Thanks everyone, it's now getting a full clear wrap in the shop. I'm actually missing it! It will be a battle keeping it to just 5000rpm for the first 1000km!
the need to keep it below 5000 RPM for 1000KM has been thoroughly debunked by the factory. The engine is officially broken in on the bench, not that modern motor need to be "broken in" in the same sense as they did in the pre 2000s. The car is then test driven HARD for 100km. That page in the manual is is simply a left over from times gone by and they haven't bothered to take the page out. I had a conversation with the engine mechanics on this when I was in Maranello. Good idea for you to break yourself in for the first 1000km but the car doesn't need it.
But bedding in/running in with all other mechanical components still recommended! ie gearbox etc! It's such a stunning machine that it warrants it!
do you also believe they bed the brakes at the factory too? They should, but they don't. Ferrari put engine break in instructions in the owner's manual for a reason. If Ferrari officially breaks in the engine at the factory and there was no benefit in following a break in procedure they would clearly say so in the owner's manual.
That same page has been in the book for many generations.. the engine techs at the factory smiled when I asked them why the page was in the book. They said no one has bothered to take it out or change the wording (same words in 430 manual, FF manual, 458 and Speciale). They were absolutely certain the engine requires no break-in. That is done on the bench with 30 mins or a computer controlled run through entire RPM range. Then ~100 kms of hard driving. The requirement for engine break in to properly seat the valves went away a long time ago. I got that straight from the guys assembling the engines at the factory. I take their word on it.
I drove my car pretty hard day 1, were talking hours of driving. Salesman said let it rip and don't worry about break in.
I'm not convinced that a Ferrari salesman and the factory workers that assemble the engines are the best sources of information on this topic. Think about it. I would have been more convinced if you spoke to the guys that actually design the engines at Ferrari.
Pretty sure the engines are bench run in. But, as with all things mechanical, there are a lot of surfaces that come into contact that a bench run in process can't simulate. Like the gearbox and all kind of auxiliary systems. This needs some care, as do the brakes and tyres.
Break-in is all about working temperatures, materials expansion and friction. I'd recommend reading a lot about it, what it is, why is done, how to do it and then decide by yourself if you want to do it. You will probably want to do minimal break-in at least.
Keeping revs to 5K for 600 miles seems a small price to pay especially given all the uncertainty about engine break in.
