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Ferrari F430 Scuderia 2008 review.

The Ferrari F430 Scuderia, a lightweight version of the F430 coupe, goes on sale next spring.
The F430 Scuderia, which joins the F430 Coupe and Spyder already on the market, is powered by a 510-hp, 9000-rpm, 4.3-liter V8 engine that makes almost 30 horsepower more than the standard F430 engine. Ferrari says it can go from a dead stop to 62 mph in a mere 3.7 seconds.

The Ferrari F430 Scuderia, a lightweight version of the F430 coupe, goes on sale next spring.

The F430 Scuderia, which joins the F430 Coupe and Spyder already on the market, is powered by a 510-hp, 9000-rpm, 4.3-liter V8 engine that makes almost 30 horsepower more than the standard F430 engine. Ferrari says it can go from a dead stop to 62 mph in a mere 3.7 seconds. The engine uses a carbon-fiber intake manifold and a sophisticated spark plug ionization-monitoring ignition system. A paddle-shifted six-speed semiautomatic transmission is standard on the car.

The Scuderia model is a lightweight version of the existing F430 coupe, with a few extra grilles and vents on the body for cooling, and a pair of pointed stripes running over the body from nose to tail. Ferrari says it is completely street legal in the United States, but the car has only the bare minimum of creature comforts for the weekend racer who wants the fastest version available.

Some of the exotic extra-cost features on the Scuderia version include the latest version of the F1 Superfast2 software, which reduces gearshift time down to 60 milliseconds. A new traction control system incorporates F1-Trac traction and stability control with an E-Diff2 electronically controlled clutch-pack differential. Ferrari says the Scuderia version marks the first time all three systems have been combined in a single black box control system. Carbon ceramic brakes are standard equipment.

For the Scuderia interior, the seat shells are made of carbon fiber and come in different sizes to suit any driver. Optional carbon fiber parts for lighter weight on the body include the headlamp assembly, engine cover, front spoiler, side sill panels and the rear diffuser. Ferrari says it will offer buyers a color-matched carbon-fiber helmet to go with the car, among 18 other customization options.
Ferrari says the F430 Scuderia weighs 2775 pounds, a sizeable weight reduction of 220 pounds when compared to the regular F430 coupe. No U.S. pricing information was available at the time the car was unveiled, but it should be well above the $200,000 plateau when it arrives in the States.

Scuderia Ferrari was the original name of the company when it was strictly a racing team. The F430 Scuderia was introduced at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show by seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher, and Ferrari says Schumacher was instrumental in the development of the car.