458!

 

Only if you have rocks in your head... or an unlimited TCO budget and plenty of time waiting for parts/repairs. Speaking for myself, already had the 'Ferrari treatment' and i'll simply say no thanks. Besides, aren't Ferrari cars now out of fashion? As we all know, there are plenty of far more exotic and interesting cars available nowadays.

 

Pray tell? What's your ultimate?

 

I had my first new 911 at 23 years old (hard work no help from anybody else), and from there now I have a Turbo. I've looked at Ferraris and not really interested due to the poor rearward visibility. I often got questions when I was younger of "Where do you go from here?"

I don't think the question really matters though. It's not always about getting a more expensive car, but getting a more enjoyable car. My G550 got traded in for an STI because of reliability and the fun of owning a car you can actually drive fast around corners. Do I miss the more expensive, interesting, cool G-wagen? Sure, but there's always another car. I rarely make it more than a year between car purchases. At best I get a major upgrade to 2 or more of my cars every year, and that keeps things interesting.

If you really want to find out where you go, get a classic. My '77 Ford F150 is a lot more interesting car than my Turbo or STI. Very unique and very hard to find parts to mod it, and that makes it really fun. Never mind that I've gotten it to a point where I can drive just about anywhere with trees far enough apart to fit it. Of course then I can break out the chainsaw I carry and make a hole.....

 

Hmm, Pagani perhaps as the ultimate 'boy toy' car and then we have perhaps (just for style and design points) the Spyker. Now if one decided to be totally impractacle and crazy wanting something like a Formula car yet for the street... www.caparo-t1.com. The Caparo makes the Ariel Atom look like a Formula Ford while the Caparo is more akin to a Formula Atlantic...

And then there is the... So many cars, so little time

Pick your poison, though choose well as a 4 hour drive through New England frost heave roadways to New York City is probably no fun in ANY of those (except perhaps the Spyker) , let alone if it snows (no Spyker!), and so the all wheel drive with high torque, highly comfortable, toasty warm seats, nice sound system, etc... Bentley FTW

Bottom line, there really is no 'ultimate' car, not even the Bugatti. It is like asking what is the best tool in your toolbox? The correct answer is that one chooses the tool that best gets the task at hand completed correctly and efficiently. Modern Ferraris (anything after 1975 or so) have become second tier it seems and are so common that they no longer seem to impress a crowd. Think differently

 

I sat in a 09 Ferrari F430 friday and it was quite a snug fit. I have never sat in a car where the fire extinguisher was on the floor in the passenger foot area. Seemed sort of scary to me and certainly in the way. Would love to drive it but would not see it much for daily use.

Kens writing was beautiful and says a lot about how I feel.

Stevens dream cars are interesting but are just that dreams and eye candy but not a car I would/could ever own.

 

Agree, he says a lot of great things.


Agree they are dream cars. Then again the Bentley drives and rides like a dream so who am i to really complain? Frankly, feel VERY fortunate to able to use one as a daily driver. Looking out my window at the CGT, the feeling of gratitude comes to mind. Heh, i remember when it was an AMC Concord in the driveway as my first car (ugh, don't ask, horrid vehicle).

 

I was so poor in college I had to marry a girl with a car to have one. The feeling of gratitude goes along way to stem the tide of lust and greed for things that should remain dreams.

 

Just test drove the new GT V8 for a couple of hours - its so different to my w12 - its like a totaly different car - thats where ill be going next!

 

What do you like about it (in addition to the 40% better gas mileage)?

 

It feels lighter, the steering is more responsive and the 8 speed gear box is very lively with very fast changes, but best of all - that V8! The noise is fantastic, its not as smooth but that seems to make the experience better you feel like you have an engine and your working it, where as i find the W12 is so smooth theres no pleasure in throttleng it!

 

What is the cost?

 

About £130,000 in the UK depending on spec

 

How about a 2012 Aston Martin Virage? It's a great GT car and AM is giving crazy lease rates right now, practically 0% interest.

 

Evidently you are not the only one with a high opinion of the new V8. This is an article from your own "Top Gear" regarding the V8.

Quote from the article: "The V8 is the one to have. Yes, that surprised us too, but after a steer in a finished prototype (it launches in spring) we’ve no doubts."

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/b...entsListBottom