Transmission & F1 gearbox
The 6-speed gearbox incorporates multicone synchronizers, while both the 6th gear and the final drive have been lengthened to make the most of the greater power and torque of the new engine. Thanks to that ongoing development, Ferrari's F1 gearbox for the F430 is state of the art, introducing a number of important modifications: thanks to inputs from the engineers on the Gestione Sportiva racing side, the F1 gearbox management incorporates a new control strategy which further perfects gearchange speed and smoothness under hard use. Changing gear takes just 150 milliseconds, as measured by the "hole" in acceleration during the change. As well as increasing the speed of changes during hard driving, the new software improves smoothness in the fully automatic mode (actuated by a button on the central tunnel), making the F430 a true all-rounder. At the opposite extreme, the F43's LAUNCH CONTROL (not available in North America) gives maximum performance away from a standing start with suitable road conditions (for example, on the track).