From the road: northern Italy, August 2022, when interviews took Dennis to Modena. Republished from our archive.
Back in 2022 it was a busman’s holiday for me at the Ferrari Museum at Maranello, just outside Modena. I’d finished interviewing early that morning, with some down time in a location that was just about perfect. What self-respecting spannerspinner could turn down a visit to the Ferrari Museum when it’s a twenty-minute drive away? I mean, please …
The quality of the work is mind-blowing and the engineering is on another planet. Everyone would like it there, engine lover or not: a display of truly incredible machines — sleek, smooth and very rare.
It reminded me of a time I was interviewing alongside a thirty-year veteran of an Australian Caterpillar engine rebuild facility. Peter — yes, that Peter, the one on our interview team — was talking with an engine specialist we were interviewing about horsepower, Cat engines and tuning, and how the sounds were like the engine talking to him, telling him what it wanted Pete to know. His genuine love of Caterpillar engines simply could not be contained.
Then Pete got properly animated about the days when the really big Cat engines were on “his” dyno, run up to full test. Hands in the air, arms waving, excitement shining out of his eyes: “It’s like being at a rock concert for me — the whole building shaking, the volume, the heat. It was, to me, the sound of perfection.”
Well Pete, if you’re reading this: they had F1 engines there from days gone by, and engines they fire up and play tunes on. I think you’d love it there. Absolutely love it.
There is no substitute for horsepower.
Passion for things done right.
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