The winding roads of Germany's Black Forest are often a playground for motorists. But last Saturday, this pleasure turned to drama: a Ferrari 458, driven by a 58-year-old Swiss motorist, collided head-on with a modest Peugeot 207. A totally improbable duel, which resulted in a heavy loss of life.
A risky manoeuvre before the "Wühre Kurve
According to local police, the driver of the Ferrarion Bundesstraße 317 between Schönau and Zell im Wiesental, tried to overtake several vehicles just before a sharp bend known as the "Wühre Kurve". The inevitable then happened: the Italian supercar collided head-on with the small French city car driven by a 24-year-old German.
Six injured and considerable damage
The violence of the impact left both cars unrecognizable. The Peugeot, crushed at the front, is most likely beyond repair, while the Ferrari, estimated at over €150,000, has suffered heavy damage.
In all, six people were seriously injured: the Swiss driver of the Ferrari and his 38-year-old passenger, as well as the four occupants of the Peugeot, aged between 24 and 26. One of them had to be rushed by helicopter to Freiburg hospital, while two others were admitted to Basel University Hospital.
According to the police, the driver of the 458 may have taken part in an organized outing of Ferrari owners in the Schwarzwald massif. A number of Italian cars had been spotted in the area earlier in the day, and some had even been checked by the police.
A reality check
While fortunately there were no fatalities, the accident highlighted the risks of over-optimistic driving on open roads. The 458, a beast of the circuit, found itself up against a 207 which, despite its mechanical humility, reminded everyone that in the event of recklessness, the law of physics is the same for all.
Photo credit: Zell im Wiesental fire department
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Well, it's nothing new for jerks in Ferraris and other fast cars to take to the open road as their playground. What can you do when faced with this ultimate level of pretentiousness? Some get their license revoked, but that doesn't stop them from driving even after committing murder.
The worry in this case, apart from the bodily injuries, is that the Ferrari owner will be reimbursed 100% for his Ferrari, while the young driver of the 207 who had not asked for anything, will be reimbursed the remaining value of his Peugeot çà. € 2.-3.000,- by the insurance of the driver at fault...