I was just driving on the A4 around 2.30pm today. and right next to the Hogarth roundabout on the A4 heading towards the City was Gordon Ramsay's blue Ferrari 550 Maranello - sitting in the outside lane about 50 metres from the roundabout. On the inside lane (the A4 is a 3 laner at this point) was a blue Subaru WRX.

Both were damaged (didn't look too serious - i.e. not life threatening but definitely an expensive trip to the bodyshop - especially for the Ferrari!).

Ramsay was pacing near the front of his car (next to the central separator section) and grimacing at everyone who drove past - I had to open my window and wave cheerily at him just to annoy him. The Scooby owner was on his mobile on the other side of the road.

Luckily there was not too much traffic as the two between them had reduced the 3 lane A4 to a single lane.

 

Hope they were not racing!

 

I wasn't there to see it, but based on how close they were to the roundabout (50 metres from the exit of it) it seems very possible that they were.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Who's Gordon Ramsay?

 

Is Gordon Ramsay the chef who has a go at anyone and everyone that works for him?

Had a really funny program on late at night can't remaber what it was called though?

 

how could they be racing the scoob wouldn,t stand a chance,if they were racing the ferrari should have known better why prove you can beat a jap import you only end up crashing into each other as proved hope they were ok they wont do that again
cheeRS gary

 

If it was as wet as the Midlands today I would sy the Ferrari didn't stand a chance.

Lee

 

Gordon Ramsay is the celebrity chef who is reknowned for his very volatile temper.

There was a little moisture on the roads but it was a clear road and no rain.

Regarding whether they should or shouldn't have been racing due to the types of cars involved - well, when does logic come into it i.e. how many times have you had some oik in a Fiesta, BMW 316 or the like tried to race you when you're in a Scooby?

I hope that they weren't racing, but it does seem likely.

 

was there paper all over the road

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by LeeMac:
<B>was there paper all over the road[/quote]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by BOB.T:
<B>Hey, enough with the Fiesta insults!
Bob[/quote]

I insulted the oik not the Fiesta.

 

And how much times was your *** kicked by a Fiesta

 

I don't race on roads - period.

 

... so probably at some point or another but I can't remember

 

Hey, enough with the Fiesta insults!

Bob

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by AWD:
<B> I insulted the oik not the Fiesta. [/quote]

Oh, that's allright then, hang on, hey, enough insulting me already!

I like driving quick with scoobs and other cars for that matter, I don't think for a minute that mine's faster than a scoob though!

I do see where you're coming from though, generalising and all that!

Bob, Fiesta SI

 

According to another post it looks like Ramsay's car (which had his pregnant wife in as well) was hit by the Subaru which apparently "came from nowhere".

I can't seem to see this news anywhere on the web though...

 

 

gary cosworth,

Is it fair to assume from you post that you have never driven an F550?

Having driven an F360, which is a bit quicker than the F550, I would suggest that a well driven scoob with about 300bhp/300ftlb would make the F360 driver have to work to loose it... assuming it isn't just a drag strip or closed off racetrack we are talking about.

I am not in any way advocating road-racing. I am just pointing out that the assumption that a standard F550 will leave a (fairly likely to have be modified) scooby for dead is not necessarily as grounded in truth as you seem to think.

Moray

 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Joris:
<B>And how much times was your *** kicked by a Fiesta [/quote]

hahaha wait till i bring mine to the 'ring Joris.... Stef's fretting already!!!

 

YAWN.........ooh, sorry. I must have been asleep and dreaming, just like Owain!

Stef.
PS Owain. You've seen The Ring...respect it.

 

Moray,

Don't know if I agree with you or not ;-)

Having just traded my scoob in for a 355, I would definitely have agreed with you during the first few days after picking up the car.

However, after a few weeks of driving it around I'm not so sure. These cars take time and effort to drive and are not as user friendly as a subaru.

However, I can see that once you learn how to drive the thing, and get over the "oh my god i'm driving a car that's as expensive as a house", they are fairly quick ;-)

Also depends which scoob you're comparing it to....a typeR with equally stiff suspension and no ABS wouldnt stand much chance except in the wet.

The power difference you 'feel' after initially driving a 355 is misleading...you dont get the kick in the back that you do with a turbo car, but there is zero lag, and going up through the gears gives you a very serious "**** this is too fast" feeling.

Extra 100bph, no turbo lag, and not much heavier.......and a 360 would be even better.

Actually, I dont think these cars can or should be compared, they are totally different.

Andy

 

Hi Andy,

I suppose this says you've not been driving the right scoobs...

I am not saying the 360 is slow... it's far from it... I am saying that a well driven properly tuned scooby is not necessarily going to be that much slower on real roads. And then there is the british weather... bye bye anything 1wd or 2wd.

Moray

 

Andy,

Why shouldn't they be compared - they're both performance cars aimed at the driving enthusiast? A friend of mine owns a 355, and I'm going to pay him a visit in a couple of weeks, just so we CAN make a comparison.

From what I know of the cars so far, I would expect an STi Type-R to be quicker in the majority of real-world driving conditions. The 355 is a good deal wider, lower and less chuckable, not necessarily well suited to smaller roads, and according to my friend you really need to be in the right gear and wring the engine out to get truly good performance. Naturally it wins hands down in terms of charisma, looks and "desirability".

Gary.

 

You're right, side by side there is next to no difference between an STi and a 355....up to reasonable speeds.

On a good road, cornering of a 355 is incredible. Although I shudder to think how much the electronic continuously adjustable bilsteins cost to replace after hitting a pot hole!

Now please somebody tell me who won in the "355 vs Scoob" challenge....!

Although I think I could guess if it were done on a track ;-)

Andy
PS - I feel quite sorry for poor old Gorden Ramsay!

 

I'd hope that with his pregnant wife on board, Ramsay would have been driving his 550 relatively safely.