FACTfile - Ferrari F430 Scuderia

Superfast successor to the 360 Challenge Stradale

The successor to the stripped down, beefed up 360 Challenge Stradale, the new F430 Scuderia sets new standards for supercars, surprisingly not only in performance and handling, but also in environmental friendliness and fuel consumption - not an area traditionally of concern to Ferrari and its customers.

At ItalianCar we were recently privy to a media viewing of the new model, a beauty in light metallic blue, with the obligatory (well, technically it's an option) racing stripe down the middle. As you can see the stripe is not quite as 'in your face' as the Challenge stripe was. This particular car, which is doing a round-the world trip to showcase the Scuderia, is a left hand drive version already sold to a customer in Italy.

Ferrari Australia have, as ever, provided us with exhaustive information on the new model, which we reproduce, largely unexpurgated, below.

Much more than a new version of the Ferrari F430 – already a supercar benchmark in its own right – the V8-engined 430 Scuderia takes all the latest technology from Ferrari’s Formula One and road cars to produce a new model that is much more than just faster. It is as quick around the Ferrari Fiorano test track, a microcosm of all the most difficult and testing Formula One tracks in the world, as the Ferrari Enzo – the V12-powered car that was the epitome of technology transfer from race track to road.

The 430 Scuderia crushes the benchmark 0-100 kmh acceleration test in 3.6 seconds, blasts to 200 kmh in 11.6 seconds and dispatches the standing kilometer in 20.9 seconds en route to a top speed in excess of 320 kmh.

But straight-line performance is only part of the Ferrari 430 Scuderia story.

Lightweight, simple and striking with a distinctive engine and exhaust sound: every last detail of the Ferrari 430 Scuderia exudes uncompromising sportiness as a direct result of its close links to the world of racing, which is reflected in the car’s name: “Scuderia”.

Seven-times World Champion Michael Schumacher was also involved in the car’s development, with the result that the most advanced single-seater technology is now available to Ferrari’s sportiest and most passionate clients. With a dry weight of 2775 lb (1250 kg) and 510 hp delivered at 8500 rpm by its naturally aspirated 4308 cm3 V8 engine, the 430 Scuderia boasts an extraordinarily low weight-power ratio of just 2.45 kg/hp, which allows it to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds.

It can also complete a lap at Fiorano in a time comparable to that of the Enzo, the Ferrari that has come to epitomise Maranello’s philosophy of transferring F1 content to its road cars. Thanks to its sophisticated aerodynamics, F1-SuperFast2 gearbox and E-Diff coupled with the sophisticated F1-Trac traction control system, this sporty new mid-rear engined berlinetta combines ultra-nimble handling with blisteringly fast acceleration.

The result? Absolutely superlative driving pleasure both on the road and on the track.

Engine and engine sound

The 430 Scuderia’s engine is an evolution of the F430’s 90° V8 which features a number of modifications to boost its specific power output from 114 hp/litre to 118 hp/litre. The inlet ducts and exhaust system have been optimised, most notably through the adoption of the exhaust geometries derived from the F430 Challenge and the use of carbon-fibre on the intake manifold and for the filter housing to aid weight reduction.

Thanks to Ferrari’s Formula 1 experience, the 430 Scuderia’s ignition system boasts special coils and, for the first time on a market-targeted car, a dedicated CPU capable of monitoring the ionising currents generated inside the combustion chamber between the spark plug electrodes. This means that every single sparking detonation is detected for every cylinder and sparking is faster and more accurate across the board.

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