Re: Who wants a new Alfa?

[Luca <nodoubt@domain.elided>]

At Sun, 8 Sep 2002 19:52:20 -0700 (PDT) James Montebello wrote
snip
>I miss simple cars.  My next Alfas will all be older than the ones I
>have now.  A Giula Super and a 750/101 Sprint are on my list.  Nice,
>simple cars.  I don't mind some electronics (basic ignition and fuel
>control are good things, as is variable valve timing).  But the things
>BMW, M-B, et al are sticking in cars now (stability control, traction
>control, nav systems, 20+ speaker stereos, etc) are not my cup of tea.
>Even a Milano has too many doodads to interest me.  Nothing but trouble.
>Trying to keep most of that working for 25 years will be a huge headache.

OH well, another guy who secretely desire a F40 :-) The very last
driver's Ferrari: no electronic controls, pure amount of horsepowers
let free over the pure RWD, with the addiction of the 2 stroke styled
violent boost those 2 turbos provides :)

Dreams apart I do agree. Past week I test rode mate's 89 Carrera 4.
No flywheel, cup exhaust, no air filter cover.  A blast. Loud. Fast.
Fun. But it's a electronically controlled 4wd. That damn electronic
system activates even on BUMPS (there's a lite inside telling when
the system is controlling the car).  
I loved it, but I missed some fun: the car draws corner like hell,
and probably would be pretty FAST on racetrack, on the lap times
point of view. But I am a common enthusiat. I do track days for
being free of proving my skill over a simple car in safety. Otherwise
I seek back roads. Twisties. Hairpins. Those road usually forgotten
by traffic. Those roads I can let the car go the way it wants just
playing with manual controls (I neither have powersteering) trying
to keep it on the road. I love getting out the corners in a burning
powersliding, feelign the diff locking up and making the game
even funnier. The Carrera is great, but on corners you basically
can do what you wanna, and the car just does it all alone. I wonder
what a modern Ferrari or Porsche can do... it will surely shock us
all because of the speed you can step through a corner. It will surely
amaze because of the perfect braking w/o any risk of loosing control.
IT would surely be a great lap time car. But who cares?? I am already
too old for starting a pilots carreer leading me to major formulas.
I just care spending a funny weekend. I just care emotions when
fighting against odd behaviour those unelectronic cars can provide.

That's why I was somehow disappointed in test riding the red Porsche...
that surely impresses passenger and pedestrian much more than my
"common" and "cheap" 75 Turbo. One might desire such a car as
a status symbol car. It might be a lovely car. It's also loud so
pleasant... but I do not really need that. My very same friend test
rode my Alfa. He wasn't able to feel the brakes (usual unbalanced
alfa braking). The tail was sliding it way around at each bend.
The turbo boost was an unexpected surprise every time. But I saw
his face while driving my car: He told me that this is the car
for attending some drift contests (that's PURE FUN RACING). He
was amazed to have so much fun on a 2000 Euros worth car, against
his 17,000 Euro worth sport top class thing. 

And these are also the reason why I was somewhoe disappointed when
I test rode the 156 GTA. GREAT engine, lovely sound. But the ASD
was just boring. W/o it the car is just dangerous (massive 
understeering) providing no fun. 

That's all about our cars. Many of us own a modern 20,000 Euros 
car worth that sleeps on the drive way, while the 3,000 Euros worth
aged alfa (that has always been a COMMON CAR here in Italy), it
top shape kept in a warm box. 

Anyway I would buy an Alfa now (if I could afford!). A daily car
is always needed, and I'd rather prefer something that sounds good
or handle better than the common production. But that'd be something
to be kept, sold, replaced, left uncared. The old one, with all
its rust would still be the weekend toy. The top desire. The fun.

Luca (back to daily digesting, after 4 weeks off).


nodoubt, 
"With dreams to be a king first one should be a man" Joey DeMaio
937, 75 Turbo, RM250


http://nvr2fst.supereva.it
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