430 Scuderia

Serving as the successor to the Challenge Stradale, the 430 Scuderia (scuderia meaning "stable of horses", but also used in the context of motor racing teams, including Ferrari's own) was unveiled by Michael Schumacher at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. Aimed to compete with cars like the Porsche RS-models and the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera (superleggera meaning super light weight), it is lighter (by 100 kg/220 lb) and more powerful (515 PS (379 kW; 508 hp) at 8500 rpm) than the standard F430. Increased power comes from a revised intake, exhaust, and an ion-sensing knock-detection system that allows for a higher compression ratio. Thus the weight-to-power ratio is reduced from 2.96 kg/hp to 2.5 kg/hp. In addition to the weight saving measures, the Scuderia semi-automatic transmission gains improved "Superfast", known as "Superfast2", software for faster 60 millisecond shift-times. A new traction control system combines the F1-Trac traction and stability control with the E-Diff electronic differential. The Ferrari 430 Scuderia does 0-100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 198 miles per hour (319 km/h). Ferrari claims that around their test track, Fiorano Circuit, it is faster than a Ferrari Enzo.

When tested on Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson said "It appears to have been welded together by apes", referring to the exposed metalwork. However, he also said that it was a knife-edge racer, which is how a Ferrari should be. He was deeply impressed with its performance, and said that it blew away any Lamborghini. When given to the Stig to take round the Top Gear Test Track, it completed the circuit in an impressive 1 minute 19.7 seconds - as fast as the Nissan GT-R, but faster than the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (1.20.9) and the Porsche Carrera GT (1.19.8).

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F430 GT3

Originally based on the F430 Challenge, the F430 GT3 is a specialized racing car designed for the FIA GT3 European Championship and is also used in other national GT championships such as British GT and FFSA GT. It is mechanically similar to the F430 Challenge, but has better developed aerodynamics and more power.

The car has a 4.3 L V8 engine which produces 550 hp (410 kW; 558 PS) making the GT3 more powerful than its GT2 counterpart. However due to the GT3 regulations stating that the car must have a power to weight ratio of around 2.6 kg/hp, the car weighs 1,219 kg (2,687 lb) in race trim (driver and fuel excluded)[11], which is roughly 119 kg (262 lb) more than the GT2 spec car . Despite the higher power and the car only weighing slightly more, it is significantly slower than the GT2 version; for example in the 2007 Spa 24 hours endurance race, in which both models were entered, the GT3 spec vehicles' best qualification time was around 8 seconds slower than that set by the GT2 spec vehicle.

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F430 GT2

Built to replace the 360 GTC in 2006, the GT2 is a racing car designed to compete in international GT2 class competition, such as in the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and FIA GT Championship. F430 GT2s also compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They are the fastest and most developed racing versions of the F430.

In FIA GT2 championship, in order to render the car performances more uniform, the cars are forced to run with a specific minimal weight and with an engine restrictor that depends on the engine displacement. Hence the 4.3 L V8 engine in GT2 races is destroked to 4.0 L in order to compete in the 3.8–4.0 L class, which is allowed to race with a minimum weight of 1,100 kg (2,425 lb). Using the 4.3 L engine, the minimum weight of the F430 would increase by 50 kg (110 lb). In this race configuration, the engine produces somewhat less power, but this is compensated by the lower car weight, which yields a better weight/power ratio.

The F430 GT2s won their class championships in the ALMS and FIA GT, as well as scoring a class win at the 2007 12 Hours of Sebring

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