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Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

An Italian thing of beauty

Let’s take some time off away from the gloomy issues of the day to drool over the latest creation of the Ferrari empire. This car looks fantastic.

ferrari.jpg

A four-door car that does 200mph. This model looks particularly good in silver, as is the case with a lot of famous Ferraris. Is capitalism wonderful or what?

17 comments to An Italian thing of beauty

  • dg

    4-door eh? Finally, a family car that is fun to drive!

  • lucklucky

    Beautifull Capitalism & Passion , but not a 4 door.

  • Ron

    Only 200mph?

    This is a REAL fast car!

    (And the Yanks still can’t better it.)

  • Ron

    A quote I particularly like from the final article of the site I mentioned in the last comment:

    15th October 1997 – Black Rock Desert Nevada
    Driver: Andy Green – Car: ThrustSSC
    763.035mph – Mach 1.020
    The first ever Supersonic World Land Speed Record

    A few years ago the athletics coach, Frank Dick, told me about his philosophy on people. He divided them into Mountain People and Valley People. The Mountain People would see a mountain and set out to climb it, while the Valley People would look up at them from below and say: “I wish I could do that.”

  • Euan

    Of course capitalism is great.

    But let’s not forget that band of balding, insecure middle-aged men with small personal endowments who make the market for this kind of otherwise utterly pointless product possible.

    EG

  • zhombre

    The hell with the car. I was hoping for a photo of Monica Belucci.

  • phil

    This week I am purchasing another Italian thing of beauty – a Pardini GT9 with 6″ barrel

    2nd one down, but without the spangly bits

    But, of course, I will have to keep it locked in a safe separate to its ammo. And self-defence is right out. Damn Europe.

  • JSF

    Euan:
    At 40 I guess I’m middle-aged.
    I am *sigh* balding.
    Perhaps I’m not as secure as I might be.
    But my reason for NOT having a car like this is that my personal endowment is too small.
    (You were talking about money, weren’t you?)

  • Euan

    JSF – Well, I’m 40 next birthday and I’m balding too.

    Of course, endowments are another matter. Suffice it to say that my soon-to-be-ex-wife made sure the money was all gone and…well, I don’t drive a Ferrari, but I do have a mountain bike 🙂

    EG

  • The Scaglietti is nice, but I still love the Enzo. Mmmmm….

  • I recommend a perusal of P.J.O’rourkes treatise “Ferrari Refutes Decline of Western Civilization”.

  • Whip

    “This week I am purchasing another Italian thing of beauty – a Pardini GT9 with 6″ barrel”

    Interesting. Just when I thought I had acquired full knowledge of all things hoplophile, up pops a very pretty gun I’ve never heard of before. Is there an English language site with info on Pardini (mein Deutsche ist nicht besonderes gut)?

    Apparently there are still some nice things that go bang that are only available to you Euros. I’ve never seen a Sphinx on this side of the pond either.

  • phil

    Whip,

    The Italian Pardini website has an english section:

    http://www.pardini.it

    Sphinx have been at the Shot show in the States, and just to name-drop here, I know Armin Landolt (the owner/maker) personally, as I shoot on his range in Switzerland. Go to http://www.sphinx-systems.ch and have a look at his US importers. I don’t know whether Pardini do an American version, since I’ve not seen 10rd mags advertised.

  • Andrew Duffin

    Decent-looking car – but all Ferraris should of course be red.

  • speedwell

    Am I supposed to like this? It doesn’t look anything like a Vettriano.

  • Whip

    Phil, I wish I could name drop like that. I looked at the Sphinx site, and it turns out your friend’s sole distributor for the US is in Silverthorne, Colorado, which is only about 100 miles from me. I may have to mosey up to that shop some time for a look-see; I’ve heard that pictures just don’t do their palladium coatings justice.

    As for Pardini and 10 round mags, hopefully come September it won’t be an issue. This will be the case only if the government goes against all of its natural instinct and refrains from trying to do something (I am referring to our “assault weapons” law, which will expire in a few months provided the legislature lets it die).

    Ah, if only the government could be relied upon to not do things more often…