If you’re in any doubt as to the intent of the 430 Scuderia, bear in mind that you’re looking at a car that costs £194,135 yet has no carpets. In fact, it feels not unlike a racing car or a development mule. There’s metal panelling on the floor, while in the footwell and around the wheel arches there are bare welds (some less than perfect) and bolt-heads.
That translates to a ride which, over coarse surfaces or anywhere there are loose chippings, is astonishingly loud. The engine idles noisily, too.
Noise aside, the Scuderia is not a tiresome car to spend a long time aboard. Its seats – carbon-backed and thinly padded – are comfortable and the steering wheel has a just-adequate range of reach and rake adjustment. You’ll find is automatic climate control, electric windows and mirrors, too.
The driving position has pedals offset by the offside wheel arch, but with only two pedals the effect is bearable. And although you can’t see the column stalk markings, given a little time they become intuitive enough. The dials are for the most part clear, but it wouldn’t hurt for the speedo to be a mite larger, and the Scuderia could do with a clock.
Occupants have plenty of room – this is a wide, airy cabin – but there isn’t a lot of oddment storage. There is, at least, a deep front boot.
At £172,625 in standard trim, the Scuderia is a hefty £29,000 dearer than an F430 coupé even before options (although ceramic discs are standard). And the options easily push it, like this £194,135 car, towards £200k. But the Scuderia easily improves on the standard F430 by more than the 25 per cent price inflation.
Used Challenge Stradales still command a premium over the 360, a trick we forecast the Scuderia will repeat. Although expense may not be an issue, expect no better than the 14.7mpg we averaged during our time with the car.