wheel32
12-31-2007, 06:35 AM
FERRARI'S MID-ENGINED V8 COUPE HAS SHED 100KG Žseven percent of its weight - with a new low-calorie diet. If I pulled off the same trick, I'd weigh in at I2okg. Still almost double that of Marc Gene, the 6Skg Spanish Fr test driver who talked me through the Scuderia.
If you ever needed arithmetic proof of the debilitating effect of weight on a car's performance, this is a vivid illustration. At the Scuderi a's whee\, Gene can lap Ferrari's 2976m long Fiorano circuit in rmin 2ssec. Swap Gene's mass for mine - a 64kg penalty - and the telemetry boys calculate the Scuderi a would be 0.8sec slower per Fiorano lap, assuming identical driving talent.
And this lighter, more powerful F 430 is so capable, it makes you feel as talented as an Fr driver. Scuderi a is the name of Ferrari's Fr team, but this supercar could just as appropriately be called Ja macchina sportiva ultima. It's that good, that exciting, that rewarding, that desirable. Marry rich, divorce cheap, or sell your soul to the devil: do whatever you can to join a waiting list that already stretches into 2009. After 60 minutes on the Fiorano track and six memorable hours on the twisting passes of the Abruzzese mountains, my memories glowed as rosily as the Rosso Corsa test car I'd just returned. And my ecstasy wasn't linked solely to velocity - this Ferrari has much deeper talents.
25
Like the Enzo and an off-the-peg F 430, the Scuderi a is unexpectedly user-friendly. A certain Michael Schumacher, who did a fair bit of the development and testing work on the NUrburgring Nordschleife, deserves some of the credit. The former Fr champion encouraged the engineers to separate damper control from the dynamic vehicle control electronics, a move that turned out to be crucial for the Scuderia's impeccable handling balance.
Schumi also suggested a recalibration of the manettino Ferrari's steering wheel-mounted thumb control switch, which alters the car's set-up and determines the degree of dynamic freedom available to the driver. As a result, a new setting marked CT OFF was introduced. It deactivates traction control to permit as much wheelspin as you feel comfortable with, but keeps stability control alert to apply the brakes or the throttle in an emergency. CT OFF won't prevent a 36o-degree spin if you overcook it, but it does leave a broad safety net in place - which the CST OFF setting withdraws completely.
This tunability applies to the suspension, too. The Scuderia's forebear, the Challenge Stradale version of the 360, had a ride as unsettling as an earthquake. The Scuderi a, in contrast, fluidly negotiates the kind of broken tarmac you'd encounter after an earthquake. Simply dial in 'soft' by pushing the damper button in the centre console, and experience a level of compliance unheard of in a supercar. It's so superior to the harder-and-lower philosophy typically applied to extreme sports cars because compliance equals control - and control equals confidence. As a result, you can do things with this Ferrari only superhumans would attempt with rival cars.
Schumacher was asked to optimise compliance, to mini mise front-end pitch, yaw and body roll. And, to prevent high-speed instability, the Scuderia was subjected to Ferrari's wind tunnel to boost downforce. At 302km/h, the Scuderia's fixed spoiler generates 300kg of negative lift. Air flows equally over and under the car and, while you don't feel the benefit below 20rkm/h, it's impossible not be impressed by the Scuderi a's calmness as it approaches its limits. Instead of fighting the road, the car seems to pre-scan the surface to provide the ideal response, magically minimising body movements. You'll be wildly excited, but this Ferrari isn't completely untamed.
The results are stunning. With the manettino switched to 'race', E-Diff and Fr-Trac together increase the exit speed out of a given corner by up to 40 percent, Ferrari claims. It makes driving the Scuderia so easy: floor the throttle past the apex and the electro-mechanics do the rest. Again the telemetry proves its effectiveness: in 'race' mode (with ESP), Gene's Fiorano lap time is only I.S seconds slower than in a Scuderia with CST OFF. Ferrari has judged this active safety device's level of intervention impeccably.
Impressively, the Scuderi a's Imin zssec Fiorano lap time equals the Vlz-engined Enzo's. That said, the F430 is only two seconds behind. The Scuderia saves precious milliseconds with its new, six-speed FI transmission, which can change gear almost twice as fast as Ferrari's current flagship, the S99 grand tourer. Above 3000rpm and with the accelerator more than 40 percent depressed, the cogs automatically switch to superfast mode. It's not only with the gearchange that the Scuderia bests the F 430; its soundtrack is even more epic, and stops traffic faster than the Carabinieri's wailing siren. As the V8 approaches its 8640rpm limit, the thunderous noise is almost obscene - and surely in contravention of EC type approval.
Behind the cockpit lurks the 4.3-litre V8. Lamborghini upped the Gallardo's VIO by lOPS for the Superleggera, so Ferrari has trumped it with an increase of zo horses, taking peak power to SlOPS. Maximum torque inches up from 4SS to 470Nm. Although these gains are modest, more power and less weight cut the F430'S 0-6zmph acceleration time from 4.0 to 3.6sec. That's one-tenth of a second quicker than Porsche's GTz, which is lumbered with an ice age gearbox, compared with Ferrari's space age one.
27
The Porsche's greater power (S30PS) claws it a 0Asec advantage by zOIkm/h, which the Scuderia despatches in 1I.6sec. But while the ultimate Ferrari and most extreme 911 are closely matched against the clock, they have wildly different temperaments - as you'll discover from our GTz drive on page S8. Upgraded carbon ceramic brakes also mark out the toughest street-legal Ferrari. The new front rotors take up 18mm more space
than the F 430'S, inside those beautiful 19-inch ten-spoke titanium wheels. The beefed up six-piston calipers, remixed Pirellis and the reduced weight slice a few metres from the stopping distance. And, even after an absolute punishing, brake pedal travel and the pressure required are hugely consistent. This is important in a faster version of an already potent car, and crucial when you're reaching the end of Fiorano's longest straight all too rapidly.
At a glance, the Scuderi a looks like a F 430 whose nose has strayed under a line-painting lorry, and whose rear has suffered the go-faster treatment. But the alterations go much deeper than mere cosmetics. The nosecone is brand new, featuring bigger air intakes and a small nasal air dam. The lateral breathing ducts have also gone up in size, and the air that feeds them is captured by wider sills. The body sits Ismm lower, the carbonfibre mirrors reduce drag and the rear lip sports a much steeper departure angle. While the finned diffusor enhances high-speed stability, the so-called base bleed effect adopted from the FXX track racer converts the dynamic pressure inside the rear wheel arches into added downforce. While the car's belly is completely flat for minimum turbulence, the efficient throughflow management that serves the radiators and the brakes, together with the fine-tuned basic shape, results in a quantifiably superior aerodynamic performance.
26
If there ever was such a thing as the best of both worlds, this is it: scalpel-sharp and velvet gloved. No area is wanting, but the steering could be singled out as its greatest triumph. The rack is so tactile and intuitive, it feels as if your hands are caressing the road. On a routine straight at moderate speed, there's a perfectly judged level of communication. Wind on lock in a corner, and there's zero kickback, 100 percent feedback. The Scuderi a's steering has a feelgood factor few other supercars can match. Some ingrates might wish for less engine noise and for less extrovert visuals, but dynamically this Ferrari is spot-on. It's on a par with the legendary Enzo, but for a fifth of the price and its availability won't be limited to a few hundred units.
Unlike the FXX, the hardcore version of the Enzo confined to the track, the Scuderi a can shine just as vividly on public roads. The hinterland of Bologna is a vast second- and third-gear playground, where traffic is light and the cops are more likely to give you the thumbs-up than write a ticket. Set the manettino to CT OFF, put the brain into concentration mode, and enjoy. Almost instantly, the technique becomes second nature, and the sense of satisfaction and enjoyment is magnified with every weight transfer, every slide, every turn.
The Scuderi a' s talents are naturally less accessible on the busy autostrada, where you'll have to touch almost twice the legal limit to express the Ferrari's superiority over other cars. That's why we soon head back to Fiorano to queue for another track session, which simply doesn't last long enough. And for lunch, in a tiny village up in the hills, it's fruit followed by coffee, instead of the usual pasta and tiramisu. Not to start saving a few coins towards a Scuderia but to improve that critical powerŽto-weight ratio. After all, a fast car deserves a fit driver. That's the kind of commitment this undeniably special Ferrari deserves.
If you ever needed arithmetic proof of the debilitating effect of weight on a car's performance, this is a vivid illustration. At the Scuderi a's whee\, Gene can lap Ferrari's 2976m long Fiorano circuit in rmin 2ssec. Swap Gene's mass for mine - a 64kg penalty - and the telemetry boys calculate the Scuderi a would be 0.8sec slower per Fiorano lap, assuming identical driving talent.
And this lighter, more powerful F 430 is so capable, it makes you feel as talented as an Fr driver. Scuderi a is the name of Ferrari's Fr team, but this supercar could just as appropriately be called Ja macchina sportiva ultima. It's that good, that exciting, that rewarding, that desirable. Marry rich, divorce cheap, or sell your soul to the devil: do whatever you can to join a waiting list that already stretches into 2009. After 60 minutes on the Fiorano track and six memorable hours on the twisting passes of the Abruzzese mountains, my memories glowed as rosily as the Rosso Corsa test car I'd just returned. And my ecstasy wasn't linked solely to velocity - this Ferrari has much deeper talents.
25
Like the Enzo and an off-the-peg F 430, the Scuderi a is unexpectedly user-friendly. A certain Michael Schumacher, who did a fair bit of the development and testing work on the NUrburgring Nordschleife, deserves some of the credit. The former Fr champion encouraged the engineers to separate damper control from the dynamic vehicle control electronics, a move that turned out to be crucial for the Scuderia's impeccable handling balance.
Schumi also suggested a recalibration of the manettino Ferrari's steering wheel-mounted thumb control switch, which alters the car's set-up and determines the degree of dynamic freedom available to the driver. As a result, a new setting marked CT OFF was introduced. It deactivates traction control to permit as much wheelspin as you feel comfortable with, but keeps stability control alert to apply the brakes or the throttle in an emergency. CT OFF won't prevent a 36o-degree spin if you overcook it, but it does leave a broad safety net in place - which the CST OFF setting withdraws completely.
This tunability applies to the suspension, too. The Scuderia's forebear, the Challenge Stradale version of the 360, had a ride as unsettling as an earthquake. The Scuderi a, in contrast, fluidly negotiates the kind of broken tarmac you'd encounter after an earthquake. Simply dial in 'soft' by pushing the damper button in the centre console, and experience a level of compliance unheard of in a supercar. It's so superior to the harder-and-lower philosophy typically applied to extreme sports cars because compliance equals control - and control equals confidence. As a result, you can do things with this Ferrari only superhumans would attempt with rival cars.
Schumacher was asked to optimise compliance, to mini mise front-end pitch, yaw and body roll. And, to prevent high-speed instability, the Scuderia was subjected to Ferrari's wind tunnel to boost downforce. At 302km/h, the Scuderia's fixed spoiler generates 300kg of negative lift. Air flows equally over and under the car and, while you don't feel the benefit below 20rkm/h, it's impossible not be impressed by the Scuderi a's calmness as it approaches its limits. Instead of fighting the road, the car seems to pre-scan the surface to provide the ideal response, magically minimising body movements. You'll be wildly excited, but this Ferrari isn't completely untamed.
The results are stunning. With the manettino switched to 'race', E-Diff and Fr-Trac together increase the exit speed out of a given corner by up to 40 percent, Ferrari claims. It makes driving the Scuderia so easy: floor the throttle past the apex and the electro-mechanics do the rest. Again the telemetry proves its effectiveness: in 'race' mode (with ESP), Gene's Fiorano lap time is only I.S seconds slower than in a Scuderia with CST OFF. Ferrari has judged this active safety device's level of intervention impeccably.
Impressively, the Scuderi a's Imin zssec Fiorano lap time equals the Vlz-engined Enzo's. That said, the F430 is only two seconds behind. The Scuderia saves precious milliseconds with its new, six-speed FI transmission, which can change gear almost twice as fast as Ferrari's current flagship, the S99 grand tourer. Above 3000rpm and with the accelerator more than 40 percent depressed, the cogs automatically switch to superfast mode. It's not only with the gearchange that the Scuderia bests the F 430; its soundtrack is even more epic, and stops traffic faster than the Carabinieri's wailing siren. As the V8 approaches its 8640rpm limit, the thunderous noise is almost obscene - and surely in contravention of EC type approval.
Behind the cockpit lurks the 4.3-litre V8. Lamborghini upped the Gallardo's VIO by lOPS for the Superleggera, so Ferrari has trumped it with an increase of zo horses, taking peak power to SlOPS. Maximum torque inches up from 4SS to 470Nm. Although these gains are modest, more power and less weight cut the F430'S 0-6zmph acceleration time from 4.0 to 3.6sec. That's one-tenth of a second quicker than Porsche's GTz, which is lumbered with an ice age gearbox, compared with Ferrari's space age one.
27
The Porsche's greater power (S30PS) claws it a 0Asec advantage by zOIkm/h, which the Scuderia despatches in 1I.6sec. But while the ultimate Ferrari and most extreme 911 are closely matched against the clock, they have wildly different temperaments - as you'll discover from our GTz drive on page S8. Upgraded carbon ceramic brakes also mark out the toughest street-legal Ferrari. The new front rotors take up 18mm more space
than the F 430'S, inside those beautiful 19-inch ten-spoke titanium wheels. The beefed up six-piston calipers, remixed Pirellis and the reduced weight slice a few metres from the stopping distance. And, even after an absolute punishing, brake pedal travel and the pressure required are hugely consistent. This is important in a faster version of an already potent car, and crucial when you're reaching the end of Fiorano's longest straight all too rapidly.
At a glance, the Scuderi a looks like a F 430 whose nose has strayed under a line-painting lorry, and whose rear has suffered the go-faster treatment. But the alterations go much deeper than mere cosmetics. The nosecone is brand new, featuring bigger air intakes and a small nasal air dam. The lateral breathing ducts have also gone up in size, and the air that feeds them is captured by wider sills. The body sits Ismm lower, the carbonfibre mirrors reduce drag and the rear lip sports a much steeper departure angle. While the finned diffusor enhances high-speed stability, the so-called base bleed effect adopted from the FXX track racer converts the dynamic pressure inside the rear wheel arches into added downforce. While the car's belly is completely flat for minimum turbulence, the efficient throughflow management that serves the radiators and the brakes, together with the fine-tuned basic shape, results in a quantifiably superior aerodynamic performance.
26
If there ever was such a thing as the best of both worlds, this is it: scalpel-sharp and velvet gloved. No area is wanting, but the steering could be singled out as its greatest triumph. The rack is so tactile and intuitive, it feels as if your hands are caressing the road. On a routine straight at moderate speed, there's a perfectly judged level of communication. Wind on lock in a corner, and there's zero kickback, 100 percent feedback. The Scuderi a's steering has a feelgood factor few other supercars can match. Some ingrates might wish for less engine noise and for less extrovert visuals, but dynamically this Ferrari is spot-on. It's on a par with the legendary Enzo, but for a fifth of the price and its availability won't be limited to a few hundred units.
Unlike the FXX, the hardcore version of the Enzo confined to the track, the Scuderi a can shine just as vividly on public roads. The hinterland of Bologna is a vast second- and third-gear playground, where traffic is light and the cops are more likely to give you the thumbs-up than write a ticket. Set the manettino to CT OFF, put the brain into concentration mode, and enjoy. Almost instantly, the technique becomes second nature, and the sense of satisfaction and enjoyment is magnified with every weight transfer, every slide, every turn.
The Scuderi a' s talents are naturally less accessible on the busy autostrada, where you'll have to touch almost twice the legal limit to express the Ferrari's superiority over other cars. That's why we soon head back to Fiorano to queue for another track session, which simply doesn't last long enough. And for lunch, in a tiny village up in the hills, it's fruit followed by coffee, instead of the usual pasta and tiramisu. Not to start saving a few coins towards a Scuderia but to improve that critical powerŽto-weight ratio. After all, a fast car deserves a fit driver. That's the kind of commitment this undeniably special Ferrari deserves.