Ferrari F430

There's always been much more to Ferraris than just phenomenal performance -- their styling, exclusivity and sheer presence all play a part in their allure. Since the 1970s, Ferrari's line of midengine V8-powered sports cars has provided the most "affordable" means of accessing this mystique, though some of these cars have been more successful than others. While most offered a level of performance that few cars could match, more recent years have ushered in new competition, which effectively addressed the Ferrari's weaknesses while improving upon its strengths. The famous sports-car maker from Maranello answered with the Ferrari F430 coupe and Spider convertible.

The car's basic shape is similar to its predecessor, but is edgier and adopts design cues from the Enzo supercar. Thanks to a lightweight space frame draped with aluminum body panels, the F430 weighs in at a lean 3,200 pounds. The heart of the F430's improvements, though, lies within its drivetrain. For all to see underneath a clear rear hatch is a redesigned 90-degree V8, accompanied by a newer version of the "F1" sequential-shift manual transmission. It now shifts more smoothly in everyday driving situations while still allowing super-quick upshifts and perfect rev-matched downshifts at the pull of a paddle.

Given that the F430's price can easily break the $200,000 barrier, it's understandably difficult for many people to consider this Ferrari as an "entry-level" machine. Even for the well-heeled, the F430's cost might seem a little excessive considering that cars like the Corvette Z06 or the Porsche 911 Turbo offer similar (or better) performance for considerably less money. But there's no denying that the Ferrari F430 is an exceptional sports car by every measure. In terms of performance, it has but a handful of equals and even fewer superiors. It won't be mistaken for anything but a Ferrari, and will no doubt bring thoroughly satisfying ownership to the fortunate few able to afford one.

One interesting caveat: Potentially facing a ban on U.S. sales of the Modena in early 2006, Ferrari successfully petitioned the NHTSA for an exemption to a safety requirement related to airbag deployment. While the Modena includes numerous safety features, Ferrari argued that the airbag problem only affected particularly small passengers who are out of their normal seating position, and thus received a two-year exemption.