Inspired by Radio
Two years ago, I first heard the magnificent roar of a vintage Ferrari as I was driving to work listening to the Chris Evans Show on BBC Radio 2. You can listen for yourself right here.
I’m not a car person, not normally, but I became obsessed by that particular car. The sound of the magnificent dragon under the bonnet immediately inspired the story of Laurie, an ordinary person who winds up owning an extraordinary car. The story became From Italy With Love.
I spent weeks researching on the internet, talking to various petrol heads and asking highly technical questions such as how big would the steering wheel have been, would the car have left or right hand drive and what language would feature on the dials on the dashboard.
The answers respectively are, large, left and Italian. Hopefully I got the other technical details correct but I have to apologise to real petrol heads, as its highly unlikely that anyone with a car this valuable would drive it across Europe, let alone down the notoriously dangerous Stelvio Pass, with its forty-eight hairpin bends, but sometimes you have to employ a bit of artistic licence.
If you’re not a regular listener, this week the Ferraris are back on Radio 2 in the annual Drive and Dine event where a group of highly generous people, who have donated a small fortune to Children In Need, get to drive the magnificent seven, a collection of marvelous vintage cars. It’s live radio at its best but then perhaps I’m a little biased.
Photo Credit: LeeRobin