Initial impressions of the 430
Picked it up yesterday and drove it a few miles without an opportunity to real test it because of traffic. However here our some impressions.
1. Without a doubt, the car looks much better in person. It has a very aggressive posture with luscious lines accentuating the aerodynamic features. It sits lower than the 360 and on about the same plane as the Stradale. It turns a lot of heads and has considerable "WOW" factor appeal.
2. The build quality is excellent. I thought the 360 was well built but the 430 is even better. The interior is beautifully structured though not substantially different from the 360. The materials used are of very high quality and fitted perfectly.
3. Driving the car is a totally different experience than the 360. It is similar to the Stradale but yet more refined. It has more torque and in my view more planted because of the technological advances in the car. I sense the E-differential as I am pulling out of corners providing power to the wheels that need it while cornering. It has a go kart like quality feeling the torque and reaching higher speeds effortless.
4. The car has a bit of understeer but when you switch to sport then to race it disappears. I have not tried driving with the stability system turned off. The maninettino (?) is a terrific technological advancement for a high performance car. You really know your in the different settings by not only the feel of the car but the sensing the throttle and the change in shifting with the F1 tranny.
5. The F1 is definitely an improvement over the 360 version. Depending which mode your in it modulates the engine and shifting time. Once I was in race and as I was coming to a gradual stop the car began to chug and when I switch to the city driving position it smooothed out.
5. The exhaust is magnificent. It is better than Tubi, Stradale and Capristo. It has a perfect pitch and as you increase RPM's it begins to scream like a F1 car. The first time I was able to get to higher rpm's listening the the exhaust and feeling the pull of the car, I began to laugh hysterically. It was that overwhelming. The only car I have heard which beats this sound is the CGT.
6. The brakes(steel) are excellent but I thought the Stradale brakes somewhat better. However, I doubt the additional $15,000 for carbon are worth it.
Finally, most people who know Ferrari's have indicated that the Stradale is the best Ferrari ever built. After driving the Stradale a couple of times in a spirited fashion and at high speeds, I certainly agreed with that statement. However, the 430 is really a cut above the Stradale and is now the high water mark of what a high performance sport car should be. Of course, I am not comparing it to the Enzo or the CGT which are at a higher level.
Overall this car is a marvelous achievement blending racing technology and experience with unrivaled styling. Anyone getting one is indeed very fortunate.
I will post some pictures later. Also, Ben will be driving the car today and he will give you his unbiased impressions.
1. Without a doubt, the car looks much better in person. It has a very aggressive posture with luscious lines accentuating the aerodynamic features. It sits lower than the 360 and on about the same plane as the Stradale. It turns a lot of heads and has considerable "WOW" factor appeal.
2. The build quality is excellent. I thought the 360 was well built but the 430 is even better. The interior is beautifully structured though not substantially different from the 360. The materials used are of very high quality and fitted perfectly.
3. Driving the car is a totally different experience than the 360. It is similar to the Stradale but yet more refined. It has more torque and in my view more planted because of the technological advances in the car. I sense the E-differential as I am pulling out of corners providing power to the wheels that need it while cornering. It has a go kart like quality feeling the torque and reaching higher speeds effortless.
4. The car has a bit of understeer but when you switch to sport then to race it disappears. I have not tried driving with the stability system turned off. The maninettino (?) is a terrific technological advancement for a high performance car. You really know your in the different settings by not only the feel of the car but the sensing the throttle and the change in shifting with the F1 tranny.
5. The F1 is definitely an improvement over the 360 version. Depending which mode your in it modulates the engine and shifting time. Once I was in race and as I was coming to a gradual stop the car began to chug and when I switch to the city driving position it smooothed out.
5. The exhaust is magnificent. It is better than Tubi, Stradale and Capristo. It has a perfect pitch and as you increase RPM's it begins to scream like a F1 car. The first time I was able to get to higher rpm's listening the the exhaust and feeling the pull of the car, I began to laugh hysterically. It was that overwhelming. The only car I have heard which beats this sound is the CGT.
6. The brakes(steel) are excellent but I thought the Stradale brakes somewhat better. However, I doubt the additional $15,000 for carbon are worth it.
Finally, most people who know Ferrari's have indicated that the Stradale is the best Ferrari ever built. After driving the Stradale a couple of times in a spirited fashion and at high speeds, I certainly agreed with that statement. However, the 430 is really a cut above the Stradale and is now the high water mark of what a high performance sport car should be. Of course, I am not comparing it to the Enzo or the CGT which are at a higher level.
Overall this car is a marvelous achievement blending racing technology and experience with unrivaled styling. Anyone getting one is indeed very fortunate.
I will post some pictures later. Also, Ben will be driving the car today and he will give you his unbiased impressions.
, It's a blast, isn't it ... 
so I want to add to tghe congratulations, and I'm glad the car lived up to your expectations and then some! 
