Ferrari Scuderia review

I shall be quick with the specifications for this car, okay. It has a 4.3litre, V8 producing 510hp and 346 lb ft. It costs £172,500 and runs 18mpg. It has the same engine as the F430 but produces 20hp more. It has lost 100 kilos, got titanium springs, ceramic brakes, electronic differential and software called F1 Superfast 2 installed. There is also an F1 Trac Traction control system put in. It doesn’t have satellite navigation, no stereo and no floor mats too. The paddle-shift six-speed semi-automatic gearbox shifts gears in under 60 milliseconds, which is quicker than you blink. There is a hell lot of carbon fibre used to make it light and thus reaches 60mph in 3.6 seconds and goes up to 198mph. And, yes, I almost forgot, it is called the Ferrari 430 Scuderia.

Quoting a cars’ top speed, its quickness in getting up to 60mph, its fuel consumption are poor or insufficient guides to buy a car. Don’t you think so? It is only when you actually feel or read about one’s experience with those numerical figures that they begin to make more sense. I, for one, have been disappointed with Ferraris’ past few, let’s say, creations. I agree they were all perfect and that was exactly that made them less fun to live with. Not anymore.

Their latest... creation called the Scuderia is fun right from the moment you turn it on. Hold on a minute, I’ll be back. I just have to go to the men’s. I wet me self. The V8 growl, while idling is alone enough to make you smile and flex your toes. Ah!!! It sounds ferocious. I am already scared. This like almost all the Ferraris sounds addictive.

Engage the first gear and mobilize it to astonish yourself by its easiness in reaching 60mph. No, actually you won’t be astonished because you know the car is fast. Instead, it shocks you. Even with full-throttle halfway through the corner, the car plants itself on the tarmac. The grip of this car blows you away. But, it is not all credits to the tires alone. The gem in this car is its traction control system.

This cars’ traction control system is one of a kind. You see, it is so clever that even if your foot is digging the throttle deep in un-recommended turning speeds, the traction control system will disregard it and keep you in line at safer speeds. It actually senses the safest speed without you even knowing about it. So, this is the right car for people who in reality cannot drive quickly at all. They can still keep their foot planted and the intelligent software within the engine manages everything.

For example, you are at a turn at 100mph that supposedly needs execution by say, 80mph. Instead of becoming a part of the scenery, you will still be on the track drawing long black lines. Yes, the traction control intelligently transfers power to the rear tires to keep its owner on track. Mind you, it doesn’t substantially slow you down; it merely shifts the power to keep you safe in speed. Your friends will surely be impressed with your driving unless you turn your cards in.

There are 4-settings for the traction control system. The first one allows complete control, the second one allows limited traction control, the third one turns it off but leaves the stability control on and then is the setting that turns it off completely. I must monish, if you turn the traction control off, the handling does become... tricky. You need to struggle to keep this mad animal in line.

Since it is so quick, you are hardly going to take it to the edge of its capability. You will constantly be scared and that’s the factor that has won my heart. It then makes you drive her around responsibly on road because you are scared. And, then, thanks to the different traction control options, you can train yourself and thrash it around its in-laws place - the racetrack.

Ferrari says that this car is faster than an Enzo. We don’t know about that since we haven’t been fortunate enough to drive one. But, since this is faster, I have only one more car in my wish list that’s not a Ferrari.

This car is extremely thrilling. But, I would not advise anyone who has any heart issues near it. Why?

Okay, let me explain again how this Ferrari feels while driving. You must be aware of those scary rides in amusement parks. They reach the extent until you feel insecure and scream as you anticipate a crash. And, when you open your eyes, you see the on-lookers smiling and clicking photographs confirming you are alive. You know those rides are safe, yet you scream in fear=excitement. You know the traction control will keep you in line. But, still you are scared. Tell me, is that safe for a heart patient?

Copyright © Ajey Padival 2008 (Brisbane, Australia; +61-434360675; ajeypadival@msn.com)