RWD is not the best option for low-traction driving. Blasphemy as it may be, if you're serious about an exotic in those type of conditions, I'd suggest a 911 variant (Turbo or C4) with awd, or better yet, a Lamborghini, as all their current offerings are awd as well. There is, in fact, a Lamborghini ice driving school if you're serious about going this route... Google 'Lamborghini Ice' for the scoop. Best, Tad Image Unavailable, Please Login
I was almost ready to drive mine in the rain but the snow? I don't know about that. I saw an SLR in the snow last year in New York city though, it was great.
Yeah, I don't think it's the best idea. Porsche TT if you are serious. That's a fun car in the snow actually. Or, an R8, both with snows obviously.
Be nice guys! Everyone should be able to ask questions here. If you want to drive your 430 in the snow, go for it. I would put an all weather tire on it first.
I heard from my dealer that Ferrari Pilota offers a course of driving in the snow as well and he claims it to be more fun than the more advance Pilota courses. Anyone have any experience?
Perfect to learn how to drive and how the car act in extreme situations. But i would not drive daily in winter unless you want to crash.....I mean personally i am not able to keep my foot from throttle if i drive Ferrari and this is not the best idea on snow....
Would the F430 in snow be any worse than an MB SL55 I've been using? I've found it manageable with the right set of tires.
I believe its a bit too early for snow!......hehe From my experience, its pretty tough to drive a RWD vehicle in that weather condition. So keep in mind you need snow tire and be careful!
Heh, can you imagine sports mode in the snow with traction control off If you like death, then try it.
I believe ICE mode will help to regulate power, earlier but slower gear changes in low rpm mapping to enable drivability in moderate snow/ice conditions. It is definitely not that 'fun' but it should be rather safe if you drive it with discipline.
wow talk about ignorance. I don't have any experience with F430 but the 10-15 days a year it snows in Oklahoma I still use my F355. 6spd is recommended over F1 in the snow because you have more control but F1 will work. Just make sure you know what you are doing and be aware of other drivers.
ICE setting greatly reduces power and allows maximum intervention by traction and stability control. Sales catalog also states that auto shifting is engaged to prevent high rpm shifts. Somewhere, I belief I read that you can't use first ini ICE mode (paddle cars only). I've had my 430 in sloppy snow a couple of times and just used the low grip setting. My car is a stick shift so can't comment from personal use on how paddle cars react. Dave
Correct, we do not experience snow/ice weather in my country but I have tried used this low grip setting in heavy downpour with at least 5 to 10 mm of flowing water on the road with occasional aquaplaning. Driving at 80km/h on the wet highway in this mode appears more stable than the normal mode. IMHO, it feels like the car is in an 'AWD' mode, I could actually feel the road better thru the front wheels. No technical explanation but perhaps the e-diff working at full potential. The F1 is wonderfully tuned, just need to control the throttle position with utmost discipline and the transmission will shift up and down automatically to avoid mid to high revs. It will not engage first gear, the car has more than enough power to accelarate in 2nd gear. Yes, I do drive my car daily under all tropical conditions rain or shine. Take care.
One of my trips to the Ferrari factory was in December and there was plenty of snow on the ground. Full road testing was being conducted on finished cars. Net - if your car is a winter month build, it is very likely that it has already been driven in the snow!
I drove my F430 Spider in the snow (6 speeed stick) just for kicks a few times. The snow setting made it virtually impossible to go with all of the electronic nannies and when that mid engine got sideways, it was an electronic nanny assault. Very similar to my 911TT with AWD - neither, though, had winter tires. If this is really a serious question, I would say buy another car for snow. The cost of snows and mounting and ... would probably get you a nice Jeep or Subaru beater. If you cannot afford another car for the winter, then you may just ask yourself whether you can truly afford the F430 in the first place.
Yeah ! You are right, we all have our own rights to do whatever we want with our cars.. for me as an example, I would like to try my 360 to see if it could dive into the water like 007's Lotus - LOL .. just kidding !
I drive my F430 Summer & Winter and live in a country full of mountains. Buy winter tires, go on an advanced driving course that specialises in snow/ice and/or drifting (so you learn how your F430 behaves when you slide it and how it behaves when it decides to slide on its own). Then forthe best balance of control vs safety drive it on SPORT or RACE. Driving it in the SNOW or RAIN settings can be very scary when the car takes away all your power way too early and prevents you from controlling the vehicle. Its great fun in the wet and in the snow. I regularly drive my F430 at 120mph/200kmh+ in the rain over the autobahn and never ever had a problem - I drive on icy roads full of snow drifts without ever crashing. Yeah, sometimes the car back end wobbles a bit but you (a) get used to it and (b) you learn how to control it and (c) you learn to keep a very smooth foot on the throttle. After a few weeks you can do all this without even thinking about it. Nothing beats driving with the roof down in the winter when there snow everywhere. But yeah, I have to agree with some people that its not for everyone and that a AWD Lamborghini *is* better in the winter. But a Lamborghini is nothing but an overpriced Audi.
Been driving both RWD front engined and rear engined high horsepower cars, with and without traction control and/or stability control systems in the winter all my life. Serious winter.....-30 and several feet of snow.......a RWD 911 is exceptional and I actually prefer it over the C4 as I hate understeer. It's absolutely no problem if you have dedicated snow tires and are willing to do so. Gotta practice obviously, but as I was raised with winters, and continued to live in them, I had no choice but to learn. The only issue I forsee is ground clearance.......yet the biggest worry I'd have with an F430 is some idiot in their $500 winter beater sliding into me.
