FERRARI
ON ICE
Ferrari builds a performance automobile that has
impressive specs and can ‘walk the walk’ in the most
demanding of circumstances. We know a few watches
that can make the same claim.
BY JAMES LAMDIN
IN SHOCKING NEWS THAT WILL COME AS NO SURPRISE TO OUR READERS,
THE WORLD OF HOROLOGICAL MARKETING IS FILLED WITH HYPERBOLE.
Sporting timepieces are touted by many brands to be the superlative solution to
whatever adrenaline-rich hobbies prospective clientele partake, be it saturation
diving, speedboat racing, aerobatic flying, skydiving, or extreme mountaineering.
Of course, very few of us actually engage in any of these pursuits. The majority of
active-lifestyle geared wristwatches end up on the wrists of desk-divers or sky-
mile-accumulating business travelers at best. Not that there is anything wrong
with this; we all know that buying a luxury sports watch is just as much about
the feelings they give the wearer as anything else. Sporting a watch that could
accompany us on more extreme adventures is plenty of justification for most of
us, so we buy them and wear them with a knowing smile.
Like watches, the modern supercar industry is full of excitement-inducing
advertising. Of course the capabilities of most modern sporting automo-
114 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | SUMMER 2018
biles will never be fully explored by owners. Whether promises of blistering
acceleration, skid pad figures, or ridiculous top speeds, the realities of daily
life, speed limits, and Johnny Law’s watchful eyes will keep most drivers from
actually being able to enjoy their cars to their full potential. Auto manu-
facturers know this, and rely on futuristic looks, space-age materials, and
exclusivity to provide the emotional food for their owner’s appetites, making
no moves to prove their prowess beyond official press releases and clever
marketing materials.
But Ferrari isn’t most auto manufacturers.
For those of you who see the prancing ponies from Maranello as nothing
more than overhyped and overpriced Italian muscle, you owe it to yourself
to take a closer look. Ferrari’s latest people mover, the GTC4Lusso, is nothing
short of a masterpiece on four wheels, and more importantly, one that can
actually do what it says on the box. To prove it, Ferrari North America invited
me to experience the car in the least-inviting environment imaginable, the