BRING. IT. ON.
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 ...
I am SO old,.....................how old are you?,.....
I am so old, I actually saw Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren drive the old orange McLaren Can Am cars at Bridgehampton one summer/fall.
They came blasting over the hill at the end of a straight and went through a curve so fast I couldn't believe that cars could go that fast and stay on the road. It was like an explosion. Ka Boom!! It was amazing.
ping
Silly, ya just say to your girlfriend, "here, hold muh beer and watch this".
The Bugatti is definitely the car to get if money isn't an issue.
Oh, heck no.
Unless there is a badge displaying "Pinafarina, it isn't."
The CanAm series was truly amazing, though. I was only able to see four of those races, but they did include such cars as the Chapparal 2J, Porsche 17/30 and the whacky Shadow. Great stuff.
Hehe. Okay sir. I stand corrected. 8^)
Isn't there also a Bugatti story of a customer complaining that his Bugatti didn't stop well and Bugatti responding that "Bugatti's were made to go, not stop".
Who needs a car where you can get a speeding ticket while in first gear?
There's no accounting for taste...I always salivated over the Ford GT40...that was the car right in front of the McClaren. :{)
I understand. - I can't stand the paddle shifter.
Whoa, knock another second off that time and it's almost as quick as a good sport bike.
The great old days.
I don't know, I'm getting older and I like my automatic whereas I used to love the zoom zoom and noise of shifting and double clutching etc.
Aren't paddle shifters actually faster and isn't that what it's all about?
Just my opinion! (I'm "old school" when it comes to cars) I have a 330GTC, so I'm naturally biased! ;>)
LOL. Twits.
yeah, the paddle shifters are theoretically faster, but for me, I'd prefer additional driver involvement over that last nanosecond of speed.
The GT40 is indeed an all-time great.
BRING. IT. ON.
Drink it first - you don't want to hit a bump and spill it - plus - it gives you instant liquid courage to win the race.
giggle
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