Rather long post about a great road trip to Spain (if anyone's interested)

At the end of September/beginning of October we did a road trip to Spain from the UK, along with a few friends - the same group often travel together and have been doing trips for a number of years now. Everyone knows each other, and especially their driving styles, well.

I thought I would write a post about what we did, where we went and what to expect if anyone plans on doing something similar. The relative comparison (from conversations and my own opinions) between the cars that went may also be of interest. There were two 675s (one coupe, one spider), two Speciales - one mine, the other driven by another 675 owner who doesn't like the McLaren so brought his Speciale instead, three 458s and an F12.

We choose this time of year most years because the holidays are over but the European summer isn't, quite. No real need to worry about holiday traffic in Spain though, the place is very quiet and the roads are especially open, so overtaking opportunities are almost at will.

Our route used the ferry from Plymouth to Santander, returning Bilbao to Portsmouth. We have done this once before and the notorious bay of Biscay roulette is always a consideration. On leaving Plymouth we were immediately launched into swelled seas and half a turnout for dinner that evening. It actually got quieter once in the bay though and our return journey was also fine. Lucky perhaps.

The route we used was to go directly from Santander to the first stop in Madrid and a night out in the old town. We took the N623 from Santander to Burgos - in general we always try to minimise the use of boring roads and autoroute. The 623 was a nice introduction to Spain and placed among the nicer roads we drove, along with the detour we took into Madrid once past Burgos. This took us on the N234 to San Leonardo de Yague and then the SO 934 back to the Autoroute ready to drop down into Madrid. The SO 934 was a superb road; quiet, twisting, dipping with a good enough surface to have a lot of fun on.

San Leonardo gave us our first introduction to rural Spain. We stopped there for a sandwich and immediately noticed the whooping and shouting from children in a nearby playground. Within 5 minutes the cars were surrounded by schoolchildren, teachers, mothers posing for photographs holding their babies up to the cars while their men took photos! Quite a scene unfolding before us as we ate some sort of portable snack. Was it a sandwich? Not too sure.

Once in Madrid, a typical European capital city with wide boulevards (ok, I know that's a french word) and the typical rush-hour traffic to negotiate, we had booked to go to the oldest business in the world. No, not that one... A restaurant called Sobrino de Botin, established since 17 hundred and something and reputedly a place where Goya waited tables! The food had a rustic charm but was delicious. It reminded me a little of Harry's Bar in Venice, at least a Spanish version of it.

Next morning we headed to Hotel La Bobadilla in Loja, near Granada. The roads from Ciudad Real down towards the Córdoba area were seriously fast and well paved but once south of the A4 motorway and now in Andalucia, we made a fairly unwelcome discovery. The tarmac in places is like glass. I assume it has to do with resisting the wear from the southern Spanish heat, but whatever the reason, it was highly unnerving. If I was trying to show off I would tell you that it was all entertaining and playful, but even though all of our group knows how to handle a car, it was a limiting factor on our fun and none of us was thinking too much about showing off. There were a number of roads we would encounter while in Andalucia that we would be able to enjoy but in the back of our mind was always the threat of that glassy tarmac. I'll remember that afternoon of driving for quite a while. We all worked really hard and I dare say the conversation in each car was very limited and the concentration from both driver and passenger intense...especially the passengers.

To give you an example, the first time I encountered it I thought I had driven across a diesel spill (something I have done before in a Jaguar, without a decent outcome!) The cliff edges and mountain walls beckoned whenever one of us got a little lazy with the throttle pedal, but only on the odd corner where there was this tarmac with no grip. The real issue was, in fact, this lack of consistency; you think you're in a flow and everything is going well, then BAM! It teaches you something though - drive properly! You realise just how much we rely on the brilliant electronic systems in modern cars. Maybe not even 'rely on' perhaps even 'drive into'. These days our driving styles use the added envelope that electronics bring to go faster than we have a right to. It's probably something I have become used to over the last few years as my skill and speed have increased, along with the power of my cars and their ability to help the driver apply it all. Is it a good idea? If you want to control so much power on the road, certainly. The argument for every enthusiast or supercar owner having possession of something like a pre-1990's 911 could be a good one though. You certainly have to know the basic principles of driving to work one of those out properly.

If you didn't get on the throttle too early you were fine (except one occasion where I slipped four wheels sideways without it being anything to do with application of the throttle, merely the combination of fast cornering speed and significantly less tarmac grip from one corner to the next). But in general, when we could see stretches where the tarmac was likely to be variable there was nothing else for it....slow down.

Once in Loja we took a day to look around Granada, which proved to be well worth a visit, like so many of the older Spanish cities and towns. There is such a rich mix of history in Spain that it rewards the road-tripper with even the smallest sense of adventure.

Next stop was Marbella, but not before diverting to Ronda for lunch. This, for me, was one of the must go places, for two reasons. First, driving through the old town and over the bridge with 'that view', to the Bull Ring, where we got permission to park our cars in front of that famous old place for a unique photograph. And second, to complete a little unfinished business.

Some years ago I took my family to a villa near San Pedro de Alcantara and drove to Ronda, along the A397. "What a road", I thought. In a hired Fiat Doblo. To worsen my desire to be in a different mode of transport, I followed a lovely black 458 Spider until he made his inevitable progress through the traffic. Boy, did that car ever look good.

We actually drove the A397 twice during this year's journey, travelling in each direction and enjoying it immensely on both occasions. It didn't disappoint and was one of the very best roads on our 2,200 mile round trip. But not the best.

A day in Marbella by the pool and the beach was our reward for travelling what was now quite a long way from home. Marbella is not what it was and a visit to Puerto Banus was similarly underwhelming. Nice to get the sun on your body but Spain has more to offer than that.

We left Marbella bound for Cordoba, again using the 397 via Ronda. Near Ronda is a little jewel worth discovering; Ascari. This is a racetrack modelled on lots of famous corners from tracks around the world. No expense seems to have been spared at this place and it looks to be a fantastic place to come and put your wheels through their paces. Unfortunately for us we were there on a club day so couldn't get any track time. More unfinished business...

The rest of the day's journey was reasonably humdrum, in direct contrast to Cordoba itself. This is quite a place and we got caught up in some sort of carnival in the evening. The Roman bridge and old town are definitely worth a visit and the atmosphere in the town was fabulous.

The next day, with the trip building to its finale, was our longest driving day - at least according to google maps. We were heading to Salamanca, more of which in a moment, but the route we were going to take embraced some of the reputed best roads in Spain. A bit of research on various forums claimed the EX-118 to be Spain's best road, and it was certainly good. We used the N502 north, turned left at Almaden onto the EX-323 and the EX-322. This latter road was spectacular; amazing scenery, wonderful surface, the glass of Andalucia now a long way behind us, and just a complete hoot to take a supercar along. We eventually reached the 118 and it was as promised - utterly brilliant. But still not the best.

The square in Salamanca is breathtaking. I had read that no visit to Spain is complete without going to Spain's most beautiful place. The square surpassed even those lofty expectations. We purposely arranged dinner there as the sun was setting, when the red sandstone takes on a sort of ethereal appearance as the sun turns it red. Eventually the square is artificially lit up as the daylight leaves and the setting must be as spectacular as you can find, man-made, anywhere on earth.

And so to the final day before returning to the ferry. We were heading for the Marques de Riscal hotel, a location we used a few years ago but one worth returning to. Designed by Frank Gehry, it was a fitting place for a Rioja-fuelled final dinner. Its spectacular roof dominating the landscape, the atmosphere at this hotel was just what we needed after our dash north.

Our journey from Salamanca started on the autoroute because we wanted to cover some miles quickly to afford a detour that would lead us through Covarrubias and then onto the LR-113 towards Logrono and Elciego. A mountainous route being the reason I chose this road, what I couldn't know from google maps was the quality of the surface...it was terrible!

For an hour leading up to and around the Embalse de Mansilla (a lake to you and I) we drove on a road so pock-marked its a wonder they hadn't just relaid the whole thing, even in Spain. Maximum speed 25mph, 30 if you're brave. What was incredible was the punishment we were giving our cars - what was more incredible was how they took it. My 458 Speciale was as rock solid after the trip as it had been before it - stories of Ferraris not being built to take punishment are simply not true of this current generation.

Without notice the 113's tarmac changed - from awful to beautiful. The portion from Tabladas to Anguiano was simply magical! It was the last proper road we were due to drive on our trip and, unexpectedly and out of nowhere, it was the best. It weaved and dipped, crossed a stream, then back again, ran next to rock faces, fast sweepers, then left, right, left, switchbacking our way towards our destination with thunder ricocheting off the walls. Just wonderful.

And then, after 10 amazing days, it was all over. We had somehow managed to plan a route over literally thousands of miles, using only a little knowledge, some forum help and a lot of google maps, that took us from the top to bottom of Spain and back again, over all kinds of roads, many of them brilliant, and then saved the very best road for the end!

If anyone wants a recommendation for Spain I would give it. It is worth a long trip for many reasons. The scenery, the roads (mostly), the people - including their warm reception everywhere for a posse of supercars, the food and wine and the spectacular history all around you as demonstrated by the buildings, geography and local traditions. I wouldn't go often because there is effort involved in getting there and it takes a bit of arranging beforehand, at least it does if you have a group of supercars in tow and want to stay in nice places. But to do it at least once or twice is probably a must for anyone in Europe who 'has nice car will travel'.

One of the great things about a road trip is that, more than the track, the road is a leveller for all sorts of cars. Certainly the cars in our group could easily 'hang out' together. That's not to say there were no differences, there were. And what's more, they were quite easy to see.

The F12 for instance. In many ways the best car for a trip like this, at least in theory. In practice though, not the case. Its problem is its size and penchant for large roads and comparative aversion to much smaller ones. At least, smaller ones where the tarmac is varied. In Andalucia, where we encountered all that slippy tarmac, each driver was somewhat unnerved. But we could have nicknamed the F12 driver 'Atelier' because he was regularly changing the colour of his seats! He worked harder than the rest when the road got tough, without any question. He is a good driver though and, perhaps remarkably, kept it out of the wall. On returning I already knew he was planning a change - it was going to be another F12. Now there is a strong chance it may not be.

The 458 Italia is always a great performer. It's good looking, great sounding and comfortable. It also has a sublime chassis that rewards and assists a good driver in equal measure. All of our group are improving their skills as each year passes, but this year I noticed one guy had improved significantly. He was driving a 458, and he was quick. Not just 'quick considering....' but quick full stop. For the road, a 458 is all the car you ever need. Still doesn't stop us wanting more but wanting and needing were never the same concept, even if we often muddle them up a bit. If I had a choice between F12 and 458 for that trip, the latter would be the keys I choose every time.

McLaren have come a long way since 2010. My previous 12C was a brilliant car, amazing for a first series production car and perhaps the true hero of the piece. The 675 is some bit of kit though. It attracted bigger crowds than the Ferraris, being comparatively unfamiliar, and it was the hardest car for me to keep behind on the many occasions I was leading our route for the day. It splits our group a bit; we have three owners and two former 12C owners, including me. One went from 12C to 675 and the two others are McLaren 'newbies', both with Speciales in the garage and serial Ferrari owners. One of them loved the 675 and enjoyed shaping the rear of everyone else's car like the front of his, the other hated it and was due to bring it but didn't. He put it up for sale instead (and already knows he will take a bath on it).

One thing you can't deny the 675 is its speed. If we had a hypothetical race around our route, the 675 would win. Its driver felt the front end was even better than the Speciale (hard to believe but he knows his stuff) and the power and performance was easy to see. It does have its comparative weaknesses though. I discovered I was able to pull plenty of yards on it when exiting slower bends as the driver allowed the engine revs to fall below 5,000rpm. He could have selected a lower gear to lose the lag but on some of the roads, and particularly surfaces we drove on, that would bring its own perils. It also disturbs your flow and potentially detracts from the enjoyment. I was probably surprised at how close the other cars could get to the 675 on the road, but as I mentioned earlier, the road does that - the track would be different. It's a small point though; the 675? A really, really quick car. Even better than that, a really, really good one.

That leaves my car, and still my favourite. The Speciale. I honestly would not have swapped with any of my friends at the beginning of the journey or at the end. The LT spider runs it very close, mainly because of the addition of the open roof, but still I would choose the Ferrari. All three Speciale owners on the trip agreed that there is just something about that car, even the LT spider owner, who loved the LT, is keeping his Speciale but will eventually move the McLaren on.

What makes it so good? It's a mixture of things. In no particular aspect is it so clearly ahead of the LT or the F12 that you can point and say "that's the reason", but it's the Speciale's particular combination of attributes. Is that what they call personality? The LT is quicker, according to my friend has an even sharper responding front end, it's good looking and it is rarer. The F12 has a more sonorous engine and more power. The Speciale has a mix of all of that, and rewards the driver by sinking its teeth into your synapses, no doubt just like the 675 does. But the Speciale's additional playfulness seems in contrast to the more determined and serious tone of the 675. Somehow, for a hardcore, track-influenced roadcar, it just seems to hit my sweetspot and suits that over-used description of being more than the sum of its parts really well. It never leaves anything on the table and whereas with my other cars, for example the FF or the 12C before it, I often think "great car, here's where it could be improved", with the Speciale I just never close the door thinking that way.

I already know I will enjoy using my forthcoming 488 Spider on trips over the next couple of years. But for some of those days, especially when I become more accustomed to the 488's mid-range thrust and outright speed, I suspect I will find myself thinking about my other car, the one with the stripe along its length. Certainly not every occasion, but some.

Overall, Spain is a place worth making some time to drive and explore. It has much to offer the supercar driver, especially these days as modern cars are better able to deal with some of the terrible roads that you will no doubt encounter. Most of all though, if you don't do road trips with friends, I think you should consider it. It's a bit of fun for one or two of you to organise, it gives a great reason for like-minded friends to get together and like dogs in a shooting party, it almost feels like the cars look forward to it. It seems like they are made for this sort of adventure. They don't do daily grind as well as much cheaper, more mundane vehicles, so without setting out on an adventure every now and then, where reaching the end depends on you and the machine, there is perhaps a part of the car that remains unfulfilled.

The cars do come and go, of course, but fun time with people who have now become really good friends lingers long in the memory, and that is one of the better reasons to do all this.

 

More pics
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Ronda by the Bull ring
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Ascari circuit
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Road to Salamanca
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Salamanca
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Last stop - Marques de Riscal, Rioja country
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If you want some more info drop me a PM. Cheers

 

If you want some more info drop me a PM. Cheers