CAMDEN — A fist of Ferraris all tightly wound and ready for speed gathered at the Whitehall Inn in Camden Friday evening, October 21, for the "Annual Maine Ferrari Event" which included dinners, the Owls Head Transportation Museum and a drive through the scenic back roads of Maine on Saturday. The participants are part of the Ferrari Club of America.

Despite the weather it was a good turn out. According to Suzy Hiniker, regional director for New England, weather is harder on the vintage Ferraris.

"We have newer cars, which is fantastic," she said. "When its raining out and the weather is a little iffy, you won't get as many vintage cars because they tend to be a little more delicate and sensitive to the weather."

, Horsepower, racing technology and design make it a part of your lifestyle and not just another car.

"A Ferrari has a lot of history," Hiniker said. "There's racing and panache. We drive them with a lot of enthusiasm. We really enjoy the brand."

Viewed internationally as the pinnacle of Made in Italy excellence, the Ferrari brand has always played a leading role in the racing world as well as many other areas.

The company's story officially began in 1947 when the first Ferrari emerged from the historic factory entrance on Via Abetone Inferiore in Maranello, Italy.

The Ferrari Club of America has 6,000 members. The New England chapter has almost 400 members.

Bob Tkacik, a member of the Ferrari Club of New England, Maine Chapter lives in Saco. He said the New England chapter tries to get together every year.

"There's chapters in different states and we organize drives and stays at different places," he said. "We were here a couple of years ago, the Samoset a few years before that, and we all get together typically on a Friday night and have dinner. We get up Saturday morning and gather everyone, hand out route maps and take a nice drive to visit someone."

In this instance the group visited the Owls Head Transportation Museum for a tour and lunch.

"Other times, we've visited car collections that people may have in the area," he said. "The last time we we're here we stopped at one of the boat builders in Rockport and spent a couple of hours there which was very, very interesting."

Lee Cappola is from Boston and has owned his Ferrari just over five years.

"I have a 2001, 360 Modena Coupe," he said. "Four hundred horsepower V8, mid engine car.0 to 60 is 4.6 seconds and does a quarter mile in 12.3 seconds. We do a lot of touring and a lot of club events like this one. We also do quite a bit of charity rides. And that's one of the things we enjoy most about Ferrari events, the charitable opportunity to give through the organization."

Whether you choose an F12berlenetta, a 599 GTB Fiorano, the 612 Scaglietti, an Enzo, F50, F40, or 288 GTO, eight cylinders or 12, you'll enter an exclusive world of car enthusiasts.

A Ferrari is always a good thing to have on your Christmas list.