FERRARI ... HOW these three syllables trip off the tongue in a triplet filled with some men's innermost desire.
I've been lucky enough to have driven a number of Ferraris, ranging from the Dino to the 360 Challenge Stradale, but I still get goosebumps whenever I'm asked to take the wheel of one of these beauties from Maranello.
The styling of the new F430 is pure Ferrari. It's sleek curves trace as far back as the 250P from the early 1960s. This latest evolution has a more aggressive nose with huge intakes that draw cool air for the brakes and also direct airflow to the tiny aerofoil between them.
The fenders curve upwards to the wing mirrors, whose brand-new twin-stalk design helps with the engine cooling, thanks to amazing wind-tunnel research. A glass cover stops people drooling on the engine, and the tail reminds me of the unattainable Enzo, with a quartet of round lights resting on the top edge, rather like a salvo of rockets ready for launch.
On paper, the F430 has near identical dimensions to its predecessor, the 360 Modena, only the bodywork is about 3cm longer. The F430 looks meaner on hunched flanks and more poised on larger 19-inch, 10-spoked star alloys. Optical fibre-like parking lights surround the new multi-lensed xenon light units and complete the hi-tech visage. Aerodynamic tweaks are subtle, but keep the car firmly planted on long sweeping corners.
But the F430 is all about presence. People crick their necks to steal a glance as the F430 slips effortlessly through traffic on a slick mixture of envy and respect. The cabin is familiar, the dashboard is nearly identical, but the steering now has two small pods, with the 'engine start' button and the manettino. The pedals are well-spaced, with an aluminium plate to stop scuffing on the intruding wheel-well.