You'll never guess what excuse this Ferrari Enzo driver used for speeding - AutoReview.nl

It was recently announced that Japanese agents will receive a Ferrari Enzo parked on the side of the road because his driver did not care about the speed limit. According to the English-language newspaper The Japan Times was the man behind the wheel Kiyoyuki Okuyama.

That name probably doesn't mean anything to you and frankly it doesn't to us at first, but friends call him 'Ken'. And then a light bulb went on.

'Ken' Kiyoyuki is the man who designed the Ferrari Enzo. That's right, not an Italian but a Japanese. Ken was once employed by Pininfarina as chief designer, that's why. So Kiyoyuki was driving his own creation when he was pulled over. The officers on duty probably had no idea who he was and spoke to him sternly that he drove 128 km / h where you are only allowed 40 km / h. Almost 90 km/h too fast.

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Sweating bullets

If you drive 90 km/h too fast in the Netherlands, the Public Prosecution Service determines the amount of the fine. Count on several thousand euros and a temporary driving ban. And of course a course 'How does it actually work'. Well, we don't know how this goes in Japan, but the country seems a lot stricter to us. So Kiyoyki started sweating and came up with the following excuse: "I had to maintain a certain speed because otherwise the engine will overheat."

Formula 1 road car

As remarkable as Kiyoyuki's excuse is, there is some truth to it. After all, the Ferrari Enzo is not a three-cylinder Kia Picanto with 67 hp. The Italian thoroughbred has a mid-mounted 6.0-liter V12 that comfortably pumps out 651 horsepower. It is actually a Formula 1 road car. The Japanese public prosecutor nevertheless saw the Ferrari Enzo as a funny red sports car and wanted to send Kiyoyuki to prison for four months. oops.

Yada, yada

The judge ruled that what Kiyoyuki did was indeed extremely dangerous, but erased the super sports car Ferrari value more. He reduced the sentence to two years' probation if Kiyoyuki did not break the speed limit again. As befits a good Japanese, the Enzo designer went through the dust in court. Afterwards he told journalists 'that it will never happen again and that he will contribute to a better society'. Yada, Yada.

The moral of this story: never drive too fast. But if you do, make sure your car has a V12, costs 3 million euros and belongs on the track rather than on the road. With a bit of luck you will get off with a suspended sentence.