Michael Schumacher spent a lot of time testing the 430 Scuderia when it was being developed, carefully applying the method that made him unique on the racetrack for many years. All the ingredients were there: a light and powerful car, comfortable and ergonomic, with an incredible weight/power ratio; ground-effect aerodynamics, which makes the car more effective, at higher speeds; powerful quick-response braking guaranteed by callipers and carbo-ceramic discs, and in particular the manettino mounted on the steering wheel that allows the driver to adjust the car set-up according to the driver’s requirements. During his racing career, the seventimes World Champion’s work on the manettino and steering wheel-mounted controls, in close association with the engineers and electricians, was one of the reasons for his extraordinary success on the racing track. 

This is why, when you saw him at the wheel of the 430 Scuderia on the old Nürburgring, you instantly knew what he was looking for in his continuous, methodical adjustments of the controls that coordinate gear change timing, traction, suspension compliance and stability. This model has therefore profited from the incomparable sensitivity of this driver throughout its development. And now this experience is available for everyone. Schumacher’s suggestions have also had a profound influence in the development of Ferrari Formula 1 steering wheels in recent years. 

The concept of the 430 Scuderia and its enhanced performance and dynamic capabilities meant that a number of internal and external style features have been re-evaluated. The objective was to produce a model which is a direct descendant from the F430 project while using style features to satisfy the requirements of aerodynamic efficiency, inherent in a car conceived for maximum performance levels. Particularly extensive modifications have been made to the exterior with significant efforts to enhance downforce. The 430 Scuderia has front vents with a larger design and a more distinctive style, with widemeshed metallic grilles. Work in the Wind Tunnel helped to re-define the lower profile of the bumpers and the chin spoiler to enhance the car’s front-end downforce.

The lateral radiator vents, with increased dimensions, have a new shape. An important contribution comes from the vehicle’s unified appearance: a new shade of grey was used to give character to the grille and the central part of the front,the headlight units, wheel trims and racing stripes (optional) that define the length of the car’s body. The overall effect is one of balanced colouring befitting the vehicle’s racing mission.

The side profile immediately highlights the lower attitude of the 430 Scuderia (15 mm lower than the F430), the newly styled front sills with larger air intakes to the engine compartment and the new wheel trims with a light, functional design. New carbon-fi brewing mirrors provide the finishing touch to the style features aimed at reducing weight. The rear of the car also has specific aerodynamic features: the rear spoiler with its prominent profile and the rear diffuser, which has been completely re-designed to improve efficiency, and to balance the downforce created by the new design at the front. Also new is the rear bumper which houses the high exhaust pipes, modelled on the version used in the Ferrari Challenge races with the successful F430 Challenge race car.

Careful research on reducing weight has led to extensive use of carbonfibre. Certain elements have been manufactured using this material like the engine intake manifold, the separators and air filter boxes as well as parts of the car.

The style of the interior is typical of a racing car with the predominant aim of reducing weight and using specifically suited, technical materials. The central tunnel has been purposely designed and manufactured in carbon fibre, as have the interior door panels. The floor is manufactured anti-slip aluminium footwells and has some unlined metallic parts to expose the actual bodywork; the seats are completely new and also designed for extra support in extreme driving conditions. The instrument display is fully functional and has its own specific graphic design. All the interior and upholstery are made of “3D” and Alcantara® technical cloth.

The integrated E-Diff in the gearchange is undoubtedly the most significant feature in making the 430 Scuderia drive like a racing car. This device has been used for many years in Formula 1, where it is also integrated into the vehicle’s stability control systems. After the F430, the 430 Scuderia is the first on-the-road car with outstanding performances to have an electronically-controlled differential unit. The torque is intelligently distributed to the wheels via the hydraulic implementation of a stack of clutch discs and their relative reaction discs. This occurs in direct relation to the driving conditions (accelerator pedal, steering angle, change of direction speed, difference in wheel speed), by transferring the power across the axle according to driving conditions to maintain performance, directional stability, active safety and driving pleasure.  Fully integrated with the car’s other systems (Engine, F1 Gear Change, CST, ABS, electronic suspension system and F1- Trac), the E-Diff allows the set-up to be varied according to the driver’s demands and road conditions and is regulated by the manettino on the steering wheel.

Like the E-Diff, F1-Trac traction control system is directly derived from experience gained with F1 cars. The system also allows a less expert driver to take the vehicle “to its limits” in terms of cornering, safety and stability. Introduced for the fi rst time on road vehicles with the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, it is faster and more precise than a traditional control system and allows constant modulation of the engine torque to ensure that the desired trajectory is maintained. The system is capable of estimating the maximum levels of traction availabile by continually monitoring the relative speed of the wheels and through a self-adapting system function logic. By making a comparison with a model of the vehicle’s dynamics, stored in the control system, F1-Trac optimizes the delivery of engine torque to ensure to maximum effectiveness of how the power is transmitted to the wheels.

F1-SuperFast2 is the latest development in the F1 Gear used on all Ferrari models. Reducing the time needed to change gears, expressed and calculated as an interruption to acceleration (not merely as the time required to select a new gear) is based on the “parallelization” concept of the times necessary for the various operations:

- cutting torque and disengaging the clutch;

- disengaging, selecting and engaging the gear;

- engaging the clutch and returning torque.

In respect to the manettino dial already used on Ferrari cars, the one on the 430 Scuderia is termed a “Racing manettino”; so it is particularly suitable for fast driving on racetracks, offering greater opportunities for electronic control parameter settings.

Compared to the F430, the ICE setting has been removed in favour of the CT setting which only deactivates the traction control, while leaving the stability control engaged.

The braking system of 430 Scuderia with larger carbon-ceramic brake discs has been specifically designed to reflect to the car’s increased performance which required an overall increase in the braking performance compared to the F430.

The brake pedal feel has been optimised for all driving conditions and remains consistent even in extreme situations on the racetrack. Furthermore, the characteristics of the Carbon-Ceramic (CCM) material ensure that no vibration occurs when pushed to maximum performance unlike the traditional braking systems which often suffer from vibration under full load.

The sound of the engine and exhaust is one of the distinctive features of all Ferraris and cars bearing the Prancing Horse and has always been a fundamental factor in creating the strong bond between the car and its driver and increasing driving pleasure. This is achieved by paying particular attention to the levels and quality of sound in order to guarantee a comfortable noise level in all situations, with the use of particularly advanced calculation instruments and virtual simulators which worked on the air intake, exhaust and sound-proofing functions. Specifi c devices, called resounders, have been introduced into the air intake system to modulate and emphasize the engine’s voice, while the exhaust system is a direct descendant of the F430 Challenge and F430 with high exhaust pipes. Just like the F430, the Scuderia uses by-pass valves with variable geometry. This system has been specifi cally improved in relation to the acoustic objectives set for the car. The sound of the engine is heard cleary inside the car, becoming particularly powerful and invigorating when you put your foot down, when the intake and exaust sounds become dominant.