...1,900% price premium over steel rotors.

The scarier part of carbon ceramic discs is that sometimes they need replaced early simply because they are more fragile than steel rotors and more susceptible to premature failure and thus replacement. For instance, if you get your car off the track (or road) and rocks knick or chip the surface, the disc (and thus the whole axle pair) needs replaced, unlike with more durable steel. If they cool too fast after hard use, they can crack, and again, the whole pair needs replaced.

One great upside to all this is there is no brake dust, so you won't have to wipe your ball polished rims down as often. Hey, don't underestimate that time saving benefit! Because carbon ceramic brakes are still very new, the dealers have limited experience with the variety of issues that will occur over time. To date, Ferrari of Silicon Valley has mostly replaced pads of a number of cars and only the discs on a couple Challenge/Scuderia cars that have been heavily tracked. The experience curve for owners of carbon ceramic brakes will be a bit like the early owners of F355 F1 transmissions. The systems will improve with more miles and those early owners pay a premium for the honor of helping establish the new technology on the street.

Ultimately, the question is, are Ferrari's carbon ceramic brakes worth the cost for the typical owner? Questions and comments welcomed. Look for another article on this and other great topics!

Labels: Carbon ceramic brakes, Carbon discs, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ferrari, Ferrari F430, Ferrari of Silicon Valley, Lenny Peake, Steel rotors

Design and style are obviously very subjective. I talk to hundreds of people about cars on a regular basis, so I have a continuous barometer on the pulse of car design. I hear from two camps about the Ferrari 599 GTB. One group says it is a spectacular design and the other contingent says it is a drab design that was borne in the wind tunnel and lacks inspiration. Many felt that after Pininfarina's arguably lack-luster and unimaginatively designed Ferrari 612 Scaglietti that the Ferrari 599 GTB needed to set some new benchmarks. Hmmm...which side of the fence do you sit?

My first impression, based on magazine photos a year ago, was that the car lacked the visual punch that I expect in a Ferrari. I initially found myself in the camp with the disillusioned. That quickly changed as the complexity of the curves became more familiar to me. After seeing my first two or three 599s in person, I really began to like the design, without doubt. The red over tan car shown here is owned by Walt L. who I appreciate letting me get some good photos.

We had a custom painted two-tone burgundy over gray Ferrari 599 GTB with the same custom colors tastefully and creatively integrated throughout the interior leather on display at Club Sportiva for our Members' viewing pleasure as the car was on its way to the festivities of Pebble Beach in August 2007. That was the first 599 GTB I was able to sit in, study closely and blip the throttle. Blipping the throttle helped. ;)

I think the folks in the camp who argue the 599 GTB is an aerodynamic blob and is related to a boring Toyota Corolla feel the same way about many of the modern cars today. And sadly, they are observing the reality about how aerodynamics are now a vital component of design and CAFE regulations for fuel efficiency. But with that fact, recognizing that things are not going to change, I propose they embrace the modern designs and enjoy the cars instead of writing them off as bland and soulless.


There are a few interesting and unique design points worth pointing out on the Ferrari 599 GTB. First, the flying buttress aerofoil integrated as an appendage to the B-pillar. At first sight, it took me a while to envision what the aerofoil was doing visually, but I think these photos capture it well. No other car to my knowledge uses this design...yet. It accomplishes both airflow management and flamboyant Italian style simultaneously. This Pininfarina design cue will be notable in history as unique and I suspect copied by others.

The single tail light is very different for Ferrari. Aside from the 348 and Testarossa, Ferrari has predominately used dual twin taillights for about 30 years. Historically, Ferrari has had three lamps per side, occasionally one on top the other the occasional rectangle and now and again, a single lamp per side. In this case, I think Pininfarina was looking to try something new and daring without feeling retro. On such a wide car, there is certainly room for the traditional dual twin tail lights. It looks more elegant and less sporty, which works on a big front engine V12. It is pulled off well, however much it stands out as not your typical Ferrari design. Speaking of forging new design territory, the brand new Ferrari California just announced (see my May 13th post about the all new Ferrari model) also integrates a single tail lamp configuration, so now we see a new design trend at Pininfarina.

The curves of the front bumper add character to the front of the car which are unique these days. The 599 GTB follows the 612 Scaglietti lead on this cue with a point in the bumper ahead of each headlight housing. It looks very well integrated and adds an exciting degree of character to the 599 GTB without being over dramatized, like the pointy nose of the Enzo or McLaren SLR. Again, a special design cue subtly integrated without the racy flamboyant flair of the V8 series.

The interior is also pretty trick. From the carbon fiber reinforced race seats with Daytona seat stitching to the tasteful carbon fiber integrated dashboard which uses a lot more carbon fiber than the F430. The 599 GTB is certainly not a boy racer and the interior appointments differentiate it well from its attention-hungry V8 little brother, the F430.

One annoying factor for the Ferrari 599 GTB is that due to low production volume (combined with high demand), they are essentially impossible to buy currently without either spending a $200,000 premium or being one of the lucky few to be "on the list" with your local dealer. At Club Sportiva, having bought a new F430 and a pre-owned Maserati Quattroporte from our dealer, I still can't even get "on the list." If you aren't "on the list," that means you will be paying $200,000 extra in the after market to get a pre-owned 599 GTB. Yes, that means $500,000, so you better really enjoy the car to spend those maddening sums. As production grows and supply catches up to pent up demand, the premium will lessen, but will likely remain a sizable figure for those well-heeled enough to afford a $350,000 exotic.

When I have driven the Ferrari 599 GTB, there will of course be an additional blog post. And sometime before long, Club Sportiva will add the 599 GTB to its Collection. That will be a treat for all of us, especially the Members who have access to enjoy such a high-flying Italian beauty!

Labels: Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, F1 transmission, Ferrari 599 GTB, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, Ferrari California, Ferrari F430, front engine V12, Pininfarina

A couple weeks ago I was contacted by fellow blogger Will Boehlke to do a post on his blog about Club Sportiva. Will runs a very cool blog about classic men's apparel called A Suitable Wardrobe. He stopped by for a tour and an interview. We hit it off well. His site covers a variety of topics from custom tailoring, shoes for various occasions, style tips of ties and everything in between.

Many people might say Will should be based in New York City with his penchant for proper attire instead of here in casual San Francisco. But, he's found he can make a mark on San Francisco and now calls it home. Will dedicates a lot of effort on his blog posting daily with a readership across the world.

His blog gets tens of thousand of hits a day, something Club Sportiva aspires for, certainly. Ours is popular, but not measured on a daily basis like that! Here is the link to the post Will did recently about Club Sportiva.

Hopefully, he will do another post in the future as well, since automobiles are an extension of one's wardrobe! I think I can successfully make that argument. Here is a link to the post that Will made about Club Sportiva on his blog in May.

Labels: ASuitableWardrobedynend.com, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, men's classic apparel, Will Boehlke

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

We did this a couple months back. At that point, there were two challenges to fill our garages on a budget with a few constraints to keep it interesting. I suggested a three car garage with $300,000 to spend and another three car garage with "only" $150,000 to spend. This time around, I will suggest two challenges with a different twist.

Dream Garage Challenge #3
You have four parking spaces to fill in your garage. You have $500,000 to spend in total on four cars and no single car can exceed $300,000. At least one car must be a four door sedan. Cars can be new, pre-owned or classic. What are they going to be this time?

My Dream Garage choices:
My daily driver - Audi RS4 - grey over red leather (new, $70,000)
Significant other's car - BMW 335xi (new, $50,000)
Fun weekend car - Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera - orange (new, $225,000)
Other toy - Porsche 911 GT3 RS - lime green (new, $150,000)

Dream Garage Challenge #4
You have four parking spaces to fill in your garage. You have $1,000,000 to spend in total on four cars and no single car can exceed $700,000. At least one car must be a four door sedan. Cars can be new, pre-owned or classic. What are they going to be?

My Dream Garage choices:
My daily driver - Bentley Arnage T Mulliner - titanium over cabernet hides (2007, $200,000)
Significant other's car - Maserati Quattroporte - navy over navy leather (new, $130,000)
Fun weekend car - Ferrari 430 Scuderia - red (new, $275,000)
Other toy - Porsche Carrera GT - titanium over terracotta leather ($400,000)

Weigh in now with your choices! It is tougher than it looks... Comments please.

Labels: Aston Martin, Bentley, Club Sportiva, dream garage, exotic car share club, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maserati, Porsche

Not everyday is filled with the joy of driving a Ferrari or Lamborghini, even for those of us here at Club Sportiva. My BMW was in the shop for a couple days this week for a dent repair at Chilton Auto Body in San Carlos and the onsite rental company (Enterprise) didn't have a Maserati or Lotus for me to use, so I got stuck with a lovely Nissan Sentra.

What is the upside, I ask myself? Well, a reality check, I suppose. It had been at least a few years since I spent time behind the wheel of a $17,000 econo box, so this was a good adjustment. At least, I've convinced myself of that. It was only four thrilling days with the Sentra, but it brought a new appreciation of the cars Club Sportiva is blessed to provide its Members. To say the 140 hp 2.0 liter engine is anemic is an understatement. It floats down the interstate like a brick thrown underhanded. It is darty. It is flimsy. The seats hardly adjust. It doesn't have power locks. Oh, I've become spoiled...but I did learn to drive on a Sentra 20 years ago.

To make matters comical and more disparate, on Thursday, I drove the Ferrari F430 to work for a meeting in Silicon Valley and later that same day drove the Nissan Sentra home. Talk about one extreme to the other. Rags to riches with a $213,000 price delta. Power trip to rotten roller with a 353 hp difference. Champagne to PBR on tap. You get the point.

At least today I get the BMW back from Chilton Auto Body! Chilton is Club Sportiva's authorized body shop for those unfortunate occasions when a wrinkle needs smoothed out.

Labels: Chilton Auto Body, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Nissan Sentra, rental car

For everyone who is a Member of Club Sportiva and has ever wished they could reserve a hot sports car online from anywhere in the world, well, this is your lucky week. Our brand new, custom-built, proprietary Member database (yes...we are damn proud of it!) went live on Wednesday morning and the database lit up with activity immediately.

We've already had over 100 Members visit the site in less than 48 hours and Members have made over two dozen online reservations with a couple simple clicks of their mouse. And best of all, no glitches!! How cool is that?


Members, please continue logging in to check it out. For everyone else, join the Club or you'll continue to be on the side lines while everyone else has all the fun. ;)

Labels: Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, member database, member login, online database, reserve online

The news finally broke. As much as Ferrari management had denied it for months, a planned announcement later this week that a new and unique Ferrari is coming was trumped today when photos hit the web a week earlier than anticipated. Leaked photos have become common lately with the internet playing a more active role in disseminating information, and lighting fast too. This post is perfect proof of how quickly the word spreads ahead of printed publications.


The new Ferrari is called the California. It will be unique in several ways. It features a folding hardtop, a seven-speed dual clutch and will be produced in higher numbers that the current F430. It will have a 460 hp 4.3L V8 front layout with a bent towards grand touring tuning instead of the raw, racy edge of the F430. The single lamp taillights indicate Pininfarina's new design direction, like with the 599 GTB; a break in the twin taillights over the past 30 years. This will be an elegant and easy design for people to accept, whereas the stacked exhaust pipes (as with the Lexus IS F) may take longer to be loved.


This new Ferrari will be priced essentially where the F430 is currently, if early indications hold true. That will push the Ferrari F430 up a rung on the Ferrari totem pole. The term "Dino" was thrown around a lot, indicating a "lesser" Ferrari. From the looks of this beauty, this is a real Ferrari and with the price in the $180,000 range, it is no discounted car either!


Anytime a new Ferrari is announced, it is a big deal. It is an even bigger deal when the new Ferrari is an entirely new line. The F430 replacement is certainly coming, but the California isn't an evolution on an existing car, but an entirely new line. A good day indeed in the automotive world!

Should Club Sportiva get one? I think I know the answer...

Labels: 7-speed dual clutch, all new, breaking news, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ferrari 599 GTB, Ferrari California, Ferrari F430, folding hard top, stacked exhaust pipes, V8

Can a Lexus be exciting to drive on a twisty road? Is a sporty Lexus really just an oxymoron? The all new Lexus IS F is getting a lot of press for Lexus and many enthusiasts like me are wondering if the IS F a creative marketing ploy or is it the real deal? So with that in mind, I thought I should get some wheel time and share the experience first hand.

A Member of Club Sportiva took delivery of his IS F about two months ago, which he was told was the first in California when it was delivered. Alain M. allowed me the honors of experiencing his new Lexus IS F for a couple days. I have to give Alain credit for immediately taking his car to Laguna Seca for a Club Sportiva track day when he had just enough miles for its break-in! That is one happy Lexus. It now has about 3,000 miles on it, so Alain is enjoying every mile...

Based on my seat time, in a nut shell, the Lexus IS F is a performance sports sedan with a bent towards luxury. It is hands down the sportiest and most fun Lexus yet, but that's not saying much based on Lexus's traditional position as a faultless and soulless point A to point B automaker (what makes J.D. Powers and Associates happy doesn't always please the car enthusiast).

At 70 mph in eighth gear (yes, 8th) you are loafing at 1,900 rpms with no grunt whatsoever, but certainly helping you get better gas mileage. At 70 mph in third gear, you are at 5,900 rpms with plenty of immediate power to accelerate hard with ease. When getting on the gas hard when the revs are over 4,000 rpms, the engine makes a very non-Japanese sonorous bellow that isn't Lexus-like. It is lively and a bit Italianate in the tune (yes, I am serious) it belts out loudly but you've got to get on it to encourage the exhaust note. It also freely and happily revs all the way to the red line without a hint of protest. As you approach redline, you get an audible warning allowing you time to shift without having to look down at the tach or without hitting the abrupt fuel cut off.

The engine doesn't have as much low end grunt from the line as I would have expected for a healthy 5.0 liter V8 with 416 hp and 371 lb/ft of torque, but it quickly gets more brutal as the revs increase. The words brutal power and Lexus have never been used in the same sentence and this is a certified first time...and a good thing. But know that the power is polished, smooth and predictable, not raw, ragged or peaky. The steering is quick and sharp, but it is certainly filtered through the car's computers before reaching your fingertips gripping the steering wheel giving it a bit of a numb effect.

One of my favorite surprises was how much more the auto gear box is designed for enthusiast driving when set in manual mode than was the original IS300 I've driven. The previous IS in 2002 with 215 hp I'd driven in both automatic and the rare 5-speed manual transmissions. The original automatic set to manual toggle mode was constantly overruled by the authoritarian software program. It was really annoying and not worth shifting because you rarely got it to react, for it was permanently set in "no-fun" mode. Now, in Sport Direct-Shift mode, it is far better and more interesting to use. Kudos to Lexus for allowing the driver to have some control.

One knock I have to point out is the fake vent behind the front tires. Why bother? Make the vent go somewhere, otherwise it is nothing more than a cute little design someone thought up in the studio. It also has a regular steering wheel that I wish were sportier and meatier to match the brawn of the rest of the car. A few cool highlights worth pointing out include a unique trim that looks like silver carbon fiber weave. It also has speedo and tach needles in brilliant blue that really look cool, especially at night. The seats are also deeply bolstered unlike most sedans. Also, the stacked twin exhaust tips look better in person and less forced than in photos, fortunately.

At about $60,000 with a couple options (Navigation, Mark Levinson sound, rear camera, Bluetooth), it is a very worthwhile and significant car. I could see tooling about in the IS F as a daily driver, as Alain gets to do. I am very much a fan of pushing performance to its limit. I'd say the IS F represents Lexus in a way that has some of its executives cowering in fear for what beast they green lighted. I believe all enthusiasts will appreciate their daring.

Thanks Alain for giving me a chance to experience the car and to share with others. Comments welcomed. What other cars should I write up?

Labels: Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, four door sports car, Lexus IS F, Mark Levinson, sport direct-shift, sports sedan, V8

Porsche vs. Porsche, or more aptly, big Porsche vs. little Porsche. Which is better? Which is a better value? Which is a better performer? Which do you prefer? Which would you drive? All good questions.

The comparo is run using one of Club Sportiva's vehicles, the 2006 Porsche Cayman S, in Member-approved yellow. The second is a 2006 Porsche 911 C4S Cabriolet provided by one of us at Club Sportiva who uses it as a daily driver. The Cayman S stickered at $63,000 and the 911 C4S Cabriolet windowed at a whopping $112,000. For starters, the Cayman S takes the lead straight out of the gate based on the price/value equation. At an eye-popping $112,000, we are talking exotic car territory...well, no longer these days, I guess.

Styling? It is tough to call which car is better. This is very subjective. Each car has strong attributes. The Cayman is a newer, fresh design, whereas the 911 has amazingly evolved for over 40 years. The 911 has meaty rear tires that look aggressive and the new headlights recall the ever-popular and timeless 993 911. The Cayman shares the beautiful and curvaceous rear haunches with the Boxster, which harkens back to the 550 Spider. I also like the fact that you can raise the rear spoiler on the Cayman, even when parked, as it looks cool, as though it should still be in motion. I'd say styling between them is a draw, based on very individual preferences (see my 911 dead end design post on April 1st). For me, I'll take the Cayman by a hair.

Exhaust and engine note? Without even driving the cars, I'd assume the prize goes to the sportier 911 and this assumption holds accurate in practice, as well. The 911 has a snortier exhaust note that borders on a raspy growl that just sounds mean at idle and gets better under revs. The Cayman has a good rasp but lacks some of the grunt at idle. Under acceleration, with the mid engine inside the cabin, the engine blends out the exhaust note for the most part. The one disappointing thing on both Porsche's exhaust is that the sound is superior from outside the car, which means the driver gets the least gratification from the ordeal. The engine note is, however predominant, which is a good thing in my book.

Road holding? The Cayman is tremendously well balanced due to the mid engine configuration and the rear drive layout gives the car some edginess that fills the gaps left by missing torque. The 911, in this case being AWD, has an intuitively planted feeling that offers the driver a sense of invincibility, even with the rear engine layout that would otherwise taunt the driver. In a corner, you can continue to gently press the gas and at the turn's apex, hit the gas hard. You couldn't drive that way in a Cayman and certainly couldn't do it in a C2 911. Choosing one over the other is tough. Which is better, the Cayman's agile balance and svelte finesse or the 911's gobs-'o-grip in the twisties? I love both car's features, but would choose the sure-planted AWD of the 911 over the lithe Cayman. Because this was a close one, I am sure I will contradict myself as some point since I am generally a bare bone, raw, agile sports car guy and here I am choosing the heavier 911 C4S for its grip.

Power and torque? This is a no-brainer. The 911 C4S wins hands down, as you would expect and as Porsche engineers carefully planned it. The 911 has a lot of grunt and power that makes it a thrill to drive. The Cayman S, on the other hand, is more a revver that requires you to row the gears a bit to get the grunt needed. This isn't to say the power band isn't easy to find with 295 horses on tap, it just isn't like the 911 with 355 horsepower.

Interior? The Cayman radio blows. And it is worse at night finding the preset buttons, which is stupefying. I would ordinarily say the true enthusiast shouldn't even turn on the stereo, as in any Ferrari or Lamborghini or a Lotus Elise with Stage 2 exhaust, but...since the exhaust is muted from the cabin and the famous Porsche engine note is refined, stereo use is permissible. Porsches are great for ease of ingress and egress, 360 degree visibility, seat comfort and position and generally good ergonomics. As simple as this sounds, Porsche has always done an excellent job of balancing the sporty driving nature and styling with the drive-ability of an everyday car. Both cars share a strong family resemblance and jumping from one into the other is simple. I'd take the uprent 911 interior.

Other features? Both gear boxes are great. They are crisp and direct, if not joystick-like in their action when flicking through the gears. Reliability? We've had zero problems that weren't easily covered by warranty with either car in the past 12-15 months since new. Wow factor? Well, in California, practically everyone has a Porsche, so you see them on every corner; so neither car is a unique sight - which is a great endorsement for living in California.

Final thoughts? Porsche has done an excellent job perfecting each car to excel in its performance category without overlapping with the other. The Cayman S is without doubt the little brother. The Cayman S leaves me yearning for more from the aspects of torque, exhaust note and the planted AWD option. Because of its price, significantly less than the 911, I am willing to forgo those attributes for an otherwise incredibly well balanced sports car. The 911, on the other hand, provides a more full-tilt sports car experience with its performance but comes with a heftier price tag.

Regarding the Cayman, it is hopefully only a matter of time before Porsche comes out with a club racer version that is louder, lighter, even more raw, with a dab of extra juice to motivate the car. That is the Cayman I will order for Club Sportiva. Then again, the Cayman I'm dreaming of here might bump into the 911 and begin to cannibalize its sales - so we may not get to see this uber-Cayman, like I hope.

Porsche has done an excellent job ensuring the Cayman will never be viewed in history as the undesirable dog that the Porsche 924 is remembered or the fading memory of the mid-pack Porsche 944, as it has proven to be over the years. The Cayman has likely, already, cemented its reputation as a true Porsche for the books and the 911 continues to forge ahead with its evolution, now several generations old.

It isn't an easy choice because the two cars are both winners that really aren't competing with one another. Give me the 911, even for the price difference. The Cayman is really just the starter car for the person who isn't ready just yet for the 911. Try them both out back-to-back with a car share club and see what you think! Feedback welcome.

Labels: car comparision, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Porsche 911 C4S Cabriolet, Porsche Cayman S, sports car

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

If you saw my previous post this month about Fireball Tim's recent visit to Club Sportiva to film a segment of his show on Autobytel's MyRide.com, wait until you see the segment. Get ready for the goods!


For a 7 minute video, it will keep you riveted and wanting to book an outing in a Club car once you finish watching it. I think you will agree. Check out our video...

Fireball and his team did an incredible job filming and editing the piece and we are proud to have it live! I found it to be a very entertaining and exciting video. The cars look awesome and the crew got some very impressive footage with some great scenery. Even the music is cool.

It is also posted on YouTube, but the resolution is far better on MyRide.com.

Here's the full link in case you need it: http://community.myride.com/kickapps/_Fireball-Tim-Club-Sportiva/video/193831/3898.html

Labels: Bentley Continental GT, car video, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ferrari F430, Fireball Tim, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder

Who offers the wildest factory custom interiors? I'd say Lamborghini takes the cake. It's hard to argue otherwise. Not only do they offer a lot of interior panel options, they also offer some crazy colors that buyers actually choose on a regular basis. Between the carbon fiber and florescent colored leather panels inserts, you can really make your car a one-off. Here are just a few I've found interesting over the past couple years!

The ones shown here are just a few I've seen. Some help resale by being well appointed in a unique and tasteful way, while others probably (certainly) hurt resale with garish color combos that narrow the number of potential buyers who share the original owner's special passion for being extreme. Lamborghini owners are more flamboyant and are flashier risk takers than the more conservative Ferrari-set who are wild when compared to the understated Bentley and Aston Martin owners. Same concept goes for Lamborghini's exterior colors, with yellow, orange and lime green being among the most common. Interesting, red isn't a common Lamborghini color and I suspect that is because red is for Ferrari and thus Lamborghini owners shun red to stand out from their perceived cliche Ferrari-red counterparts. Lamborghini owners have never been know for being wall flowers. They achieved their success with hard work and now they are going to enjoy it and let you know it!


But is it the manufacturer who encourages the outrageous color patterns by offering them or is it the preferences of the owners requesting them over the years? I think the fact that Lamborghini designs and builds some of the wildest styled cars, people who like edgy expression are attracted to the Sant'Agata auto maker. The result is that the owners who like to push the style envelope then choose flashier interiors that are made available to them. A match made in heaven. The rest of us can live vicariously (which may be still a bit too much for most people) through the expressive decisions of these colorful risk takers.

Do the wild colors patterns hurt resale? Without doubt, Ferrari holds its value better than Lamborghini, but that probably has more to do with steeped racing heritage, market position and brand strength, overly limited production and other subtle factors than simply the funky colors selected. But yes, Ferrari's classic Daytona seat stitching is ever-classic, regardless of color. Has Lamborghini always offered wild colors or is this a recent phenomenon? Lamborghini and its buyers have always pushed the envelope of social norms on taste, but the institutionalization of florescent color interiors was popularized by the Gallardo, under the watchful eye of Audi (and VW) as a marketing method to further differentiate Lamborghini from under the shadow of Ferrari.

Ferrari also offers a lot of custom choices, but even the wildest combinations are still tasteful and relatively reserved. This might also be part of why Ferrari has the best resale; owners don't go out on a limb. Interestingly, in Europe, Ferraris predominantly have black interiors. Of the 20 Ferraris at Club Sportiva's partner in Germany, about 80% have black interiors, which matches Europe's preference for black leather over tan. The U.S. is all about tan hides. In fact, the dealers strongly recommend tan for a stronger resale. It is funny how different geographies of the world feel different about such simple things - social norms at their snootiest. ;) On the exterior, Ferraris are predominantly painted red and as such, it is rare to see a wild colored Ferrari.

Aston Martin, Bentley and Bugatti all offer bespoke interiors for owners specifying their new cars, but rarely do you see anything that borders daring. In my opinion, the more offensive and disappointing interior is likely to be drab and common black over silver paint. What a missed opportunity on an elegant and sophisticated Aston Martin or Bentley. I have yet to see a florescent lime green interior on a Bentley. I doubt the factory has ever been asked to die a hide a florescent color…

If you were specifying a new exotic, what would you choose? If you were helping Club Sportiva spec a car, as our Members occasionally do, what advice would you offer me? Are you daring or conservative in the way you would custom spec an interior?

Labels: Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Club Sportiva, custom interior, exotic car share club, Ferrari, Lamborghini

Fireball Tim spent a day filming recently at Club Sportiva in conjunction with Autobytel and MyRide.com. Actually, the crew filmed from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. That's a long day on camera! They must have chewed through several batteries with their various cameras. It was certainly fun but grueling work, too. Being mic'd all day with people listening in on everything you say can create some awkward moments. After a while you forget the mic is on, but we won't elaborate on that specifically... ;)

Fireball Tim, for those who don't know him or his brand, Fireballed, is a lively television and brand personality. He's a bit irreverent, with some crazy off-the-wall questions which you can rather glean simply by the photos. He is also a rabid car nut, through and through, so we hit it off immediately. Fireball is actually his first name by the way. Yes, I verified it. After all day saddled up in some exotic cars, I had a great opportunity to talk with Fireball about all of his projects that keep him passionately involved and very busy while sharing my similar experiences with Club Sportiva.

So, among other projects, Fireball has going is modifying Mini Coopers with copious amounts of horsepower. We are talking 400 - 600 hp in a front drive Mini. Nutty, and hard to control he confesses. And yes, he makes the most powerful Mini Coopers out there that make the JCW version look down right diluted. Image a Mini Cooper with 600 hp. Scary fun!

Fireball and I drove a number of cars during the shoot. He drove the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and Bentley Continental GT extensively, while putting in some wheel time with the Maserati Spyder, Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Lotus Elise. We'll have to see which he liked most based on the final edited version of the show due out shortly, but I think he liked the Gallardo best based on his feedback.

One of Fireball Tim's best online features is his segment called Auto Disection, where he analyzes the design of some current autos. His is an alum from the famous auto-design-mecca in Pasadena - the Art Center. You can see a few of his critiques on www.myride.com. I recommend watching his take on the Audi R8, BMW 1-Series and the Cadillac CTS Coupe. He also has a hilarious segment on Lombard Street with a Go Car.

Once they complete the editing of our segment and the piece goes live on MyRide.com, I'll post it! Thanks Fireball for spending a couple days in San Francisco and taking time to visit Club Sportiva.

Labels: Autobytel, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Fireball Tim, Fireballed, MyRide.com

A friend of mine, Nivan, is always swapping his sports car to experience another one and he is looking for a Maserati Spyder. I've lost track of the various cars he's had over the years, but every year or two it is always something different. And, he drives them, which I respect as evidenced in my February 12 blog post about shaming the garage queen and hailing the driver. So, Nivan asked me for my take on the Maserati Spyder. I felt the feedback I shared with him was worth posting. Hope you enjoy and find it useful...

Nivan, the Maserati Spyder is a great all around car with gobs of power and torque if you are looking for a car that is out of the ordinary. Club Sportiva has had two of them over the past five years, so I've had a lot of first hand experience. The first one was titanium over black 2002 with Cambiocorsa and we had it for a year. The current one is a 2003 red over tan with a 6-speed manual and Tubi exhaust. It is a dependable exotic. We put about 20,000 miles on the first car before upgrading to the 2003, which we have put 40,000 generally trouble-free miles on.

A couple things, the Cambiocorsa gearbox is not my favorite, so be sure to do a thorough test drive to be sure you enjoy it. It shifts slowly, but works fine. The Maserati manual transmission is gritty and notchy, so both transmissions have a flaw. As long as you don't mind the slow shifting, you will be fine with the Cambiocorsa. Whereas the Ferrari and Lamborghini F1 systems are super fast (and a bit jerky as a result), the Maserati is setup more as a grand touring car and as such, the transmission suits the car's personality very well. By the way, do NOT try backing up a hill with the Cambiocorsa system or you will chew up the clutch very fast. The F1 systems hate inclines, while in reverse, remember that.

The thing I would recommend strongly is adding Tubi exhaust (see my February 18 Tubi post). The stock system is quiet, subdued, plain and disappointing, even under acceleration, which again, suits the grand touring nature of the car but leaves something to be desired of a passionate Italian grand dame. With Tubi, the V8 is much more sporty and lively with a real muscle car grunt and an extra 10 horsepower. The upgraded exhaust is the car's finest feature. It is worth $4,000 or so, without hesitation and I wouldn't look for an alternate exhaust brand (unless someone shows me a worthy one).

They all have a few convertible top glitches when occasionally the top gets stuck up or down. There is a manual over ride button tucked in the car (pre-read the owner's manual) that generally resets itself once the cycle is complete so you don't have to take it to the dealer. A 5" by 7" top panel snapped off our 2003 and it cost $500 to replace and install the panel, which is a wake-up call that these are expensive cars.

There is a lot of cowl and steering column shake. On our first Spyder, I thought the vibration may have been a sign of a wreck but our second Spyder does it too and I know the car is pristine. A $35,000 Honda S2000 convertible is rock solid, but a $97,000+ Maserati shakes like crazy. Annoying, but par for the course. The radio/NAV functionality blows. It simply has a poor user interface. Generally this isn't a big deal for a weekend car, but for a daily driver, it may get bothersome.

Overall, the Maserati Spyder is a solid car and I'd recommend it if you are prepared for an Italian. While I personally prefer lighter sports cars, the Maserati Spyder is a great car with good looks at a value. Coincidentally, just last week, a Club Sportiva Member forwarded me a few photos of their trip to Monterey and looking at the photos, I was reminded that the Spyder really is a great looking Italian car that doesn't need styled like a flashy Ferrari.

The exotic car market is awash with deals right now. Lots of cars are available and not a ton of buyers. I'd suggest calling a couple sellers if there are other Spyders out there you like. Work the pricing a little bit.

I first go to www.cars.com and search the car through the entire nation and then also within 250 miles. I sort by year and then look for similar mileage cars and look at asking prices, knocking off a few grand in my head to adjust for asking price vs. selling price. The nationwide search gives you a broad view while the local search within 250 miles may or may not tell the same story about pricing and availability.

I'd also be sure to get a third party to inspect it for both frame damage and mechanical condition. Since it is likely out of warranty, this is very important. A $250 - 500 inspection fee is money very well spent. Even if car fax is clean, you still need the full inspection. A compression test (not necessarily going so far as a leak down test) would be a good idea based on how the rest of the inspection goes. You are looking for red flags that indicate other problems.

Let me know if you have any questions. I think you will love the car if the cowl shake and Cambiocorsa transmission are okay with you...and seriously, consider the Tubi! Good luck.


Post note: My friend, Nivan, bought a 2003 Maserati Spyder with 20,500 miles in Los Angeles and drove it to Arizona. It is silver over grey hides, as you can see in the photos that he sent me. He chose a car with the Cambiocorsa paddle shift system. This Italian replaces his Porsche Boxster S, which he notes that his wife greatly prefers over the Boxster S. At this point, he's had the Maserati Spyder just long enough to know that he is enjoying it lot and is pleased with his purchase. Good selection Nivan! Let me know if you decide to try the Tubi exhaust.

We'll also be checking back with Nivan to see how long he keeps this car before he is ready for his next toy.

Labels: Buying Experience, Cambiocorsa, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Maserati Spyder, Tubi exhaust, www.cars.com

Is Jaguar going to benefit or go further into decline in the coming years and decades owned by Indian conglomerate, Tata? Having worked for Ford Motor Company for a few years at its corporate headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, I have an opinion or two on this issue. Also, with this acquisition complete, we will all become familiar with this logo, as Tata is now on the world stage.

The short answer is: it will largely depend on how much money is invested and involve a degree of unpredictable luck. Ford invested a lot, actually billions, and it still didn't quite work out as planned. Ford tried valiantly to right Jaguar's woes and couldn't. I hate to say it, but Tata will likely need to leverage the new XF design and reformat the entire Jaguar image, leaving everything we know today in the past. Ford tried very hard to keep the stately designs of yesteryear (introduced the S-type and X-type car lines and refreshed the all new XJ and XK) that just didn't sit right with well-heeled buyers who wanted something newer looking instead of father's Jaguar. At the time, I wholeheartedly thought Ford's corporate direction was wise to stay true to the stately Jaguar heritage in spite of its competitors fresh (many say BMW's ugly Bangle design) style direction. Sometimes focus groups don't yield the desired results and sales were poor.

Will Tata handle the challenge? Will Tata's management have the perseverance to stick out the tough times and continue to invest in new platforms, drivetrains, powertrains, safety devices, manufacturing facilities, new technologies, top management staff, new product lines, etc? The cost is in the multi billions, and there are several car lines to support and grow in an ever increasingly competitive market environment. And...Tata has to cope with all the same issues at Land Rover too!

Granted, I don't have inside experience at Tata, but while it is an enormous corporation, the strains and complexity of a medium scale automotive manufacturer like Jaguar (not to mention Land Rover) will test Tata's resolve. The $2.3 billion paid by Tata (actually it is $1.7 billion paid after Ford subsidizes another $600 million to further fund the pension plan) pales when compared to $2.5 billion it paid 1989 for Jaguar and $2.7 billion in 2000 for Land Rover. Ford invested another $10 billion since 1989 to improve the two brands. These are nutty sums of cash...and investments that didn't pan out. The Indian company gets a chance for the first time to stand on the world automotive stage with two prestigious brands with steeped British history and this is very alluring to Tata's billionaire majority shareholder, Ratan Tata. Now, we will see how long the honey moon lasts and see how good looking are the children going to be.

I think Tata will end up casting off Land Rover in the next few years to a company who sees upside to producing upscale trucks. I think Tata will give it a serious go with Jaguar for the next decade without hesitation, even if sales are slow and the brand falters. One thing is for sure, Jaguar will not be an easy brand to manage. Ford's time with Jaguar will hopefully be noted in the history books as a quality attempt to right the struggling brand and not be written off as an obvious squandery under American ownership. Ford put a lot of attention into Jaguar and genuinely desired to improve the brand. While Jaguar did indeed improve in sales, quality and product breadth, the up tick was insignificant compared to the price tag Ford invested.

This brings us to another prestigious brand that has recently been spun off from Ford after 20 years to its newest and 13th owner for $925 million. Aston Martin is now owned primarily by a Middle East (Kuwaiti) funded private equity firm. This too will be interesting to see if they recognize the needs of an automotive holding that requires them to plow hundreds of millions (or easily billions) of dollars continually for refreshing and redeveloping the brand, much like loved or hated George Steinbrenner had done for decades with that one New York baseball team. Aston Martin's current path is positive, but without continued massive loads of engineering, technology and design, the car magazines and pundits will quickly dismiss the car as having veered of course. Aston Martin's brand has historically suffered in the shadow of Ferrari, fairly or unfairly. Point being, even with Ford having invested massively in the VH platform, V12 and recently V8 engines, Ian Callum's designs and new product lines, the car maker has just barely turned the corner towards a high quality product, beautiful styling, increasing production and sales and profitability...and then it got sold off. To use another baseball analogy, since it is the beginning of baseball season, the Marlins win the World Series only to then get sold off and dip back into the pool of contenders. Let's hope that Aston Martin's new home leads to a different fate.

The automotive industry is rife with companies that got the formula correct only to briefly take a collective sigh of relief and revel in the good times before realizing they are driving right back into the ditch again. Time will tell for Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. When I was at FoMoCo, I solidly thought those three brands had a permanent home for eternity. How quickly things change when money and patience run out. Let's wish the brands well.

Do you have a perspective on how the models will fair in the market? Will they improve or deteriorate? Will the styling run a muck? Will the car makers cut corners and miss the mark? There are lot's of risk for these marques. Thoughts?

Labels: Aston Martin, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ford Motor Company, Ian Callum, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ratan Tata, S-type, Tata, X-type, XF, XJ

Club Sportiva launched our blog a few months back and based on the rapidly increasing number of visitors, we have hit a serious vein with the automotive community. Most viewers are U.S.-based, but we are finding traction around the world as well. We had high expectations of what our blog could/should achieve, (as with everything we do at Club Sportiva we aim high) but it has exceeded our wildest expectations. The number of visitors is astounding. The number of quality comments has been great. The time people spend on the site is exciting.

To keep up the pace, please continue forwarding the blog link to other car friends who will find it interesting. We have done nothing outwardly to promote the blog and it has simply caught on by word of mouth. Very exciting. The viral affect is really impressive. Of course I'd like to credit Chasmo's and my topics as a key to the success, but I also think it boils down to the fact that their is a void for this kind of content and Club Sportiva is filling an important niche for car enthusiast seeking unique topics.

Thanks to everyone who reads the blog. Thanks to all those who have linked to it and bookmarked it. Thanks to all those who have already forwarded it to their friends. The car community is a great space and I am personally thrilled to be part of it online to accompany what I do everyday in person with the cars sitting in our Paddock awaiting our Members for thrilling driving experiences.

If you have a cool topic for the blog you'd like to see me post, email me at torbin at clubsportiva.com or just post a comment here.

A personal thanks again to everyone who is active in promoting our blog. Club Sportiva's success depends on its Members and our blog's success depends on the enthusiasm of our viewers. Keep it up!
--Torbin

Labels: blog success, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, sports car, thank you

After driving a C6 Corvette convertible at Club Sportiva, which is by far the most refined Corvette yet, getting next behind the wheel of Club Sportiva's 2007 Corvette Z06 was even better. Overall, the Z06 is a sinisterly powerful car with great looks that is still a little raw - standard Corvette DNA.

I will get a couple of the unforgivable issues out of the way, right up front... The Corvette has notoriously plastic laden interiors, buttons and controls that shame American ingenuity. It isn't just the surfacing, it is the quality of feel and touch when pressing buttons and interacting with the interior. Sure it has improved over the decades, but how long does it take GM engineers and marketing people to realize car enthusiasts don't want a shiny plastic interior experience. The problem is the Corvette's interior comes from the corporate parts bin and everything is hard shiny plastic and they don't want to develop a whole interior console for a single car line. A leather surfacing package is now available for a whopping $5,000, but that doesn't address the cheap radio and climate control buttons. Well, GM is moving in the right direction, at least. As a reference point, a $22,000 Mazda 3 has a far superior interior, to make my point clear.

How is the exhaust note? Well, it is subdued. Subdued? What?! It's a Z06...nothing should be subdued. It lacks an audible punch in the exhaust note category, disappointingly. The sound engineers, guided by the marketing team, should have said dial up the exhaust so drivers don't have to go out and install it after market. For another ~$1,500 (OEM cost), the bean counters at GM should have allowed the Corvette Z06 to have a sinister exhaust note to remind the driver that he/she is piloting a bad@ss machine. Instead, the Corvette team opted for an understated, plain (read lame) exhaust note. The entire group gets the blame for this from GM's marketing team, engineering community, program management and bean counters (of which I was one, at Ford Motor Company) for missing the opportunity to define the car with a menacing tune to match the splendidly powerful engine. I am calling it like I see it...

As such, firing up the car begins out on a somewhat anticlimactic starting point. And yes, I am being critical because the bar was set very high by GM's marketers and the auto press. Blip the throttle and it is not the rip roarious experience I expected, nor is the throttle as responsive as I would have hoped. I am not dumping cold water on the overall experience, just sharing essential first impression feedback as you climb in and start the car. It does get better, luckily, but right out of the gate the car has two strikes that you can't help avoid noticing continually while driving around. Normally, I'd save the negs for last, but GM really needs a disappointing slap on the wrist for a car that has been in production long enough they should understand what the target market wants and get it right, especially on the top of the line $75,000 Z06. Sure the$100,000 ZR1 is coming, but it is no excuse to leave any rocks unturned on the Z06. At $45,000 for a base Corvette, maybe I will take back my negs, but not for the Z06. Ultimately, I want to like the car enough to justify buying one, not looking for reasons to put up with its short comings. GM, are you catching this?

Now for the upside, finally. Once you dip into the throttle, you suddenly have no time to let your eyes gaze anywhere but far down the road. First gear is powerful, but not geared for sporty driving. Let's shift into second gear and this is where the fun starts. Third gear gets even better. There is enough power and torque on tap to peel up some serious asphalt. And cooler, the power just keeps coming across a broad power band. Even at 2,500 rpms, it will snap back your neck and keep your head pinned to the Z06 embroidered seat all the way to redline.

The pleasant thing about the Corvette Z06 is that around town, in normal daily traffic, the car is very reserved. Maybe too refined for my hardcore sports car preference, but impressive nonetheless. It isn't a light agile high revver, like the Lotus Elise but it isn't the heavy GT car like a Maserati GT or Mercedes-Benz SL either. It fits into a category like the Porsche 911, splitting duty as the high performance sports car that offers comfort and torque. A combination of raw performance and easy drive-ability. That is a tough balance to strike and GM has done a great job. Kudos.

I liked the heads up display, which also comes as an option in the standard Corvette. It doesn't save you much effort, since the dash is only a couple inches lower, but nonetheless, it is more efficient. The seats are very supportive and comfortable, as is ingress egress. Gas mileage can be surprisingly high for a big V8 as well. These factors make the Corvette a very livable daily driver without much sacrifice. Overall, for the market place, the Corvette is polished in many of the right spots, including a reasonable price for its high performance.

From a style perspective, this is the best looking, most aggressively designed Corvette ever. From any angle, the Z06 looks pissed off and ready to go. It is a mean looking car. The extra vent up front on the hood means business, as does the flared vent on the side behind the tire. The extra kick-up of the duck tail spoiler in the back is cool and functional too. The looks are probably one of my favorite features along side the brutal power.

For me personally, I am not a huge fan overall and it pains me to say that because I want to love the Corvette because it looks so good and has gobs of power. Yes I enjoy driving the Z06, but it doesn't make my top 10 list. A few insignificant issues worth the mention: When driving the Z06 in normal spirited driving scenarios, it has a heavy, dead pan steering feeling, which is okay, but not exhilarating or my favorite. The drive train is a little clunky and loud. From inside the car or out, you can hear it chatter when shifting. The CTS-V is the same, so GM's system inherently makes some clicking noises. Not a big deal really, but an entry-level Hyundai doesn't make rattling noise when shifted, nor should the Corvette. I prefer a lighter agile-on-its-toes driving experience which can be combined with a big brutal engine. NOTE: I actually don't like bagging on the car, so don't get the impression I like nit picking; it pains me to report these basic things!

The Z06 is a great car for most drivers, actually. The majority of Member's of Club Sportiva have really enjoyed the car tremendously. My preferences are not the norm, luckily for the success of the Z06. For those like me, who like the finesse of European cars, it doesn't quite work. This is disappointing because I want to like the Corvette. Cadillac's upcoming CTS and CTS-V look like they are dead on, so I think GM has turned the corner and the next Vette will be all it should be. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

Labels: 505 hp, Club Sportiva, Corvette Z06, exotic car share club, General Motors, sports car

The Porsche 911 is a good looking and endearing car to drive. Most anyone who has shared wheel time knows that the 911 has personality and character that is missing in most cars. In the 911 driving experience, the car is like a friend who wants to ensure you have a great time behind the wheel, and as a result, you bond with the 911. It is no surprise they've sold so many for over 40 years.

Point being, I like the Porsche 911. Until I had my first 911 driving experience shortly after starting Club Sportiva in 2003, I hadn't shared the passion, but the very first time I got behind the wheel the Club's 1989 C4, I finally "got it." With each progressively improved 911 (964, 993, 996, 997), I have been more impressed. Having said all that, I think the current 997 body style is headed towards a design dead end. Ouch! I mean that bold and spicy statement in a concerned and perplexed way. A major car mag called the 911 design "dowdy" in a recent comparo. Not good...

Compare the Porsche 911 to the Audi R8 visual styling and the 997 is bland and unremarkable. Compare the king-of-the-hill Porsche GT2 to a Lamborghini Gallardo or Ferrari F430 (which itself is a second derivation design, based on the 1999 360 Modena) and the car design pales. Remember, we are talking about styling, not performance or pricing. While each generation Porsche 911 has looked great, the 996 and 997 styling direction seems to have stalled. In the modern world of stunning design, how do you adapt the past to carry forward while integrating radically new design? Is it possible?

Just grab a camera and try to take a few breathtaking photos of the 997 911 and you'll quickly realize that it is hard to find unique curves or stunning features compared to other sports cars today that make this task easy. I take a lot of photos and that is what prompted the topic for me.

I raise this issue because look at what Jaguar has just done. They pulled the rug from under the heritage (AKA retro) styling on the S-Type. They yanked the plug on the entire car. Wrote it off. Killed the name and the car. It is now replaced with the XF using an entirely new design language. The Jaguar XJ sedan is next for execution after being entirely new underneath the skin at the beginning of this decade while carrying over the classic XJ look. This is a huge gamble for Jaguar. XJ sales are sagging while competitors like Mercedes-Benz are aggressively advancing the design on their S-Class models. Sales ultimately proved that there wasn't enough interest in the elegant but stodgy Jaguar designs. A Club Member, named Nir, was saying to me this week that he hates the new Jaguar XF design, so Jaguar has a challenging path ahead not to alienate the passionate while still capturing the masses.

Porsche 911 sales are doing well, so Porsche would make the design change for different reasons than Jaguar did. For Porsche, it would be a preemptive design move to stay at the cutting edge before they get behind in the market place.

Maserati, with the help of Pininfarina, recently introduced the stunningly designed GranTurismo. The front grill, in particular, harkens back to the 1950s Maserati racers. They did an excellent job of integrating a classical design cue into an otherwise thoroughly modern car. The Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle have made a go at reviving the retro look. Others didn't survive long, like the refreshed Ford Thunderbird, which I worked on while at Ford Motor Company in 1999. The upcoming new Camaro and Charger are integrating heavy retro designs - time will tell how they survive five+ years out. I suspect the rehash will wear out quickly, though I wish them the best of reception in the marketplace, obviously.

So yes, Porsche can certainly manage this challenge proactively, but the bottom line is they will need to take some action in the next generation 911. Will the next 911 be more aggressive and modern allowing Porsche to take a big design leap forward, like they did with the Porsche 959 in the late 1980s? The 959 redefined Porsche design two decades ago and then those style cues were introduced on the 993 911 which was a radical leap from the upright head lights of every Porsche 911 before it. I think we are due for the same quantum leap forward again with the next 911 iteration. A design style eventually runs its evolutionary course and then needs dramatically updated or ended. It is something exciting to look forward to.

Do you agree with the need to make the 911 more stylistically significant in the new era?

Labels: Club Sportiva, design direction, design language, exotic car share club, Porsche 911, styling

This is a great question, especially these days with fuel prices at record highs and the environmental green movement breathing down our collective-car-nut-necks. To some, this post will be as glorious as flying the middle finger high and proud. To others, this will be a tale of horrors and a polar bear's worst nightmare. From whichever angle you read it, it is reality.

When I bought my first Ferrari 308 GTSi in 2001, shortly after finishing grad school, one of the first things I noticed, aside from the constantly nagging repairs, was the amount of fuel it consumed. And this was back when gas was really cheap. My Ferrari was a 1982, built far before the days of on-board digital trip computers that could calculate things such as instantaneous mileage. So my trusty Casio calculator told me I was getting about 10 mpg. Hmm, that sucks, but fuel was inexpensive and Al Gore hadn't made a movie yet, so I didn't think anything of it.

Then, a year ago, I was driving Club Sportiva's yellow 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo coupe with e.gear and it had Audi's trusty on-board trip computer built in. I noticed that the trip computer's instantaneous gas mileage reading would never dip below 5.0 mpg. Is it possible the reading was accurate and that 5.0 mpg is truly the bottom end of the Gallardo's fuel efficiency? Sure it's possible, but it seemed to just stop at 5.0 mpg even as I continued to rev the engine further. Of course, 5.0 mpg is pretty appalling, but in a big 5.0 liter, 500 hp, AWD, V10 engine, what do you expect, right? Could they have intentionally limited the trip computer to shield people from seeing the inconvenient truth? I'm pretty sure Al Gore would drive one too if he hadn't made that big movie.

More recently (like last month), I was driving Club Sportiva's black 2005 Bentley Continental GT with a similar VW equipped on-board trip computer and toggled to instantaneous gas mileage to take a gander as what sort of mileage I might find. I was overwhelmed by the senseless burning of dinosaur remains that I achieved numerous times - 3.6 mpg! Amazing. That is an astoundingly low number and one I am sheepishly proud to say I achieved in a massive W12 engine hauling around an AWD tank-like Bentley with room for three more friends. It did, however, bottom out at 3.6 mpg and while I could achieve that number regularly pulling away from nearly every stop sign, it would never go lower than that. It leaves me to believe the mileage could be worse at times.

The thing about looking for appallingly low mpg figures is the shocking results I found every where I looked. In the Club's 2006 Aston Martin DB9 Volante, with a V12 brute up front, I regularly witnessed 3.4 - 4.4 mpg. But...at one point, I saw 2.5 mpg!! That number surprised me and I didn't get a photo, so that one got away with nothing more than a mention in a blog post. No V12 has ever been known for good mileage, but it is interesting to actually see the real numbers with today's trip computers. Most of the ultra low mileage was found around town in stop and go traffic, not always while cruising on the freeways.

Club Sportiva had a 2004 Lamborghini Murcielago, but it didn't give instantaneous readings, disappointingly, considering the thirsty 6.2 liter V12 nature of the heavy set-up. The Murcielago is actually a large sports car, long and wide. It is deceptive because it is so low, but the car is a beast - a very sexy beast, yes. I'm sure it could have recorded some nice low numbers for us as well. Even the Club's 2006 Porsche Cayman S gets into the action. At 9.0 mpg as the average, not instantaneous, it is clearly capable of racking up some low numbers too.

So, now the quest is on. What car can record a lower fuel efficiency reading lower than 2.5 mpg? What is the car and at what gear and speed? Let's keep the conversation on the down low though, so Al Gore doesn't protest our little science project.

Labels: Al Gore, Aston Martin DB9, Bentley Continental GT, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, fuel efficiency, gas mileage, Lamborghini Gallardo, Trip computer

A few of my car buddies and I have played this game over the past 10 years. Join along and tell me what is parked in your dream garage.

Dream Garage Challenge #1
You have three parking spaces to fill in your garage. You have $300,000 to spend in total on three cars. At least one car must be a four door sedan. Cars can be new or used. What are they?

My Dream Garage choices:
My daily driver - Bentley Arnage T - blue over saddle hides (~2004, $120,000)
Significant other's car - Audi S4 - grey over red leather (new, $55,000)
Fun weekend car - Ferrari 360 Modena - red over tan w/ Tubi (~2001, $125,000)

Dream Garage Challenge #2
You have three parking spaces. You have $150,000 to spend in total on three cars. At least one car must be a four door sedan. What are they going to be?

My Dream Garage choices:
My daily driver - Audi S5 coupe - titanium over red (new, $55,000)
Significant other's car - BMW 335xi - blue over terracotta (new, $50,000)
Fun weekend car - Lotus Exige - orange (2006, $45,000)

Of course, by tomorrow, I will have picked some different cars for the garage. These are my selections for today. Every now and then I will repost this topic with an update...

What about your favorites? What would you park in your garage? Let me know with your comment!

Labels: Aston Martin, Bentley, Club Sportiva, dream garage, exotic car share club, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maserati, Porsche

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

Not long ago I had the good fortune of buying a new Ferrari F430 for Club Sportiva. Our Members had let us know that they wanted, no, make that needed, a new Ferrari. Not that the 360 Spider or the F355 Spider weren't good enough, but that the Members wanted to try the latest from Maranello. I worked with Charlie Miles, the sales manager at Ferrari of Silicon Valley to get the right car for the Club's needs. There are a lot of options, none are inexpensive and the ones you choose impact the value of the car at resale, to some extent, how desirable is your car compared to others available. This is a guide the best of those options.

First and foremost is the decision for the color. Although the car looks good in many colors from red, yellow, black, grey and blue, there need only be one choice for the F430. Rosso Corsa. There will be no debate on color for this V8-powered car, however, with V12 Ferraris I don't feel so strongly about red.

Transmission. Ahh, the "trasmissione" is debatable. Because this is something you will use constantly while driving, getting it right is molto importante (see my F1 transmission vs. 6-speed manual February 13 post). While there is a remarkable trend towards F1 paddle shifted transmissions these days, fueled no doubt by the dealer's power of suggestion in the ordering process, I bucked the trend based on Member feedback to row their own gears. Easy, we will skip right over that check box for F1 transmission; let's see what is next on the option list.

Scuderia badges. Oh yes, lest someone not recognize the car for a Ferrari, we must have extra signage to reinforce the brand. Actually, I do like the badges, even though a few years ago one of the major car magazines called them, "Pep Boy inspired." True, you can save a lot of money by adding them yourself from an auto parts store, but it is a crime to slap a sticker or logo after the fact. They simply look great on the car. Easy, let's check that box.

Rear Challenge Grill. Hmmm, to have or not to have? This one was tricky at the time because in November of 2006 when I was ordering the car, no one had any photos as the option was just coming available. Knowing how cool (and yes, functional) it looks on the 360 and F355, I had to assume Ferrari wouldn't stray off course. So yes, let's check that box as well. It is different on the F430 as it turns out, with a lot of carbon fiber and very little breathable wire mesh. When I did get to see it, it took a little time to appreciate, especially with the diminutive silver prancing horse in the center, barely two inches tall. Nonetheless, I am glad I checked that box on the option list.

Daytona seat inserts. Yes, an option with some heritage and hand craftsmanship. Not inexpensive, but likely to wear well over time and something that Members will see every time they climb in and out. And there is an Extended leather package option with Daytona stitching that includes the otherwise carpeted area behind the seats. My former 308 had lots of carpet, which some people commented seemed dated, so extending the cool Daytona leather stitching on the package tray and engine wall is a good idea. So sure, let's check both those boxes.

Seat colore and Contrast stitching. Since I chose rosso corsa paint, I will stick with traditional tan interior. This also impacts the resale value, probably as much as does the trasmissione decision. The natural brown cuoio also looks great, but the coupe is sharper with tan hides. The contrast stitching has become rather common lately and not having it will feel like I missed the option box, so this one is a must. But there are so many colors to choose between. Well, we can keep this simple by choosing red to match the exterior. Two more boxes complete.

Colored tachometer. Yes, should I choose it in red or yellow? Because the car is red, let's opt for yellow. It should look cool at night when lit. This one won't impact performance in any way, so I can't go wrong either way, which is a relief from a few of the other big decisions that had to be made.

Ball polished rims and Painted calipers. Ball polish rims are a relatively new finish Ferrari is offering. It is not the standard painted rim nor is it machined metal or chrome. It is a polished look that looks a bit sand cast with a little texture as a result of the ball finishing process. The style has more shine to it than a painted rim but without the mirrored look of chrome. And of course, we all know and love painted calipers. I considered yellow or red but not silver or black and chose the red calipers.

There weren't many significant options that I passed on. Carbon ceramic brakes were the one I skipped. The cost is big and so is the replacement price if it comes to that. For Club Sportiva's street driving needs, the steel rotors will do the job just fine. Carbon ceramic is ideal if you plan to do some track days and just simply demand the best technology at any price. Ferrari has announced it is going to be making all its brake systems with carbon ceramic discs, leaving steel rotors to the lesser competitors.

With all boxes satisfactorily complete, the car was then lovingly ordered and shipped. We tried to airfreight the car to expedite the delivery process but the request to Maranello got lost and therefore we had a wait a painful month while the car was floated across the Atlantic and then another few days for customs to eye ball it and then another 10 days to trailer it across the country. It was worth every minute, however painful the anticipation was for the Members of Club Sportiva. The car had about six miles from the test laps on the Fiorano. Pretty cool!

So that was my experience having the pleasure of buying a new Ferrari for Club Sportiva's Members. I plan to be doing it again before long for our next Ferrari, maybe this time it will be an F430 Spider or how about a 599!

Labels: Buying Experience, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ferrari F430, six speed manual

Club Sportiva's Member feedback told us we needed another Lamborghini Gallardo for the Club. We had a yellow 2004 Gallardo e.gear coupe for a year and then traded it for a 2005 Bentley Continental GT at British Motor Cars in late 2007. Now that the Gallardo has been gone for about six months, it is time to get another one. As I've mentioned in my postings, I am a big Gallardo fan, so getting an updated model is very cool.

I am looking for a 2007 model so it has warranty, the new Calisto rims, preferably it should have about 2,000 miles on it so it will have already depreciated a little bit ($25,000+) and needs to be orange or yellow. The transmission doesn't matter according to Member feedback whether it is e.gear or a manual transmission, as both are excellent in their own ways. To complicate my search, the Club has a 2004 Lamborghini Murcielago e.gear that needs traded to facilitate the deal. My first step was to visit www.cars.com and to check about 15 Lamborghini dealers to check their inventory. Then I called 11 of those dealers to see who could take the Murcielago on trade.

Calling 11 dealers is tiring, even if they are Lamborghini dealers! About four dealers had a car in stock that attracted me and who had an interest in Club Sportiva's Murcielago. Several dealers had no desire in taking a Murcielago on trade, so that helped to narrow the field right away.

Interestingly, the very first dealer I called turned out to be one of the most serious in transacting a trade. I assumed I would be looking for a 2007 Gallardo coupe, but after talking to a few dealers, I learned that I could do the trade for a Gallardo Spyder! That was a very pleasant surprise. Of the four dealers who were initially interested, it narrowed further to two dealers within two days who were working hard for my business.

An authorized dealer in Chicago was very aggressive at pricing the Murcielago to help me acquire their Gallardo Spyder. Their Gallardo is a yellow car with black leather and yellow stitching, a 6-speed manual transmission (yes, I am supporting my February 13 post by trying to get a manual transmission to buck the F1 paddle shift trend) and the car looks absolutely stunning.

Another Gallardo Spyder turned up at a Lamborghini dealer in Georgia, where Club Sportiva purchased a 2003 Maserati Spyder with Tubi exhaust (see February 18 post for Tubi exhaust) in 2006 and almost bought an orange Gallardo coupe at the same time. So this dealer knows Club Sportiva and me, so they were very receptive to selling me a yellow Spyder with e.gear and an incredibly cool interior carbon fiber kit.

As always, the deal comes down to the wire. After the dealer in Georgia let a day pass without getting back to me, it looked like Club Sportiva's next Lamborghini was going to come from the dealer in Chicago and we proceeded with some of the paperwork via fax. Then, I got an unexpected fax with a good price from Georgia in the morning on a different yellow Spyder that just came into their inventory an hour before I was about to wire the funds to the Chicago dealer. After spending the better part of a day going back and forth with the Georgia dealer to better understand the options on this last minute Gallardo Spyder, which the dealer oddly struggled to provide, they ended up not having some details correct, so I passed on their Spyder even though they had a great price.

With that, the deal was cinched and our yellow 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder with 1,700 miles was coming from Chicago. Now, for the painful wait while the car is trailered out to San Francisco across the snow of the wintery Midwest! Our Murcielago was picked up for transport to Chicago within a couple days, but all I care about is getting the Gallardo Spyder to San Francisco in anticipation of our Fifth Anniversary Party for our Members in early March, when we will debut the Lamborghini to the Club. This will be our third Lamborghini to rotate into Club Sportiva in 16 months - a pace at which we are very proud.

The trucking company had promised us a Tuesday delivery, one week from the day they picked up the Gallardo Spyder in Chicago. As always, as the magic day approached, the transportation company started bumping the delivery out, day by day. It finally arrived on Friday morning in a massive 18 wheeler. An impromptu crowd of a dozen people showed up to watch the yellow beast be extracted from the carrier. The car draws a ton of attention, even when covered in plastic and stowed in a car carrier. This car has a magnetic personality, and that is before it gets fired up.

More to come in a later posting about the first drive! Keep an eye out for that, and other engaging car-related postings.

Labels: Buying Experience, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, Lamborghini Murcielago, ownership alternative

A Ferrari is a highly coveted and sought after car, right? They have waiting lists and premiums over MSRP, unlike any other brand. People go nuts to get a Ferrari. Even pre-owned Ferraris hold their value far better than any other automaker. Why is it, then, that four seat Ferraris don't evoke the same passion and illustrious glow that the two seat Ferrari does?

One can't even say two door versus four door, because they all have two doors. So, it is truly the addition of the back seat that hurts the luster. The four seat Ferrari, when new, generally sells for more than the two seat car, so it is not as though Ferrari has placed a lower intrinsic value in our heart and mind. The four seater also comes with ceramic brakes, high-end audio and a big voracious V12 power plant, so it is not as though it is missing the goods. Is there really an answer to this conundrum?

If the answer is as simple as people prefer the two seat Ferrari more than four seat cars, why does Ferrari even bother making the bigger car and how does it get away with charging extra when new? If the answer is that the four seat car doesn't look as sexy, then get Pininfarina to dig deep in their bag of design tricks and make a sexy looking four seater, like the Maserati GranTurismo.

One thing is for sure, Ferrari builds fewer four place cars than two place cars. I think there is a need in the marketplace for Ferrari to build a few four place cars for when the successful person says, "I wish my two seat Ferrari had a back seat." If the back seat were tiny, the dimensions would look better but it would realistically be an unusable back seat, like a Porsche 911, Aston Martin DB9, or Jaguar XK where legroom varies between three and zero inches. So Ferrari has wisely opted for a real back seat, which then creates potentially challenging design dimensions. Nothing gets the heart racing like a two seat Ferrari and ultimately, that adrenaline directly impacts the hearts (and wallets) of buyers who will do anything to drive a svelte sports car, which the four place Ferrari just doesn't encapsulate.

Looking at some four place Ferraris over the past few decades for a reference point are the 612 Scaglietti, 456, Mondial, 400/412 and 308 GT4. Currently, there is the king-of-the-hill 612 Scaglietti, which is arguably the best looking four place Ferrari built, even if it is oddly proportioned with an insanely long hood and near-Maybach-long wheel base. This layout places the driver far back in the car with the rear seat back almost in the trunk. Before the 612 Scaglietti was the 456 of the 1990s. This car was built for a long production run and while it has seen a lot of depreciation, it has aged well. Though subtle and understated in design, is still a lovely car that shares more than a little resemblance to the rear end of the 612 Scaglietti. Before the 456 was the angular 400/412 of the 1980s. This series car has a dated look, though upon closer inspection, it is still a good looking car, however stuck in the doldrums from a price and maintenance standpoint. There was also the Mondial and the 308 GT4 before it, both are likely the least loved Ferraris of all time and they both fit into the hardly usable backseat category.

Maybe the four place Ferrari's unloved place in the market isn't fixated only on the back seat or the diluted styling but instead on the lack of a hair raising visceral driving experience provided so uniquely by the two seat car. The longer wheelbase and heavier chassis associated with the four seater requires a big V12 and thus, the nimble, rip-roarious charm of driving the two seat V8 is markedly different. So, not only is the four seater less breath taking in appearance or bloated in weight and dimensions, but it drives like a heavy machine. Sure, it's got power to hustle, even to dance through the curvy roads, but it simply isn't as lithe as the mid-engine V8 strapped for just two. Ferrari clearly does two seaters better than anyone in the business.

I think Ferrari has the approach correct. Since history says a four seat Ferrari won't hold a strong cache once it sells beyond the original owner, their charging a premium on the few they do build and then letting the market be the judge in years to come. Build them as powerful and beautiful as possible, with the help of Pininfarina. And then, take solace in knowing that when you get to the stage in life when you need a Ferrari with a back seat, you have two choices: buy the chart-topping latest Ferrari that represents Maranello's best, or get a great deal on yesterday's glorious family-sized Ferrari. It is perplexing that the four seat Ferrari doesn't fare better than they do, but history seems to show that there is a limited interest in the market place.

Labels: Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Ferrari 456, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, four seat Ferrari, Pininfarina, V12

Certain cars sound incredible with stock exhaust and others, well, let's just say they are too subdued. Tubi is an Italian exhaust maker who I always consider installing on many of Club Sportiva's cars. Because it is very expensive, it doesn't make sense to install it on just any car. They specialize in Italian cars like Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini and have begun to broaden their product line into Porsche and Aston Martin, with others surely on the way.

What makes Tubi exhaust the best is how it is tuned to sound ideal across all driving ranges. Some after market exhausts sound great at idle but will drive you nuts when cruising on the interstate, for instance. The exhaust should complement and enhance the driving experience, not dominate or over shadow the car. As such, selecting a quality exhaust company that suits your needs and preferences is critical or you will later regret your decision.

The first car the Club had with Tubi was a Ferrari 360 Spider and it sounded absolutely divine. Trouser tenting divine, actually. It really opened our minds and ears. The system was already installed on the car when it arrived, so it was a very pleasant surprise for the Club and left a lasting impression. The Tubi exhaust accentuates and amplifies the famously high strung Ferrari tenor in a mesmerizing way.

Shortly thereafter, we replaced our 2002 Maserati Spyder with a red 2003 Maserati Spyder and took the opportunity to have the dealer upgrade to Tubi. That car, which remains very popular in the Club today, sounds like a muscular Italian torque monster, which is to say it sounds awesome. The stock exhaust is quiet, unassuming and lack luster. With Tubi, it has a meaty growl and announces itself as an extroverted touring car.

Then, we bought a Lotus Elise, which also suffers the fate of a docile, limp stock exhaust. The Lotus dealer in Torrance did the upgrade for us when we bought it. While it is not Tubi, it is a Lotus Stage 2 exhaust kit that truly redefines the nature of the car. Every time the car comes to a stop, you are coerced into blipping the throttle to hear the raspy note that turns an otherwise small four-cylinder into a monster. However, it is not one of those annoying boy-racer tuner exhausts or Lotus wouldn't install it. One bummer about the Lotus Stage 2 exhaust tips is that you can't see them because they point straight down at the concrete to increase reverberation (which is why I couldn't take a useful photo of the exhaust tips for the blog...). I'll trade aesthetics any day for better sound.

I highly recommend inquiring with me if you have questions about deciding whether or not to spend the effort and money to upgrade your exhaust. Not all cars gain the sound benefits and a few of the newer exotics are designed such that you can't use Tubi and in other cases the manufacturers have realized that they can tune the exhaust note to perfection themselves without their clients having to spend an additional $4,000 - $8,000. Happy revving.

Labels: aftermarket exhaust, Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, sport exhaust upgrade, Tubi exhaust, tuned exhaust

In late January 2008, I stopped by the Ferrari Maserati dealer in Redwood City, California, a few miles from Club Sportiva's Clubhouse to talk to the service team about our 2006 Ferrari F430 coupe that keeps losing rivets that hold the rear challenge grill in place. It was getting annoying - how hard is it to keep the challenge grill from rattling? They had no answer, by the way. Then, I stopped in to say hello to Charlie Miles, the sales manager from whom Club Sportiva purchased the F430 last year to see what he had in inventory. I wasn't in heavy search mode that day, but he showed me a couple great Ferrari and Maserati models that were both new and pre-owned.

One vehicle in particular stood out in my mind, a 2007 Maserati Quattroporte in pozzi blue (a custom ordered Ferrari color) over cuoio (saddle brown) leather with 1,900 miles. The car's color combination really seemed exceptional when compared to the standard and over wrought silver over black or black over black that lack elegance and sophistication. Cars, like Maserati, Aston Martin and Bentley, look best in unique color combinations that accentuate the unique handmade nature of the car's special heritage and thus, should be specified by the owner who hand selects the bespoke interior layout.

This particular car was essentially brand new and came with the DuoSelect transmission that could allow Members to shift their way through the gears. Since Club Sportiva sold its Bentley sedan in mid 2007, the Club was without a true four door, five seat sedan that can haul friends and family in luxury. In a recent Member survey, we were told it was time for another four door sedan. The Quattroporte was clearly on the short list.

The next day, I called Charlie back and offered to trade a fully loaded 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 with only 13,000 miles that the Club had just voted to retire after a year of service. He was able to strike a very good deal for Club Sportiva and we consummated the trade. I immediately proceeded to drive the Mercedes-Benz to the Ferrari Maserati dealer to trade keys, owner's manuals and cars!

The Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT is stunning and should be, considering the original window sticker was over $131,000. The rear seats are power while the front seats have adaptive bolsters, massagers, cooling and heating built in for driver and passenger pleasure. The fit and finish could be a bit tighter, but I think a few of the issues on the glove box and rear passenger door can be resolved by the dealer on our next service visit. It is a heavy car, even with the sport mode turned on, but it is set up well for a large, long, luxury sedan. The DuoSelect transmission is the weak link on the car, of course that was changed in the second half of 2007 with a traditional automatic transmission. Because our Member have repeatedly said they enjoy shifting gears, we opted for an early 2007 model with DuoSelect giving drivers more control over the transmission.

With 400 horsepower on tap, you will need to use all of them to motivate the big sedan, but if you use the paddle shift levers and let the rpms rev to 5,000, you reap the benefits of both the power and the sporty Italian engine and exhaust. Under the 5,000 rpm range, the car is a bit sluggish, but then again, when you are hauling a party of five to dinner and the opera, no one wants tossed around in the back seat anyway...

The car is just being pressed into service for a nine month tour of duty. I firmly believe it will be a grand hit to all to have the pleasure of driving it. Take your turn behind the wood and leather steering wheel and give me your personal feedback!

Labels: Buying Experience, Cambiocorsa, Club Sportiva, DuoSelect, exotic car share club, F1 paddle shift transmission, Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT

This is a new debate that is quietly raging. I say raging because most car enthusiasts say they strongly prefer to row their own gears yet exotic car sales show just the opposite. Paddle shifted transmission sales are approaching 100% for Ferrari and Lamborghini. A lot of the special Ferrari models are only offered in F1, like the 430 Scuderia, 360 Challenge Stradale and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. Isn't it an oddity that enthusiasts vocally say they love their manual transmissions yet Ferrari and Lamborghini sales are nearly 95% F1 transmissions?

Then, who is buying all these exotic cars with F1 transmissions if the car enthusiasts declare they want manual transmissions? And why should a manufacturer bother offering a manual transmission on a limited run of, say, 750 cars if the manual transmission take rate is only 5%? Do they really want to deal with the manufacturing complexity to sell a paltry 37 cars with a manual when they can simplify their process dramatically by standardizing the F1 transmission and at the same time charging a hefty premium for it?

And there in lies the answer to our conundrum. The missing link, I believe, is that the manufacturers prefer to sell F1 transmissions and thus encourage the dealers, who are highly persuasive individuals and, by the way, highly incentivized to sell $10,000 paddle shift transmissions. This means the true preference of the car enthusiast is being ignored and rolled over. The marketing folks then point to the sales results that no one wants a low tech manual transmission to validate their decision to further popularize and institutionalize the F1 transmission.

At Club Sportiva, I interface with hundreds of Members and thousands of car enthusiasts on an annual basis. In my conversations, I rarely hear enthusiasts glowing about the F1 transmissions in a manner that explains the preponderance of its sales figures. Sure, the F1 system is cool and it grows on you as you use it and it downs shifts in a heavenly fashion every time you pull the down shift paddle as the throttle blips to match the revs, but is it naturally selling at a 95% take rate at a significant price premium? Or is this a case of influence through the power of suggestion at the dealer level?


I think the dealers are over-hyping the F1 transmissions by focusing their clients on the ease of shifting if they will drive occasionally or only plan to drive a few times a year on a track. The dealers are also focusing on the resale value of the car if the client doesn't want to be selling a car with a plebeian manual transmission when everyone else wants an F1. And they focus on the prestigious tie in with F1 racing heritage, where the F1 transmission is obviously derived. This is all fine and good, but F1 paddle shifters are being pushed on enthusiasts and if it continues, the standard manual transmission will literally quickly disappear.

Keep in mind that already in the U.S., traditional automatic transmissions dominate mass market cars at roughly 90% of all cars produced. Now, we are witnessing the remaining small number of manual transmissions sold are rapidly migrating the way of a semi-automatic shifting method. Manufacturers can't justify the manufacturing and logistics complexity if take rates are too low. The manual transmission may very likely go the way of the dinosaur within the next few years.

Is this really happening? Could the manual transmission be going silently extinct before our very eyes? Are the dealers really using persuasion to talk exotic car owners into higher cost, high tech F1 shifters? Will there be a revival of manual transmissions?

I vote to keep buying manual transmissions before it is too late! What is your input?

Labels: Challenge Stradale, Club Sportiva, e.gear, exotic car share club, F1 paddle shift transmission, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, manual transmission, Stick shift

All right! So, I am fired up to get some good car dialog going. What is the purest sports car available today? Let's say money is an object in this debate and therefore the Ferrari 430 Scuderia or Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera are out of the question for the moment. Would the Porsche 911, built for 40+ years, be the purest? Maybe the new Porsche Cayman S or even the revised Porsche Boxster S? The light weight and rev happy Honda S2000? The new and incredible Audi R8 or maybe a "regular" F430 or Gallardo?

All those are great cars but...the Lotus Elise takes the prize. I've driven almost every sports car out there with few exceptions and the Elise packs punch...and I don't mean torque. I mean smiles per mile and bang for buck. One other thing I love about the Elise is that it certainly is not designed for everyone - minivan drivers slogging along in the fast lane need not slide in behind the wheel. It is raw, light, agile, loud, jarring, fast and rarely spotted on the road. That is a great combo of adjectives for $50k new at a dealer or even less when pre-owned.

Club Sportiva bought its Elise with the hard top, stage 2 sport exhaust and chrome orange at South Bay Lotus near Los Angeles in fall 2005 and it has held up solidly for 20,000 miles and looks and runs as it did the day it was new. Sure, we've had our share of warranty issues, but no worse than any other high-end sports car. I drove it from L.A. to San Francisco straight through and arrived at the Clubhouse surprisingly ready to continue rolling north for another day if needed. I wish we had a Club location in Seattle, or I would have kept driving!

It also looks great in orange, which frankly, only Lotus and Lamborghini can get away with where it actually helps resale value. Try an orange BMW or Ferrari at trade-in. You'll be seeing red - both in depreciation and frustration.

The Elise truly embodies Collin Chapman's philosophy that to make a car quicker you add lightness. Think about that statement for a moment. Some people say the Elise is too insect-like in design. To those people I say drive it and then tell me if you really care that the radiator grill looks vaguely like a praying mantis. Blip the throttle, heel-toe on a down shift, take an apex hard, lay on the brakes, take a few s curves fast and then say "I don't like the Elise because it looks different from all the aerodynamic drones out there" and I'll know you're not a car enthusiast. Seat time is the solution for those who debate the Elise.

Is it a torque-monster? No, it is not. If it had a big torquey engine, then the chassis would be heavier to support the engine, the transmission would be heavier to manage the power, the brakes would be bigger to handle the weight, and suddenly, you've just blown the beautiful simplicity and balance the Elise exhibits. I say, torque not needed on this car. For the power mongers, get the Exige or get something else, but don't be surprised when the Elise leaves you behind on a mountain road.

Ultimately, the question really is, are you a torque-head who needs brutal acceleration on the straights who cares less about finesse, or are you a person who wants to carve up a long, twisty mountain road? In California, we have mountain roads galore, so give me a light, nimble, high revving sports car any day!

My thoughts for the day! Comments desired...

Labels: Club Sportiva, exotic car share club, Lotus Elise, sports car