Driving a Ferrari
 

We'll be in Bologna on May 26 and would like to work out a tour and driving experience for our 20 yr old car enthusiast son. Any suggestions? Experiences? Would appreciate any help anyone can give. Thanks already.

Why not just rent him one for the week. Here's the info:

http://www.freedom-tour.com/carrental/ferrari.html

Otherwise, the best way to tour the factory is to set up an appointment through your local Ferrari dealer. I doubt they are too anxious to do that unless they think you might be serious about buying one. There are also package tours set up that include a tour of the factory, but these are several night affairs so far as I can determine. I'm not aware of any that will let you drive one -- especially a 20 year old unless he is recognizable from the movies.

In order to set up an appt via the dealer, you will be asked to require a serial number for verifying you are a current ferrari owner.

One more thing...if you decide to rent one, verify the age exclusion. Most rental car insurance policies for exotics exclude drivers under the age of 25.

To get a tour of the Ferrari factory - and a chance to drive one you have to have approval from a US Ferrari dealer that you are a serious potential client - and demonstrate that you are a good driver of car with similar transmission. I very much doubt that they would let a 20 year old touch one. (My boyfriend did this once - the dealer was a friend of his - from whom he had originally bought his Porsche.)

And yes - you can rent one - but again - doubt a 20 year old qualifies.

Your chances are slim and none. For all the reasons already listed -- unless you own, have a deposit on, or are working w/ a dealer to buy one.

Ferrari doesn't need lookey loo's and tire kickers. Only serious customers (or formula 1 drivers) need apply.

So it looks like we're back to that $11,019 a week rental from Milan.

Rental car prices for "prestige" vehicles always amuse me. If one can afford to waste 11,000USD for one week's car rental, then they can easily afford to buy a Ferrari...if not, then they know how to burn money!

In the UK one sees "Ferarri experiences" advertised for about 200GBP which seems more reasonable than 11,000USD.

Thank you all for your ideas.

You may be able to enroll your son (and yourself I would hope) in the Pilota Ferrari, which is the driving school run by Ferrari in Mugello north of Florence. Its probably an hour or so by car from Bologna. For about $5,000 (at least that was the price in 2001) over 2 days you get your own Ferrari and private instruction, all at a Formula 1 racetrack. It is probably cheaper than renting for the 3 days. It is supposed to be for owners, but they do let non-owners take the course if there is space; I have a friend who did this when we were in Florence (his 50th birthday gift to himself) and he absolutely loved it. I believe they also offer the course at the track in Marenello. I was on the Ferrari website I could not find any info on it, you might contact your hotel in Bologna and see if they can help, my friend did it through a helpful dealer in the US (he is not an owner).