I'm at Donington (and a bit of Alton Towers) whilst the Euro Trip continues.
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| Fab Trip |
Got an offer I couldn't refuse, how would I like to use Tris's Countach in Italy with Dave Bell (ace supercar technician from Autolinkgarage Newcastle) who I'd shared many a pint with on Geneva 'Show and Snow' events "trademark pending". Well it took me all of 10 seconds; not only that but Cov said we could use his apartment in Loro. A quick look at Ryanair to Pisa and a hire car to get to Loro Ciuffena-, £103 all in for two of us. Bargain of the century. However the little Panda had more traveling to do than I thought.
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| Arezzo |
When we picked BLASST up from a couple of lovely ex-pats organised by Neil Bowers in Loro, we found out the plan had changed and the Lambo was now wanted in Monaco!!!!! The little Panda hire car has some work to do this weekend. Tris suspected the brakes were binding so I checked them out with Dave, nothing serious, so we went sightseeing to Florence. You can't begin to imagine the stir a Countach causes in Italy, winding down busy cobbled streets; the noise echoing from the walls as we carved our way through milling crowds; no end of one way streets to the only parking space in Florence was amazing. We finished the day with a fabulous visit to Arezzo a beautiful town surrounded by an impressive Roman wall. Back home, bite to eat with Neil and Linda Bowers and another night at Cov's place.
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| Cov's appartment outside Loro Ciufenna |
Up early the next day and Dave and I travelled to S Agata Bolognese, where BLASST was made almost thirty years ago, funny how many little hatchbacks want to mix it with a Countach.... they didn't ..... We caused a stir putting it in the Factory car park, god its loud even just parking it.
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| S Agata on route to the Factory |
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| Factory Visit no 2 |
Dave and I asked at reception where the museum and factory tour was, we posed for a few photos and followed a group of visitors to the factory tour, was well impressed with the freedom to explore the factory, we saw a new Aventator coming off the line and filling up for the first time, lots of visitors dressed casually were milling around, busy we thought, Dave and I wandered over to the cafeteria and noticed there were an awful lot of visitors in there already.... As we were trying to figure out the way in, a gentleman came over and introduced himself as Valentino Balboni, he asked if we were in the Countach we said yes and wondered were the museum was, he pointed to the big doors we came through and said the factory tour was out there too and he would show us, meanwhile did we need lunch. We had a very pleasant lunch in the Staff canteen with Lamborghini's most famous test driver and finally realised that somehow we had been in the factory on our own! Valentino organised the actual factory tour for us which is highly recommended, what a nice guy.
Dave and I were up next day at the crack of dawn with Monaco in our sights , but unfortunately I had to drive the little Fiat Panda from very near Florence down to Monaco whilst Dave drove the Countach. I was always in front so Dave didn't lose me, but for over 200 miles I couldn't shake off two guys in a Citroen Berlingo van with ladders on the roof, they must have been mystified how a 1.2 Panda could stay in from of a Countach for so long, I was mystified how the van could maintain a steady 80mph and that Italian workmen will travel over 200 miles to a job. We left the Lambo in a hotel car parkin Monaco for Tris to use during the GP weekend, she did well, never missed a beat did well over 700 miles in 3 days, unforgettable.
