Euro Tour with 599
Discussion
Finally getting to grips with my 599 HGTE on a week long tour through Spain and Portugal. There are some amazing, deserted roads around Chaves and Leon that allow the 599 to stretch her legs.
Equally at home on the fast, twisty mountain sections and deserted toll roads. New PS4S tyres are proving excellent, especially as temps in the 20's.
Fuel economy as expected, 11mpg in the mountains, premium is 2.18 per litres so makes for a sharp intake of breath when filling up.
Once I stopped drawing comparisons to my 991.2 GT3 RS I can now enjoy the car and explore handling traits to the full. This trip has proven invaluable to build confidence in the car.
Equally at home on the fast, twisty mountain sections and deserted toll roads. New PS4S tyres are proving excellent, especially as temps in the 20's.
Fuel economy as expected, 11mpg in the mountains, premium is 2.18 per litres so makes for a sharp intake of breath when filling up.
Once I stopped drawing comparisons to my 991.2 GT3 RS I can now enjoy the car and explore handling traits to the full. This trip has proven invaluable to build confidence in the car.
Edited by puckrup on Thursday 19th March 12:49
Hughesie said:
Great on the continent arent they !
You need a screen put in like i had done for big trips - makes it so much easier on every trip !
I put a Power Acoustik single din car play unit in. Fits perfect, great for google maps, WAZE and Spotify. The day before the trip I decided to upgrade firmware...bad move, I bricked the radio. Now back to Ferrari OEM head unit whilst my unit gets repaired in USYou need a screen put in like i had done for big trips - makes it so much easier on every trip !
Nurburgsingh said:
oooh who's is the SLS - I'm trying to get a UK SLS owners group set up - if you wouldnt mind pointing them in my direction.
One of my buddies on same tour. I'll ask him if he's a member of any UK group and point him in your direction. Can you ping me your contact details?Yes it's WWOW tour. Second one I've been on and I highly recommend it. Great hotels and well researched routes ranging from direct, easy 4hrs or so) or Ironman 7+ hrs There are different groups of -6 cars each varying in speed, lunch stops or scenery. None hang around and radio comms, driving standards and etiquette excellent. Best car tour I've been on, you can make it as chilled or hard core as you want. Great banter, high standard of accom and equally suited to individuals or couples. Cheers, Neil
Asked ChatGPT to analyse my fuel usage. Seems car is being 'used as intended'
Overall trip summary
Totals
• Total distance: 1,076 miles
• Total fuel: 359.07 litres
• Total fuel (UK gallons): ~79.0 gallons
✅ Overall average: ~13.6 mpg (UK)
⸻
🔍 What the data tells us
1. Your range of mpg is very “599 typical”
Your tank-by-tank figures:
• 11.1 mpg → lowest
• 15.3 mpg → highest
That spread is exactly what you’d expect from:
• Mountain driving / spirited use → 11–13 mpg
• Open road / flowing driving → 14–16 mpg
👉 Nothing here looks abnormal at all.
⸻
2. Best efficiency segment (15.3 mpg)
• 199 miles / 59L
This is your standout stint.
Likely conditions:
• Smooth A-road / motorway blend
• Minimal stop-start
• Engine sitting around ~2,000–2,500 rpm
👉 This is the car “in its element”
⸻
3. Lowest efficiency (11.0 mpg)
• 151 miles / 62L
This is noticeably lower.
Most likely causes:
• Mountain roads (you mentioned Pico area earlier 👀)
• Frequent braking + acceleration
• Lower gears, higher revs
👉 Completely expected for a V12 being used properly
⸻
4. Sweet spot pattern emerging
Most of your fills cluster around:
👉 13.1 – 14.9 mpg
That’s the true mixed-use touring average for a 599.
⸻
⛽ Real-world range insight from your data
Using your actual average (13.6 mpg):
• Full tank (105L / 23 gal) → ~313 miles
• Comfortable usable range → 260–290 miles
Your longest stint:
• 267 miles → right in the sweet spot before refuelling
👉 You’re naturally driving it exactly how most experienced owners do.
⸻
💡 Interesting efficiency pattern
You can actually see the trip evolve:
1. Early tanks: lower mpg (13.2 → 11.0)
2. Middle: climbing (13.1 → 15.3)
3. Later: stabilising (13.4 → 15.0)
Likely explanation:
• Settling into the trip rhythm
• More consistent cruising later
• Possibly less aggressive driving after the “fun roads”
⸻
🚗 Verdict on the car
Everything in this data suggests:
✅ Engine running efficiently
✅ No fuelling or sensor issues
✅ No drag or brake binding
✅ Gearbox behaving correctly
If something was off, you’d typically see:
• One tank wildly out of pattern
• Or consistent low mpg (10–11 across all fills)
👉 You don’t have that—this is a healthy car being used properly
Overall trip summary
Totals
• Total distance: 1,076 miles
• Total fuel: 359.07 litres
• Total fuel (UK gallons): ~79.0 gallons
✅ Overall average: ~13.6 mpg (UK)
⸻
🔍 What the data tells us
1. Your range of mpg is very “599 typical”
Your tank-by-tank figures:
• 11.1 mpg → lowest
• 15.3 mpg → highest
That spread is exactly what you’d expect from:
• Mountain driving / spirited use → 11–13 mpg
• Open road / flowing driving → 14–16 mpg
👉 Nothing here looks abnormal at all.
⸻
2. Best efficiency segment (15.3 mpg)
• 199 miles / 59L
This is your standout stint.
Likely conditions:
• Smooth A-road / motorway blend
• Minimal stop-start
• Engine sitting around ~2,000–2,500 rpm
👉 This is the car “in its element”
⸻
3. Lowest efficiency (11.0 mpg)
• 151 miles / 62L
This is noticeably lower.
Most likely causes:
• Mountain roads (you mentioned Pico area earlier 👀)
• Frequent braking + acceleration
• Lower gears, higher revs
👉 Completely expected for a V12 being used properly
⸻
4. Sweet spot pattern emerging
Most of your fills cluster around:
👉 13.1 – 14.9 mpg
That’s the true mixed-use touring average for a 599.
⸻
⛽ Real-world range insight from your data
Using your actual average (13.6 mpg):
• Full tank (105L / 23 gal) → ~313 miles
• Comfortable usable range → 260–290 miles
Your longest stint:
• 267 miles → right in the sweet spot before refuelling
👉 You’re naturally driving it exactly how most experienced owners do.
⸻
💡 Interesting efficiency pattern
You can actually see the trip evolve:
1. Early tanks: lower mpg (13.2 → 11.0)
2. Middle: climbing (13.1 → 15.3)
3. Later: stabilising (13.4 → 15.0)
Likely explanation:
• Settling into the trip rhythm
• More consistent cruising later
• Possibly less aggressive driving after the “fun roads”
⸻
🚗 Verdict on the car
Everything in this data suggests:
✅ Engine running efficiently
✅ No fuelling or sensor issues
✅ No drag or brake binding
✅ Gearbox behaving correctly
If something was off, you’d typically see:
• One tank wildly out of pattern
• Or consistent low mpg (10–11 across all fills)
👉 You don’t have that—this is a healthy car being used properly
Joscal said:
Thirsty beast for sure! I m a bit nervous driving mine as it s been in storage since 2018 but aim to rectify that very soon.
Health to drive!
You will be just fine! The car didn't miss a beat, it's an extremely competent grand tourer, more than capable of hustling through the mountains and lapping up motorway miles with ease.Health to drive!
As an aside chaps - some boring practicalities.
Whilst I started dicking about in silly cars at a reasonably young age, that was then and this is now. My flexibility and limbs ain’t what they used to be.
I am assuming most of you are also no longer of a youthful visage and ages are 45 upwards with the accompanying variety of back, hips, legs and ankle complaints. As such how do you find driving the pre cruise control/“pit lane” donkeys over very long distances? These days I largely do all my M way driving on cruise and Im very wary of facing the prospect of doing any great distance without it. Trust me, if you have had to drive across Europe with 2 knackered feet & everything manual when you were younger- then you are much more wary when older!
Whilst I started dicking about in silly cars at a reasonably young age, that was then and this is now. My flexibility and limbs ain’t what they used to be.
I am assuming most of you are also no longer of a youthful visage and ages are 45 upwards with the accompanying variety of back, hips, legs and ankle complaints. As such how do you find driving the pre cruise control/“pit lane” donkeys over very long distances? These days I largely do all my M way driving on cruise and Im very wary of facing the prospect of doing any great distance without it. Trust me, if you have had to drive across Europe with 2 knackered feet & everything manual when you were younger- then you are much more wary when older!
DeejRC said:
As an aside chaps - some boring practicalities.
Whilst I started dicking about in silly cars at a reasonably young age, that was then and this is now. My flexibility and limbs ain t what they used to be.
I am assuming most of you are also no longer of a youthful visage and ages are 45 upwards with the accompanying variety of back, hips, legs and ankle complaints. As such how do you find driving the pre cruise control/ pit lane donkeys over very long distances? These days I largely do all my M way driving on cruise and Im very wary of facing the prospect of doing any great distance without it. Trust me, if you have had to drive across Europe with 2 knackered feet & everything manual when you were younger- then you are much more wary when older!
54 here, far from healthy or fit and i easily did Rome to Beaune last September (1100km) in 10 hours with 2 fuel stops and one Inc lunch.Whilst I started dicking about in silly cars at a reasonably young age, that was then and this is now. My flexibility and limbs ain t what they used to be.
I am assuming most of you are also no longer of a youthful visage and ages are 45 upwards with the accompanying variety of back, hips, legs and ankle complaints. As such how do you find driving the pre cruise control/ pit lane donkeys over very long distances? These days I largely do all my M way driving on cruise and Im very wary of facing the prospect of doing any great distance without it. Trust me, if you have had to drive across Europe with 2 knackered feet & everything manual when you were younger- then you are much more wary when older!
I do love mine for sure and always get out feeling fresh as a daisy and ready to do more if needed.
Mega cars for long distance driving for sure.
You can have Cruise fitted, apparently its a Maserati part and 'fairly' plug and play if you really need cruise - it wont do full cruise and distance sense etc though.
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