Again, fate threw us a curve and we were informed there were just 2 hours available on the track in the morning. The afternoon was reserved by Ferrari's world champion Formula 1 team. We learned they needed a shakedown run of last year's F2002 race car because the F2003GA wasn't as race-ready as they had hoped and the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola was four days away. The Italians, and particularly Scuderia Ferrari people, have a knack for making an inconvenience seem like a privilege. "Well, okay, if you insist. In fact, it would be an honor to be booted off Fiorano if it would help win a race."
Even an objective visitor to Maranello can't resist the omnipresent Ferrari aura which bathes the local landscape in red and yellow. One suspects that the words, "Qualcosa per Ferrari" [Anything for Ferrari] have been proudly spoken by many--especially pertaining to winning a race--and win they did, plus third place. Bygones.
As promised, the Formula 1 Team promptly appeared from behind a hedge row at 12-noon with the F2002 car in tow behind a quad motorbike. The 3-liter V-10 shrieked to life, Luca Badoer instantly began lapping at impossibly fast speeds, and we were asked to put our cameras away as we were escorted to our awaiting helicopters. As slowly and casually as it had begun, our day had suddenly and formally ended.
So, does this satisfy your need to know how fast the most sophisticated sports car in the world is? We didn't think so. Ferrari are in the process of planning a second test day with an Enzo. We'd love to settle this debate as much as you would. Do we suspect the Enzo will prove, once and for all, to be the quickest, fastest, and most nimble road car ever built? Yes. Obviously, and even from the data we do have, the car is capable amazing performance. With its shape-shifting aerodynamic body, gargantuan Ferrari-spec Bridgestone tires, Formula 1-derived electronics, and brilliant engine and chassis, it would be more than a shame to let the guessing game continue. We'll publish the next test as soon as we possibly can.
The test numbers you see have been shared among several magazines and with Ferrari SpA. And, because no two sets of data recorded that day were alike, the results will reflect these variances. Our data has been subjected to the same SAE corrections as all of our published acceleration data: 1-foot roll-out, 60°F, sea-level, 29.92 barometric pressure and 0% humidity. Because our best run ended between 97 and 98 mph, we extrapolated the remaining data to 100 mph. The quarter-mile time, braking distance, skid pad, and slalom figures are pure estimates based on our knowledge of the car and our limited experience within it.
Check out our Enzo Ferrari Wallpaper Gallery
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