All Ferraris to get carbon ceramic brakes starting in 2008
When you build a car with as much velocity potential as a Ferrari, the ability to dissipate kinetic energy is just as important as the ability to accumulate it. Brakes work by transforming kinetic energy into heat energy, at least some of which is absorbed by the rotors and pads. As the temperature of the brakes increases they lose effectiveness. Engineers developed carbon ceramic brakes, originally implemented on race cars, and offer tremendous stopping power with much improved fade resistance.
Carbon brakes have been available as an option on many models from Porsche, Lamborghini and Ferrari for several years and were even standard on the likes of the Enzo. Now Ferrari is set to be the first manufacturer to make carbon brakes standard equipment across their lineup. At the Bologna Show, Ferrari General Manager Amedeo Felisa announced that starting in 2008, all the cars wearing the Prancing Horse would come out of the factory with carbon ceramic brakes supplied by Brembo.
[Source: CarScoop]
Press Release - Braking system with Carbon Ceramic Material (CCM) discs
Brakes featuring CCM discs offer much more responsive braking as well as consistently excellent performance in intensive use. One of the most obvious advantages to adopting them is their exceptional fade resistance - fade in fact compromises the driver's feeling of control when it comes to the pressure required on the brake pedal and responsiveness.
The CCM discs have a longer life under normal conditions, a fact that has clear financial advantages. Furthermore, even with continual track use, CCM brakes offer greater resistance to wear for better durability on track. The CCM braking system also cuts around 15 kg off the car's total weight which not only improves overall performance but also reduces unsprung mass and thus improves vehicle dynamics and ride comfort.
On the 430 Scuderia in particular, the CCM braking system is specifically designed for the car and has unique brake dimensions which are aligned with the car's extreme performance characteristics. The diameter of the front discs has been increased (+18 mm vs the F430) which offers an improved effective radius and thus more efficient braking. Combined with specific 6-pot callipers, the front brake discs dissipate the extra heat created by the higher performance delivered by the 430 Scuderia.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jerk Face 4:24PM (12/05/2007)
Cool.
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Mark 5:38PM (12/05/2007)
x2
GT 4:42PM (12/05/2007)
they dont actually give more stopping power than their metal counterparts, but they give much better fade resistance and a drop in unsprung rotating weight.
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Son House 4:42PM (12/05/2007)
Awesome, this is a significant first. Hopefully it's only a matter of time before it trickles down into hot hatches and the like - say, a GTI with ceramic brakes? Now there's something us non-millionaires can look forward to.
I'm kind of dissapointed that Porsche didn't make this move first. Weren't they first out of the gate with ceramic brakes? Granted, the average Porsche is less expensive than the average Ferrari, but still, uber-technology is a point of pride for the Germans.
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Carlos 4:55PM (12/05/2007)
Currently the only aspec I can see ceramic brakes improving is reducing unsprung weight which will help in gas mileage and that's marginal maybe even negligible, seriously what percentage of Ferrari owners track their cars? I think Ferrari should work on improving their exploding car trick and finding ways for them not to catch on fire.
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mikomi 5:05PM (12/05/2007)
It is more about the image. Now every new Ferrari owner will be able to brag about their carbon ceramic brakes even if they have no clue what they are talking about. And more fodder for the those of us who cannot buy/afford a Ferrari to lament about not having uber brakes on their current car.
Carlos 5:20PM (12/05/2007)
That's the problem 90% of Ferrari buyer won't even feel the difference of the CC brakes vs CI brake unless told and even then it will be a placebo effect.
Why is wealth wasted on the non car enthusiast lol
R 5:30PM (12/05/2007)
There's always Jay Leno at least.
Brian 5:01PM (12/05/2007)
Until the cost of ceramic brakes goes down to a reasonable price that the average Joe can afford, I would personally prefer to see them standard on only higher marque vehicles. The majority of drivers on the road today would never even come close to making use of the ceramic discs.
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Fooman 5:26PM (12/05/2007)
carbonfiber brakes FTW, massive unsprung weight change and even less heat issues.
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Carlos 7:00PM (12/05/2007)
Not really so much massive, it depends on who makes the brakes. Good CI brakes can weigh a few lbs more than CC brakes and cost a whole lot less.
Petar Bogdanov 5:30PM (12/05/2007)
I wonder if they've sorted the feel issues.
They should have, if they're making it a standard option and they pride on making cars that are rewarding to drive, but we've seen companies betray the product for marketing before... Can you say flappy paddles?
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MikeW 7:02PM (12/05/2007)
Porsche should make them standard on the front axle of the 911.
That will improve pitch balance.
Since the rotors are usually larger, the wheels need to be larger to clear, and the sidewall is reduced. So there is no net gain in ride quality.
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ploo 9:48PM (12/05/2007)
While ceramics are great for road use and they do have great feel, exceptional longetivity and reduce unsprung weight, ask track junkies and many will pass on them since they can show definite signs of wear after only 10-12 track days. While this may be acceptable on steel rotors, the extreme cost of replacing these ceramic motors has even GT3/GT3RS owners opting for steel rotors to begin with, or at least replacing them with steel rotors after they wear out in one season's worth of trackdays.
Of course, 95% of Ferrari owners will be happy with their ceramic brakes as they will never see a track, but I would hope that there would still be an option for steel rotors as the few noble owners who do race events in their Ferraris would probably balk at having to replace a set of ceramic rotors every season.
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Quattrofan 1:23AM (12/06/2007)
Holy F&$K! How big is that rotor?
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fm 1:26AM (12/06/2007)
MAN! If I'd known that I wouldn't of bought mine yesterday! ?&#^ /^#@ %?^^ %#%# $#^$
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