As a child of the nineties, my exposure to supercars was only made available through the glossy pages of automotive magazines and movies on television. Even with TV, it was a seldom occurrence when one of Sant’Agata Bolognese or Maranello’s finest appeared on screen but when such scene occurred – and like the click of a hypnosis’s fingers snapping – my eyes and brain were immediately fixated. Like most car-obsessed children from that era, my tiny bedroom – which was usually filled with Power Rangers, Batman and Beast Wars figurines – also adorned a wall poster of the iconic Ferrari F40. I recall as an infant my parents allowing the opportunity to purchase just one poster and it was instantly the one with a Rosso Corsa F40 that I decisively pointed at. It was a striking poster that always infatuated me when I stared at it. The idea of supercar bedroom posters is somewhat foreign in 2018 but the young still get the opportunity to be inspired; just in a different way. Thanks to dealership open days – such as Ferrari Passion Day 2018 held at Ferrari Adelaide – children (and children at heart) not only get to see these special automobiles in the flesh, they get to enjoy a day immersed with Ferrari flavoured activities, inspiring them to become proud fans of the brand.

Upon walking up to the event’s entrance on West Terrace, I was greeted by this 812 Superfast parked all alone in front of the Ferrari Adelaide dealership.

The showroom floor was immaculately presented with a handful of Ferrari’s current models – Portofino, 488 GTB and 812 Superfast – all displayed exquisitely.

Purchasing a brand new Ferrari in modern times is an experience in itself. Although there are cookie cutter templates one can follow i.e. Rosso Corsa paintwork over Crema interior, clients are presented with endless amounts of configuration options to ensure they leave with a car which truly reflects their personality.

Similar to last year’s event, 2018 once again saw the service bay area transformed into a display spotlight with classic Ferrari models from the past rubbing shoulders with modern day examples.

During my last visit to the Gosford Classic Car Museum, I was hoping to make eye-to-eye contact with a particular member of the Ferrari Big Five. Luck would not be on my side on that particular day but I was granted a second chance at Ferrari Passion Day 2018.

I didn’t expect to see a member of the Ferrari Big Five that particular morning so was immensely dazzled when an Enzo caught the corner of my eye.

Produced between 2002 and 2004, the Enzo’s exterior was designed by Pinifarnia’s chief designer at the time – Ken Okuyama – with a Formula 1 inspired pointy nose. At the heart of the Enzo’s operation is a 6.0-litre mid-mounted V12 producing 651 horsepower with 657 newton meters of torque. Mated to the engine is a 6-speed sequential transmission which forces users to permanently change gears through the steering wheel-mounted paddle sifters as there is no ‘automatic’ mode. Opening the butterfly doors reveals a carbon-fibre tub which helps keep total weight at 1480 kg allowing the Enzo to reach a top speed of 355 km/h, while 11 seconds is all it takes to complete the quarter mile.

Although a bit of a controversial topic, the official build number from Ferrari stands at 400 units. There can’t be more than a handful of examples which call Australia home so to get the opportunity to see an Enzo locally in Adelaide was truly special.

After drooling all over the Enzo, I was promptly distracted by the authentic aroma of wood oven smoke. Ferrari Adelaide provided warm hospitality once again, catering the entire event with free and delicious gourmet pizza and Ferrari flavoured ice cream. How thoughtful.

Shortly after, the distinct howl of a mid-engine V10 caught the attention of everyone socialising outside. Not one, but two Lamborghini Huracan Performantes slithered their way into the venue, causing some Cavallino Rampante worshippers to shake their heads, but to most – provided a sight to behold filled with utter excitement.

A gracious thank you once again to Ferrari Adelaide for hosting Passion Day 2018. Although the idea of bedroom supercar posters is not prevalent in modern times, the concept still lives on. Dealership open days such as Ferrari Passion Day 2018 are the modern equivalent of bedroom supercar posters and as I witnessed that very day, looked to have inspired some new and young blood to the brand.