2005 FERRARI F430 SPIDER F1
ENGINE 4308CC/V8/QOHC POWER 483bhp@8500rpm TORQUE 343lb ft@5250rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 198mph 0-60MPH 3.6sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 11-21mpg TRANSMISSION RWD, six-sp semi-auto MOT 12 months on sale ODOMETER 13,877 miles
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
Having done less than 14,000 miles and with a paper trail of due care and maintenance over its 17-year life this F430 still feels like it’s fresh out of the Ferrari showroom. It fires up from cold with no hesitation and idles smoothly. Those used to older Ferraris will know that gear changes are traditionally a bit stiff while the transmission oil warms up. On this car, the shifting is by F1-style steering wheel paddles and there’s no clutch pedal; so the cog-swapping between the six forward ratios is seamless right from the start. Performance and handling are epic and the brakes so effective that you barely need to prod them.
BODYWORK CHECK
You’d expect a few blemishes after 17 years but we struggled to find so much as a stone chip. None of the extremities have any scuffing; quite a miracle as all-round visibility is somewhat limited with the hood up. The Grigio Silverstone grey paint is even throughout and there are no signs of work having been carried out – not even any
EXTERIOR
INTERIOR
MECHANICALS
Drives exactly as it should touching up. All the meshed air intakes still have their black finish with no corrosion breaking through. Panel gaps are tight and consistent and the power hood works swiftly and silently; a clean to remove the dusty fold marks wouldn’t go amiss, though. Tyres are all matching Pirelli P Zero Rossos with plenty of life left.
HOW’S THE INTERIOR?
You need to like red because there’s a lot of it – the leather seats, carpets and door cards. There’s some light wear on the driver’s seat bolster but the rest of the hide is excellent. The driver’s carpet also has some minor marking but probably just needs a clean. The leather dashboard is intact with no fading or damage
to the prominent stitching. All gauges and electronic readouts work, too. The front boot is very clean and contains the Ferrari battery charger, tool kit and pump.
UNDER THE BONNET
Lifting the transparent engine cover reveals that it’s all very clean and tidy, with those classic red cam covers dominating everything. The only sign of age and use is the discolouration and a few patches of corrosion on the rear exhaust silencer. Everything looks stock and there are no leaks apparent. All of the fluids are healthy and at the right levels. The last service was at 13,330 miles in May 2021.
THE CCW VIEW
£95,000 – which there may be leeway on, incidentally – is strong money for a 2005 430. But it ticks a lot of the right boxes, being a Spider with F1 paddle shift transmission. Most of all though, it’s been very well looked after and, with such a low mileage, is in beautiful order. It’s as superb to drive as it is to look at, too. Richard Gunn
PROS Barely feels run-in, very low mileage CONS Keeping it as good as it is, strong price
Excellent almostas-new condition
Minor wear to driver’s seat bolster