A lot's changed since PH launched in 1998; the Ferrari F355 being absolutely wonderful ain't one of them...
Back in 1998, when PistonHeads was in its first lines of code, the technicians down in Maranello were putting the final touches on a Ferrari F355 Spider. This one would be a right-hand-drive manual in Grigio Titanio over Bordeaux leather interior - and now it's mine for a few days, specifically for a blast around England’s best roads.
That said, setting aside potential chiropractic appointments, the rest of the interior is pretty pleasant. The switchgear is simple and well placed, and the instrument panel, surrounded by warning lights reminiscent of War Games or other early 90s sci-fi films, makes total sense. It is all such functional efficiency: three pedals, a gear lever, no driver aids or setup screens to work through - just apply, or not, the softer suspension if you feel inclined, and away you go.
This particular car is beautifully presented, but 25 years later there are some elements that are a little tired around the edges; as I stick my head in the footwell to see what the pedal is doing, I notice the mat has slipped down from its anchors and is pushing against the throttle. I pull it back to its rightful position and start again; the idling returns to where I would expect, the problem is solved - time to start enjoying this experience.
The first route takes us up the B6278, past High Force Falls, across the B6277 and onto the A686 for the first stunning view, both of landscape and road. The Hartside Pass falls down from the upper car park, smooth-ish tarmac clinging to the edge of the last Pennine as you head west, setup for spectators better than any man-made stadium track ever could.
We leave behind the A686, often dubbed the ‘Roof of England’, to start our way down the spine of the country and towards the Yorkshire Dales. The rugged hills of the Pennines start to be replaced by craggy hilltops, with sheep polka-dotted on the lush green hills . I quickly conclude that if the road number begins with B627, it's guaranteed to be a stunner. From B6277 to B6276 to B6270, we continue across to the Buttertubs Pass.
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