By supercar standards the regular F430 is not, at 1450kg, a heavy car. Yet Ferrari has still managed to pinch nearly 50kg from its weight, paring the 430 Scuderia (they’ve even removed the ‘F’ to illustrate the point) back to 1405kg as tested.
Most of the interior trim has gone. The mostly aluminium body structure is unchanged but there are lighter materials for the bumpers, rear diffuser and door sill covers, and a Lexan rear window.
The suspension, meanwhile, is lighter through the adoption of hollow anti-roll bars and a lighter steering box and dampers. There are even titanium springs.
Inside, along with binning the sound deadening, Ferrari has fitted carbonfibre-backed seats, a carbonfibre central tunnel, door panels and rear bulkhead, and a lot of carbonfibre on and around the engine.
The internals of the 4.3-litre, 90-degree V8 are largely unchanged, save for new pistons that increase the compression ratio to 11.9:1. But there are also new coils and carbonfibre cam covers, while the pre-catalytic converter has been removed as part of a new, lightweight exhaust. The air inlet pipes are polished internally and there’s a carbonfibre airbox.
The upshot is a 20bhp increase in power, to 503bhp, and an increase in torque at low revs; 80 per cent of the 347lb ft is available from 3000rpm.
Power is transmitted through Ferrari’s paddle-shifted six-speed robotised manual gearbox (dubbed F1-Superfast2, see Under the Skin), to the rear wheels via an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. Its modes, plus those of the gearbox, traction and stability controls, can be adjusted by a five-stage manettino dial on the steering wheel.
Brakes are, as standard, carbon-ceramic discs.
