Meet the Ferari F430 Spider -- every petrol head's dream.

To get this column off to a glamorous and exciting start I have decided to take a look at some of the most exciting models I have had the pleasure of driving in recent months. So we start off with some manufacturers that feature in every petrol head’s dream garage; up first is the Ferrari F430 Spider.

Simply being in the presence of a true supercar such as the F430 Spider is akin to standing close to an automotive Van de Graff generator: the air almost quakes with excitement as the car bristles with potential energy. The mere statistics are enough to get the pulse racing: 483bhp @ a heady 8,500 rpm, 0-60 in 4 seconds with the magic 100 coming up a mere 5 seconds later en route to 196mph.

Even starting this car is an event; you place the traditional red fobbed Ferrari crested key in the ignition and then thumb the scarlet lozenge-esque button on the steering wheel marked “ENGINE START,” instantly making you feel that you are lined up on the starting grid with Schumacher and chums. The moment that button is depressed the V8 erupts into life before settling into a chunky, rumbling idle.

Although keen to get started, it is obviously best to familiarise yourself with your surroundings before heading off. There are all the usual modern Ferrari attributes: decent stereo, fine embossed Italian leather sports seats, well-bolted-together fixtures and fittings. The interior is racecar chic. The sporting purpose is clear in the architecture but there is enough luxury to cosset and comfort the driver. Most notable of all is the “manettino” – one of the many nods to Ferrari’s strong F1 connection. Basically, it is a steering wheel-sited rotary dial that is used to alter the feel of the car -- from the speed and type of gear changes, to the suspension firmness through to the amount of traction control.

With the sun high in the sky, the first priority is to retract the canvas roof with a prolonged flick of the centre console-mounted switch. The mechanism is fully automatic and completed in around 20 seconds, and such is the intricate beauty of the action it makes you wish you could step outside to enjoy the spectacle.

This particular example features Ferrari’s paddle shift semi-automatic gearbox which soon becomes second nature with the box automatically changing into first as you slow down and a tug on both paddles simultaneously switching it into neutral when stationary (best practice in order to save wear on the clutch plates). Moving off just requires you to hold it on the brake and a single flick of the right hand paddle to shift back into first. Although, to my mind, not as involving as a manual it is an undeniably efficient piece of engineering with gear changes made faster than would be possible with a standard manual set-up.

Getting out onto quiet B-roads really allows you to sample the soundtrack to its full glorious extent. Around town the V8 burbles and throbs with potential power as you would expect, but on the open road it is truly awe-inspiring. The flat-plane bark transforms into an all-out wail and as you back off the throttle at the top end of third gear (as you will have to if you wish to avoid arrest!) the exhaust lets out an almighty crack on the change into fourth. Even at higher speeds it is surprising how unruffled one is in the cabin, the screen keeping wind buffeting at a bare minimum.

Andrew Ryan

9/10/07