Supercars to fulfill your wildest automotive dreams

         It took but a couple of minutes for the camera-toting tourists to forget the natural beauty of the Everglades and focus on the screaming red Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. For me, it was just a pit stop along Alligator Alley after a mind-blowing 40 miles, all 612 horses of this beastly V-12 thundering through the serene sawgrass and marshes.

         For them, it was a rare opportunity to see, perhaps, their dream car; they gawked, smiled excitedly and snapped photos from multiple angles. If they only knew it didn't have to end there.

         Yes, like the cinema's Field of Dreams, there is a place where automotive dreams come true, where you can angle your way into five or six of the finest supercars on the planet and drive like the rich and famous for a full afternoon.

         World Class Driving, among a handful of outfits that offer these dreams, revs up your heart with at least six supercars: Among them the $499,000 Ferrari 599, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, the supercharged Mercedes-Benz  McLaren, Ford GT, Noble M400, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and quickest of the Porsche clan, the new Carrera GT3.

          "It's one of those life experiences," said Beverly Bechtel, a program coordinator. "One guy told me, ‘I'll never get another chance to do this.' He was just a regular, working guy."

          The thrill rides return to Miami on Feb. 5.

          The once-in-a-lifetime opportunities don't come cheap: $1,295 (bring a nondriving guest for another $250). But, really, that's not a ton of cash for a truly unique series of thrills, the kind you can think and talk about for the rest of your life. They'll even provide some snapshots of you oh-so-perfectly situated in the cockpit , smile already attached.

           So, what is this really all about? I asked. Is this for high rollers who can't make up their mind, or just for thrill seekers? The answer, you might have guessed, is both. But it's mostly a thrill thing, said Bechtel.

           "It's for anybody who's crazy about cars," she said. "Some people save up for it. Some people, those who can afford it, do it three times a year." Eighty percent are male, she said.

           And no one will try to hit you with a sales pitch. The exotic carmakers are not part of the program. Cars are independently owned and maintained.

           World Class Driving has been quite a success in Europe, where the concept originated. It came to North America just last year and tours the nation, setting up road courses in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Vermont and the Carolinas. Personally, I'd recommend traveling to those destinations as, say, part of a vacation. The twisty roads and hills will enhance the thrills and the athletic agility of these tremendous exotics.

           But, while Florida's straight and flat roads may be a drawback, the scenic backdrops make driving South Florida among the most beautiful of all the rides.

            The World Class afternoon begins with a briefing about the cars and how they are different -- the braking, power, torque. "These throttles are very quick," warns driving coach Dale Legrae. "These are nothing like driving a Chevy or a Ford."

           Then come the rules. Anxious drivers are told there will be a pace car up front and sweeper at the back, to keep everyone well behaved. "Do not pass the pace car," drivers are warned.

           Finally, it's time. Gentleman, start your exhilaration. Normally, one gets about a half-hour in each supercar, stopping along the route and swapping cars. Pictures are snapped and snacks are munched, and it's back on the road again.

   "It's all very relaxed, informal. Like a fun road rally," says Bechtel.

           This day, we improvised a route that took us nearly halfway across Alligator Alley, a favorite cruise of mine with my classic '81 DeLorean. Who knew, both hands on the leather-wrapped wheel of the Ferrari 599, we'd encounter three state troopers along the way -- not that there's anything wrong with that!

           The Ferrari 599 GTB is an exquisite performer, by the way. No shifter on this one -- just hit the automatic button or use the paddles behind the steering wheel to take control. A superfast-shfting, if somewhat jarring six-speed tranny helped roar us past the big rigs on the Alley. Ferrari says it can shift in a tenth of a second.

           The Fiorano, with its 612 thoroughbreds, has been clocked in a zero-to-62 mph at 3.7 seconds and boasts a top speed of more than 200 mph. We didn't hit those outrageous numbers, of course, but you could feel this car's hunger and capability. Edmunds.com, among the top auto information sites, calls it one of the greatest Ferrari road cars ever.

            Wheelspin is controlled with elecronic traction controls, At the break, Herald colleague Michael Ottey and I swapped cars and I bent and twisted myself into the $480,000 McLaren, one of the sharpest looking, barely legal touring cars. Very beautiful, but not very uncomfortable, we both agreed. Seats are in one piece and no matter how many times I readjusted I couldn't get it quite right. (Shut up, Barry,
you're sitting in a half-million-dollar McLaren, I reminded myself)

            While it doesn't have the same comfortable, daily-driver feel as the 599, it has a tremendously solid feel on the road. "Like a supercharged Sherman Tank," said coach Legrae.

            But the lightweight suspension system in the McLaren makes it extremely responsive and it's a gas to drive. Speaking of gas, World class provides it, thankfully. These are not green machines.

            The McLaren, with an awesome 720 foot-pound of torque, bolts to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds.

            For the inhibited, more accustomed to a Camry than a Carrera, there are experienced driving coaches to help drivers of all skill levels. Most employees, says Legrae, come from a racing background.

            All in all, the afternoon in the seats of supercars with World Class Driving covers more than 200 miles over five hours or more.

While World Class Driving returns to South Florida on Feb. 5, there are also scheduled stops in Orlando on Feb. 2, Naples on Feb. 3 and Jacksonville on the 8th.

            For more information, call 877-597-6403 or visit wcdriving.com

            If it's racetrack you crave, be ready to spend much more: The Supercar Life driving experience starts at $4,990. Registration is open for events in March at Homestead-Miami Raceway, and in April at California Speedway near Los Angeles. Visit supercarlife.com for this one.