Ferrari F430 Formula One Edition
By Butch Chiu
It was Sunday morning and I had just set my eyes on the brand new Ferrari F430. My jaw dropped and all I could say was, “Wow, what a great looking machine!” I always thought the Ferrari Enzo was the most radical sports car ever built; this is the next best thing for a quarter of the price! There is definitely some resemblance to the Enzo, as the taillights share the same design. While circling around the car for a closer look, I noticed several things, one in particular: the ceramic brakes are huge (a $15,364.00 option)! Also, the vents, strategically placed around the car, each serve a purpose. The vents on the upper rear quarter force air into the engine and the ones in front of each wheel cool the brakes. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Scuderia Ferrari shields. Those are the cool looking yellow Ferrari emblems on the front fender; these will make your wallet about $1400 lighter. Pretty damn expensive, but if you can afford a Ferrari, chances are, you’re not overly concerned. Finishing my inspection of the F430, one can see the aggressive lines and exotic designs that were inspired by the Enzo. At the rear of the car, you’ll see Ferrari’s new motor (showcased in glass) pushing up through the rear deck lid. By this time, I was pumped and ready to beat on this Italian supercar.
I snatched the key from the owner of the car and entered the carbon fiber capsule, the likes of which I’d never seen. The interior is equipped with a fire extinguisher ($530), red and black Connolly suede racing seats ($4,674), and another $5,774 worth of weight-saving carbon fiber interior parts. Looking down, you can see five driving adjustments on the steering wheel, enabling you to set the driving modes from hazard weather all the way up to full race mode, the mode I was itchin’ to try! Just sitting in the carbon fiber racing seat, I could feel how Schumacher must have felt, as he was heavily involved in the development of this car.
The owner claims that this Ferrari is the only one built in the United States with specs identical to the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (a street legal race car). I have never seen an F430 optioned out like this and if money was no object, I would definitely option out my car the exact same way. It’s probably one of the most unique cars on the road today. As I turned the ignition and hit the red start engine button, the engine fired up with a low guttural roar. I fastened my seatbelt and placed my foot on the brake pedal, then pulled back the F-1 paddle shifter, put it into first gear, and proceeded to jam the gas pedal. (I did say that I was looking forward to beating on the car, right?) Wow, what a feeling! I slowed down a bit and pulled onto the street; the car was in sport mode. I shifted into second gear and proceeded to accelerate. The engine growled the distinctive Ferrari timbre every time I shifted gears and mashed on the gas pedal. As I accelerated up to 100 mph, the car felt firm and nimble. During braking, I downshifted accordingly and the electronic engine management control system matched the revs for each shift. For all you exotic car fans, driving this quarter million dollar machine is the greatest experience you can have!
As expected, this Ferrari is a magnet for attention. As I cruised along with traffic, eager onlookers pointed and stared at my ride, and when I pulled over at a gas station, people flocked to me and asked about the car. Many eager auto enthusiasts even stopped by to snap off a few pictures of the first F430 they’d seen on the road. Driving this car gave me an adrenaline rush like no other!
The engine itself is a masterpiece of engineering. Ferrari’s alloy 490 hp V-8 engine with 343 lb-ft of available torque is capable of speeds close to 200 mph and a 0-60 time that comes in at just under 4 seconds. Ferrari has also matched the engine up seamlessly with the new F-1 clutchless paddle-shift transmission. It’s faster and smoother, making for lightning quick shifting under full throttle. Along with the engine and transmission, throw in an all-new suspension and you’ve got the most desirable sports car on the market.
 When I got back into the F430 “Fighter Jet,” I switched the car to race mode, shifted into first gear, and jumped on the gas. The car lunged forward as I redlined the engine to 8500 rpm propelling me from 1st all the way to 4th gear, all without letting off the gas! The speedometer read 130 mph, just a bit outside the 45 mph posted speed limit. Slowing to avoid a speeding ticket, I realized that I had now experienced what famous rappers must feel like when driving a brand new, custom tailored for the rich and famous, Ferrari. The car handles like a dream; end of story. Everything on this car was perfect, right down to the yellow tachometer and the F430 symbol on the center of the dash. As I drove back to return the car, I was conflicted; I really didn’t want to return it. However, the combination of a small checking account and potential jail time kept me on the road towards the rightful owner.
Even if you win the lottery and want to purchase the F430, you’re still in for a two to four year stint on the waiting list. And it doesn’t end there. You must also “qualify” to purchase this car, i.e. you must have previously purchased a Ferrari from a local dealer. Qualifying may be difficult, however I recently became the proud new owner of a brand spanking new lottery ticket and plan on purchasing that F430 the second I cash in. If other major car manufacturers could build a sports car of this caliber, they might be able to compete at the Formula-One. This Italian Stallion is far superior to anything out there on the road today.
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