Virgin Radio DJ Christian finally gets his dream Ferrari

In the latest instalment of his monthly motoring column, the Virgin Radio DJ and ‘most hugged man in Britain’ finally realises a lifetime ambition.

Scroll through the gallery of pictures above to see more about what Christian has been up to...

Christian writes: Maybe 15 times a week. Sometimes 20. That’s how often people say “what’s your favourite car?”. It’s a question I don’t mind asking if I’m perfectly honest, because the answer has always been a Ferrari of some kind.

When I was a kid it was the flared intakes of the Testarossa which had me hooked. When I was a young adult it was the classic, unmistakable lines of the Dino. And for the last decade or so it’s been the 458.

Christian recently tried an F8 Spider. Picture by Rob Schaverien.

Now I’ve worked two or three jobs for the last decade purely so one day I could be in the position of buying one, or at least being able to afford a deposit and a huge chunk of finance! This month that dream came true…I finally bought a Ferrari 458 Spider and I haven’t stopped grinning since I got the keys.

Now, I’d love to be in a position to tell you how it handles, or talk you through the hairpins I’ve drifted around, or the looks I’ve got as I crawl through the snarled streets of London, but so far it’s been sat in an underground car park until I can get the time to take it on the open road.

In fact, my first drive was incredibly unglamorous — taking it from the back of the truck to the parking spot where it sits today. That isn’t to say I haven’t spent ages gazing at it, or sitting in the front seat smelling the leather.

In fact, I’ve now found myself making excuses to take the bins out just so I can walk past it. It’s just that a car like this craves corners and traffic-less carriageways, and my trip to the petrol station in central London just didn’t cut it.

That said, I did fulfil my Ferrari driving fix this month after I was loaned an F8 Spider…essentially my car but two generations newer.

With 710bhp under your right foot, it doesn’t half shift and if it wasn’t for the outrageous roar from the engine you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in an electric car given the instantaneous, gravity-defying torque.

Bringing it to the Island was quite an experience and apologies to any of you who I may have passed in a blur of sunshine yellow.

Driving down Military Road was great fun. I used to drive this road all the time in my old MX-5, but driving mum around Bembridge with the roof down was just exhilarating.

I also took it to go and see the guys at JW Autoshine who gave it a really nice wash and detail, making it stand out even more than it normally would.

The F8 Spider even got a spruce-up at JW Autoshine!

Now, as a petrolhead and a superfan I have pretty much driven every Ferrari since the 458 was launched in 2009, simply to understand how they differ and what their individual characteristics are.

The novelty may have slightly gone away now but what I find really fascinating is how each one has developed.

The F8 is certainly a better car all round and it would make mincemeat of mine on the track, yet I would still rather have my 458 due to the noise of the normally aspirated engine and the way it makes you feel. If you’re counting your motoring memories on smiles per miles, the 458 with its growling V8 has got it in spades.

All of this has made me think if there is ever a time when I’m not thinking about cars? The answer is ‘not really’.

I probably should be thinking about buying a house but that’s not going to happen, especially now I’ve got a Ferrari in the basement.

Instead I’m thinking about what would happen if my lottery numbers came in, because then I’d be working out how to upgrade from a 458 Spider to a La Ferrari perhaps!

One thing it has made me understand is how certain cars are great for certain situations.

I was in Battersea recently to host their famous firework displays — an amazing event where 50,000 come each night — and when I returned to my car it had the back bumper stoved in.

Someone had obviously rear-ended a group of cars and the last one had shunted into me. It was then that I realised how glad I was to have driven there in my VW Golf!

Don’t forget to stay in touch with all the latest car news on my Instagram feed, @christianw