The Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 has during the last fortnight been travelling right across the southern states of the United States, the two Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano sports cars passing through the cities of Las Vegas, New Orleans, Houston and Miami since rolling out of Los Angeles on 23rd October. The two car's arrival in Los Angeles came exactly two months after the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 set off from Belo Horizonte in Brazil on an epic journey which will end in New York.

Mazatlan, 17th October 2006 - A second section on the way to Baja California and the United States. The cars leave Guadalajara riding along the highway along agaves and mescal cactuses in the direction of Tequila, the city after which the famous Mexican spirit is named. The two 599 GTB Fiorano stop to visit a distillery in the historical centre, before they take up their journey on the highway in northern direction. The road is twisty and the team members can spot green forests, agaves and tobacco farms amongst the volcanoes. But those volcanoes have been inactive for a long time and only the central parts, the so called "organ pipes", can still be seen. Finally the first orchards can be spotted. Because the highway ends here the cars have to use a normal road where they nevertheless can ride with a good average speed. The tour arrives in Mazatlan to watch the sundown over the Pacific Ocean, a wonderful experience.

Topolobampo, 18th October 2006 - The Panamerican 20,000 has left Mazatlan, with its throng of hotels dominating the beach on the Pacific coast. Once on the motorway to Topolobambo, the 599 GTB Fioranos traverse an area of cultivated land and the occasional poultry farm. The scenery around here is somewhat desolate and free of urban conglomerations. However, the team recognises the gradual westernisation as the road heads north. The motorways are controlled by electronic barriers and private jets soar over the extensive fazenda lands. The journey proceeds without fuss courtesy of the extraordinary handling of the Maranello 12 cylinders. This evening we board for La Paz, a night long trip before the Mexican metropolis is reached.

La Paz, 19th October 2006 - After a night spent in Italy, given that the ship is Italian and, thus, Italian territory, we docked again in Mexico. Once the numerous drug enforcement checks were over, the crew headed towards La Paz. The city is situated on the Baja California, the 1,300 kilometre long Mexican peninsular. The zone emerged from the sea two million years ago and is now famous for its infinite beaches. The region is well known for its cave paintings and the churches built by Catholic missionaries in the 1650s. Hotels, ports, restaurants, shops and boats are everywhere. The climate is different as one nears the desert, vegetation is sparser and the first cacti are spotted. The 599 GTB Fioranos pay a visit to Dos Santos to see the small Hotel California made famous by the Eagles hit song.

Los Angeles, 23rd October 2006 - A sprint along the motorway from Ensenada to Tijuana saw the Ferrari berlinettas draw up to the United States border. The highway runs along the coast, parallel to an uninterrupted series of beach front houses. The customs clearance for the 599 GTB Fioranos and Alfa Romeo 159s took some time but eventually were waved through. However, the Daily Iveco trucks were denied entry for reasons of bureaucracy and were left in Tijuana.

It was late evening before the expedition could cover the 130 miles that lay between the border and Los Angeles. The sense of being in the United States was obvious once past the customs point. The houses were typically owned by single families, some fairly simple, and extended as far as the eye could see. San Diego did not present much of a distinction with nearby Los Angeles. The Panamerican 20,000 began exactly two months ago today and the two 599 GTB Fioranos have now covered a total of 18,662 kilometres.

Las Vegas, 25th October 2006 - The journey of the two V12-Berlinettes stops for half a day so the team can visit the city of Los Angeles - city of cars, of hundreds of highways, and of thousands of parking spaces. Life in Los Angeles happens in cars. But once the two 599 GTB Fiorano leave this city, they immediately enter another desert. The desert begins right behind the last houses of the periphery of Los Angeles; a highway leads the cars in the direction of Las Vegas. Along the road the railway can be spotted with long trains cutting the horizon. The road leads through the Mojave desert, to the left the team can see the famous Death Valley and to the right the Mojave National Park. At that point the two 599 GTB Fiorano are leaving California and enter the state of Nevada. From time to time an oasis is spotted in the distance, where next to springs diners have been built for hungry travellers: truck stops of an incredible modernity, considering that they were built in the desert, in the middle of nowhere.
 

In Las Vegas the cars and the team are welcomed with a Cocktail Party at the local Ferrari dealer. Later the team members take the cars and explore the city by night: an incredible place smack in the desert of Nevada.

New Orleans, 1st November 2006 - After the walk of fame in Houston the Ferrari Berlinettes are leaving for New Orleans. The team takes the highway eastwards heading through the flat terrain, passing various rivers flowing towards the sea. The team stops infrequently on their way, only when neccessary to arrive at their destination as soon as possible: in the city of jazz with its characteristic spots, with what remains from the era of land owners, the wide water expanses between the Mississippi and the Pontchartrain lake. The two Chinese journalists, Baoqing Dong and Qun Xu, behind the wheel of the Berlinettes during this section have shown incredible enthusiasm, were impressed by the performance of the two 599 GTB Fiorano and by the warm welcome they received in the state of Louisiana passing with the two Ferrari cars. To arrive in the city wide lagoons have to be passed via aqueducts. Trees which were destroyed by the hurricane Catrina can be seen along the road. Signs of this devastating storm cover the city and it will take years to rebuild New Orleans to its former splendour. As the cars arrive in the city the usual crowd gather around the two cars from Maranello. In the evening the team visits the French Quarter to listen to music in the various hot spots on Royal Street.

Miami, 3rd November 2006 - After leaving the university town of Gainesville, the two Ferrari Berlinettes drive southbound in the direction of Miami. The highway runs through woods, passes lakes, and the cars cross bridges where they can see numerous ships and yachts in this tropical climate of Florida , America's pensioners' paradise. Driving along the coast the team can sport various tourist harbours packed with yachts and small fish trawlers. This is an area famous for deep sea fishing. In Miami the team rendezvous with the local Ferrari dealer for the presentation of the new Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. Naturally the two Panamerican Berlinettes are the evening's toast of the town and welcomed, with a roaring applause together with the team. The evening proceeds with interviews for the press and the local TV stations, while a wonderful cocktail party rounds off the day. Tomorrow the tour will stop in Miami for maintenance and a deserved break for the team of the Panamerican 20,000.

Savannah, 5th November 2006 - The highway that leads from Miami northbound runs along the long beaches of Florida, visible between the houses and apartment blocks built close to the beach. From time to time the cars cross a bridge where they can spot numerous yachts on the rivers or channels. When the road leaves the beach, the two 599 GTB Fiorano drive through woods with pine trees like in Southern Europe. The first stop is in Cape Canaveral. Because of the high security around the site the team can see the base only in the distance. The second stop is at the Daytona race track, the famous oval of the Indy car series. After Jacksonville the tour leaves Florida and drives to Georgia. The landscape is still more or less the same and the tour proceeds along the coast, while the two Berlinettes from Maranello can show off their performance. The historical buildings of Savannah, named after the river running through it, and the harbour, which was of a strategic importance during the Civil War, are still perfectly intact. It starts to get cold and the warm days and nights of California, the desert and Miami are already only a memory for the team while arriving in Savannah in the evening.

Fayetteville, 6th November 2006 - A sunny yet chilly day bids farewell to the team of the Panamerican 20.000 as they leave Savannah. The road leads through the woods and runs alongside wide meadows and fields. The landscape is still green but some spots of autumn beckon already. The two Ferrari cars leave Lake Marion behind and the road leads them away from the beaches. Next stop is Darlington where the team meets the Case CNH and the local Ferrari Club on the famous high-speed track. All the local Ferrari owners are present to greet cars and members of the Panamerican 20,000 Tour. This section will also be shown on Chinese television because a Chinese TV journalist is now part of the team: Zheng Meng Hui accompanied by his cameraman Gao Jian Hua. The cars let Darlington behind and the state of South Carolina and drive into North Carolina. The two 599 GTB Fiorano stop in Fayetteville, close to the airbase of the USAF in Fort Bragg.