2008 Ferrari F430 Coupe Review
March 29, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
2008 Ferrari F430 Coupe Review
THE ‘F’ WORD – THE FERRARI F430 COUPE
There are cars, there are other cars, there are yet more cars and then there are Ferraris.
Model tested: 2008 Ferrari F430 Coupe
Blistering acceleration, unbelievable dynamics, the incredible rowdy noise
Having to give it back
CarAdvice rating: 
RRP: $441,850
- Words by: Bob Hume Photos by: Chris Huston
All motoring journalists remember driving their first Ferrari and I was a relatively late starter as it happens; it was a red 360 Modena with manual shift and I was 36 years old. I’d spent three and a half decades dreaming of them, a gigantic bedroom poster of a Testarossa bore witness to much of my angst-ridden teenage years, throughout my adult life I digested the design and specification of each new car and I gawped like an idiot when I actually saw one.
I somehow knew I was going to drive one at some point in my life and it was all leading up to the moment when I was handed the keys. A smiling man handed me the bright red key and asked me to be careful. Trying to act like this sort of thing happened to me every day I immediately dropped the key, flopped awkwardly into the cockpit, then stalled the car twice.
When I returned from my first solo drive in a Ferrari I was exhilarated – I’d made fantasy into fact. I’d experienced the heart-stopping acceleration, the barrage of beautiful noise and witnessed the envious gazes of hatch-back driving mortals.
Now, don’t think for one second that I haven’t spotted the obvious ‘first time’ parallels here; I’ve deliberately created them to set the scene. I don’t just write about cars for a living and no one in my profession becomes a motoring journalist by accident; I’m an enthusiast and the defining moment of my career was always going to be something which involved an impractical, noisy, frightening car with a yellow ‘Prancing Horse’ badge on it and in my dreams it was always red.
About a year later, the Ferrari Press office sent me an F430 Coupe – it was better than the 360, I was allowed to take it home and puzzlingly, it was blue. I knew about the press car loan two months beforehand and had it marked in my diary as ‘Saint Enzo’s Day’.
Beautiful car, difference between Ferrari and Lamborghini, Ferraris don’t age! And this design is a testament to that fact.
Yes beautiful car, but why hasn’t anyone done a comparo with the Scuderia against the Superleggera or, well, now the LP560?
and this is relavneat why? seems to me you guys just want to drive a fearri.Still brilliant car and they dont age eirter.anyway some day [gets back into commodore omega and drives to suburban area eats steak nad shripm on the barbie then goes and wathes football]Lol JKing im ENgilish cross australina cross french cross belguim
one thing though why blue red is the only colour a fereari should be maybe yellow
Awesome and stunning car, brilliant review! Well done!
Great write up, great car.
Alas, as a Italiano i rather take the girl, Beatrice, than the Ferrari…
Thats just me though! :-)
Cheers
F-0
No ferrari has inpsired me as much as the Ford Cobra, Mustang, or the delightful GT40, Alborz have you driven a 200m/h plus GT lately, remember Le Mans GT40 kicked Ferrai to the kerb and still does, even looks heaps better, GT 4 me, the Ferrari is ugly as sin….
^^ ahh don’t be silly f-o she is’nt that great anyway. I’d take the ferrari in a heartbeat, atleast you can have your way with it any time you please ;)
Everyone has thier opinion, I would take the a new GT40 in a heartbeat….
I wouldn’t go as far as to say “Ugly as Sin”, however the jury has alway been split on this car. Don’t forget that conceptually, the F430 is a race-bred inspiration and there was always going to be aesthetic challenges. There is a ‘function over form’ bias.
I think it looks incredible considering the aerodynamic constraints placed on Pininfarina as a designer, were dealt with pretty well. It’s relatively easy to make a prettier car do 200MPH but it’s all about the delivery.
Thanks for all your comments – keep ‘em coming.
Hi Bob – where are you in the UK mate. I don;t recognise the scenery.
The shoot was Ben Crom Reservoir Dam in the Mourne Mountains, County Down, Northern Ireland.
I can testify that it is a very quick car – I was one of those passengers uttering other-worldy noises, while being pinned to the passenger seat! Looks great, sounds awesome and goes like stink!
O….why is this relevant? who really cares!?
Not a fan of that colour scheme (blue with yellow callipers?) but otherwise fantastic!
Whilst I am no Ferrari fan (Sorry Bob!)I don’t think the car is an ugly car. Certainly, from some angles it looks like Mr Miyagi with a smile on his face, but overall it’s undisputedly Italian.
I don’t think you can compare a Ferrari with, say a Mustang or Cobra (Not that I am saying Yank cars are rubbish), they are just very different in every aspect; especially in their appeal.
You wouldn’t see many toothless rednecks driving Ferraris, I would imagine……..
good read
I have seen toothless rednecks driving Ferrari’s in Toorak, no different to commodore or jap import bogans burning rubber at the lights…
Would there be many toothless rednecks in Toorak, AC? :)
CERTAINLY BOY LARD, JUST LOOK AROUND YOU….
Toothless Rednecks in Ferraris?
“Git them chickens outa the Superamericee Joleen, we done hittin’ the town and gittin’ us a beer!”
“Yeeehar!”
etc..
lol, BOB Hume
That’s Billy-Bob!
Respec’ AC
Brother who married his sister said…………
“”Sssshes shooort”n”sssstocky but shesssss stronooooooog”"
Love that episode of Clarksons!
F-O
With that car you can have 100 beatrices waiting for you lol!.
Hey Billy-Bob, I’s gone got me a “B Class” round back if yee wanna store yer birds in it.
Ma chickens got taste y’all!
But could it take a White Pug 106 on two wheels round the Horse Shoe Bend?
Good site, well done mate!!!
A beautiful Italian isn’t she :) but sorry i’d have any modern jap/italian sportbike over her. Forget power/weight, think cost/performance. Reality=bike
blue doesn’t suit ferrari. I don’t care how old i become, i am going to buy a ferrari one day !!!
ha i just got a 430 u guys r jealous ha ha and its a beastttttttttt
Hey!
I’ve heard of an agency that organizes tours around Italy in ferrari, you get the chance to rent and drive a ferrari in it’s homeland!
A friend of mine booked a tour for September and he is really looking forward to it.
If you’re interested, here’s the link to agency’s website:
http://www.red-travel.com/
Ford Falcon XR6Turbo from BA to FG will eat this.