Ferrari Driving Schools

If you are a Ferrari car owner, you know the pleasure that is yours when you slip behind the wheel of this fabulous driving machine. Did you know that you could enhance your enjoyment of these vehicles even more by participating in a Ferrari driving school? This is a fun way to get to understand how your Ferrari works, and what it is capable of on a racetrack.

The Ferrari North America School is located in Mont-Tremblant, northwest of Montreal. The driving takes place on a race track a little over two and a half miles long. Instructors make clear that this is not a school to train racers. This Ferrari Driving Experience school will give you the skills you need to get more out of driving your Ferrari.

The instructors have put in many championship wins on race tracks around the world. They are experienced in sharing their skills in a step-by-step manner; with early instruction providing vital tools upon which more advanced techniques will be built.

The Ferrari Driving Experience lasts for two and a half days, and begins with a champagne reception and dinner the evening before classes begin. Time is spent in both the classroom and on the track, although most of the time is spent behind the wheel. Classes cover such topics as vehicle dynamics and driving line. Track time includes introducing skills like how to handle the car in wet and dry conditions, including controlled skids, braking, and acceleration, and building on lapping techniques, beginning with sectional, and moving up to short track and eventually full track circuits.

Students may not drive their own Ferraris, for insurance reasons, but instead are provided with twelve new Ferrari F430 ‘s for their use during the Experience. The fee for sumptuous room, board and instruction is $8,200 in US dollars. There is a waiting list for these special instructional events, so register early if possible.

If you would like to receive all of the superior instruction of the Experience but be able to participate in your own Ferrari, then you might enjoy Ferrari Driving Clinics. Priced at $1350 US, these clinics are held on Ferrari Challenge race weekends, and you get to drive your car on the track, under the helpful eye of your instructor. There are two skill groups, the Sport group for intermediate to advanced drivers and the Touring group for beginner to intermediate enthusiasts. You will also get to participate in infield driving drills to help you hone your ability in several areas, including braking and autocross. You will learn driving techniques to make your Ferrari car driving experience more satisfying. For everyone's safety, Ferrari requires each participating vehicle to receive a technical inspection from an authorized Ferrari dealer.

By Jonathan Blocker.

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The Ferrari F430 - Quick And Beautiful, Not Necessarily In That Order

Can a car be too fast? Inquiring minds want to know. Local highway patrol types would tell you they certainly can, but those who know the thrill of putting a foot to the metal of an exotic sports car aren't so sure. The Ferrari F430, which was introduced to the US market in 2005, is the third fastest Ferrari roadster ever, after the Enzo Ferrari supercar and the 599. It tests at zero-to-60 in 3.9 seconds thanks to a feature borrowed from Ferrari's Formula-1 racing technology ("Launch Control," which was designed for standing starts at high RPM) but was not available in the US because of liability issues. Car And Driver tested the US version with 483 horsepower with an eye-popping 3.5 seconds. Which should answer the aforementioned question: very possibly, yes.

The F430 comes with one of Ferrari's most aerodynamic and stylish designs. Its predecessor was the Ferrari 360, and it offers trademarked Ferrari styling features, such as the Enzo's taillights and interior vents, and the large front-end vents from Ferrari's racing designs of the 1950s. The engine dawns a new day for V-8 Ferraris, rendering the 50-year legacy of the Dino racing engine obsolete in favor of a new 4.3 litre architecture based on a combined Ferrari-Maserati design. The braking system is also new, with heat-resistant ceramics and alloys that make them safer and more cost-effective to maintain. The international auto press has labeled the the F430 as an "absolutely brilliant" car to handle, which if you've ever driven a Ferrari roadster should come as no surprise.

Like many of its namesake cousins, the F430 is seen on movie and television screens with regularity, most lately with a starring role in the Pixar smash hit, Cars, and a featured role in the Miami Vice movie, among others. If the F430 isn't quite fast enough, consider the F430 Challenge Stradale. Some sources have already spied the 2008 version of this car on the streets of Maranello. The cars look very similar, but are in fact quite different. The Stradale weighs 220 lbs. less than the F430 and has 30 more "prancing horses" under it's rear-end hood. Carbon fiber door panels, magnesium wheels, and a power-to-weight ratio of 6 means just one thing, "deep pockets may not be the only thing you need to buy this car. They're expected to be long gone before their debut.."

The F430 will set you back $200,000+ for the coupe and well over the mid $300,000 mark for a Spider. As far as the Stradale, starting at $250,000 but expected to be $20k-$30,000, which means you can park it anywhere you want, usually with the help of salivating valet.

By Tim Broder.