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Ferrari makes a different contribution to
the 35th edition of the Bologna Motor Show
with a stand devoted entirely to its racing
activities, led out by the debut of the new
458 Challenge (above), plus an intense track programme
in the arena. |
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Ferrari makes a different
contribution to the 35th edition of the Bologna Motor
Show with a stand devoted entirely to its racing
activities plus an intense track programme.
The 458 Challenge also makes its world debut at the
Bolognese event. This mid-rear V8 berlinetta is derived
from the 458 Italia and is the fifth model used by
Ferrari in its single-series racing programme. The
latter is currently split into Italian, European and
North American championships which will be flanked next
year by the new Asia-Pacific series. With the new 458
Challenge, Ferrari puts an exceptional combination of
extreme performance, superb fun behind the wheel and
unique driving emotions at the finger-tips of its
sporting, professional and gentleman-driver clients.
Also on the stand is the F430 GTC owned by the AF Corse
team, one of the cars with which the Maranello marque
won the Constructors’ title in the GT2 class of the
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2010.
The Prancing Horse’s line-up of track models is
completed by the FXX and 599XX laboratory cars, each of
which has its own eponymous research and development
programme involving in-depth collaboration between
Ferrari technicians and our client test-drivers. At the
very centre of the stand is the F60, the single-seater
the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro fielded in the 2009
Formula 1 World Championship season.
A rich and varied programme is planned for the
competition arena in Area 48 with the classic
end-of-year battle between the drivers of the Ferrari
Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, now in its 18th season,
dominating the action. No less than 16 cars from the
Italian and European series will be taking each other on
in a three-round competition on Wednesday, December 8th.
However, the high point of the programme will be the
Formula 1 exhibition with which Luca Badoer will bring
his extraordinary 13-year career as the Scuderia
Ferrari’s official test-driver to an end. He’ll put an
F60 through its paces and a simulated pit-stop, as a
farewell homage to the tifosi and enthusiasts present.
458 CHALLENGE
Compared to the 458 Italia, the direct injection 4499 cc
V8 remains strictly in production tune, with an output
of 570 hp at 9,000 rpm. That said, modifications have
been made to the gear ratios and calibration of its
dual-clutch F1 gearbox to guarantee higher torque at
lower revs. The 458 Challenge is also equipped with the
E-Diff electronic differential already employed on the
road-going version, a first for Ferrari's track-only
cars.
Significant work has also gone into cutting the car’s
weight. This focused on both the exterior and interior
with Ferrari’s engineers concentrating in particular on
reducing the thickness of the bodyshell panels and on
using lightweight materials, such as carbon-fibre and
Lexan.
The new 458 Challenge also has a specific suspension
set-up with steel uniball joints, stiffer springs,
single-rate alloy dampers, centre-nut 19” forged rims,
larger dimension Pirelli slicks and a ride height
lowered by 50mm all round. It is also equipped with the
new generation Brembo CCM2 brakes integrated with the
latest ABS system which debuted on the 599XX, Ferrari’s
extreme experimental laboratory car.
Another first for a Ferrari Challenge model is the
adoption of the F1-Trac traction control system, the
most sophisticated of its kind. Developed in-house by
Ferrari, the F1-Trac system constantly monitors levels
of grip for maximum high-performance road-holding. Two
specific track-biased calibrations have been developed
for this application, with control logics and strategies
derived from Ferrari’s extensive racing experience in
the F1 and GT championships. The F1-Trac is completely
integrated with the E-Diff to guarantee maximum
stability and acceleration both into and out of corners.
The ABS/EBD, F1-Trac and E-Diff calibration settings are
selected via the manettino on the steering wheel, the
first time this solution has been adopted on a model
developed for the Ferrari Challenge series. The driver
has a choice of three configurations: OFF position
(traction control deactivated), position 1 and position
2. The latter two settings have progressively higher
levels of control system intervention and are selected
in accordance with grip conditions on the track.
In the course of the intensive development sessions
involved in honing the 458 Challenge for the track, the
engineers also managed to improve the car’s lap time at
Fiorano by two seconds over that of its predecessor,
resulting in a new record of just 1’16.5”. Equally
impressive is the amount of lateral grip the new car
generates – up to 1.6G.
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