Ferrari's Fire-Breathing Stallion

Business Week ^ | 8 july 2005 | Thane Peterson

[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.

[garyhope]

Actually, I don't really know how paddle shifters work. Do you give it a shot of gas and then hit the paddle or what? Please explain. You have one paddle for upshifts and another for downshifts?

[cloud8]

"Ferrari figures 98% of the buyers are men..."

I'd like to meet the 2% :-)


Ever read Ralph Stein's stuff? He drove the 30s Bugs.

[Dashing Dasher]

Not just a guy thing!

Chicks race and love cars, too.


WOOHOO!

[Dashing Dasher]

Shall I assume you are a big fan of the movie - Gran Prix with James Garner?

I love that flick!

Too bad it's not on DVD....

yet

[Michael.SF.]

If he did not say that, I bet he wished he had!

Actually that does sound familiar, but I cannot confirm it.

[bt_dooftlook]

Two favorites:

The Jaguar XKE (12-cyl)

The Ferrari California Spyder

[spetznaz]

Yep. I read up about the Koenigsegg in the Robb Report somewhile back, and it seems like a McLaren F1 beater. Looks quite nice too. But apart from that report I've not heard much about the car (like many exotic Euro cars stuff like the Koenigsegg never hit the US, although on the other hand stuff like our Callaway C12 and the Saleen S7 do not penetrate the Euro market much either ....and sorry for the blasphemy of mentioning the Callaway and the Koenigsegg in the same post ...i know the Callaway is not even deserving to kiss the exhaust of the Koenig, but anyways ....)

As for the Veyron I've read that it has been having some 'issues.' It is apparently 2 yrs late, but i did not know it was due to handling issues. The funny thing is having handling issues in a vehicle that can go from zero to infinity in a gnat's heartbeat is never a good thing.

[jimfree]

Sweet looking ride. I'm not sure if my house is worth $180K yet. Maybe.

[Rate_Determining_Step]

Electromechanical units. They are by all definitions mechanical transmissions, but they are controlled electronically. The best of all worlds from a racing perspective.

[Pete'sWife]

Ahhhh...

Now THAT'S a Ferrari.

[oceanview]

the clutch is controlled by a computer with a stepper motor that does the work your left foot would do.

The Audi system (DSG) might actually be better - it makes its way to the upcoming Porsche 997 Turbo from their smaller cars (A3 for example).

[miliantnutcase]

I like the Ford GT better because it doesn't have any nanny-buttons to keep your reer wheels behind you at all times. It relies purely on driver skill...so you crash at 150+ your probably dead.

[Spktyr]

Apparently the problem with the Veyron is a fundamental one - it's almost as wide as its wheelbase, which leads to some "interesting" characteristics that they are trying to tune out with active handling controls and software.

[1FASTGLOCK45]

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?

-- Yea i understand, i drive a subaru 5 speed but my next car i want a newer auto lincoln town car. I always want to keep a manual car around. Your right on the purpose of the paddle shifter, but like i said, i'm just old fashioned, nothing like a 5 or 6 speed manual and clutch foot down, shifter in hand, paddleshifting is too toylike for me, although paddleshifting is a great concept for the race track and people that don't want to or unable to shift traditionally.

[datura]

Here's one the outperforms the Ferrari. Maserati's new MC12.

[Constitution Day]

drool.


THAT is my favorite Ferrari.

[spetznaz]

The GT is a car that Steve McQueen would want to drive. And that is a huge complement, particularly when you consider that it is quite 'cheap' for its class.

[PzGr43]

>This is definitely NOT just a guy thing.
>

You're right. Ferraris attract women like flies to a dead whore's pussy.

The F1 paddle shift sucks though. I got mine stuck while turning around in the middle of a wide road when it would not stay in reverse once I had got it there.

[1FASTGLOCK45]

That's a nice ride, Maserati making them yet?
Thanks for the picture.

[cmsgop]

This is the car they will use in the new "Miami Vice" Movie