Ferrari is giving the new Prancing Horse 8-cylinder berlinetta, the F430, its Italian premiére at the Bologna Motor Show. The latest arrival from Maranello is the fruit of Ferrari's ongoing, in-depth research and development and, particularly, the transfer of technology from Formula 1 to its road-going cars.

The F430, in fact, boasts a series of innovations derived directly from Formula 1. Two of these are world firsts for a production car: the E-Diff electronic differential which makes the most of the engine's torque to optimise traction, and the steering wheel-mounted commutator switch or 'manettino' which integrates the car’s dynamic systems allowing the driver to intervene instantly without having to take his hands off the wheel.

The F430 also boasts a completely new 4,308 cc V8 that punches out 490 hp, the equivalent of 114 hp/l. Its performance is absolutely breathtaking, with 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in four seconds flat and a maximum speed of over 315 km/h.

The Ferrari stand also features the new 575M Maranello Handling GTC and the 612 Scaglietti. The competition cars on show include the 360 GTC, which won the Italian GT Championship courtesy of the Loris Kessel team, the 575 GTC and the F2004, the 2004 World Drivers’ and Constructors’ title-winning F1 car.

One surprise addition to the Prancing Horse Stand is the Fiat Panda 4x4 with the special F1 World Champion livery of Rosso Scuderia red, tricolour stripe and a logo celebrating the years in which Ferrari’s single-seaters have triumphed in the F1 Championships (1999-2004). The two highly successful cars (the Panda was voted Car of the Year and the F1 is the current World Championship-winning single-seater) stand side by side and represent the two opposite ends of the Fiat Group’s products: the city car and the F1 racer.
 

They also symbolise how the Made in Italy phenomenon is such a winning part of the car market worldwide too.

2004 was a very busy year for the Ferrari Maserati Group, both from the point of view of the company’s organisation and new product launches.

A whole new management set-up was introduced which saw Luca di Montezemolo remain as Group President, Jean Todt appointed as General Manager of Ferrari, Amedeo Felisa as Vice General Manager, and Martin Leach as CEO of Maserati Spa.

This year also brought the launch of two new road-going GTs, the 612 Scaglietti and the F430, both of which provide testimony of the company’s ongoing commitment to pursuit of technological excellence.

The arrival of the Ferrari Superamerica was also announced for the coming year.

This limited edition new V12 convertible berlinetta will receive its world premiére at the upcoming Los Angeles and Detroit Motor Shows in January 2005.

The last twelve months also hailed the reorganisation of the Ferrari Maserati Group’s commercial network throughout the world in line with its policy of direct presence on its largest markets.

With the addition of Ferrari West Europe in Paris (which directly manages France, the Benelux countries and the Iberian Peninsula), and Ferrari UK to the existing company subsidiaries in North America, Germany and Switzerland, Ferrari Maserati now directly controls the countries in which 80% of its clients are to be found.

The Group also opened a showroom in Russia and consolidated its presence in China via a new joint venture. Both of the latter countries boast enormous sales potential.