Aerodynamics are for people that can’t build engines – Enzo Ferrari
And they take that quite literally, because for a time, the ‘new’ Ferrari was delivered on the chassis of its predecessor and the engine was developed further. With the F430 it was not much different, it is based on a 360 chassis. Under the skirt of Pininfarina, Frank Stephenson (also responsible for the ‘new Mini’) drew the F430. As with the Mini, the 430 has many nods. The nostrils, for example, refer to the Ferrari 156 Formula 1 racer from ’61. And that worked; At speed, the average mother-in-law came to sit on your nose, 150 kg of downforce!
And then about the beating heart; The F136-V8. A completely new engine compared to the 360. As the name suggests, a 4.3 litre eight cylinder that embarrasses most V-tec blocks with its 8,700 rpm range (beeeeaaaaaaaa-a-ap). Most car makers make every new model more fuel-efficient, but Ferrari does Esclusivamente di. Exactly. Not so. More range though, we just enlarge the petrol tank!
The F1 box was introduced with the F430 and was only for men with a lot of chest hair. Shocks, bangs and it needs to get really hot. It all sounded cool and romantic, but every conservative purist missed the big chrome knob. Fortunately, Enzo understood this and made a few available with a sporty gearshift, very unique; And now ours!
Ours is a bit extra tasty again. That whining V8 and the mechanical noises that react to a gear stick sliding through the aluminium (clack-clack!), the sloshing cooling water and as fickle as a thirteen year old just starting the pill. This is emotion, pure and simple! Her interior is light beige and inside and outside there is a lot of ‘striping’ on the carbon option list. Always maintained at a Ferrari dealer and specialist. Of course also always slept inside. If you ask us, Assolutamente unico! A presto?
The client is not always right. – Enzo Ferrari
