Showing posts with label f430. Show all posts
Showing posts with label f430. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Forza 4 Head to Head: Your one-way ticket to Maranello

If I'm remember correctly that in a social game that is Car Town, you need a Ferrari F355 Berlinetta, 360 Modena, and the F430 in order to gain access to the Ferrari headquarters. I know, we're talking of a different game, but I'm using this as a basis to talk about those mid-engined V8 Ferrari that adorned through the decades. Sure, the Ferrari 458 was one of the best mid-engined V8 Ferrari but what about the predecessors? Ones that we adorned from the past and we took a liking on those fundamentals?

Maranello's finest

What I have here are the predecessors of the 458 but they're just more than that. They're just the first steps to become a fan of the Prancing Horse, something to respect Enzo for. First up is the F355 Berlinetta...

F355 Berlinetta

Launched in 1994, the Ferrari 355 was the successor of the 438, continuing the evolution of mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8 Ferraris. Unlike the 348 it replaces, the F355 has its engine capacity increased from 3.4 to 3.5L, generating 380PS of power while mated in either a 6-speed manual or the Formula One style paddle gear shift electrohydraulic manual transmission (in 1997).

The Ferrari F355 has a steel monocoque frame with tubular steel rear sub-frame ith front and rear suspensions using independent, unequal-length wishbones, coil springs over gas-filled telescopic shock absorbers with electronic control servos and anti-roll bars. Most F355 models, from the Berlinetta, GTS targa top, and the Spider (in 1995) are armed with Pirelli tires, size 225/40ZR 18 in front and 265/40 ZR 18 in the rear.

VERDICT: You don't need to go back in the 1990's to try out the F355 because of its unique characteristics. This Ferrari is all about style and finesse in every corner and in my point of view, driving the F355 feels like playing a classic video game and you wanna know what? It's called Ridge Racer. This guy really looked like the Ridge Racer car and might be best to listen to the Ridge Racer theme song while driving this.




The F355 Berlinetta I've just bought did it in 1:26.001

360 Modena


Launched in 1999 and produced up until 2005, the 360 Modena continues the mid-engined V8 Ferrari evolution and it served as the successor of the F355.

To create the 360's all aluminum space-frame, Ferrari collaborated with Alcoa and as a result, it is 40% stiffer than the 355 and it's 28% lighter despite a 10% increase in overall dimensions.  In terms of body design, Pininfarina did the rest of it to make the 360 more attractive and more aerodynamic.

Powering the 360 was its 3.6L V8 engine that generates about 400 bhp (300 kW) of power, does 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds, and top speed of 189 mph (304 km/h).

This model is available as a two-door coupe called the Modena, a convertible model called the 360 Spider, and a high-performance version called the Challenge Stradale. Little known fact that Ferrari made a one-off 360 Barchetta as a wedding present to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.

In classic Top Gear, Tiff Needell visited Maranello to review the 360 Modena.

In the Supercar World Cup episode of Top Gear Season 2, the Ferrari 360 Modena was one of the competitors as well as the Porsche 996 Turbo, Honda NSX, Chevrolet Corvette C5, Venturi, and a nitrous-powered, stripped-out Jaguar.

VERDICT: As a kid, I admired the 360 Modena's cleverness and finesse and when I tried this one in a video game I remember (think of NFS Hot Pursuit II since 2002), this one's an animal. I just love this kind of Ferrari. I like it more than the F355 or even the 458. Sure, the 458 may be quick but for those who love the blast to the past might consider the 360 as a preferability even by today's standards.



That's a 1:24.337 for the 360 Modena

F430


Following the evolution of Ferrari's mid-engined V8 sportscar since the F355 and the 360, the F430 was launched at the 2004 Paris Motor Show and it was made to be one of the sportiest V8 Ferraris ever made. Prices start at around $186,925 to $217,310 in the United States, £118,500 in the United Kingdom, €175,000 in the European Union and $379,000 for the base model to $450,000 for the Spider F1 in Australia.

Thanks to Frank Stephenson at Pininfarina, the F430's design provides enhanced aerodynamic efficiency while retaining the same drag coefficient of the 360 Modena it replaced.

Powering the F430 was its 4.3L V8 engine derived from the shared Ferrari and Maserati design, generating 490PS of power and 465Nm of torque. This can go 0-100kph in 4 seconds and achieve a top speed of 196 mph (315 km/h).

It is available in coupe, spider, hardcore Scuderia, and the Scuderia Spider 16M.

Jeremy Clarkson reviewed this on Top Gear in coupe and spider variants and when handed to The Stig, it set a lap time of 1:22.9, faster than the Lamborghini Murcielago and the Pagani Zonda.

James May drove a 430 Spider at the Supercars do France episode of Top Gear while Jeremy Clarkson's in the Ford GT and Richard Hammond's in the Pagani Zonda.

It is believed that James May owns a F430 and Jeremy Clarkson borrowed May's F430 for a drag race against its successor, the 458 Italia, after messing it up with some Doritos and some chocolate bars Jeremy ate. With the Stig in the F430, Jeremy and the 458 defeated its predecessor on a quarter mile drag race at the Top Gear Track.

VERDICT: What I like about the F430 was its performance thanks to its 4.3L V8 engine and its aerodynamics because of its Pininfarina credentials. Sadly though, I don't like this car because...well, as Jeremy just said, James May has one...the idiot...Sorry...But still, the F430 is definitely one of the best looking V8 Ferraris ever and that magnificent noise really made no excuses here. Compare the 4.3L V8-powered Ferrari F430 to the 5.0L V10-powered Lamborghini Gallardo and this really is a no holds barred fight. You'll never know which one really cut the mustard but hey, the war between the raging bulls and the prancing horses is still Italy's big topic for the car enthusiasts...



The F430 done it in 1:20.685.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Welcome Back: 2008 Ferrari 430 Scuderia

Scud Rocking good times...


This is Ferrari's answer to the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. It's called the Ferrari 430 Scuderia.

Ferrari's 430 Scuderia is a hardcore lightweight version of the Ferrari F430. It was revealed by Michael Schumacher at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show and it was made to compete against lightweight versions such, even the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. It lost 100kg of weight and the V8 engine now produces 515PS of power. The Scuderia comes with a semi-automatic transmission called Superfast2 that has faster shift time of 60 milliseconds. 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds and it has a top speed of 198mph.

Jeremy Clarkson reviewed this in one episode of Top Gear and thanks to The Stig, the Scuderia set a lap time of 1:19.7, faster than the SLR McLaren.

In Clarkson's DVD, Thriller, the Scuderia is faster than the Gallardo Superleggera round the Snetterton Track courtesy of The Stig, who was very angry when Jeremy Clarkson blew him up in a dynamite powered Mercedes.

This car is listed as a unicorn car. How do you get it? I'm afraid you have to find out to yourself....

Saturday, March 26, 2011

OVERKILL! Ferrari LMP Motorsport Ika-Musume F430!

Ferrari LMP Motorsport Ika-musume F430 '11


Oh my gosh! Another itasha racecar coming at the Super GT! This time, a GT300 class Ferrari F430 for the Super GT sports an itasha courtesy of Ika-Musume! Geso!!!!

What an overkill to see another itasha car coming since the Hatsune Miku BMW Z4, Good Smile Racing Porsche, and the Evangelion Racing Team Corolla Axio!

What do you guys think? Geso-worthy?

It's too eccentric for an Italian racer sporting some Ika-musume decal but because of that, most of them will call it "Ika-sha" because of the Ika-musume itasha!


Hey, looks like someone who's playing Forza 3 may try to recreate this kind of itasha straight to their race-spec F430!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

SP1 - A very special Ferrari we wish to have

Ferrari SP1 meets Tsukuba


The special prancing horse gallops through Tokyo

Some Ferrari fans don't know what is the Ferrari SP1, but for those who didn't know how this car exists, the Ferrari SP1 is a special Ferrari F430 designed for the number one Ferrari enthusiast in Japan and also the chairman of some Ferrari Club in Japan, Mr. Junichiro Hiramatsu. Designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, former Pininfarina chief stylist, this one-off special has some of the characteristics a common Ferrari don't have according to Hiramatsu-san. Only one car exists and it belongs to Junichiro Hiramatsu himself because this is a tailor-made special F430 model that revives the tradition of creating special Ferrari cars for very special clients since 1958, and this special Ferrari was created in 2008.

Striking elegance of the SP1

Beauty in the beast

We, die-hard Ferrari fans, can't get our own SP1 in real-life (because this is the "only" Ferrari exists and it belongs to a Japanese client), but in Gran Turismo 5, we can sample the first Ferrari from the Special Projects programme, created to meet the demands of very special clients, mostly Ferrari collectors, to create one-of-a-kind Ferrari cars for them. The Ferrari SP1 is listed as a Premium Tier car and it costs 1,500,000 Credits.

Blitzing through Fuji Speedway

Upon getting behind the wheel of Junichiro Hiramatsu's special Ferrari, it felt like this is more like the 430 Scuderia I drove on this game. Upon tuning Mr. Hiramatsu's SP1, it reaches 630HP, weighs 1208kg, and its Performance Points is 589. I'm pretty sure its up to you to decide how to tune your own SP1 in GT5, from the LSD, Suspension, and Brakes. It pays to discover the SP1's true potential on your own perception and your own ideas.

Racing through the corners of Suzuka Circuit

The Ferrari SP1 may be a one-off special, but it's still a Ferrari included in the game. We can't have our own in real life but in GT5, we can. Since this is a Premium Tier car, you can swap its rims and colors and do a Photo Travel with this car. The reason why I pictured this car in Japanese locations such as Suzuka, Fuji Speedway, Tsukuba, Tokyo, and Kyoto, is because to show how Japanese is this Italian one-off special. A fitting take for Mr. Junichiro Hiramatsu's special Ferrari made me jealous to have one of these...