I did a “Fantasy Drive” a couple summers ago.

That’s where I spent an afternoon driving five supercars, along with four other drivers and the owner of the cars pacing us over relatively un-traveled pavement through open lands at speeds that would get us jailed. At speeds that display the purposes for which the cars were designed.

It was a religious experience.

The five I got to drive were a wonderful cross-section of cars ranging in price from about a hundred K up to about a quarter million.

Please, for this post, no comments about whether some should not be called “supercars.” All of these cars were super to drive…

BMW i8
Porsche GT4
Bentley Continental GT
Lamborghini Huracan
McLaren 650s

…as well as, to eyeball. Each had their own, particular sex appeal:

~ The BMW i8 was somewhat like I imagine it would be if your sports masseuse arrived to be surprisingly exceptional eye candy who, after delivering valid therapy to every muscle in your body, left you with a happy ending.

~ The Porsche GT4 was heart-warming. It gave the nicest hug of the five. I found it to be the prettiest. It was the best dancer PLUS had the nicest purr.

~ The Bentley Continental GT was like an elegant vixen, soft in the curves, feeding you peeled grapes and asking you to ride her harder than you expected she would like.

~ The Lamborghini Huracan was like riding a stallion. Or like my son described: "poking a bear --no, wait, a bull.” Its moniker, Huracan, actually named after a particularly courageous fighting bull, is astonishingly apt. It snorted. And roared. And jumped when you poked it, trying to throw you.

~ The McLaren 650s was like my imagination of three top-dollar call girls at the same time. All of whom could sing like Whitney Houston. In three-part harmony.

I later got to drive a Ferrari F430 that was in pristine shape with low miles. It was like a jaw-dropping-ly beautiful, triple-crown-winning, thoroughbred race horse. Prancing, of course. Another good dancer and great hugger, if aloof.

Which of these cars would I pay to drive again?
The Porsche, the Lambo, the McLaren. But only if I could have track time and a teacher.

Would I own any of them? Only if I were to build a collection. None for my around-town driving lifestyle.

Were I to take up the hobby of racetrack sports, I could see owning the Porsche, but when you factor in how much more you drive your car around town, our beloved car wins. Hands down.

I bought the R. Convertible. V8, all-wheel-drive, a work-of-art auto-manual 8-speed, perfectly-tuned driving modes to select from, and the most elegant body on the road. Not to mention the sexiest automotive voice I’ve ever heard. Muscle. Curves. Voice. Dancer. Hugger. Leaper.

And I can drive it in the winter?!

I was infatuated at first sound and in love at first drive.

I expect I will find from my first track experience with it this season that it strikes the perfect balance of both usage enjoyments.

Fantasy fulfilled.

 

Mr. Keith,
Twas a pleasure reading your vividly descriptive narrative, so elegantly written. I might have enjoyed it more than driving the cars. Good for you. I got to drive my own old supercar for its first reasonably long drive this past weekend to the Classic Auto Show in Orange Country, CA. It was for all purposes my first drive in it in five years after restoration and modification. I was nervous as hell, expecting it to break down, overheat, and leave me stranded on the 405 Freeway, but alas, it performed admirably and did not even overheat in reasonably heavy traffic on a warm day all of the way home. Next step will be a little performance drive through the local mountains and canyons, and I've promised myself one last trip to the track to legally and safely explore its new performance parameters (approx. 550hp and ft./lbs in a sub 3000lb. Italian "suit.") And it still looks better in its original 50 year old design than any current Lambo or McLaren!

 

Wonderful, wonderful car!
Like a teenage athlete who has learned she can jump further than her competitors, but she often strains or pulls some muscle or another doing it, yes?
AND so much better-looking than the other girls that it's actually bothersome for her, no?

It's SO beautiful. Super-nice color and color-scheme. You probably did cooling upgrades? Any other upgrades?

 

Wait! You said 550 horse and pound-feet?! Do tell! And get it well video'd!

 

 

Upgrades included fuel injection (first and foremost), new engine, flush glass windshield, new clutch, entire new leather interior, including C-4 Corvette seats with diamond quilted red stitching on black leather, leather dash, headers and exhaust, racing harnesses, and some suspension tweaking. Many years ago when I bought the car, I upgraded the brake system which required larger wheels and tires to fit the larger calipers. The car is extremely loud, and I haven't really pushed it yet wanting to make sure there were no issues. Coming soon! The car was also resprayed as it was before even though the paint was previously in very good condition. The paint scheme was "borrowed" from similarly painted Ferrari 512bbi of the day.

 

tberg , so happy that you fiiiinally got it completed! It looks fantastic! And yes, the paint is very reminiscent of the Boxer, good job.