VIDEO: Ferrari F450 test mule caught in two-minute spy footage
by Noah Joseph on Apr 30th 2009 at 4:56PM 
Ferrari F450 spy video – Click above to view the video after the jump
You'll find the full video after the jump, where you'll be able to discern a few key differences between this and the F430 it replaces. We won't speculate on the cosmetics, as those will all have changed by the time the veil is lifted in Frankfurt, but there are a few mechanical giveaways worth noting. The big air intakes protruding from the rear end, along with the larger exhaust pipes, should help the enlarged, direct-injection V8 eclipse even the 430 Scuderia's 520-horsepower output. A redline approaching 10,000 rpm should also help the cause, which could be managed by the California's seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to replace the F1-style robotized manual. Follow the jump to watch the footage for yourself.
[Source: World Car Fans]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Pokey 5:15PM (4/30/2009)
What's up with the Lambo front bumper?
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Acey 5:15PM (4/30/2009)
My thoughts exactly. That's straight off the L560-4.
Andre 6:36PM (4/30/2009)
What part of "Mule" do you not understand? definition of a mule and prototype below,
A mule car is a current vehicle that has been heavily modified with parts from a new design for testing and development purposes. A prototype is a pre-mass production vehicle of new design that is used for testing and development purposes.
This has been a informational message from the letters A, B and C.
Pokey 7:51PM (4/30/2009)
Wow, looks like Andre has something to prove.
Hey, smartass, check my reply to the comment below.
While your at it, take a valium.
All I did was point out that, in the grainy pic up top, it looked like a Lambo front bumper. Chill out.
I guess I should look on the bright side, I caused you to unleash your anger on a blog, instead of beating the crap out of your wife or girlfriend. Who knows, I may have saved a life today!
sn0man1 10:21PM (4/30/2009)
No more than a scuderia front bumper does.
Tim 10:46PM (4/30/2009)
Pokey is a dopey, he don't know mule from real!
LC Teran 5:26PM (4/30/2009)
Not exactly, it is the front bumper of the ferrari f430 escuderia... check it again
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Pokey 5:54PM (4/30/2009)
You're right, it is exactly the same as the Scuderia front end.
It was the grainy still from the video that threw me off, it looks more squared off in the still. After watching the video again, I see that the openings are more rounded than they appear in the still.
Rich 5:55PM (4/30/2009)
Ah, whatever. Just launch it with a paper bag over its head.
Serge 5:30PM (4/30/2009)
I hope the Sequential Manual is still offered... it sounds and engages gears in the most fantastic supercar way all other transmissions can only dream of. But to beat all possible competition Ferrari is going to have to use a DCT failbox... I guess there's always the true 3-pedal manual option for that intimate connection to the car.
Can't wait to see what this is going to look like... I hope it's different from the spy shots / renderings. Ferrari should stick to their classic shapes, the F430 and 599GTB are very modern yet can be identified as classic looking Ferraris at the same time.
And 10,000RPM!!! That will sound amazing!!! It's probably going to knock down the DBS and ZR1 from 1st and 2nd on my best engine sound list!
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Metar 1:41AM (5/01/2009)
I hope there will be a manual option, indeed - however:
Autoblog, good morning. Regular sequential gearboxes, like the "F1" option on Ferraris so far, are no longer used by F1 teams. As of 2008, every F1 team, including Force India, is using "seamless-shift" gearboxes - essentially the double-clutch boxes, featuring, well, absolutely no delay between shifts. So whatever is in that mule is still an "F1" style gearbox.
Randy915 5:59PM (4/30/2009)
Sounds grrrreat!
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I am Rich 9:40PM (4/30/2009)
10,000 rpm? That's 166+ rpm per second. **drool**
Nice, and if I were in a position to buy a Ferrari, or other exotic, yellow is one of the colors I would not choose along with red, white, and all the fruit flavor colors that Lambo is offering.
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IK 10:37PM (4/30/2009)
10'000RPM.
yeah, I'm stoked about that too :D :D
Moose 6:21PM (4/30/2009)
I don't know about "top-secret", but if you visit Maranello, the vast majority of the track is clearly visible from the road. You can either stop at the top of the bridge heading into the factory or park, walk down a little road and watch from the fence.
Little tidbit for anyone planning on going: if you time your trip to be there at midday, depending on what is being tested, a lot of the factory workers come out to the track to eat lunch and you can chat with them and maybe even get in to the other side of the track... :) Granted, this was almost 10 years ago so I don't know if they still have that access, but this guy, who claimed to be in engine assembly got us in (he had to remain with us though). Very very cool!
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P1 6:32PM (4/30/2009)
The yellow one has a super diffuser.
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sn0man1 10:23PM (4/30/2009)
Anyone else notice that the taillights were losing their minds on the red car at the end?
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Chips 11:21PM (4/30/2009)
Nope not losing their minds, just how they are. The Veyron has them too :)
jonathan.chung1 12:01PM (5/02/2009)
The tail-lights were having spastic attacks!
lchenco 12:09AM (5/01/2009)
rpm per second makes no sence.. its rps (revolutions per second)
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