F430 Spider drive
 

As I promised: some owrds, pics and vids after first F430 Spider drive.
Did about 150 km with the car, some autostrada, some local roads. Unfortunately roads were not really good choice, not curvy enough, bu what can you do ... I didn't choose them.
Anyway: the car is absolutely fantastic to drive. It (for me) only has 2 drawbacks: I can't fit into it properly, although I'm "only" 1.9 m tall, and when you put it in reverse in beep all the time really annoyingly ...
Level of grip is nothing special for this kind of car (supoercar), but I was pleasantly suprised by how easy it is to drive really fast. Turns in intantly, you can feel wihich end is going to let go first, rear slides really predictably and controlably. Roundabouts are real fun, but even in 150+ km/h corners ikt's easy to go to the limit, because you can feel what is going to happen.
But the most amazing thing: the sound. It's an opera. Variable lenght intake, variable exhaust (there is a photo of bypass valve whivch opens and slose secondary pipes ...), there are at least 20 diffreent sounda, plus all the overrun crackling ... I thinh i shifted waaaaay to much (although engine feel ind of dead under 3500 rpm) because of that.
Brakes? CCM (carbon ceramic), braking from 280 kph (that was the top speed, autostrada was too busy to go for claimed 310+, although it tried, belive me :twisted: ) to 80 is a snap. cant make them fade ...
A few pics:

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...430_08-med.JPG
Exhaust bypass valve

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...430_07-med.JPG
Temp. license plate, basically they (Ferrari) issue their own ...

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...430_06-med.JPG
You know what that is ...

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...430_05-med.JPG
In the trunk (in front, of course) there is place for 2 airline carry-on suitcases and some more. You also get tire kit and this tools/fuses... set.

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...430_04-med.JPG

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...430_03-med.JPG
Sorry, forgot to rotate that. ANyway, F430 sign is only on drivers mirror.

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...430_02-med.JPG
CCM and 19 inch wheel (235 front, 285 back).

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...430_01-med.JPG

You can get high-res pics by removing "-med" from
link/URL ...
Some vids:

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/500/15921430_280.MOV
On autostrada, from beggining of 2nd gear to ...

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/500/15921430_back.MOV
On autostrada ...

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/500/15921430_LC.MOV
Start with launch control (not too complicated, but if you have too heavy foot, there is a lot of tire smoke)

http://www.mobisux.com/album/data/50...1f430s_098.avi
This is how most of the non-autostrada roads looked like, traffic was prety bad, but fortunately 490 hp deals with that ... Just don't ask what speed are we talking about ... Sound is a bit bad, my colleague's camera is not really good at that ...

Enjoy (and unfortunately I'm not going to BMW M6 launch or Maserati Cambiocorsa Trofeo (race car) test drive, I'm too busy :(

And a happy b-day, Jabba!

SFDMALEX: please move to pics or vids section if necesarry, didn't know where to put it ...

:shock:

I.Hate.You.

Seriously, nice report and thanks for the videos/pictures. :D

That blue is just stunning... How does it compare (the colour) on the metal?

Ah, and what did you think of the F1 tranny?

Uf, the pic does the real coluor no justice. And the tranny is (now, with a Manettino on the steering wheel so you can choose how it and suspension and diff and electronics work) is great, fast, but usually not jerky ...
BTW: jou can get it blue with blue top, tan seats with blue stitching and blue carpets ... Same in red ...

Thank you Jakaracman for vids and pix!!! What a sound with roof down! :o

You are lucky that there are no speeding limits in Slovenia, got to love that. Extremely beautiful car, it is simply fantastic, thanks for the pics and videos.

Wow, that's fast... Didn't expect the spider to come out so quickly...

Some very nice pics you took btw! I saved the high res versions. Blue is the perfect color for the car.

You say it's quite easy to drive, that's a bit of a surprise. I mean Ferrari's used to be very fast but seriously hard to drive. Even the 360 got lot's of complaints about that. If I remember correctly, during the Gallardo test by Top Gear JC said that the 360 spins so fast that when you push it to the limit it's just like a dog chasing its tale.

I can't listen to the sound because my parents are sleeping close by, but I believe you when you say it sounds fantastic. Shit, I envy you dude! A shame you can't go to the launch of the M6 . I'm going to the VW Passat launch tomorrow :) damn, what a comparison Passat <-> M6

thx for the pics/vids & the story!!

Neat, always loved that colour... And yeah, now you can get pretty much every colour combo... :)

cool videos, the blue is a gorgeous color

It was not in Slovenia (we have speed limits), and there were speed limits ...
Zippo: haven't driven 360 on the limit, but 430 is quite nice to slide around, i guess. I didn't spin it while doing so so it's not that hard ...

great color.. :D
fantastic car.. 8)

good report!!!! :)

OMG.......

CONGRATS ON THE TEST DRIVE!!!!!!

Jebemti, car si!!!!

must've been a lot of fun :D
i really liked that 3rd vid with the Launch control start, the car sounded amazing :D

I'm without words

wonderful report jakaracman :D

Unfortunately in this bussines there are a few heartbreaks. Actually, two in a few weeks (Maser and M6) - but if there's no mag, there's no testdrives, so producing a mag (and a lot of things that go with that) comes first ...

The vids are really worth downloading - I liked the last one best, overtaking seems to take a mere blink of an eye and the acceleration with the LC is also fabulous... This makes me even more eager to see the upcoming Challenge version in action (which is said to appear sooner than you might think).

The bypass valve could have looked more modern though even if it's not visible for a passer-by.

Dang. It must be really great to testdrive a new Ferrari soon after its launch. You must have had a great time driving it, even if there was a lot of traffic. Judging from the last pic a bit of traffic must have been fun, cause you had to accelerate and deccelerate constantly. The acceleration in the LC vid seems to be really impressive!!

Very nice pics and stunning videos :shock:.. That acceleration is simply amazing.. Thanks, lucky bastard :lol:

lucky bastard! i want to drive it!!!

Lucky git :P

Very nice, although still don't think it sounds as nice as previous FV8's

Wow !! Thanks mate, very nice videos. The shift seems indeed very fast :P
Too bad you couldn't test the M6 :wink:

looks like you had a great time 8)

the vids are great, thx a bunch.....they sent chills down my spine. :wink:

what would you prefer, the spider or coupe?

Thx for the report.

Kaj novega v zvezi z m5-ko?

Spider. And it looks klike M5 is going to get fixed really soon ...

INSANE !! what an impressive car and the sound is simply astonishing. nice job man !! :D