The Pebble Beach Concorso Italiano is promoting the fact that they will assemble a world record number of Ferrari 288 GTOs (more than 12). It got me thinking: what happened to the good ol’ days of driving fast for no good reason to set a Guinness world record? Or for that matter driving fast after having a few Guinnesses. Don’t answer the latter, I think I know the answer to that one. Whoo, whoooooo. That’s me making siren noises. Anyway, here’s the correct answer.
“…for driving between two points in the least amount of time, or covering the greatest distance in a motor vehicle in a set time? Records for driving between two cities, across continents, around countries, around the world etc. in the least amount of time are essentially races against the clock. You will understand that we simply cannot endorse records that encourage driving at ever-increasing speeds on public roads. For this reason we no longer recognize any records that involve driving against the clock on public roads in motorised vehicles of any kind (this includes motorcycles, and vehicles with a theoretical upper speed limit).”
[Click here for motorcarmarket.com]
Don’t let anyone tell Baruth about this.
Whats a “theoretical upper speed limit?” Does my truck have a theoretical lower speed limit? Do they mean ungoverned speed limit?
I don’t know about he Guinness rules for “driving records”, but there seems to be a new “record” broken for something every day.
Regardless, that 308GTB (it’s not a 288 GTO) in Gold is stunning, and I wish I could attend the Pebble Beach Concorso Italiano.
I brought my E-type to the All-British Field Meet in Vancouver BC one year, and there were about a dozen E-types there. It was boring. After you’ve seen a coupe and a convertible, and a 2+2, throw in a V-12 or two… how many more do you really need to see? I love looking at cars, but a dozen of any single model is overkill to the point of being dull. So I’ve never gone back.
Car shows in and of themselves are actually really dull. If I were to go to Monterey I’d spend every minute at Laguna Seca and avoid the static displays like the plague.
Cars are meant to be seen in their native environment: rolling over asphalt. NOT sitting on a lawn.
–chuck
I’ve always liked the 288 GTO. It was one of my favorite cars as a kid.
@Chuck Goolsbee
I disagree about seeing too many of a car. I just attended the Sunbeams International SUNI V rally in Rapid City, SD this summer and 70+ Sunbeams (Tigers, Alpines and Imps) just doesn’t get much better. Especially with all the customization that can be done on those cars. None were really the same at all.
“Cars are meant to be seen in their native environment: rolling over asphalt. NOT sitting on a lawn.
–chuck”
I agree.
Car shows are akin to someone going out and killing a gazelle, stuffing it and putting it in a museum so that lazy people can go and appreciate the grace and majesty of the gazelle.
“Regardless, that 308GTB (it’s not a 288 GTO) in Gold is stunning…”
Yes, didn’t mean to try to pass off a plain Jane as the real McCoy. The 308GTB pictured is a shot I had laying around vs. a 288 with no license rights. That car is one of a handful 1977 steel bodied 308s with a dry sump motor, European spec. ’77 was the last year for the dry sump motor and before ’77 they were still making fiberglass bodies. The wheels are 17″ Speedlines that are similar to the 288 GTO’s. The gold, well you either loved it or hated it. But at least it wasn’t red.
the 288 is perhaps even more remarkable for its period
what was it like in 1984? can you imagine the impact of a quad cam 32 valve twin turbocharged V8? in 1984? the only other significant car was the C4 Corvette
@ chuck Goolsbee
+1 I hate museum pieces also, let the good times roll.
Although it looks like we are perhaps going to beat that in front of my office in a coupla weeks…just got this email:
Dear All,
Please be advised that on August 30th, 2009 there will be a Ferrari meeting in the Lorze Parking area. Therefore, do not leave your cars in the parking lot over the weekend. They are expecting 150 Ferraris from all over Europe to take part in this event. For more info, please visit http://www.ferrariday.eu
Best Regards
Tabea Bilang
Administrator
Global Recovery Alliance AG
Haldenstrasse 3
P.O.Box 2353
CH-6342 Baar
Switzerland