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 dunno - no cupholders. What do you do with your beer while you're racing?
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.
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!
Ettore, would be proud.
This is definitely NOT just a guy thing.
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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!
Zoom-zoom ping.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
Correction...there hasn't been a real Ferrari since the 365-GTB/4 Daytona.
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