Autoblog

We know, we know... you've already seen spy shots of the upcoming Ferrari F430 Challenge Stradale. But we can't help but get excited for what promises to be one of the most tantalizing applications of the more-power-less-weight battle cry. We've seen what an improvement the formula made to the F430's predecessor, the 360 Modena, so stripping weight off the already faster-than-spit F430, tightening it up and squeezing a few extra prancing horses out of its screaming powerplant should make for an even hotter ride.

To recap, the 430 CS is anticipated to strip an additional 100 kg or so off the curb weight of its "ordinary" sister by stripping out non-essentials and replacing some of the sheet-metal with carbon-fiber body panels, all while boosting output by an extra 20 horsepower or so thanks primarily to a freer-flowing exhaust system with tips placed higher in the rear panel, like on the previous 360 CS.

These latest shots of the 430 CS test mule, which you can see in all their glory by following the link, were snapped at the Nurburgring and show a revised front end with what look like flared nostrils and a track that has apparently been even further widened over the already broad-shouldered F430. Slight changes, to be sure, but the fine-tuning of perfection has us eagerly counting down to its anticipated debut at the Frankfurt show in September.

[Source: Autowereld via Motor Authority]

Click image for a high-res gallery of the BMW CS Concept

BMW's surprising CS concept car is likely to beget a new flagship sedan for the Munich-based automaker. This news comes from the mouth of BMW North America honcho Tom Purves, who told Automotive News, "We have a reasonable number of examples where we have built a concept car and relatively small examples where we have not built a concept car."

Additionally, Purves noted that his US dealer network is already very excited about the concept. If the post-Shanghai market research brings positive news, it's pretty likely that a production 4-seater based on the CS would get the green light. The new car would be positioned above the 7-series in the automaker's lineup.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

UPDATE: image removed at owner's request. Click the Read link to see the pics at The Car Connection.

While Lamborghini prepares its second Superleggera model, Ferrari is hard at work on its own F430 Challenge Stradale. Spy shots have surfaced of a pair of test mules rallying it up on gravel backroads in preparation for the car's market debut.

The new version picks up where the previous 360 CS left off, turning an already finely-tuned instrument of speed into an even sharper one. Whereas Porsche's RS formula calls for reducing unnecessary weight while leaving the engine in tact, Ferrari's prescription is more closely mimicked by its rivals in Sant'Agata by reducing weight while adding power to further optimize the all-important power-to-weight ratio.

Sources indicate that the formula has changed a bit from the 360 to 430 CS versions: safety standards now mean no plastic windows, and the center-bolted racing wheels are reported to have given way to a more conventional five-bolt set-up. Weight is reduced through the use of carbon fiber in the doors and rear grille, lightweight magnesium rims, and what is sure to be a stripped interior with racing buckets, amounting to an estimated 220-lb weight savings. Power is expected to top 520 hp, and the brakes are tipped to get an upgrade over the "standard" F430, while soft-compound Pirelli PZero rubber should help the car stick better than the Bridgestones its conventional counterpart is saddled with.

After a season spent trimming down and toning up, the F430 Challenge Stradale looks ripe to take on its challengers with explosive speed.

Related posts:

• Ferrari to debut new model in Frankfurt, not the Dino
• Spy Shots: Ferrari 430 Challenge Stradale
• More Spy Shots: F430 Challenge Stradale
• SPY SHOTS: Ferrari F430 Challenge Stradale
• Spy Shots: Ferrari Challenge Stradale F430

[Source: The Car Connection]

Ferrari aficionados and motorheads the world over have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Ferrari F430 Challenge Stradale. The previous 360 CS took the 360 Modena coupe, put it on a diet and gave it some stripes. The result was a leaner and meaner prancing horse that put the 360 Challenge race-car into street-legal form. The very idea of taking the already superlative F430 and giving it the same treatment was simply mouthwatering.

This spy shot was snapped at the Nurburgring, which seems a little odd considering Ferrari owns three circuits of its own in Italy. The test mule shows most of the visible modifications to be featured on the F430 Challenge Stradale...expect the wheels to more closely resemble the magnesium CS rims up front than the stock 430 wheels at the back.

Until now the jury was out on whether the 430 CS would gain its performance edge "merely" by shedding extra mass or also be treated to a few extra cavallini, but the latest reports indicate that the 430's high-revving soprano V8 will get a boost to 520 horsepower (30 over the "ordinary" F430), thanks to a revised ECU and new exhaust system. Couple that with 200-lbs worth of liposuction thanks largely to selective use of carbon fiber body panels and you've got a recipe for satanic performance.

[Source: Motor Authority]