Ferrari 430 Coupe full 9 point review
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Performance
Up to 4000rpm, the performance is a bit like being shot out of a cannon, while redlining the howling 4.3-litre V8 to 8500rpm is likely to give your heart a serious workout. Hardly surprising really, given the engine has been tuned to produce 503bhp – up 40bhp on the standard 430 – and the 1350kgs car weighs much the same as a typical family hatchback.
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Ride & Handling
The lightened suspension and elaborate aerodynamic package makes the Scuderia extremely agile, while phenomenally tactile steering keeps you right in touch with what’s happening on the Tarmac. The sports seats help to support your internal organs as you power around corners and ramp up the g-forces.
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Refinement
With so much technology on-board, it’s refreshing that a simple prod of the steering wheel-mounted starter button will suffice to startle dogs, make babies cry and rattle windows in neighbouring villages.
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Buying & Owning
You’ll pay through the nose at every turn - if you actually manage to get hold of a Scuderia - but it’s worth every penny. Servicing, fuel and insurance premiums are far from cheap, but items such as the high-tech carbonfibre brakes are surprisingly durable, lasting up to 75,000 miles if treated with reasonable care.
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Quality & Reliability
The stripped interior won't be to all tastes, and some of the switchgear wouldn’t look out of place in a 10 year old Fiat Punto. In terms of technology and engineering, though, the Scuderia is as good as it gets.
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Safety & Security
Ferrari claims the 430’s structure is so strong that there’s no need to fit side airbags, but we’d still like to see them installed. The electronic safety aids do their job brilliantly, though, even with all that power available, slippery roads have little impact on the Scuderia’s composure. Deadlocks aren’t fitted, but UK-bound cars will have a tracking device installed.
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Behind The Wheel
You sit well towards the centre of the cabin, in a special racing-style seat, but everything is still adjustable and the vision is good for a low, wide, mid-engined supercar. The pedals and steering wheel are ideally sited, and the dash is clearly laid out and simple to navigate.
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Space & Practicality
The Scuderia is a mid-engined two-seater, but it does a good job with the available space. The central tunnel is slim to give good shoulder room, even though the seats are mounted well away from the doors. The front boot is quite small, but there’s space for more luggage inside the cabin.
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Equipment
The basic spec. includes Alcantara and carbonfibre trim, paddle-shift gearchange and electronic safety aids, but you can personalise the car any way you want. Extra carbonfibre trim, racing seatsbelts, and a carbonfibre steering wheel with a row of LEDs that increase in number with engine revs are must-have extras. For a less race-influenced interior you can also choose to accessorise with different leathers, an MP3-compliant connection, sat-nav, and even a carbonfibre crash helmet.
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