Page 130 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

TOP: The F430 offers a stiffer chassis, a faster shifting F1 gearbox, increased downforce and bigger wheel and tire packages.
ABOVE: The manettino switch on the steering wheel allowed the driver to select various dynamic modes such as Wet, Sport and Race.
on road conditions. Optionally, buyers could also specify a new set of carbon fiber/silicon carbide ceramic brake rotors. Ferrari developed these brake materials for racing, and stated they would not fade even after hundreds of consecutive racing laps.
Shortly after the coupe’s release, Ferrari unveiled the F430 Spider in 2005. The Spider is slightly heavier than the coupe, and gives up three mph in top speed, but performance is otherwise identical. In 2007, Ferrari launched the F430 Scuderia, designed as a successor to the street/track 360 Challenge Stradale. The 430 Scud (as Ferrari enthusiasts often call it) weighed over 200 pounds less than the base 430 coupe and carried a 503 horsepower engine. Available only with the F1 transmission, the F430 Scuderia will hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. Finally, the F430 Scuderia Spider 16M was released in 2009. This was a limited edition convertible adaptation of the 430 Scuderia, with just 499 made and pre-sold on offer to important Ferrari customers.
The F430 was made for five model years between 2005 and 2009. Ferrari has not released official production totals, but it’s known that the company sold a total of about 14,000 coupes and spiders, plus about 2,000 F430 Scuderia dual-purpose street/track cars and the 499-unit limited edition Scuderia Spider 16M.
128Wayne CariniAffordable Classics
Like the preceding F360, the F430 continued Ferrari’s improvements in quality and reducing the ongoing cost of ownership. One example is that the F430 engine uses a timing chain rather than a toothed belt, thus eliminating expensive engine-out belt services. This is not to say that Ferrari ownership comes without repair bills, but the F430 is generally considered to be more robust than any that were built earlier. The F430 is a popular choice as a “first Ferrari” for this reason. Its performance is on par with any modern supercar, and it is relatively affordable among Ferrari options.
THE DRIVE
Both the F360 and F430 offer a fully modern exotic car driving experience. The six-speed manual transmissions are gated and crisp, while the F1 paddle-shifted automatic transmission had been refined enough to offer reliable performance.
The F360 controls for the F1 transmission included two buttons on the console to select neutral and forward, and a lever for reverse.
TOP: With legible instruments and excellent sightlines, the instrument binnacle is an ergonomic triumph.
ABOVE: The 4.3-liter engine produces 490 horsepower and 343 lb ft of torque, allowing the F430 to reach 60 mph from a stop in four seconds.