Wednesday 23rd August 2017

The Ferrari V8 berlinettas: Spotted

At £140K would you take a pristine manual F430, or an early 458 Italia?

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How much do you like manual gearboxes? We'd wager quite a lot, given how heated the debate often gets on PH about the future of clutches and gearsticks. One thing is for sure though: Aston Martin aside, manuals in supercars are not returning. There won't be Lamborghinis with them, there won't be Maseratis with them and there won't be Ferraris with them.

Has time been kind to this look?

In the latter case that seems especially sad. Yes, it's a jarringly familiar line to trot out now, but the click-clack of an open-gated Ferrari manual is such an iconic experience that its demise is still upsetting. For all but the youngest of car fans there has to be a manual Ferrari that formed part of the fascination growing up: for me it was the F50 and 550 Maranello, with the decades previous of course also crammed with legendary manual models.

Now the market is starting to appreciate the timeless appeal of manuals, perhaps because of their relative rarity, and pushing up prices for particularly desirable versions. The Ferrari F430 is a particularly interesting example; much like the 599 GTB Fiorano, it represents Maranello right on the cusp of becoming the F1-influenced sports car powerhouse it is today, with some traditional elements still available. Here are two cars that had a manettino switch, for instance, but which could also be had with a manual gearbox (albeit very rarely in the 599).

As a result, the three-pedal F430 has garnered quite a following for some time now. It's the last V8 berlinetta manual, which makes it significant, and could it be said that its mid-2000s styling looks less awkward than it once did? Whatever, the car is very much in demand, as evidenced by this particular example.

Appeal of manual not up for debate though!

A 2006 car in black with the Challenge wheels, yellow calipers and - of course - a manual gearbox, it looks like a lovely F430. With less than eight thousand miles and the support of an official Ferrari dealer, it's hard to imagine finding a better one if an F430 is what your heart desires.

But it's £140,000. Yes, manual Ferraris really are that desirable in 2017. And that means the 430 begins to align with its successor, the 458 Italia. So while the £140K 458 won't be quite as immaculate as the 430, it does create a very interesting comparison.

This 2011 Italia is for sale at £95 less than the 430. Some will say the spec is too subdued, though it is at least comparable to the older car. And while 31,000 is of course a chunk more miles, it's not unreasonable. Up the budget to £150K and this Rosso Corsa 458 is at an official dealer with 10,000 miles less.

But with a car like this at the same money...

Anyway, the pair of black cars. Ultimately it will come down to what you want from your Ferrari, won't it? For something to keep, to cherish, to use sparingly and remind you of the classic sports cars, the 430 will be the one to have. Dare it be mentioned, your money might be safer in it as well... The 458 will be the faster, more exciting experience, a newer car that won't require as much commitment as the 430 across the board. It too has its own significance as the last naturally aspirated V8 Ferrari berlinetta.

Which would it be? Of course it's not a quandary ever faced by most petrolheads, but indulge us a little fantasising for today. Despite being just a few years apart they represent quite different Ferrari eras - where does your preference lie?

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FERRARI F430
Engine: 4,308cc, V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 490@8,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 343@5,250rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: 420g/km
First registered: 2006
Recorded mileage: 7,000
Price new: £127,050
Yours for: £139,995

See the original advert here.

FERRARI 458 ITALIA
Engine: 4,499cc, V8
Transmission: 7-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 570@9,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 398@6,000rpm
MPG: 21.2
CO2: 307g/km
First registered: 2011
Recorded mileage: 31,000
Price new: £178,491
Yours for: £139,900

See the original advert here

[LA458SP]

Always have to laugh at the way Ferrari bolted on the manual stick in F430 - Proper afterthought! 355 always felt like the last proper manual V8 to me as it was designed as such with the F1 variant coming along later in its life.

Anyway, 458 for me unless we were talking 430 SCUDERIA!