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Motor Trend
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Blood Sports: 2005 Ford GT vs. 2005 Ferrari F430
[Editor's Note: This story first appeared in the June 2005 issue of MotorTrend] It's hard to imagine a Ferrari feeling its best in south Michigan--the endless straight roads, slapping concrete surfaces, and potholes the size of a Kenworth; the speed limits, the traffic, the stoplights. It's definitely not Ferrari country. That's why we've brought the Italian's Detroit rival, the Ford GT, to the heart of Ferrari territory, up in the mountain back roads above Maranello, the very twisting routes where Ferrari tests Ferraris. The 2005 Ford GT and the Ferrari F430 face off on Ferrari's home roads. The GT excels in comfort and straight-line speed, while the F430 shines in precision and handling. Both cars have unique strengths, with the Ferrari feeling more special but the Ford offering impressive power and comfort. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next And the Ford is loving it. It grabs these hillsides by the throat, dispensing its 550 horsepower onto the pavement with an urge that stuns. It rockets out of the hairpins, second gear throwing us back into the seat, widening our eyes. That one cog will blast to 90 mph when there's the chance, and when we reach the top of the hills it gets it, the bright red GT flashing along ridgetop roads like a low-flying jet. Today we're moving in formation. Shadowing the GT's every move is Ferrari's latest V-8 coupe, the F430. Two red flashes, vivid as slashes in your retina. The Ford impossibly low and wide, an organically primal shape, that flat rear deck offsetting the swollen rear fenders in a shape so hormonally suggestive it ought to be banned from daytime TV. How can any car make a Ferrari look so narrow, pinched, and tall? That's not to say there's no interest in the Ferrari shape: The way it handles air in/out ducting is beautifully worked, and the scarcity and narrowness of its cutlines make it seem a higher-quality piece than the Ford. Both use rear glass to make display cases for their engines. At 4.3 liters versus 5.4, the Ferrari is down on capacity on the GT and down by a supercharger, too. Crucially, the F430 is also down on weight. And, as we're finding through these enchantingly challenging roads, the local opens up a gap on the visitor. We swap between the cars, and the Ferrari pulls out in front, steadily making distance--at least until the road goes straight, when the Ford winches the Ferrari back in. This is a fascinating contest; a series of drives that will sear their way into our memories. So how does the Ferrari find this twisty-road speed? Not through extra grip, oddly. Broaching the limits in this car is not, to be honest, a job for the likes of me. What this car does brilliantly is signal the outer edge and hardwire itself into your nerve endings, bringing magic to the fingertips. The faster the corner, the more this intimacy comes into play. One secret, and its great advance over the 360 Modena, is the E-Diff, an electronically controlled variable-locking differential. As it locks, it inclines the car to go straight, increasing traction, understeer, and steering weight. It's mapped to open itself on corner entry then lock on exit, and the degree of its actions can be selected via the five-position rotary switch on the steering wheel. Step by step, this car can grow from a conservative machine, with understeer and eager ESP intervention, to an edgier dry-roads animal where the ESP threshold stays far, far out. The GT has colossal traction and requires a different driving style. Where the Ferrari dives flat and instant into a corner like a racer, the Ford's steering is nowhere near as eager, and there's a remote, viscous quality to the system that holds you at arm's length. This isn't an endearing quality in a supercar this fast. But once into the corner, squeeze on that mighty supercharged V-8 and feel the outer rear tire load up. Balance the load and listen to the car via its rear--whereas the Ferrari needs to be driven via its nose. Even without the full electronic safety net Ferrari provides, you and the GT are soon comfortable together, and, in short order, truly rocking. One real surprise, given that these are Ferrari's roads, is how at ease the Ford is over the bumps. The surfaces are buckled and corrugated. The Ferrari--even if you set its dampers soft by winding back the electronics--is always harsh and edgy in its ride. The Ford has excellent damping control, but manages to breathe much more deeply, moving fluently over the surface, avoiding getting knocked off course. And at all speeds, it's far more comfortable. On better highways, this manifests itself as a more relaxed gait that helps the GT change footwear from running spikes to seven-league boots. That complements the engine. Wafting in sixth, you can do fast autostrada speeds, while barely dipping your toe into the Ford V-8's deep waters. If their suspensions are merely dissimilar, their engines are poles apart. The Ford is massively torquey. It pulls just over 60 mph in first gear, more than 100 in third, with three still to go. In the Ferrari, one cog lower offers the same effect. The Ford V-8 is all-American in muscle and sound. There's a faint supercharger whine, but mostly the exhausts wrap you softly in V-8 woofle just as the engine kicks your butt clear to the horizon. I was long into driving it before needing the upper rev range--it'll turn to 6500, but there's so much force lower down that I never felt the need to go there. But, when I did, and passed 5500-ish for the first time, a whole new realm of intergalactic surge opened up. If the Ford has revs to spare, the Ferrari needs and craves them. It goes to 8500 and goes there often. Oh, it's perfectly tractable at low-to-mid rpm, and each micron of throttle movement gets a corresponding result--albeit, a relatively mild result. Once the feral howl from behind is signaling its optimum operating range, the Maranello V-8 is a scorching experience. The soundscape is less dramatic than the old 360's manic chorus of different voices, but deeper, more liveable, and more satisfying. Ford commissioned a new six-speed transaxle for the GT, and its manual shift is like a 911's, never failing to find its way home. Beside the long, slow, messy Viper and Corvette manuals, it's a revelation. The Ferrari's F1 automated sequential manual continues to improve, nearly always finding just the right throttle and clutch modulation for an upshift and blipping the downshifts seamlessly. On these twisting roads, the ability to downshift on a fingertip, while keeping both hands on the wheel, is a bonus. In the Ford, gear-changing might not be necessary, as second and third cover all hard-driving eventualities hereabouts. Ford has set the car to max out in sixth, so then the rest, from fifth to second, could've been shuffled upward in ratio, making the car even more accelerative and giving more chances to savor that high-rev muscle and the satisfaction of a cleanly made manual gear change. Both cars have brakes that'll punch you in the chest. On the road, the Ford's iron rotors match the Ferrari's five-figure carbon ones. Neither will fade nor run out of power, because hard road braking is a question of tire grip (itself determined by things like surface texture, damping, and unsprung weight), not ultimate brake power. That said, we preferred the Ferrari's pedal travel--as with the steering and throttle, the pedal is simply more precise, like a microtuned precision instrument, and you can back off the pressure by miniscule degrees just as you can add it. Plus, on smooth pavement, the power of the Ferrari's ultra-exotic system wins out. Rejoice in the Ford's crazy retro shape, but there are times it comes back to bite you. Vision is poor to the rear and nonexistent over the shoulders. The windshield pillars approach your eyes closely, blocking out a lot of the arc of a tight bend. In the Ferrari, you sit higher and have a better view to mount an attack on the roadway. Those cut-roof doors are sheer drama, one of the essential cues to making you feel all Le Mans. They just happen to make the GT completely inaccessible unless the door is wide open: If someone parks next to you while you're in a restaurant, you won't be going home. There's more impracticality in the Ford cabin: The Ferrari has a front trunk and space for a case behind each seat; the Ford has a smaller, autoclave-hot trunk by the radiators and supercharger-size subwoofer filling the space behind the seats. That bass bin is part of an optional stereo package: The CD-radio may be styled to look like a 1970s eight-track machine, but it's actually a $4000 McIntosh ear-melter. This retro theme runs through the Ford cabin: the layout of the dials (it takes a bit of acclimatization to look there for the speedo) and the shape of the switchgear below them, plus the HVAC dials under your elbow. But there are nasty mass-market stalks, and the leather is PVC-like. The Ferrari, too, echoes its exterior in the cabin. The face air vents aren't unlike the taillights, resembling eyes bulging out of the head of a straining athlete and the pouting lips of the passenger-side airbag cover mimic the car's rear face. The Ferrari uses more authentic materials in its cabin: real carbon fiber, solid aluminum, leather with the aroma and soft waxy touch of the genuine article. The original GT40 might have been built to beat Ferrari, but from the reborn GT's get-go, its engineers knew there was no point building a Ferrari facsimile. The GT had to go its own way. It does. Its immense torque and supple suspension make it a better companion on the way to your favorite secret route. And, when you get there, its straight-line performance and ultimate grip take no prisoners. But wait: The F430 isn't impossible on a daily roadway, and it wins on visibility and space. Sure, the ride is plain hard, but the engine is amazingly tractable for one so highly tuned, and the F1 transmission will slur unobtrusively in traffic. The Ferrari feels more special, like every single part of its mechanical organs is machined from a billet, with no tolerance or lash anywhere. It's a device of startlingly well-oiled precision, and you feel that whether you're wafting or racing. When you're at the racer's edge, that electrifying degree of connection is more than enough compensation for even the Ford's seismic power. The Ford returns to Michigan with its head held high--but without an overall victory. Airplanes vs. Video Games It's no coincidence we're at a regional airstrip for straight-line testing of these two cars--either one could take flight at the end of a quarter mile at speeds in excess of 120 mph. In the 360 Modena and all prior models with a Ferrari F1 manual transmission, launch strategy involved turning off the traction control, selecting first gear, taking both feet off the pedals, whacking the throttle, and waiting for the clutch to drop at some random rpm. From that point--until it was time to grab second gear--getting a good number was an exercise in pedaling the throttle to allow wheelspin, but not too much to achieve a 0-to-30-mph time below 2.0 seconds. With the introduction of a selectable-rpm launch control in the F430 F1, the result is greater predictability and repeatability. As before, the driver turns off CST traction control, but now selects launch control and keeps his left foot on the brake while raising the revs with his right foot. Releasing the brake rapidly engages the clutch and off you go. Because the airstrip was grippy on one end and slippery on the other, effective launch-rpm needed to vary from 3200 to 3600 rpm. As with previous Ferraris, chirping the rear tires without spinning excessively is the key to a good run. With the F430 set in this launch mode, 8500-rpm upshifts occur with a casual tap of the right paddle, but are well executed every time. Our Race Pak GPS data logger indicated textbook-perfect upshifts that don't allow the engine to overrev between gear changes--meaning, the car won't produce those black stripes when the clutch reengages after the next higher gear is selected. Ferrari's claim of 15-millisecond shifts is optimistic. Our best shifts ranged between 21 and 29 milliseconds and occurred at the following speeds: first to second at 47 mph; second to third at 72 mph; third to fourth at 96 mph; fourth to fifth at 122 mph; and sixth gear was never needed. The most noticeable difference between pulling the trigger on the new F430 and the 360 Modena or Challenge Stradale (besides 722cc greater displacement and 58 additional horsepower) is that the all-new flat-plane crank V-8 also features variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing. The new engine is more tractable and doesn't require big revs to make torque or power as it did before. A full 80 percent of the engine's torque is now available at 3500 rpm--right at the launch's sweet spot. The throttle's previous toggle-switch character has been replaced with a more variable and predictable pedal. If it sounds like there's a lot to think about while launching the Ferrari, running the supercharged Ford GT down the quarter mile is comparatively easy. With 12.4-inch-wide rear tires, the GT has so much available grip that a launch nearly the same as the Ferrari's 3500 rpm was needed. With first gear engaged and the clutch pedal on the floor, 3200 to 3500 rpm was all that was necessary to nail a 1.7-second 0-to-30-mph time--that's quick. It's all first gear from there until after 60 mph when the tach reaches its 6500-rpm redline. We were told that, if we snatched second gear at 62 mph and heard the supercharger belt chirp, we got the shift speed right. We heard that chirp (and left scratch marks) three times in the quarter mile with shift speed ranging from 16 to 29 milliseconds. The balance of the shifts occurred at the following speeds: second to third at 93 mph; third to fourth at 126 mph; and we never needed fifth. We've tested the GT twice before and, while this test yielded a slightly quicker 0-to-60-mph time of 3.6 seconds (previously 3.7), this car's quarter-mile time and, more telling, terminal speed were off. The previous best was recorded for our October 2004 "Top Speed" story at 11.2 seconds at 131.2 mph. This time out, our U.K.-based GT with over 12,000 journalist-miles on the clock clicked off consistent quarter-mile blasts of 11.7 seconds at 126.2 mph. But the story doesn't end there. After we shared our data with Ferrari and Ford personnel (who were largely pleased), the factory Ferrari driver hinted that his car might be able to "make a better result" with a little-known launch technique. Insisting that this technique is for qualified drivers (and they blessed me with that status) and is not publicized by Ferrari, il piloto showed me the "not-recommended" protocol. Just like getting the cheat code for a video game, it involves a series of button pushes and shift-paddle manipulations that wouldn't occur by accident in normal driving. When it's set up, the car is in first gear with the clutch engaged and spinning. Holding the car in place with the brakes, the driver shoots the revs up to 4000 rpm and releases the brake pedal. Rather than spinning the tires, the clutch spins down from 4000 rpm until it locks up at the top of first gear for a launch that'd be about as smooth and quick as those you see on a Formula 1 grid. At 1.3 seconds to 30 mph, the "secret" Ferrari chops two to three tenths from every measured speed and finishes the quarter mile only one tenth of a second and 3.4 mph behind the GT. In our spec chart, we ran the "normal" and "secret" launch acceleration numbers in parentheses. For shift speeds and relative acceleration rates, see the above graph for the best recorded runs of these two cars. -Chris Walton
Hamilton Spectator
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
To the young boy, there was no car like a Ferrari. It's the same now he's a man
It was love at first sight. He was transfixed by the brilliant red car on TV, blazing around the Formula One race track. To the young boy, there was no car like a Ferrari. It's the same today for Azeem Sheikh. Sheikh was born in Pakistan, grew up in the Netherlands and has lived in Mississauga since the age of 16. Why is he so passionate about Ferraris, especially his current one, a 2012 Italia 458 coupe with a 562 horsepower, 4.5-litre V8 engine? 'From the moment I could comprehend speed, sound, and soul, Ferrari had carved a space in my heart. The roar of the V10s, the ballet of pit stops, the prancing horse on the nose cone — it was more than racing; it was poetry in motion. I learned about the man behind Ferrari and how he built the brand over time. Ferrari has similar ideology as Rolex (the watchmaker) — build the best, make it limited, bring the demand up by reducing supply. It's one of most powerful brands in world. The name resonates. It wasn't so much about the car for me. It's a mindset. Ferrari has brand value, a reputation and a heritage. It's not so much about how cool the car looks. It's about driving a piece of history, touched with a bit of childhood nostalgia. Ferrari wasn't just a team; it was a symbol of passion, precision and relentless pursuit of excellence. It's one of the most powerful brands in the world. In 2006, my dad gave me a poster of the Ferrari F430 Spider. I still remember the moment — he handed it to me with a smile, not knowing he was giving me more than just a piece of paper. That poster became a promise. I pinned it above my bed, and every night I'd look at it and whisper to myself, 'one day.' That image of the F430, with its sculpted lines and raw presence, became my north star. It wasn't just about owning a car — it was about becoming the kind of person who could. Years later, I bought the F430 Spider. The first time I turned the key and heard that engine come alive, I felt something shift inside me. It wasn't just the sound — it was the culmination of years of dreaming, working and believing. That car wasn't a purchase; it was a milestone. Then came the 599 GTB, a grand tourer with the heart of a racer. It was elegant, powerful and unapologetically Ferrari. Driving a machine with decades of racing pedigree felt like I was holding history in my hands. Now, I drive the 458 Italia. I just got it. It's the third Ferrari I've owned in six years. It's the one I've always wanted. It's peak Ferrari in the iconic red colour, with a naturally aspirated F1 engine. It's one of best rated Ferraris in history in its driving dynamics. It's a masterpiece. Every curve, every note from the engine, every flick of the paddle shifter — it's an emotional experience. It's not just about speed. It's about connection. When I drive a Ferrari, I feel like I'm part of something bigger: a legacy of champions, engineers, dreamers. I've owned 48 different cars over the years. Some of the most exciting ones include the Porsche 911, Mercedes SL, Jaguar F-Type, Aston Martin DB9 and the breathtaking Aston Martin DBS. I graduated from Mercedes to Porsches to Ferraris. I kept going up the ladder in the car world. Each one brought its own flavour of thrill. But nothing makes me feel more alive behind the wheel than a Ferrari. I've always had four or five cars at a time, and I'll get bored and switch them, but the one brand that's been consistent is this one. A Ferrari, to me, is not a material object; it helps keep me motivated in my career. It pushes me to do more, so I can continue to surround myself with the things that inspire me. Every one I've owned is a chapter in my story, and I'm not done writing (it). I work in tech sales as an account executive. It's a fast-paced, ever-evolving world, and my passion for cars, especially Ferraris, keeps me driven. The discipline, innovation and performance the brand represents mirrors the mindset I bring to my career every day. Beyond the cars, I've found purpose in the community. I proudly serve as the charity events chair for the Ferrari Club of America — Canada East Region, where we use our passion for cars to make a difference. I also run a private car club called Lacorsa Rally, a gathering of people who share a love for sports cars and exotics of all makes. Together, we participate in meaningful community events, bringing joy to special needs children at Holland Bloorview Hospital, supporting Melanoma Skin Cancer initiatives through the Yorkville Exotic Car Show and so on. My favourite driving event was our Lacorsa Rally to Omni Bedford resort in Pennsylvania. It was scenic, twisty roads and the amazing company of friends. Ferrari isn't just a car for me. It's a feeling. A fire. A lifelong love affair. Through it, I've found joy and motivation, and a way to give back. NOTE: You can see Sheikh's 458 Italia Ferrari, along with many other exotic, classic and supercars at the Yorkville Exotic Show , Sun., June 15 from noon to 5 p.m. on Bloor St from Avenue Road to Yonge St.
Toronto Star
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Toronto Star
To the young boy, there was no car like a Ferrari. It's the same now he's a man
It was love at first sight. He was transfixed by the brilliant red car on TV, blazing around the Formula One race track. To the young boy, there was no car like a Ferrari. It's the same today for Azeem Sheikh. Sheikh was born in Pakistan, grew up in the Netherlands and has lived in Mississauga since the age of 16. Why is he so passionate about Ferraris, especially his current one, a 2012 Italia 458 coupe with a 562 horsepower, 4.5-litre V8 engine? ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'From the moment I could comprehend speed, sound, and soul, Ferrari had carved a space in my heart. The roar of the V10s, the ballet of pit stops, the prancing horse on the nose cone — it was more than racing; it was poetry in motion. I learned about the man behind Ferrari and how he built the brand over time. Ferrari has similar ideology as Rolex (the watchmaker) — build the best, make it limited, bring the demand up by reducing supply. It's one of most powerful brands in world. The name resonates. It wasn't so much about the car for me. It's a mindset. Ferrari has brand value, a reputation and a heritage. It's not so much about how cool the car looks. It's about driving a piece of history, touched with a bit of childhood nostalgia. Ferrari wasn't just a team; it was a symbol of passion, precision and relentless pursuit of excellence. It's one of the most powerful brands in the world. In 2006, my dad gave me a poster of the Ferrari F430 Spider. I still remember the moment — he handed it to me with a smile, not knowing he was giving me more than just a piece of paper. That poster became a promise. I pinned it above my bed, and every night I'd look at it and whisper to myself, 'one day.' That image of the F430, with its sculpted lines and raw presence, became my north star. It wasn't just about owning a car — it was about becoming the kind of person who could. Years later, I bought the F430 Spider. The first time I turned the key and heard that engine come alive, I felt something shift inside me. It wasn't just the sound — it was the culmination of years of dreaming, working and believing. That car wasn't a purchase; it was a milestone. Then came the 599 GTB, a grand tourer with the heart of a racer. It was elegant, powerful and unapologetically Ferrari. Driving a machine with decades of racing pedigree felt like I was holding history in my hands. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Now, I drive the 458 Italia. I just got it. It's the third Ferrari I've owned in six years. It's the one I've always wanted. It's peak Ferrari in the iconic red colour, with a naturally aspirated F1 engine. It's one of best rated Ferraris in history in its driving dynamics. It's a masterpiece. Every curve, every note from the engine, every flick of the paddle shifter — it's an emotional experience. It's not just about speed. It's about connection. When I drive a Ferrari, I feel like I'm part of something bigger: a legacy of champions, engineers, dreamers. I've owned 48 different cars over the years. Some of the most exciting ones include the Porsche 911, Mercedes SL, Jaguar F-Type, Aston Martin DB9 and the breathtaking Aston Martin DBS. I graduated from Mercedes to Porsches to Ferraris. I kept going up the ladder in the car world. Each one brought its own flavour of thrill. But nothing makes me feel more alive behind the wheel than a Ferrari. I've always had four or five cars at a time, and I'll get bored and switch them, but the one brand that's been consistent is this one. A Ferrari, to me, is not a material object; it helps keep me motivated in my career. It pushes me to do more, so I can continue to surround myself with the things that inspire me. Every one I've owned is a chapter in my story, and I'm not done writing (it). I work in tech sales as an account executive. It's a fast-paced, ever-evolving world, and my passion for cars, especially Ferraris, keeps me driven. The discipline, innovation and performance the brand represents mirrors the mindset I bring to my career every day. Beyond the cars, I've found purpose in the community. I proudly serve as the charity events chair for the Ferrari Club of America — Canada East Region, where we use our passion for cars to make a difference. I also run a private car club called Lacorsa Rally, a gathering of people who share a love for sports cars and exotics of all makes. Together, we participate in meaningful community events, bringing joy to special needs children at Holland Bloorview Hospital, supporting Melanoma Skin Cancer initiatives through the Yorkville Exotic Car Show and so on. My favourite driving event was our Lacorsa Rally to Omni Bedford resort in Pennsylvania. It was scenic, twisty roads and the amazing company of friends. Ferrari isn't just a car for me. It's a feeling. A fire. A lifelong love affair. Through it, I've found joy and motivation, and a way to give back. NOTE: You can see Sheikh's 458 Italia Ferrari, along with many other exotic, classic and supercars at the Yorkville Exotic Show, Sun., June 15 from noon to 5 p.m. on Bloor St from Avenue Road to Yonge St.
Motor Trend
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
La Passione and the Lambo: Ferrari F430 vs. Lamborghini Gallardo
[Editor's Note: This article first appeared in the January 2005 issue of MotorTrend] This is about lust. Enzo Ferrari and Ferruccio Lamborghini understood lust—automotive and, allegedly, otherwise. They couldn't have cared less about cupholders, EPA ratings, DVD players, recyclability percentages, or customer clinic results. They just built the cars they wanted to build, cars full of passion and power and seduction. Today, the companies they founded are multimillion-dollar businesses with beancounters, HR departments, and marketing mavens. They're still trading in lust. But is it the real thing, or some cleverly synthesized substitute? Although Ferrari and Lamborghini have both come to define the Italian supercar, they haven't always met head-on in the marketplace: Not since the Jalpa of the 1980s has Sant'Agata had a car to compete with Maranello's entry-level model. That all changed when Lamborghini launched the Gallardo last year. With its fresh and edgy look, all-wheel drive, and V-10 engine with a 100-plus-horsepower advantage, the Gallardo was aimed squarely at Ferrari's curvaceous and successful 360 Modena. Ferrari's new F430 should in no way be viewed as a response to the Gallardo; in fact, its specs and design were frozen well prior to the Lambo's appearance in the marketplace. Its basic architecture and central greenhouse are recognizable as those of the 360 Modena. Otherwise, it's a new machine, incorporating five years' worth of customer feedback, technological advances, and design evolution. The engine is an all-new, 4.3-liter, 90-degree V-8 that eschews the Modena's five-valve DOHC layout for more conventional four-valves- (say quattrovalvole) per-cylinder heads and wails out 23 percent more horsepower and 24 percent more torque. Ferrari would like to have you believe its success in Formula 1 is what drives the F430's makeup, and that's not all bunk. The F1 paddle-shifter transmission is an obvious cue. The F430's optional composite brake rotors (as fitted to our tester), innovative E-Diff electrohydraulically managed rear differential, and steering-wheel-mounted one-touch vehicle setup controller—called the manettino by Ferrari's F1 pilots—are examples of legitimate ideological technology transfer from racetrack to street. Revised over- and underbody aerodynamics result in higher downforce, lower drag, and reduced wind noise. New 19-inch wheels are standard, as are glinting Bi-Xenon headlights and a host of detail upgrades. The Gallardo was born of a clean sheet of paper and a blank computer screen. In brief, it's the most well-mannered and highest-quality Lamborghini to date. It's found a willing, check-writing audience in our marketplace and carries over into its third year essentially unchanged. Lamborghini offers a conventional six-speed manual transmission on the Gallardo, and Ferrari will, in the near future, do the same for the F430. The pair we brought to the Paso Raticosa, deep in the heart of Mille Miglia territory, were equipped with paddle-shifted auto-clutch manuals. The F430's larger-displacement V-8 is heard even before its increased power and torque are felt. Thumb the red starter button on the left side of the steering-wheel boss, and the F Quattro Trenta gurgles alive with a deeper, richer bark than that of the outgoing Modena. There's much less mechanical noise from the engine's reciprocating bits, and a bassy howl has replaced the 360's higher-pitched blare; we liked the old noise, but love the new one. Buzz through the gears one time, and you'll see how much bigger and wider the torque curve is. There's just more of it everywhere, although the top end remains as bright as ever, still revving to 8500 rpm. Such is the magic of variable valve timing for the intake and exhaust tracts, plus a variable-length intake plenum. There's no reason to doubt the company's 3.9-second-to-60 claim. It's taken a while, and several generations of work, to get the F1 gearbox to behave as well as the rest of the car, but Ferrari has finally done it with this iteration. Cruise gently, and it practically melts from gear to gear. Trigger the right-side paddle at 8000 rpm, and the upshifts are riflebolt solid; downshifts have always been good, and they remain so. This is also the quickest-shifting F1 box to date, and most of the previous clicking and clacking from the robotic shift mechanism has been quelled, too. The Gallardo's powerplant is one of the sweetest V-10s extant. It starts with a turbinelike whir, sounds like nothing else, revs well for its size and configuration, and as you'd expect, serves up ample horsepower and torque. It trumpets its presence in a way that's different, but no less intoxicating, than the Ferrari's. The Lambo's eGear auto-clutch manual is also well mannered and quick to react; its main foible is that, like the Ferrari, it occasionally can be caught in the wrong gear while in automatic mode or fooled into a jerky shift by awkward throttle movement. Cutting and thrusting through the undulating Tuscan passes, the real difference between these two becomes clear. Both are superlative handlers, but the Ferrari feels about 1,000 pounds lighter. It's the sports car of the pair, while the Lamborghini is, dare we say it, more GT-like. The F430 reacts quicker to steering commands, with a light yet direct connection to the front wheels. The new car handles more neutrally than the Modena did, at least up to the limits, where mild understeer checks in. Even with the manettino in the midlevel Sport mode, the robo-diff and traction control allow a smile-provoking dose of oversteer before they reel things in. Switch to Race mode, and you get another helping, along with more aggressive damping. Select to CST Off, and lurid slides and smoking tires are as close as your right foot. The engine's beefier torque curve helps, too. Body roll? Forget it. Dive or squat? None of that, either. Many previous Lambos have been unpredictable, even devious handlers, but the Gallardo is Miss Manners by comparison. This thing is so pinned down, you almost wish it would show more cleavage. It, too, corners neutrally—thanks to its competent suspension tuning and full-time all-wheel drive—but you have to punish it beyond reason to provoke any oversteer. The steering also is communicative, but heavier than the Ferrari's. The chassis is predictable, but doesn't react as quickly as the F430's and feels like it rolls and squats more. As befitting its GT demeanor, the Lamborghini was quieter and rode better than the Modena. But that deficiency has been eliminated by the F430, which feels more tightly screwed together than its predecessor, yet is somehow more supple, in spite of the move to 19-inch rolling stock. The F430 doesn't turn in as sharply or as quickly as the race-face 360 Challenge Stradale, but the steering response and feel have been improved over the standard Modena's. They might crack 190 mph, but the Ferrari and the Lambo would serve well as everyday transport, if you could stand the stresses of rush hour, snowstorms, or tossing the keys to a drooling valet. Braking tests will have to wait until we get this pair back on home turf, but on the road both are strong, sure, and fade-free stoppers, with the F430 earning a slight advantage in modulation response. Conventional discs are standard on each car, with Ferrari offering composite/ceramic brake rotors as a near-$15,000 (yeow) option. The view from the cockpit offers some insight to the Ferrari's more immediate feel. Its front glass sweeps widely around the driver and gives a big view, like that from a fighter jet. The Lamborghini's steeply raked windshield is farther away, and the A-pillars are more intrusive. Otherwise, both interiors are highly detailed and well finished. The Gallardo's ultramodern take on rocker switches is cool, and the leather/Alcantara/aluminum trim on this tester lent a designer air. You'll recognize the Lambo's Audi-sourced audio and HVAC controls. Imagine that: dual-zone A/C in an exotic car—that actually works. Ferrari gives you a choice of a red or yellow background for the oversized tach, and you can select carbon-fiber or aluminum trim for the rest of the cabin. The carbon-fiber-shelled sport seats in our tester were comfortable and held us firmly in place. Only the oversized F430 badge atop the center stack spoils the look. The same can be said of the Ferrari's functional but clunky looking rear undertray. While it does a lot for the F430's aero, it could've been more neatly integrated. These are both damned desirable cars, no question. But their personas are different. The Lamborghini looks scintillatingly exotic: fresh, angular, edgy. Only the lack of scissor-type doors keeps it from resembling a modern, 7/8ths-scale Countach. The Gallardo also demonstrates that Lamborghini no longer has to apologize for build quality that wouldn't have passed muster in a 1960s dune buggy. Yet the Gallardo's character reflects a more conservative tack: as noted above, more high-speed grand tourer than hard-edged sports car. It goes, stops, and turns and makes the driver feel secure in doing so. But it feels heavier, less athletic, and ultimately lacks the Ferrari's radiance and eagerness to run. The F430 takes the goodness that was the Modena and builds on it. It's faster and handles better, yet offers a more polished ride and quieter interior than the car it replaces. And yet, if you want to play Schumacher, the manettino lets you indulge the ultimate driver's fantasy, allowing one-touch, dial-'n'-play programming of the car's high-tech engine, transmission, and chassis management systems. You can feel the deep, visceral connection to the screaming red Grand Prix cars that now dominate Formula 1, to the passion for racing and winning that still drives Ferrari today. Lust without passion is cold and calculating. In the Ferrari F430 it burns like a fever. A Word with Jean Todt - Managing Director, Ferrari Jean Todt has become an ever-busier man. The former WRC co-driver joined Ferrari a decade ago to sort out its ailing F1 team. Six consecutive Formula 1 Manufacturer's titles later, he found himself in charge of Ferrari's production-car efforts when president Luca di Montezemolo assumed the chairmanship of Fiat earlier this year. Here's what's on his mind as he assumes this expanded role: North America remains the number-one market for Ferrari. We sell more than 1,400 Ferraris a year here, a bit less than one third of our total worldwide production. We wish the dollar were stronger against the Euro, which doesn't make our life easy. Still, this remains our most important marketplace. The main aspect of my job is building teams. The situation with the Formula 1 team isn't completely different from what I've experienced with the production cars so far. We have a very good group of people. Coming in with new eyes allows me to see things some of my colleagues might not see. Then we try to improve every day. We're working hard to continue the transfer of technology from racing to road cars. I try to push things a little because, even though I feel we make the best GT cars in the world, we have to have higher ambitions and try to do even better." Ferrari = F1 [As a team entrant] Ferrari will remain focused only and exclusively on F1. On the customer side, we're selling the 575/GTC and the 360/GTC, which have been very successful. Next year, we'll develop evolutions of these cars to meet upcoming rules changes. We'll have the same kind of approach with the F430 and the next Ferrari Challenge series. Concerning official participation in racing like Le Mans, we'll leave that to Maserati with the MC12, which has already won its first race in only its second outing this year. We used to have the biggest budget in F1. Not any more. Ferrari competes with much larger companies: BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Renault. We can't do it alone. About 80 percent of the funding comes from our business and technology partners, plus income from F1's TV rights, [the latter of] which are not as good as they used to be. The other 20 percent comes from sales of road cars. It's better to have good people rather than unlimited budget. Cars like the Enzo are important for Ferrari ... But they're even more important for our customers. It's amazing to see there's marketplace speculation on this car. Supercars are a tradition for us now; there was the 288 GTO, then the F40 and F50 before the Enzo. We definitely intend to move forward with this limited-edition kind of car. It's also a good exercise for our engineers, as it allows them to make strong engineering developments, and we get advantages from those specifications, which then [make their way] to other production models. Michael Schumacher won't retire any time soon. He's under contract to Ferrari until the end of 2006. Michael loves racing. His family and his team are his life. He's focused and still very motivated. I don't know when he'll retire, because he doesn't yet know. Think of It As Your Schumacher Switch Ferrari's innovative manettino integrates and allows driver control of several key functions, including stability- and traction-control systems, damping, E-Diff operation, and gear-change speed on F1-equipped F430s. Using a variety of inputs (from steering angle and throttle position to feedback from accelerometers), these various systems are tied together via five different modes. Race: Recommended for aggressive street or track use; most aggressive F1 shift mode and damping; traction and stability controls dialed back Sport: All-around performance driving; medium damper, F1 shift, traction, and stability- control settings, still allowing modest oversteer. Low Grip: For wet or low-grip situations; F1 paddles still active, maximum stability and traction control. CST Off: Stability and traction controls are deactivated. Special E-Diff setting. F1 shift and damping settings same as Race.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Offending Ford and Ferrari Fans Simultaneously: Corruptt Mustang
Read the full story on Backfire News At the SEMA Show in Las Vegas back in 2018, a build was able to simultaneously offend both Ford and Ferrari fans. Called Corruptt Mustang, it took a 1968 Mustang and put under the hood a 4.3-liter V8 from a Ferrari and Nelson Racing twin turbos. Considering the bad blood between the two brands, not to mention their fans' well-known thirst for pure builds, the car caused quite the by Tony Arme of American Legends, this little pony really gets people talking, or makes them super disgusted. When we saw this build in person, we saw both reactions in real time and it was really something. Don't worry, the engine wasn't mercilessly yanked from a functional Ferrari. The donor F430 had been in a bad wreck, leaving significant front end and roof damage, but the powertrain was untouched. That means the 4.3-liter 90-degree V8 needed to be rescued anyway. Most would think to drop it into another Ferrari, but Arme decided to go for something unusual and controversial instead. We think he nailed it. While the engine is the centerpiece of this build, once you get over that initial shock you'll notice the body and interior are far from stock. The roof has been chopped about 2.5 inches, the windshield is laid back, all the glass is flush, the bespoke acrylic bumpers are molded in, and the side exhaust is completely custom. There's also a RideTech air ride suspension to adjust the ride height. The car rolls on Avant Garde F461 wheels with Toyo tires, helping to ensure optimal handling. In addition, the floor pans are made of carbon fiber, while the majority of the interior was donated by a Lamborghini. With the twin-turbo setup, this build is pushing somewhere around 700-horsepower, plenty to get the pony dashing in a hurry. The Tremec T56 six-speed with a manual shifter adds to the fun While an LS swap into a Mustang is enough to rankle the Blue Oval crowd, the Corruptt Mustang really irks both Ford and Ferrari fans in a way nothing else will. Images via Backfire News
