Today we are testing a car that is 24 years old; lacks air conditioning, a radio, carpets or even proper windows that open and close. The only creature comforts you will find here are whats left of road-kill under the tyres. Don’t go thinking 1987 was a period of time where we were still running around with spears catching dinner, oh no, all of the above could be found in many cars. So if this machine is so lacking why am I about to hail it as the greatest supercar ever created? Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Ferrari F40.
This machine is not merely a method of provoking an adrenaline rush, no, what the F40 represents is a life changing event on wheels. Built to celebrate Ferrari’s 40th anniversary the car was a beacon that set trends in the automotive world forever. It was the first completely carbon fibre car, it would do 201MPH and the engineering genius under the skin was direct from Ferrari’s illustrious racing history. Initially only 400 units were to be produced but demand for the car was so great that the Italian company ended up producing 1,315. The F40 is powered by a 3.0 litre twin-turbo V8 that can churn out an explosive 478BHP. That is a vast sum even by todays standards! But it isn’t the numbers or the reputation of this car that makes it so special…
You see I am a firm believer in performance cars being pure engineering that not only propels the driver to biblical speeds but also gets them involved in the process. These days, no matter the brand be it Ferrari, Lamborghini .etc, the performance is fantastic but in many cases you feel somewhat detached from the machine as its sequential gearbox clicks away and the ABS prevents any real danger. Even hitting the off button wont disengage all of the electronic systems as the manufacturer wants to protect your investment just as much as you do. Don’t get me wrong, they don’t kill the experience but in many cases it just makes it feel a bit artificial. Ferrari are a clear case and example as they are renowned for their ability to provoke an emotion from the driver, but today its more about the thrill and not hitting that tree. The F40 however was made in the days before health and safety so driver aids are completely absent. This is raw performance.
A Ferrari should scare you. There has to be that near indescribable twinge just before you turn the key and this being the last car Enzo Ferrari had a hand in building you had better believe that this sensation is there from start to finish. Bringing life to this beast will literally obliterate the eardrums of any living thing within a quarter of a mile. It does’t politely hum at idle like its modern day counterparts. It gargles, spits and booms making its presence very well known and likely causing some form of seismic activity beneath your feet. Not that you would notice an earthquake as you are now staring down the barrel of a bright red loaded gun.
This machine in motion is breathtaking as it dives into corners with no hesitation and upon exiting the apex the turbo’s hurtle the car far off into the distance. There is no hesitation, no understeer, it is precise, crisp, a precision tool of performance perfection. You are working just as hard as the car, feeling the involvement and connection to every gear change, every input to the wheel. It is nothing short of a masterpiece! You can tell that the foundations of the F40 were built on a road going racer and not a road car with racing adaptations. The power is relentless and your heart will pound every bit as quick as this cars eight pistons from start to finish.
Yes the cabin is cramped. Yes if you do have an accident you are very likely to die. And yes, upholstery is a mystery to this car. But do remember that it never set out to please people in those ways and clearly it makes no apologies for it. What it does do however is provide the world with a unique experience of what true honest to god engineering can do in the hands of the Italians. 24 years ago the F40 was at the top of its game, today it still defines the breed.
Reviewing any Ferrari is a special occasion; I mean a bright stereotypically red supercar with all the prestige of a prancing horse sure beast a Japanese city car. The innate sense of excitement that runs down your spine at the mere sight of a machine that is so capable, so revered that even when motionless it strikes several chords. However today I am not testing any Italian stallion, this is the fastest and most powerful car the company has ever produced… This is the Ferrari 599 GTO.
From a distance you could mistake this for the standard 599 GTB, but that would be quite the mistake on your part. Take a few steps closer and the distilled aggression of the car is revealed. The merciless nostrils that are cut into the bonnet proved a clear warning to anyone who even attempts to underestimate it. Bulging sills combined with other masculine groves almost give the impression that if this bestial machine was animated it would snarl at every passerby.
Ferrari doesn’t just dish out those last three letters to any model; in fact this is only the third time they have been put to use. The GTO badge is reserved for cars so special that they will stand out even within a history as illustrious as Ferrari’s. The 599 GTO on paper is an impressive conglomeration of numbers with a 0-62MPH of just 3.3 seconds, a top speed eclipsing 200MPH and its beautifully crafted V12 producing 661BHP. That remarkable engine has its origins with the standard 599 yet in the GTO claims a new exhaust system and intake not to mention 12% less friction within the engine resulting in a tower of power that sits so far back in the engine bay I was half surprised it wasn’t poking through the vents in the cockpit. You see though this car is still labelled a GT it is more akin to Ferrari’s race bred 599XX. It has double the down force of the GTB via a redesigned front splitter and rear diffuser. It is armed with 2nd generation carbon ceramic breaks that also have carbon fibre pads resulting in a stopping force that is more than capable of relocating your facial features. So according to the facts and figures Ferrari’s most impressive pure-bred lives up to the GTO reputation but what about on the road?
This cars stable mate, the 458 Italia, is an undoubtedly brilliant car and is destined to be a great seller for Ferrari. Yet my biggest criticism was that it was almost too good in that all the electronic jiggery-pokery that aid the car in handling so well also make you feel a bit of a stranger at the wheel. The car though brilliant feels as if it doesn’t require a driver, the computer is happy enough just to have you as a passenger. However in the 599 GTO that is a very different story, it is the type of car that I would describe as being much more analogue than digital.
Hitting the starter button and awaking all twelve cylinders brings forth a noise that can only be likened to an angry swarm of wasps… THAT ARE ON FIRE! The symphony of combustion from this car really is one of those all time great sounds that cause the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on end. Moving into high revs simply magnifies the sensation setting every nerve ending alight and overdosing the body with adrenalin as objects outside becomes a meaningless blur of colour. The cars gearbox may not be Ferrari’s latest 7 speed dual clutch affair but the old F1 transmission is more than enough to keep you on your toes. The cars wider front track minimises under steer for racing car agility through the bends and the new breaks in tandem with its biblical pace are ferociously effective! Why then did Ferrari brand this car a GT if it is really a track monster for the road? Well because once you have finished being an alchemist turning pure rubber into smoke you can settle down and gallop along with the same comfort as the 599 GTB. The interior may sport more carbon fibre and the race harnesses don’t exactly promote luxury but the carbon seats are plenty comfortable. Change a few settings and the rampant horse becomes a polite pony blending refinement with raw performance.
The Ferrari 599 GTO may cost near enough £300,000 but thinking about the cutting edge equipment fresh from the track that finds a home on this car, its value is self-explanatory. The combination of pure Italian styling, performance to humble almost anything on wheels and the ability to drive it home without it shattering your spine is an elixir that is most addictive.
Ferrari absolutely conquered the market with the F430 and its unrivalled capabilities. The car dominated around the track and offered the user a true Ferrari experience that we all know to be one bathed in heritage. However the car was criticized for being a bit too detached from the driver, more computer generated than driver driven. Don’t get me wrong it is still a colossal car in terms of figures and today, years later, it can still hold its own in the ever bloody arena of the supercar but competition has grown exponentially. The likes of Audi now hammering at the stable door, Porsche evolving the 911 faster than ever and of course lifelong rivals from Lamborghini aren’t making life easier for the Italian stallion. Today I am reviewing the F430’s successor and if Ferrari is to remain top of the pile this car has to impress, especially as I recently commented on the Audi R8 V10 as being “the most complete car I have ever had the pleasure of reviewing” and let’s not forget that the R8 is £70,000 cheaper than this new Ferrari. Can this so-called 458 Italia justify its cost?
It can be argued that for the past 10 years Ferrari has not made a car that could be described as gorgeous. I mean yes, the 599 is a good looking car but it certainly isn’t a contender for most beautiful car of the decade. Once upon a time Ferrari design was on par with the masters of sculpture and emotive styling that is Alfa Romeo. To be honest I have seen Renaults more exciting in the looks department this year than the F430. So it’s a dam good job that Ferrari has broken their bland spell with the 458.
This car in terms of aesthetics will go down as one of the most visually enticing Ferrari’s ever produced. I was absolutely fixated on the radiant red art form on wheels with its aggressively précises details that defined the front end, curvaceous rear hunches garnished with muscular lines, cockpit roof that slopes off into the overly seductive silhouette, not to mention the cluster of triple exhausts. The new design direction continues inside with all the drivers’ instrumentation, excluding the rev counter, being digital displays. That said rev counter is set directly in the centre of the drivers line of sight, clearly showing the cars intentions of unleashing its potential. The drivers’ area of the dashboard is all angled towards where the driver sits giving a rather intimated cockpit connection with the lucky soul who holds the keys. Another interesting feature of the interior is the placement of many key functions such as indicators in the form of buttons on the wheel. This is the same for widescreen wipers and other such peripherals you would find on stalks either side of the wheel. The overall effect is that the wheel of the 458 doesn’t look too dissimilar to that of a Ferrari F1 car.
But what about under body, what performance credentials does this triumph of design seclude? The 458 Italia is powered by a 4.5 litre, direct injection V8 that harnesses the power of 562 purebred stallions and produces 392lb ft of torque. Thanks to the cars new 7 speed DCG gearbox it can achieve 0-62MPH in 3.4 seconds, or in layman’s terms fast enough to set your eyeballs 2 inches deeper into you head. 202MPH is its terminal velocity and the 458 also uses the latest form of unpronounceable magnetic suspension. So the car seems perfect for anybody going in search of an adrenaline rush, but thanks to its fuel consumption of 17.1MPG it’s not so well suited to an eco-warriors needs.
There is nothing quite like the roar of a V8 but when you get the Italians to build one your ears are in for a real treat. A V8 block is a rather simple engine and can be found in many cars, but when Ferrari build one it is done with such care and precision the machine is in a class of its own. The symphony of the ever building surge of noise is one that can both deafen you and cause your mind to melt simultaneously thanks to a redline of 9,000RPM. Utter perfection! In motion this car is head, shoulders, knees and toes above its predecessor, high praise indeed considering the attributes of the F430. The 458’s deforming front wing gives it aerodynamic supremacy over its competition allowing the driver to push the car to its limits, something that is becoming rarer by the day in cars such as this. It is just so poised and well balanced in everything you ask it to do, even around sharp bends the chassis feels stiff and the whole car becomes a tool of motoring perfection. You feel involved in the drive; you feel that you were responsible for that perfect line and not the computer. The techno-wizardry is still there but much more subdued by the raw mechanical performance of the car. But one of the greatest assets to the 458 has to be its refinement. Once you have finish melting the polar ice cubes the car will settle down, hush up and become as refined as a GT car. Comfort in the cabin is more than enough to sustain you over a long period of time and the 458’s tranquillity at steady speed means that you can arrive without your ears bleeding.
The Ferrari 458 Italia is at the top of its game offering one of the best driving experiences available today. This car is everything a Ferrari should be as it carries its heritage with pride and uses technology developed in Formula One, but much more than all of this it is that it is THE BEST Ferrari I have ever reviewed.
Since the dawn of the motorcar there has always been an argument as to which platform makes the definitive car. Mid-mounted rear wheel drive offers balance and precision but can often be too twitchy, whilst a rear engine all-wheel-drive car offers security and good handling but does very little to set your soul on fire. Personally I have preference for the classic front mounted rear-wheel-drive car that provides those heart stopping moments when the tail kicks out a little. It may not be the fastest set-up science can offer but how fast it goes is dependent on what lump you place under the bonnet. I would always tick the box for a V12 and so according to my “perfect” set-up a car like the Ferrari 599 HGTE should be my cup of tea.
Back in 2006 Ferrari showed the world that it still produces the best V12 conceivable by man. The 599 was a masterpiece, the embodiment of both beauty and the beast. At this moment in time, in my eyes anyway, it is still the best Ferrari in the prestigious manufacturer’s line-up. But the one thing Ferrari does better than hitting the nail on the head the first time is perfecting an already razor sharp machine. This 599 HGTE is that enhancement that we have been expecting, so what have the Italians done to increase the childlike excitement that courses through my body when with the original?
Well on the surface the car appears to have changed very little. Ok, the new 5 spoke alloy wheels do hint at some form of change but other than that alterations to the bodywork are superficial, not that the original needed changing but when you’re paying £13,960 more you would expect something substantial. Once inside there is further metamorphosis but again only in the details. The dashboard has grown some rather tasteful carbon fibre faces and sills that give the cabin more of a track focused feel, but not to the point where it undermines the fact that the 599 HGTE is still a GT car. The only other addition I could find to this “supposedly” enhanced variant was the new seats. In fact they are rather good providing adequate support whilst offering a good level of comfort and those swollen bolsters with carbon backing really do look the part.
At this point I was thinking Ferrari are going to be hard pushed to find someone stupid enough to spend £207,194 on a car that is almost identical to the standard model, though our test car did look delectable in stealth black. Oh well, best get reviewing the car and hand the keys back with discontent, well that is what I thought until I found where all that money had been spent. The car may still have the same 620BHP and the same 205MPH top speed, but it’s the chassis that has been thoroughly modified not the engine. The original 599 always handled well but you did get moments where the nose pitched and dived when you played with it as if you were six, which you often do whilst in any Ferrari. In the HGTE all of the unwanted body movement was absent thanks to firmer front and rear springs as well as a stiffer rear anti-roll bar. But the area this car has really improved upon is the way it goes around corners!
This 599 HGTE takes bends with accuracy of a laser guided missile as it turns in with pinpoint accuracy. It’s as if the car and the road are two cogs within a tightly wound watch, they just mesh together seamlessly. The magnetorheological dampers (try saying that after a few pints) have been altered to respond even faster to further counter the body roll. Its rapid ability to change direction really puts the news seats to good use as they grip occupants firmly to prevent them from disappearing out of the window. And it turns out that all that carbon fibre in the interior as well as the new rims makes a difference to weight, in the world of supercars every gram counts. Tweaks to the tyre compound, making it softer, allows the HGTE to grip the road with a well-founded bite allowing for corners to be taken even faster. The final and most extensive change in this Italian stallion is the alterations to the gearbox. Changes are completed with more ferocity as you trigger the beginning of that magnificent V12 scream. The electronic conductor of Italy’s finest orchestra completes the change 15 milliseconds faster than its predecessor making each and every one seamless.
To the untrained eye the Ferrari 599 HGTE may appear an overpriced rendition of a car that was perfectly good when costing £13,960 less, but you mustn’t think of this creature as a new model more of a refinement. Yes the majority of the changes do seem inadequate to justify that extra cost when viewed in isolation, but as a complete package it is the best GT Ferrari have ever produced.
A lot of manufacturers are diversifying their product line. Dyson are making hand-dryers, Google are making phones and even Porsche are making four door super cars. So amidst the fog of creativity Ferrari were feeling a little left out. However making a new Ferrari just for the sake of it is a very dangerous thing to do. Make a car that goes beyond the DNA of the brand and it will be scrutinised for not being a proper Italian stallion, worse still if you make a poor car it could damage the entire brand image. To ensure they don’t stray from the paddock, Ferrari has revived one of its most illustrious nameplates… California. The original car became one of the most desired cars the world had ever seen, even Steve McQueen bought one! However a simple name doesn’t make a great car and so the only way to find out if Ferrari’s latest offering was up to standard was to get hold of one.
This car represents a lot of firsts for the iconic brand such as; Ferrari’s first front engine V8, Ferrari’s first seven speed DCG (dual clutch gearbox), and Ferrari’s first metal folding roof. The car we were presented with was in true Ferrari fashion, red with beige upholstery. I must say at this point that when I was shown pictures of this car I didn’t think it particularly striking, but in person it was extremely eye-catching with its aggressive bonnet scoop and sweeping rear curves. So, at least it looks as a Ferrari should.
The previously mentioned front mounted 4.3 litre V8 at the heart of this car produces 460BHP and will keep going to an epic 193MPH! 0-60MPH is done in less than four seconds making this one of the fastest metal retractable roofed cars in the world. The performance figures speak for themselves, this car is no push-over, and coupled with a fantastic DCG gearbox the car absolutely fly’s. For those of you who don’t know what a DCG gearbox is, it’s a gearbox with two clutches. Basically if you in 2nd gear the box will already have both 1st and 3rd selected, primed for an ultra-fast gear change. Also with it being a 7 speed, it enables the car to become an amazing GT. The long-legged gearbox is happy to potter around at 60 or go into warp at 160, either way it certainly has the speed of a Ferrari.
The roof is the party peace of the California, being able to retract its hard-top into the boot in less than 14 seconds for you to experience the best alfresco Ferrari has to offer. The F430 drop-top was a fantastic car, so don’t think for a second I’m about to say otherwise, but the fact it was a supercar meant that having the roof drown led to people gawping at whoever was inside. The California is by no means understated, but it’s much more discrete in darker shades of paint. The result of our red California was that it turned many heads, thought the orchestra playing under the bonnet may have had something to do with it. The California brings all the pros of a coupe without the cons of a rag top. The chassis is firm and the steering responsive; all that Ferrari know-how that has been perfected over 60 years has been personified in this car. Most importantly it goes like a Ferrari should.
This step into a new sector of the market was a brave move on Ferrari’s part, and I’m pleased to say it has certainly paid off. Despite all its differences in comparison with its sable mates, it manages to remain pure in Ferrari ethos. Ok, so the rear seats can fit little more than a pineapple in them but you must remember this is no BMW or Audi, the seats will never be used. This car is powerful, beautifully styled, comfortable and above all, a Ferrari.
The Ferrari F430 has just about the right blend of everything. It’s like a great big bowl of spaghetti Bolinas with the perfect red wine to complement it. The bodywork is as elegant as the planning of the robbery of Edvard Munch’s “The scream” and the upholstery has been crafted with the passion and care as if Enzo had done it himself. Of course this is what you would expect from a prancing horse, however this latest stallion appears to be not as rampant as the 360 that preceded it. This may not be a bad thing as you may remember the 360 was an untameable beast, great fun, but it loved to try and hug trees at 70MPH. So is the F430 a watered down version of its axe-murdering forefather? More refined, yes. Tame, NO!
This tranquil Creature will sit next to any other car and simply out shine it. Until you turn it on, where it will simple blow it away. At high revs the symphony of mumbling turns to what you would expect from Meat loaf after devouring a jet turbine. Its 4.3 litre V8 engine will jettison you from standing to 62 in 4 seconds flat! So already it eclipses the 360 in the numbers department, but it’s not these extreme performance figures that make your fingers tingle when you drive it. It’s the way it goes around corners. On the steering wheel you now get a dial with 5 options for the traction control; road, ice and snow, rain, race and ultimate fiery death! (Off.) Now in any normal Ferrari tuning off the traction control would mean just that. But this has so much grip, it is just effortless around corners. No traction, just control. This electronic super nanny isn’t harsh enough to send all the BHP to the naughty-step, but instead lets it have some fun before bed time.
This car really is at the top of its game and is a worthy owner of that Ferrari badge. I just get the feeling that what will let this car down are not the performance figures, but the people who drive it. Odds are that this car will sit at the back of a garage for 6 days of the week and only see the light of day for a 2 mile drive on Sunday. Now I’m sorry but it’s not only a huge waste of money buying one of these for this to occur but you are also neglecting your duties! Owning a car like this means you are doing a public service every time you take it to M&S, every time you collect you take-away. Because every time you do it makes people smile, and sometimes it may even inspire them to write an article about it…
Now we have been raving on about the 599 gtb for ages, and why not? It’s as quick as an Enzo and has all the key super car traits. This car could sell on beauty alone, and with its long legged V12 it’s not just the beauty it’s also the beast! The 599 is one of those cars you just know professional drivers love. Very precise in its performance but still keeps you on the edge when your driving. The precise chemistry is what keeps Ferrari so successful. This isn’t so much a car but as a life changing event on wheels! You have no need to question the performance of Ferraris, just look at the F1 and I guaranty in most cases at least two Ferraris will be in the top three. When you buy one of these you don’t just get a car, you get the history, the passion “to go a bit too fast” and the reputation. You will hear us journalists go on about how these sort of cars, particularly Italian ones, are smothered in a lustful helping of style and engineering. The 599 is no different!
The previously mentioned V12 rides up front, exactly where it should be, utilising the power of 611 Italian stallions to get the car to 60MPH in 3.7 seconds! This car is biblically fast and with the F1 sequential gear box you even get LED’s on the steering wheel to time that perfect shift. It has to be said that Ferrari are one of the world’s most delectable cars, and I think this one lives up the badge. It imports all the new technology that the manufacturer has employed in F1 to produce one of the best Ferrari’s to date…
How ever, being one of the best Ferrari’s to date very much depends upon your opinion. With all the electronic aids this 200MPH monster needs to keep you front planting it in a tree, it makes me feel a little detached. Maybe detached is the wrong word, but it certainly doesn’t make me feel like I did the work to kiss the apex of the corner. Just like a calculator is cheating when it comes to mental arithmetic, the 599 does the work and the fact that your at the wheel is irrelevant.
Don’t get me wrong, this still is a fantastic peace of machinery that will go on to win races. But it doesn’t win my heart.
Ferrari is renowned for the performance, heritage and passion of their cars and so when the bell toned for the F430, one of Ferrari’s most successful super cars, they weren’t going to let it just fade off into the distance. What they have done is presented one hell of a retirement party!
This is the Ferrari F430 Scudaria 16M and it’s the F430’s swan song for us all to remember it by. Essentiality this is a rag-top version of the hardened F430, simply named the Scudaria. But the 16M with the roof down changes the experience entirely. The V8 scream can now be heard directly from its source and whilst those 508 stallions are working hard, you can enjoy all the best bits of its hard-top brother with the added extra of being outside.
Not only does the 16M feel more involving as a result of having no roof, but it also reminds you of why this car is here in the first place. Open cockpit racing is where Ferrari’s are at home, deep within every road-cars DNA is the echoes of great racers that have preceded it. The 16M part of this illustrious cars name is to commemorate the 16 times Ferrari have won the constructors championship in Formula One. You often hear us going on about cars being purebred; well this is the embodiment of a historic bloodline.
Just like the standard F430 this car has pinpoint accuracy around the corners thanks to its electronic black magic. However it’s not techno-bofinary that that makes this car so addictive, it’s the very basic components that grab hold of your soul and force feeds it adrenaline. The engine that brings colossal acceleration that literally frightens you with its ferocity, and don’t think it has any mercy as it will do this all the way to its physical limit of 193MPH. The breaks are so immediate, that after you internal organs have been pinned to the back of the seat by the cars acceleration, they are capable of nailing them to the dashboard. Bring all these elements together and you have quite possibly the best Ferrari on sale today.
Only 499 of these 16M’s will be made, and with the announcement of Ferrari’s new 458, these will soon become a collector’s item. The F430 may be overshadowed by its replacement, but it’s going to have to be a super car of biblical proportions to do so.
