F430 Scuderia Unveiled

The F430 scuderia was unveiled to a private crowd in Maranello yesterday, the car has been developed with the help of Michael Schumacher.

It's of little surprise given the nature of the F430 Scuderia that there are a few more ponies in the paddock. Peak power from this quad-cam 4.3-liter V8 rises from 483 horsepower to 503 hp at 8,500 rpm, an increase that has much to do with a revised intake system made from carbon fiber, new pistons that deliver a taller compression ratio (11.75:1 instead of 11.3:1) and a lightweight, free-flowing exhaust system.

The V8's torque curve is also a beneficiary of these changes, and a quick peek at Corradi's internal Ferrari engineering document reveals that it is substantially fattened up between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm, then peaks slightly higher than the F430 at 347 pound-feet at 5,250 rpm and keeps its advantage all the way to the tachometer's 8,600-rpm redline.

Another important engine enhancement relates to the engine's electronics. An ion-sensing knock detection system that's integrated with the spark plug in every cylinder can track the early onset of detonation, so the engine can run with the maximum amount of ignition advance. As a result, the engine can take better advantage of its taller compression ratio for improved power output.

Already you can sense what a full-on project the Scuderia has been, but there's more. The F1's automated sequential manual transmission with its shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel has been upgraded. The time it takes to nip between ratios has been cut from 150 milliseconds to just 60 — providing you have at least 5,000 rpm on the tach and the throttle pressed more than halfway down (which, let's face it, will probably be most of the time). For comparison, the Enzo-evolution FXX bangs through its shifts in 80 milliseconds, while Ferrari's F1 cars have got it down to between 30 and 40 milliseconds.