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2006 Ferrari Challenge Series: Italian Franchise Players!
The Breakdown
Close your eyes for a second. Envision an Italian masterpiece bursting down the streets of Miami, exhaust roaring, gears interacting and engine running wild. It’s just another day in the neighborhood for Ferrari and their cadre of race imposing shoguns. Ferrari owners truly have the game on lockdown.
Miami’s Homestead Speedway was the place to be April 7-9 to witness the season opener of the Ferrari Challenge, which allows owners of the prancing horse to compete against one another for the grand prize -- bragging rights for the best non-professional Ferrari race title. Open to the public, spectators get to watch not only F430 and 360 Challenge cars race, but also see the Formula One cars and the FXX supercar with its 800-horspower V12 burn up Homestead like a forest fire. “As a company, Ferrari is synonymous with racing, technology, and passion,” said Maurizio Parlato, President and CEO of Ferrari North America, Inc. “Racing is in our DNA, and the Challenge Series has always allowed our owners to experience the very same passion and excitement that our racing teams enjoy on a worldwide perspective.”
 Held annually since 1993, the Ferrari Challenge Series features seven races per season with hundreds of loyal owners, prospects and enthusiasts participating to reach the October finals in Italy. For 2006, the $228,850 F430 Challenge will join the races alongside the 360 Challenge, and will ultimately replace it in 2007. The Challenge vehicles are tuned for the track with a roll cage, safety harness, fire system and suspension/brake upgrades. The 490-horsepower V8 remains untouched. As the only sanctioned race series for owners, the Challenge is supported by a bevy of “A-List” sponsors including Motorola, Shell, Pirelli, Saebelt, Bose and Piaggio Aero.
Ferrari Franchise Players
Before I go into the impressive vehicle lineup for Ferrari, a customer must first fit the profile. Meaning, the typical owner’s household income is 1 million plus; 98% are male (I can’t wait to see one of the 2% on the road!); they’re usually self-employed and married with a college education, and own more than five vehicles. Pretty impressive considering Ferrari forms personal relationships with every one of their clients. Welcome to the Million Dollar Boys Club!
 F430 Coupe/Spider: What you see is what you get! The fact that Ferrari’s entry level coupe (and best selling North American vehicle) rips from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds is nuts. Fuel me up with some of that Shell V-Power premium gas so I can feed the 490 horses in the F430’s V8, which tops out at 196 mph. Beautiful! When revving the engine the vehicle starts snarling as if it was a legendary 12 cylinder. Crazy!
The Spider is the vehicle we’re more familiar with as Automotive Rhythms got a chance to drive it in Los Angeles for a few days during Oscars week. With pretty much the same DNA code as the Coupe, the Spider also allows you to explore the open sky while driving, as you can drop the top in less than 20 seconds. Our Ferrari Red specimen stole the hearts and souls of Cali spectators as we drove Italian Autostrada style on the highway and passionately on the streets. The vehicle escapes the traffic like sprinter Justin Gatlin in a relay. Its steering wheel is firm and houses the “Red Starter” and performance control which has a total of five settings. I had it in “sport” mostly. “Race” mode eliminates some of the computer safety programs so be careful. It reads 220 mph on the odometer.
The F1 sequential manual transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters takes the guessing out of your drive decisions. Power seeps into your eardrums and breathes down your neck via the glass enclosed V8 which sits behind you (amidships). Look to the left and right in the side mirrors -- pretty like the eyes of a Japanese Geisha and you’ll see large intakes sucking up air like a Hoover. I pity the fool! Others are burning up their transmissions trying to hang with us. The tune of the pipes gives the F430 F1 credibility. Any given moment you feel like you are on the track. We got to 130 in a short spurt. The CHP definitely had their eyes on me! Coupe MSRP: $175,000; Spider MSRP: $199,000 ($245,827 as tested)
 612 Scaglietti: The stats are like trying to figure out a high school calculus formula: mind-boggling. Where in the world can you find a 2+2 Coupe (actually fits four!) that can compete on the same track with the Schumacher boys and still valet at the Four Seasons later that day? The 116” wheel base on the 612 gives it more length than a Benz E-Class and its 540-horsepower V12 (434 lb-ft of torque) allows it to giddy up as if the Kentucky Derby were near by. A 199 mph top speed and 0-60 in 4.1 gives it better draft numbers than the Bentley GT and the availability of sixteen exterior colors makes the all-aluminum 612 very flexible. Behind the wheel, the coupe feels balanced and daring -- always ready to take control. Give me the Panther Black with the GTC Handling Package so those carbon-ceramic disc brakes can slow me down when I jump ahead of the game. MSRP: $257,000.
 Superamerica: Based on the classic lines of the 575M Maranello, the Superamerica is a fusion of V12 power with Spider appeal. Its retractable Saint Gobain glass top flips up and over the rear deck to unleash its more enlightening convertible side. Only 559 of these unique vehicles were built. The Superamerica shares the same engine and performance stats as the 612 Scaglietti. MSRP: $287,020.
FXX: Ferrari produced 29 of the $2 million supercars worldwide. The powerful prototypes generate a whopping 800-horsepower and 509 pound-feet of torque from its V12. Aimed at only a select few of the Ferrari clientele, the FXX is the most technological GT to hail from Maranello. Its aerodynamic body creates a 40% increase in downforce compared to the $650,000 Enzo. But don’t expect to see an FXX on the streets since they are track only research vehicles.
 Formula One: Ferrari builds street cars to support racing -- point blank and has won an unprecedented six continuous F1 Titles from 1999-2004 with the Michael Jordan of racing, Michael Schumacher, winning the majority of them. And, Ferrari has won more titles than any other team in history!
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612 Interior |
612 Perfectly Posed On Homestead's Track |
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612 Scaglietti Wheel Spin |
612 Scaglietti |
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A lesson from the top -- Kimatni & Ferrari Instructor Steven J. Michael |
F430 as a Gift |
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F430 Challenge Car |
F430 Challenge Interior |
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F430 Coupe with Kimatni |
F430 Evolution |
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F430 Interior |
F430 Spider @ Sportie LA |
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F430 Spider |
F430 Wheel Spin |
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Formula 1 Car Breaking Records |
Formula 1 Champ Car driven by Michael Schumaker |
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Formula 1 Wheel Spin |
Formula 1 |
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FXX Garaged |
FXX In Action |
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FXX Ready to Rumble |
FXX Wheel Spin |
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Party Time - AR Producer Sean McKoy & Ferrari Guest |
Party Time - F430 Challenge |
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Party Time - The Ladies |
Party Time - The Ladies |
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President LUCA DI MONTEZEMOLO |
SUPERAMERICA Chillin' |
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SUPERAMERICA Interior |
SUPERAMERICA Retractable Glass Roof |
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