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Ferrari Scuderia -- Best Supercar acording to Test Results "Sport Auto Magazin"

Dear Friends

I just bought the latest "Sport Auto" Magazin, a german publication with a extremely high reputation for objectiv Supercar Supertests (their analogy).

There, the car's tested have to go thru a extremely diversified set of tests, extremely accurate mesured in "German testing standart" to objectively slash away all those "great driving feeling" and concentrate 100% pure on results.

Here the result:

The 430 Scuderia for the first time ever represents a Ferrari which has beaten ALL its contenders (inculdes ALL cars and Supercars present on the market for road use, including Turbo's, compressors, aspirated etc.) in a 8 phase test.

The max. possible testpoint result theoretically could be 80 points (8 tests with maximum of 10 points to be reached on each test). The Scuderia reached 78 points !! (Besides the Porsche GT2 (turbocharged reached the same but....with Turbos). Without the "wethandling course testresult" the Scuderia places with 69 points out of 70 possible, the Porsche GT2 68.

Cars like Pagani Zonda, Lambotghini Murcielago LP 640, Gallardo Superleggera, Koeniggsegg, Ruf RT 12 are down against in the Test. Not to talk about the Porsche GT 3, Gt 3 RSR and everything else.

Interestingly in the long Nürburgring, the Scuderia is 18 seconds faster than the Stradale. On the F1 track in Hockenheim, the Scuderia is 1:10 fast, 2.5 seconds faster than the normal 430 and 3.5 seconds faster than the Stradale. These are huge time differences for a 1:10 track for street legal cars and supports by subjectiv feeling regarding the quite big difference between the Scuderia and Stradale.

Well we all know that tests are 1 or 2 day measurements. but these German professors are said to be very Porsche minded...but the chief editor wrote that this is the best Ferrari with the best test result ever he drove and that he believes that Ferrari has never ever made a better car for the street than the Scuderia and that they all came very critically minded to test that car and where surprised in a most possible way.

The single test are the following:

1. Track time old Nürburgring (7.39)
2. Track time Hockenheimring F1 (1.10)
3. Time from 0 - 200km/h and back to zero braking ! (15.9 s.)
4. Aerodynamical balance in the windtunnel measured cw 0.33, (cw x A): 0.66
5. Maximum sideacceleration in G's (1.4!)
6. 36 meter slalom (max. 136 km/h)
7. Passing test to prevent crash (148 km)
8. Wethandling time thru a 1.30 s. course

Summary: Great learning to know from the german physicsists and statistical professors that a emotional feeling we have since a long time for our beloved Ferraris is finally put to the asphalt by hard figures and facts right to the top of all ! Wonderful !

 

[212Export]

One more addition: I have heard that this "Sport Auto" Magazin is also available in different languages and sells in most of Europe. They have a catalogue with the test results of approx. 200 cars taken the Supertest and their relevant track time for the Nürburgring AND Hockenheim. If somebody would like to know the times of his or her car, feel free to write...I have the whole list of car tested (from the last couple of years) with me.

Please understand me correctly a fast car does not necessarily means lots of satisfaction. Not at all...after all emotions are much more important and speed and testresults are just one part of such emotions.
On the other hand I want to be honest that I'm more than HAPPY that Ferrari finally is able to measurably equal or go ahead of Porsche in hard fact figures with a series car.

 

[Boxer]

Did they ever test the F40 or F50 ?

How does the 430 Scuderia compare to the Enzo ?

 

[212Export]

Did they ever test the F40 or F50 ?

How does the 430 Scuderia compare to the Enzo ?

No they never tested the F40/F50 nor the Enzo, they asked to do so especially the Enzo after the inititation of the Porsche Carrera GT. Ferrari did not offer them to test these cars as they mentioned. The Ferrari's they tested was the 355, 360, Stradale, 550, 575, 612, 430, 599. They tested every Porsche from '95 on upward, including the CGT, Gt2's and3's normal and RS's. Every Mercedes (including the SLR and AMG's), every Pagany, Koenigsegg, Lamborghini and BMW.
One of the reason was also that they kind of homologated their test series the way the methodologily approach the whole process, to make sure that the testing comparison where fair and always the same (except for variation in temperature)

Interestingly by testing the Scuderia they mentioned that the car was much better than expected not because of the engine (which they rated as rather weak compared to many other strong cars tested, like the Murcielago LP 640 etc.) but because of the industry wise unmatched combination of gear changing spead, suspension setup (rolling free and greatly adapted) E Diff effects and power to weight ratio combination. They summarized that this car is a great example of what modern setup technique is able to do in a car against on paper much stronger (engine wise) opponents.
I would naturally think that because of that modern technique, older cars would have most likely difficulties to match that. I'm talking solely about street legal cars here, whereas any Challenge cars would be a story on their own.

PERSONALLY the F40, the F50 and the Enzo are another league on their own, being totally rare, wonderful, special in every emotional aspect and oustanding in their appearance anyway...and to me personally (with the exception of the Enzo) DREAM cars (still would like to have, no question). But I honestly and reallistically doubt that the F40 and F50 in REGULAR factory configuration would have any chance to nearly match the "overall" performance results of a very modern car like the Scuderia is.
And again I think that this was never the construction purpose of either the F40 nor the F50. (Otherwise they would have given the F50 a sequentiell gear changing system already in 1995). With the Enzo, I assume that the whole construction was not done with fast track times in mind. The tires are almost not usable for track use (something they spoke extremely positive about the btest results of the new Pirelli P zero corsa) and for a curvy track the axle distance of the Enzo is probably to long to be very agile. With the Enzo they planed probably to have a great eye catcher with unbelievable high speed abilities in mind.

But anyway all this is not too important to me because I'm:

a) not a specialist or a mechanic freak
b) a lousy driver, never nearly able to explore 50% of such cars potential
c) only a emotional enthusiast, happy to deliver test results of people which do the job much better than I ever could

 

[GTPJay]

wow that thing is impressive

 

[Chrishawk4]

This just makes me like the car more and more....and slightly jealous of 212Export

Chris

 

[Red Racer]

sounds like an over complicated (and typically German) way to tell us all something we already know--that it's a great car.

why must we (humans) continually try to quantify things of such great emotional value?

I can almost imagine a team of German white-coats pondering around a Van Gogh and a Rembrandt, side-by-side, while a few of them punch numbers into calculators, squaking back and forth with others who are hudled up to the paintings with measuring calipers and slide rulers, poking at them with fine pics and prods, turning the upside down, looking at the backing, checking the surface hardness, all the while taking pictures with radar-detecting, infared super cameras, trying their hardest to determine which is "greatest".

In the end those white-coats are going to look right past the underlying brilliance and subtle sophistication that both a Van Gogh and a Ferrari F430 Scuderia posess. Things of the nature are a direct link between the outer, physical world, and the world that is within ourselves. Mathematics will never break down that formula.

the more you try to take the the passion for motoring and smear it all over a piece of paper, or webpage , the more you end up with something more akin to a useless object, dismissing its intrinsic meaning of belonging to more of a discussion than an experience.

you can't experience any Ferrari on a piece of paper alone.

 

[Red Racer]

Did they ever test the F40 or F50 ?

How does the 430 Scuderia compare to the Enzo ?

....just for thaught---Timothy Needell put in a better lap time in the Scuderia than he did in the Enzo.

..cant remember the corse now, may have been Donnington, not sure.

 

[Boxer]

....just for thaught---Timothy Needell put in a better lap time in the Scuderia than he did in the Enzo.

..cant remember the corse now, may have been Donnington, not sure.

If it is Donington, not surprised at all. Donington does not have much of a straight where the larger bhp Enzo would be able to run the Scuderia down. In the corners, the Scud will definitely be quicker.

 

[212Export]

sounds like an over complicated (and typically German) way to tell us all something we already know--that it's a great car.

why must we (humans) continually try to quantify things of such great emotional value?

I can almost imagine a team of German white-coats pondering around a Van Gogh and a Rembrandt, side-by-side, while a few of them punch numbers into calculators, squaking back and forth with others who are hudled up to the paintings with measuring calipers and slide rulers, poking at them with fine pics and prods, turning the upside down, looking at the backing, checking the surface hardness, all the while taking pictures with radar-detecting, infared super cameras, trying their hardest to determine which is "greatest".

In the end those white-coats are going to look right past the underlying brilliance and subtle sophistication that both a Van Gogh and a Ferrari F430 Scuderia posess. Things of the nature are a direct link between the outer, physical world, and the world that is within ourselves. Mathematics will never break down that formula.

the more you try to take the the passion for motoring and smear it all over a piece of paper, or webpage , the more you end up with something more akin to a useless object, dismissing its intrinsic meaning of belonging to more of a discussion than an experience.

you can't experience any Ferrari on a piece of paper alone.

I agree with you 100%. Also that's what whote coats people are for (and only for this!)

Besides we all know what we have emotinal wise with owning Ferrari's. This is no question at all was never a question and to me therefore never debatable.

On the other hand its geat to realize that not only the *soft" factor (emotions) are moving towards the Cavallino but the "hard" factor's (physics and ingeneering competence) as well. This makes me even happier (and you hopefully as well )

 

[Dmitri]

sounds like an over complicated (and typically German) way to tell us all something we already know--that it's a great car.

And that it's better than the competition!