A new generation of Ferrari eight-cylinders is on its way, with the first example housed in the all-new 2005 Ferrari F430. The new F430 engine is a light, compact 4300cc 90 V8, producing 490 bhp (at 8500 rpm) and 343 lb-ft of torque (at 5250 rpm). Top speed is just under 200 mph at 196, and 0 to 62 is reached in a blistering 4.0 sec.
The aluminum-bodied new model also offers a series of innovations derived from Ferrari's F1 single-seaters. Two of these innovations are world firsts for production cars: the electronic differential (E-Diff) and the steering wheel-mounted commutator switch (better known to the Scuderia drivers as the "manettino"), which manages the integrated systems governing vehicle dynamics.
Carbon-ceramic discs for the F430's braking system are an offered option, as is the aforementioned F1-derived gearbox that cuts gear shifting times to 150 thousandths/second. The F430's aerodynamic design adopts the most recent competition developments, specifically the flat underbody and big rear diffuser to increase downforce, allowing the 3,197-lb supercar to move through the atmosphere as though wind-resistance didn't exist.
The Ferrari F430 made its debut at the Paris Motor show this past September.