But before I post them, it has to be clear that I like the F430 and I think it is a great car. Just want to "repay" Nick for his brainless gossip talk.
And now the FACTS:
The new Ferrari F430 has around 70% new parts compared to the F360 Modena.
Comparison: the new Porsche 997 Carrera S has more than 80% new parts compared to the 996 Carrera 2.
The F430 shares the doors, the front hood and the roof with the F360.
The 997 Carrera S has not one single body part in common with the 996, not even the roof as some people mentioned.
I also talked to somebody who had recently the chance to actually drive the F430 F1. He was very fascinated by the F430 and he says that this car is "lightyears" ahead from the F360. But it also feels less "connected" to the street, the F360 had more "purity" in it. This guy compared the new F430 to the same change as the 996 Turbo compared to the 993 Turbo. He claims that the F430 is very easy to drive fast but this also makes it a little bit less challenging and cuts off a little bit of the fun. It seems that the new electronic traction control system has to do with that new feeling but turning it off requires a very very good driver.
He also mentioned that after his F430 testdrive, he heard some rumours about the upcoming F430 Challenge Stradale. Power around 525 HP, no electronic traction system, no electronic suspension system and the ceramic compound brake as a standard option. Price tag beyond good and evil of course.
Another interesting fact: Ferrari plans to produce and sell more than 2000(!) F430 in the first year of production.
Exclusive car?
Another fact: the engine of the F430 is produced on the same production line where the Maserati engines are produced.
I have more but I have to keep a few things for myself to be able to argue with you.
Good night, Nick.
BTW: Ferrari has a special F1 engineering unit but the engineers who work for "normal" production are also involved in F1 development sometimes. So if you're "impressed" that F1 engineers were directly involved in F430 development...
Note: I'm not trying to bash the F430 as I mentioned before, I just want to take off Nick's pink (not red!) Ferrari eye glasses by using arguments instead of pure bashing gossip as he likes to use when bashin Porsches on the Porsche forums.
