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Ferrari F430 Gallery
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| RELIABILITY AND QUALITY RATING: |
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Launches of new Ferraris have had more than an average share of teething problems with the cars, but all examples of the F430 that we saw behaved impeccably including the example we drove on the road and the Fiorano test track. The most infamous reliability issue with the 360 Modena has been the clutch in the F1-shift cars, which has often had a short and eventful life, but the F430 has a smaller-diameter, twin-plate unit which generates less heat and is under less stress. The new engine uses cam chains instead of belts, too.
The F430 is beautifully put together, with just enough tiny inconsistencies to confirm its hand-built pedigree. All the opening panels shut firmly and crisply, and there's an air of quality and durability. The structure feels extremely strong and stiff, too - torsional stiffness is 20 percent greater than in the 360. Any quibbles are aesthetic ones: for example, the optional contrasting stitching for the dashboard's leather emphasises the number of separate pieces and looks untidy.
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