It only takes a few moments for me to realize I’m driving something special. The control surfaces and where your body makes contact with the car should communicate the essence of the vehicle immediately. If, as a driver, you can tell right away what the car is all about, then the first half of the battle—from the perspective of an engineer or a designer—has already been won.
Here’s what I mean: As I slide into the cockpit, the bucket seat with its tall bolsters envelops my bum and thighs. A few button pushes and I’ve found my optimum position: seat low to the floor; seatback almost upright; slight bend at the knee. The brushed-aluminum gas and brake pedals have rubber studs that grab onto the soles of my driving shoes. The massive dummy pedal, finished the same way, surely isn’t there for aesthetic purposes.