Schuey on hand for 430 Scuderia launch

Not many companies are privileged to be able to call on the services of a seven-time World Formula One champion. Ferrari is one of the 'not many'.

At the Frankfurt launch of Ferrari's 430 Scuderia (more here), the company had arranged with retired F1 pilot, Michael Schumacher, to present the new car to the assembled media.

Schumacher -- pictured here with Ferrari boss Luca di Montezomolo-- has maintained links with the company that provided him with the means to achieve his greatest successes. He's no longer to be found at racetracks around the world, but he has been involved with development of the 430 Scuderia all along.

Based on the F430, the 430 Scuderia, is a more focused car, imbued with F1 technology refined for the road car application.

Lightened to a tare mass of 1250kg and boasting an engine that will produce 470Nm of torque at 5250rpm and peak power measuring 510hp (375kW) at 8500rpm, the 430 Scuderia balances power against weight to the tune of 2.45 kg/hp and can reach 100km/h from a standing start in 3.6 seconds. Top speed, by Ferrari's estimate, is 320km/h.

To find the extra output, Ferrari engineers optimised induction and exhaust for better flow properties. In doing so, they also sought an improved engine note.

Using a new carbonfibre inlet manifold and carbonfibre air filter housing for reduced weight provided the engineers with the opportunity they needed to set up enhanced air-flow characteristics into the engine.

Some of that F1 technology mentioned earlier applies to the ignition coils and the engine management system's CPU, which are exclusive to the new car.

Compression has been raised to 11.88:1, a figure made possible through the adoption of a new design of piston.

The extra horses are channelled to the final drive by a modified version of Ferrari's F1 transmission. This revised transmission is marketed by Ferrari as the F1-Superfast2 transmission and has been specifically tweaked for the 430 Scuderia.

It reduces the gap in acceleration to 60ms, including the time for the engine management system to reduce torque and then spool up again on the other side of the gear change. Some stages of the gear-change process are conducted 'in parallel', saving time.

The final drive works through 'E-Diff2', an electronically controlled system that varies the torque to the two driveshafts by means of a hydraulic actuator, depending on circumstance. Traction is also regulated through the 'F1-Trac' system which is another legacy of Ferrari's Formula One expertise.

According to Ferrari, combining the E-Diff system and F1-Trac improves acceleration times exiting a corner by as much as 40 per cent.

All that performance must end eventually -- so the 430 Scuderia has been specified with carbon ceramic brake discs that are 18mm larger (measuring 398x36mm) at the front than the standard F430's. The non-metallic compound sheds heat faster and offers improved durability. These rotors and the six-piston calipers have been developed exclusively for the 430 Scuderia and grant the car the dynamic balance to excel during track days.

Aerodynamically, the 430 Scuderia records the same coefficient of drag as the standard F430, but stylists have succeeded in increasing downforce. This has been achieved by three different devices: a new style of diffuser at the rear, a re-profiled spoiler at the rear of the engine cover and large 'venturis' along the side of the car.

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