When Ferrari unveils the successor to its entry-level 360 model, the 430, it will take its styled cues from the recently-unveiled 612 Scaglietti. But is that necessarily a good thing?
When Ferrari unveils the successor to its entry-level 360 model, the 430, it will take its styled cues from the recently-unveiled 612 Scaglietti. But is that necessarily a good thing?
Many enthusiasts have wondered… Is the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti ugly, or is it a beauty that takes time to appreciate? While the topic remains hotly debated, it has already been agreed that the big new Ferrari is, at the very least, not the prettiest car ever out of the prancing horse’s stable. Get used to the looks though, because according to the , the 360 Modena’s replacement is set to adopt the big car’s styling. Oh dear…
This photograph shows that the new car will get headlamps similar to those of the 612, along with new air intakes, and a reshaped, pointier, new nose. The overall shape appears to remain similar, but the detailing will be much more dramatic. At the rear, Pininfarina is said to have retained the trademark four round rear lights.
Besides new styling, the new car will also get a bigger, more powerful engine based on a Maserati 4,3-litre V8. For use in the Ferrari, the engine will reportedly use a flat plane crank, have five valves per cylinder (instead of Maserati’s four) and rev to around 9 000 r/min. It is said to develop around 350 kW, up from the 294 kW of the current car. It will also be renamed and should be dubbed the 430M after its engine size.
The new car is expected to debut early in 2005 and a convertible Spider – rumoured to feature a retractable metal folding roof – will follow a year later. Ferrari is keen to respond to Porsche’s new 911 and also Lamborghini’s Gallardo, but won’t rush the new car to the market as there is still demand for the 360 Modena. In America, the waiting list is two years for the coupĂ© and three for the convertible.