Cars
Ferrari F430 Spider
Here she is: Ferrari’s flagship convertible, the F430 Spider. It features the same running gear as the standard F430, but in case you’re jumping ahead to the Spider, here’s a quick re-cap.
Under the hood is a Ferrari/Maserati joint-venture 4.3-liter V8 engine that kicks out 483 horsepower. This engine is the start of a new era for Ferrari, as it’s the first engine that does not share the classic ‘Dino’ setup which began in the 1950s.
As the successor to the highly-successful ‘360’ line, the 430 had big shoes to fill in both design and performance.
To their credit, Ferrari didn’t stray far from the winning design of the 360, opting to smooth out some edges and add curves rather than build a new platform from the ground up for 430.
The two cars share door panels, roof and front windshield, as well as having the same aluminum chassis, which was originally designed for the 360. One small difference in the F430 chassis is the addition of some stiffening beams in the floor pan.
It also borrowed slightly from Ferrari’s beloved Enzo supercar, taking the tail lights and interior vents, makes reference to the Testarossa by carving its model name in the drivers’ side mirror as well as having large oval-shaped openings in its front bumpers, reminiscent of Ferrari’s Formula One racers of the 1960s.
Turning back to its Formula One roots, the F430 has a manettino – Italian for ‘little lever ‘- dial on its steering wheel which allows drivers to change settings for traction control, stability and performance.
One particular setting on the manettino, ‘RACE’, evokes strong caution from Ferrari in the car’s instruction manual, telling drivers to use this format only if they are on a race track.
‘RACE’ increases the engine’s damping level, limits any intervention from the engine management system and speeds up gear shifts to professional race levels.
Taking the F430 Spider for a spin in SHIFT when you purchase the downloadable Ferrari Pack is a sublime experience, take one out today.
