Michael Schumacher didn't just drive the new Ferrari 430 Scuderia. The seven-time world champion honed it to Formula 1 excellence, adjusting gear-change timing, traction, suspension, stability.
So, the 510-horsepower limited-edition supercar from the land of the Prancing Horse is directly connected to the racetrack, where it is as comfortable as it is on the freeway or a street in Scottsdale. Hence, the name that echoes that of Ferrari's Formula 1 team: Scuderia Ferrari.
Schumacher tested the V8-equipped mid-engine at Nurburgring, the great German track that sounds Wagnerian, mythic, a place for the gods. For sure, this car, with its extraordinary weight/power ratio, will take you as close to performance-car Valhalla as you can get to in this world. After all, with the Schumacher's refinements in place, the 430 Scuderia matched the lap time of the legendary 12-cylinder Enzo at the Fiorano test track near |
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Maranello. Not bad equaling the racetrack performance of the legendary car named for the legend.
This 430 Scuderia is based on the original F430, first produced in 2005 and still available as a 485-horsepower addition to the stable: a fine motorcar, for sure. But this, the latest of the Ferrari berlinettas, is lighter (just 2,775 pounds), more powerful, handles better, has better aerodynamics, and includes upgraded carbon-fiber braking, an advanced manettino that gives the driver precision control over the vehicle and an upgraded gearbox.
In power and stability, the 430 Scuderia clearly demonstrates the 20-year progression of berlinettas from the 348 GTB through the 360 Modena F1 to today's version. "This car follows the tradition of the 360 Challenge Stradale; it is basically a race car that can be driven on the street," says Gary Simon, Ferrari sales manager at Scottsdale Ferrari, |
