Overclocker

Twenty-thousand miles in a pair of Ferrari 599 GTBs? It's a tough job, but a few lucky automotive journalists are going to be invited to do it.

Date posted: 07-25-2006

MARANELLO, Italy — Fifty lucky auto writers are about to embark with Ferrari on the ultimate press trip: a 20,000-mile "challenge" from Brazil to New York in a pair of new 599 GTB Fioranos.

Dubbed the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000, the trek will be staged across 16 countries from August 24 to November 17. Ferrari says it is inviting international journalists from "the most important publications" to take turns behind the wheel of the Fioranos during the 15-stage, 84-day tour.

The trip starts at Fiat's Latin American headquarters in Belo Horizonte. Along the way, participants can expect to encounter Amazonian rainforests, the Andes mountains, the Argentinian pampas, ancient Mayan and Aztec ruins in Mexico and, of course, the urban jungle of Manhattan.

Ferrari says the Fioranos will remain relatively stock but will get slightly raised suspensions and additional underbody protection. They'll be painted in rossa corsa, a.k.a. Italian racing red, and Tour de France blue, with special livery.

Shell, Alcoa, Pirelli and Puma are among the corporate sponsors.

What this means to you: If you're not already employed as an auto writer, don't bother checking the mail for an invitation to the ultimate automotive boondoggle.

Source: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=116273#2