JonBoy

The bar for the F430 has been raised by the slower, less grippy, less telepathic Gallardo? The Gallardo has a bigger motor and more power but it's slower, the clutch is problematic and it doesn't launch well (without trashing the drivetrain).

I have never driven either car (here we go) but I have yet to see a comparison that puts the Gallardo as a better car than the F430. Pretty much every article I read says that while the F430 can be beat in some areas by some cars (Z06, Ford GT, for instance), it cannot be beat as an overall sports car by anything short of an Enzo or Carrera GT. The 911 Turbo is a very sporty GT but it is not a pure sports car in the same way that the F430 is. Even most 911 Turbo owners will agree with this - it's getting too heavy and too "controlled" to have the same kind of feedback that more hardcore cars give (like the F430). Oh, it's a very quick car and it's very capable but it still has four seats, weighs around 3500 lbs, and has lately earned the moniker "speed appliance".

I'm not disputing that Ferrari will make the F430 with a bigger and more powerful motor (it's a continuing trend). I merely dispute that they're doing it because the Gallardo and 911 Turbo are higher in the automotive food chain. It's simply not true. It matches or beats the Gallardo and 911 Turbo already. Furthermore, the 911 Turbo isn't remotely close in cost and generally is not cross-shopped against a Ferrari (or Lambo). You'd have to seriously load up a 911 Turbo to cross the $150K threshhold, which is still $30K short of a brand new base model F430 (which you will be lucky to get in two years if you manage to get on the list right now). If you go used, you're still $80K less than an F430...