I've been to Italy a handful of times to visit my wife's family mostly in the north: Torino, Bergamo, Genoa and one uncle in Sicily. Like all over Europe people drive like they just robbed a bank,in Italy probably common, and in the North where the money is you will see many high end cars. Ferrari's, Audis, Bimmers, Benz'z P-Cars etc. One one trip to the Courmayeur I was passed by two Ferrari's and an Audi RS4 wagon doing well over 100mph. My crap Fiat Pinto rental was almost blown over.
As for the food I think you guys are high! Italian food varies region to region and even town to town. If you are in the touristy places eating prix fix menus, then yes you will be sick of it the same pizza and bowl of pasta . You need to venture off the beaten path a bit or one more street/alley-way from the main piazza to get some variety and real local flavor. There's tends to be more of a meat focus in the north, more fish along the coast and just about everything in Umbria and Tuscany.
If you get sick of the food while on a long trip just spend a few days over the border in Switzerland or Austria then you'll be wishing you were back in Italy just for the food!!
Lago Maggiore:
Bergamo:
Cinque Terra from the sea:
And while I love Italy, I love France a bit more....