By Deborah Lynn Blumberg
Joined by a handful of women, tourists and photo-snapping teenagers, thousands of Downtown residents and workers pined over shiny Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Rolls-Royces at the World Financial Center’s Winter Garden daylong “Festival of Speed,” which showcased some of the fastest racing cars in the world and their street version counterparts.
“When you see something like this you have to stop and take a look,” said Fred Casden, who walked by the festival on his lunch break and stopped to admire a black Rolls-Royce with a tan leather interior. But like most attendees, the car falls well outside his price range. “I’d have to sell my house and live in the car,” he said.
Car lovers gawked at the event’s most expensive luxury vehicle — a $380,000 custom-made Mercedes Benz available only through special order. Inside the charcoal Maybach, foot rests spring from the back seat and a bottle of champagne and two flutes await those lucky enough to qualify for a test-drive.
Those interested in testing the car, which took festival organizers four days to locate for the exhibit, filled out paperwork for the privilege. David Raber, one of the show’s organizers, said five people filled out applications and he thought one C.E.O. may go ahead with a purchase.
“The reason why we’re here is that this is the financial center of the world and Joe and I like to follow the wallets,” Raber said, referring to his partner Joe Sabatini. “These people have wallets and an appreciation for art.”
Sabatini and Raber invited dealers to show their best products at the event, which included a Rolls-Royce Phantom, Lamborghini Gallardo, Lamborghini Murcielago, Bentley GT, a Porsche Carrera GT and an Aston Martin Vanquish, of which only 99 exist in the world. The blue Aston Martin DB9 coupe is currently the only one of its kind in the world, Raber said.
Of the several racecars, attendees flocked to the ADT Champion team’s Audi, a sleek white racing car. One woman on a work break kicked off her snakeskin print heels to slip into the driver’s seat. Most of the cars will participate in the Lime Rock Park race on Monday in Danbury, Conn., Raber said.
“I just can’t take my eyes off the cars,” V.J. Krishna, who works in the World Financial Center, said as he eyed up a red Ferrari. “They’re just top notch.”
Donna Coles, who lives nearby, leaned over the exposed engine of a turquoise Lamborghini for a closer look, but said she fell in love with the silver Lotus. “I don’t think I’ll buy one, but if someone I know wants to get one I’ll definitely hop in,” she said. “These are just incredibly gorgeous cars.”
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