ALFAGTV6.COM

[Fernando]

Been a hectic stressful day at work....and on a Friday! Highlight of my day so far was my very first sighting of the Audi R8.I must be honest and say it's a stunning looking car IMHO.

BUT,the car that made me grin like a frikken idiot was driving behind a Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale... Am I the only one who goes week at the knees at the sight and sound of this car ? No,there was zero chance to 'race' my 3.6 V6 against his 3.6 V8.....traffic was to heavy coupled to the fact we had to drive through a river of mud just before my office building. That sound should be bottled and sold as medication for depressed petrol heads. Seeing a Ferrari just brings out the little boy in me who fell in love with cars at a very young age.

Anyway I am hoping to find a clear bit of highway on my way home today and give the old girl a bit of a workout and get the endorphins flowing...

[Fernando]

Weird.Last Friday I told you guys I saw an Audi R8 in the flesh for the first time and today I get invited to the official launch at the Audi dealership where I live.

On Sunday afternoon I hooked up with the new style GTV6 3 litre on the highway.This bloke was in an obvious hurry considering the speed he approached me from the rear,then shot into the extreme left lane to pass me and another car in front... Anyway he gets caught behind the next car in this fast moving line of cars.Then,like Moses parting the Red Sea,the road cleared ahead of both of us.Needless to say my right foot and the floor board had a meeting.End result one very bemused 'new' Alfa GTV6 owner wondering how on earth an old GTV6 can so easily stay with him.I actually had to throttle back quite a bit with our speed having gone from 120km/h to about 180km/h.

I called it quits at that speed as we were fast approaching the next pile of traffic so braked back down to 120km/h again but with a smile on my face.Sort of helped ease the dissapointment of Kimi only finishing 3rd in the Japanese GP,awsome Grand Prix though it was.

Yes I know it isn't a 'fair' race but it was still a bit of fun seeing how the 3.6 compares to the 3 litre on the highway.

[Cassin]

In response to Fernando's posting about the Ferrari sighting:

I am in the enviable position of living in beautiful La Jolla, California (San Diego) ... beautiful not only for its gorgeous women, beautiful beaches, and spectacular climate, but more important ... beautiful because of the high density of the Ferrari/Maserati/Lamborghini population. The coffeehouse where I have breakfast every morning is directly next door to the Ferrari/Maserati dealership, and sitting out front on the patio, we hear a veritable "opera" of Italian auto sounds all morning, as the customers and mechanics wind up the slight hill in 1st gear. This happens 5-10 times per hour throughout the business day, and the coffee crowd goes silent every time a Ferrari 360 "aria" is sung before our very eyes - and ears. There's nothing like Italian "bel canto" opera.

Around the corner is the Lamborghini/Lotus/Bentley dealership, which adds a little to the color as well.

[x-rad]

That's all well and good, Casin, and I can picture the sounds in my head....but perhaps you have a more personal 'test' drive experience you would like to share.......?

In all seriousness, maybe you and the other patrons can start a coffee house chalk board test drive rating........(after 2-3 double espressos )

[Fernando]

Cassin sounds like the perfect coffee house to me.

X-rad my own Ferrari driving experience has been confined to passenger rides around Kyalamy race track and then only in a 348tb and a 308GTS.

So I am still a Ferrari virgin....

[x-rad]

I drove a fiat dino for a while so I guess I am less than a Farrari virgin