SPY PICS: Lightweight F 430

Lower weight and more power will give Ferrari's F 430 Challenge Stradale the sort of performance to match Porsche's 911 GT3 RS model, according to reliable information from Carparazzi, spy photographers par excellence.

The car pictured here was snapped while being shown a bit of stick at the Nurburgring. Unlike the 360 Challenge Stradale, the F430 will be lighter without resorting to plastic side windows and will retain the standard car's five-bolt wheel pattern (rather than the knock-off hubs of the 360 CS).

Weight is expected to be about 100kg less than the standard car, but projected horsepower will be 520bhp.

The F 430 CS will be identifiable by a carbon-fibre grille at the rear and lighter sports wheels. Another weight-saving measure is the internal door construction in carbon-fibre.

To match the performance gains from the weight reduction and power increase, brakes appear to have been upgraded.

-- with Carparazzi