Here's a surprise: the new track-tuned high-performance version of the F430 won't be called the Challenge Stradale like many thought, but instead will be known as the Scuderia, Italian for stable. That's stable like a home for a powerful prancing horse, not like the state of mind that is constantly eluding Lindsay Lohan.
The rest of the car is what you would expect from an enthusiast version of a Ferrari. The engineers concentrated on lowering the weight and increasing the power from the standard F430. The Scuderia weighs in at 2755 pounds -- a savings of 220 pounds -- while producing an extra 27 horsepower over the F430 for a total of 510 ponies. This works out to a power-to-weight ratio of one horsepower to 5.4 pounds. Bravissimo!
Ferrari didn't forget about the rest of the car, outfitting it with the latest technology from the company's F1 program. An update to the transmission brings shift times down to a lightning-quick 60 milliseconds, while the traction and stability systems also get a race-inspired update.
All of this performance will no doubt come at a hefty premium, probably around $220,000. We'll know more when the Scuderia is unveiled by Michael Schumacher himself at the Frankfurt Auto Show this fall. In the meantime, check out our photo gallery below. ...next page >>