[mmcporter]

I once drove a friend's Ferrari 348--I barely fit but the car was pretty impressive. Not just the performance, (which was laudable) but the smells, sounds and "overall package." It felt precisely like you'd expect an open wheel race car would feel like. Very, very temperamental, but driven expertly the car performed amazingly well. Very sensitive to the conditions, it needed to be warmed up thoroughly before being hammered. It handled like nothing I've driven before or since. Years later, I did have an opportunity to drive that same friend's 456 coupe, and it seemed a bit more substantial, heavier, etc, but still had the feel of a precision race car. I've never driven a new Z06 (or an old Z06 either), but I have driven a couple of C5s and C4s. Impressive cars in their own right, but they are in a different league than the Italian cars. The whole ambiance and purpose is different. I took a class at Skip Barber Racing in Lime Rock a few years ago, and some jerk know-it-all Wall Street money manager brought his Ferrari. After most of the curiculum was done, we were allowed to drive our own cars on the track. It didn't take long before Mr. Know it all had his Ferrari in the weeds; undamaged, but his ego was more than a little bruised. None of the C4 drivers who brought their Vettes had any trouble getting around the track, although a couple of the cars had suspension squeaks as they twirled around the track.

Morris