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Ferrari's Fire-Breathing Stallion
Business Week ^ | 8 july 2005 | Thane Peterson

Posted on 07/08/2005 5:13:34 PM PDT by voletti

Apart from superb handling and snazzy styling, the low-slung F430 goes from zero to 60 in under four seconds. The wait comes if you want to buy

The Ferrari F430 is definitely a guy thing. It's a ground-hugging, immensely powerful rear-engine two-seater heavily influenced by Formula 1 racing, which Ferrari has dominated over the last five years. Ferrari figures 98% of the buyers are men -- and not just any men, either. The typical Ferrari buyer earns more than $1 million annually, which is not surprising as the car sells for $180,785. Most owners have at least one other Ferrari out in their multicar garages, and many hit the racetrack on weekends so they can really experience the Ferrari's handling and speed.

Even at a quick glance, this car -- which is all new for the 2005 model year -- has speed written all over it. The front end is reminiscent of the famous snout-nosed 1961 Ferrari Formula 1 race car. There are big black-grilled air-intake vents on each side of the front end to cool the engine, and a third air intake in the center channels air under the chassis and helps keep the car from flying off the ground during rapid acceleration. Similarly styled air intakes on the car's flanks just behind the windows also mimic 1960s-era Formula 1 racers.

PADDLE-SHIFTING LIKE A PRO. Then, there's the enormous, 483 horsepower engine, which is clearly visible through the long, sloping rear window. The rear window is also framed by air intakes, so it's almost as if the engine, which is topped by two huge, red air-intake manifolds, were being shown off in a department-store display case.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: powerball
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Wheeeeeee.... Dream machine!
1 posted on 07/08/2005 5:13:34 PM PDT by voletti
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To: voletti
Whoa! ProN for car nuts:
2 posted on 07/08/2005 5:16:55 PM PDT by Paradox (Ipsum Pablum)
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To: voletti

I dunno - no cupholders. What do you do with your beer while you're racing?


3 posted on 07/08/2005 5:19:48 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: voletti

4 posted on 07/08/2005 5:20:17 PM PDT by Michael.SF. ("Rommel, you magnificent son of bitch.....I READ YOUR BOOK!! - Gen. Patton)
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To: voletti

Fun post!

Lets see... I sell my house, take out a loan...

Wonder what kind of gas mileage it gets? I know, if you have to ask, you can't afford it.

Wonder if premium gas is not good enough. Especially, with all of the additives.


5 posted on 07/08/2005 5:21:33 PM PDT by dhs12345
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To: voletti
I'm not as dumb as I look...

I purposely have avoided buying this boy toy.
With the money I save on insurance, I can get any normal new car of my choice every year!

6 posted on 07/08/2005 5:23:48 PM PDT by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are ignorance, stupidity and hydrogen)
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To: Paradox
Yeah, that's nice. But I kind of like this Ferrari.


7 posted on 07/08/2005 5:24:19 PM PDT by SaveTheChief (There are 10 types of people -- those who understand binary, and those who don't.)
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To: voletti
Actually, if I could afford 200K for a car, I would rather get this one:

Ettore, would be proud.

8 posted on 07/08/2005 5:27:47 PM PDT by Michael.SF. ("Rommel, you magnificent son of bitch.....I READ YOUR BOOK!! - Gen. Patton)
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To: voletti

This is definitely NOT just a guy thing.


9 posted on 07/08/2005 5:29:48 PM PDT by Capriole (Not a guy. Never have been, never will be.)
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To: voletti




10 posted on 07/08/2005 5:30:11 PM PDT by ThePythonicCow (To err is human; to moo is bovine.)
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To: Michael.SF.
Erm, maybe I should inform you that 200,000 would not even be enough to buy the engine for the car you posted (the Bugatti Veyron). That car is expected to cost 1.2 million dollars. With 200K you'd still be a million greenbacks short. With that said you have great taste.

One thing I'd love to do is participate in a race between a Bugatti Veyron, a McLaren F1, and a Ferrari Enzo.

Ferrari Enzo:

Bugatti Veyron:

McLaren F1:

Zoom zoom!

11 posted on 07/08/2005 5:41:02 PM PDT by spetznaz (Nuclear tipped ICBMs: The Ultimate Phallic Symbol.)
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To: Spktyr

Zoom-zoom ping.


12 posted on 07/08/2005 5:41:52 PM PDT by spetznaz (Nuclear tipped ICBMs: The Ultimate Phallic Symbol.)
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To: spetznaz

To me the McLaren F1 is the most desirable car ever built....the vision of one man, designed and built without regard to cost. Splendid.


13 posted on 07/08/2005 5:45:19 PM PDT by clintonh8r (Liberals preach comity and practice calumny.)
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To: voletti

Before I actually got to the comments, I was going to say that a Ferrari post is like an Ann Coulter post,...ya gotta post the pictures for we pathetic old leches.


14 posted on 07/08/2005 5:45:48 PM PDT by garyhope (moules et frites)
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To: voletti
Sorry guys. And Enzo, bless your late soul.

There just has not been a real Ferrari, Italian race car heritage inspired car since the 355.

Know why all the later F-cars squint?

They replaced the Italian designers with a Japanese one.
Seriously, they all look like Honda clones.
Even my wife didn't know the 360 was a Ferrari.
And we were at a dealer.

Before you think for one moment that she doesn't know Ferrari, this is her.
And this is a Ferrari.


15 posted on 07/08/2005 5:45:56 PM PDT by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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To: spetznaz

All of those are (or will be) slower than the Koenigsegg from Sweden. The K can hit 245.

The Veryon is years behind schedule and still (apparently) has handling problems. There's recent photographs of a Veyron losing it at Sears Point.


16 posted on 07/08/2005 5:48:00 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: bill1952

I was curious about the heritage too, now call me old fashioned but i don't want a 100+thousand dollar car with "paddle" shifter. I can't afford it of course but i want a regular old 5 or 6 speed manual shift gearbox.


17 posted on 07/08/2005 5:51:12 PM PDT by 1FASTGLOCK45 (FreeRepublic: More fun than watching Dem'Rats drown like Turkeys in the rain! ! !)
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To: spetznaz
Thanks. To be honest I did not know the Bugatti's cost that much. But to be sure they always were in a class by themselves.

There is a great story about Ettore Bugatti, when he was in his prime, perhaps you have heard, if so, sorry to repeat it.

It seems a loyal client in Paris had received his new Bugattti, but after some months, he found he had difficulty starting it on cold days.

Some letters were sent and ignored. Phone calls made, but not returned. The client, on a trip to Strasbourg decided to go out to the factory, as it was not to far away.

He found himself waiting for Mr Bugatti. And he waited. One hour, soon two and then three. At last in desperation, as Mr. Bugatti was departing for lunch, the man approached. He explained his letters, his calls and his problem with the car.

Mr. Bugatti's response was classic:

Surely Sir, if you can afford a Bugatti, you can afford a heated garage, No?

18 posted on 07/08/2005 5:51:27 PM PDT by Michael.SF. ("Rommel, you magnificent son of bitch.....I READ YOUR BOOK!! - Gen. Patton)
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To: bill1952

I wasn't all that impressed by the 355, honestly. The new ones look kind of weird, and I think the Enzo is rather ugly. I would say that the last *real* Ferrari was the F40 (which I drove twice and loved).


Last I checked, they're still designed by Pininfarina, not so?


19 posted on 07/08/2005 5:51:31 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: bill1952

Correction...there hasn't been a real Ferrari since the 365-GTB/4 Daytona.


20 posted on 07/08/2005 5:52:23 PM PDT by clintonh8r (Liberals preach comity and practice calumny.)
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