430 Steering Wheel Switch (Manettino)

Sorry if this is a repost--info from the Ferrari Owner's Site

The manettino and vehicle set-up


Just like in Formula 1, the F430 driver can change various areas of the set-up of his car using a single selector set on the steering wheel. The manettino, as it is called by Scuderia Ferrari drivers, is a commutator switch that has been adopted directly from racing, where the driver’s total commitment to driving requires maximum efficiency and speed in controlling the car’s various functions. This switch quickly and simply controls the electronics governing suspension settings, the CST stability and traction control, E-Diff and the change speed of the F1 transmission, as well as the integration between each of these individual functions. The manettino is set on the steering wheel and is an example of the rationalisation studies that went into positioning all the controls inside the car. The manettino enables car settings to be changed to suit the personal preferences of the driver, road surface conditions and available grip. The settings available to the driver have been concentrated in five different strategies. These, in ascending order according the level of performance, are:

ICE: performance is significantly restricted (maximum intervention by the stability and traction control) for maximum stability - indispensable for driving in very slippery conditions (snow or ice). The car reacts smoothly to driving inputs. The automatic gear-changing mode is selected which prevents gear changes at high revs and reduces the possibility of the rear wheels locking up on downchanges, even on ice.

LOW GRIP: this position ensures stability both on dry and wet surfaces. It is therefore recommended for surfaces with poor grip (rain), gritty roads or particularly broken or undulating blacktop. In this configuration, unlike ICE, the driver can still use the F1 paddle shift. The adaptive suspension setting is optimised to provide a very comfortable ride without impeding the handling balance, and the stability and traction control remains in the ICE configuration.

SPORT: this is the standard setting that strikes the best balance between stability and performance. Ideal for the open road, this position provides an optimum compromise for maximum performance in safety. Compared to the previous settings, SPORT adopts a more sporting configuration for the adaptive suspension to maximise performance, handling and stability at high speeds. The CST also goes up a level, giving the driver greater freedom, without excessively reigning in the engine.

RACE: this setting must be used only on the race track. Gear changing is even faster to minimise gear shifting times. CST intervention is reduced to a minimum (the engine management only cuts the engine when absolutely necessary).

CST: activates or deactivates the stability and traction control. With the manettino set to off, the driver has full control over the car’s reactions. The only driver aids that remain active are those that cannot be overridden such as ABS and EBD (electronic brake distribution). With the CST deactivated, the electronic differential has a specific calibration which exalts the car’s incredible levels of handling and roadholding when free of stability controls. Gear shift speeds and damper settings are the same as in RACE.

Over and above the significant technological breakthrough that the manettino represents, the approach to the new F430 underlines the importance given to exploiting the potential of the vehicle while maintaining ease of use under all conditions without jeopardising safety and stability. This has led to a new way of conceiving the car, which is not only based on the use of new technical features (eg. electronic differential, stability and traction control, and adaptive damping) but also on the improvement of Ferrari’s tried and tested technologies (F1 gearbox, advanced engine control) and the optimisation of their integration.

The adoption of stability and traction control (CST) together with the electronic differential has made the car even more stable, easier and safer to drive without affecting its handling and the excellent feedback the chassis gives the driver. The system in fact ensures maximum safety in all driving conditions (from extreme track use to town driving) and on all road surfaces (rain or dry, or even ice). The CST intervenes in a smooth, unobtrusive way only as and when needed, without taking the driver’s mind off what he or she is doing.

The F430 features Ferrari’s uncompromising forged aluminium, double unequal-length wishbone suspension set-up front and rear with antidive and antisquat geometries. The F430 also introduces new-generation software for managing the car’s adaptive suspension to provide the perfect balance between handling and comfort.

Two sensors are mounted on the lower front wishbones to read suspension travel, two on the upper shock absorber mounting points to measure body movement, one on a rear shock absorber mounting point to measure roll and yaw, and a last sensor on the steering column to measure steering angle. The control logic adjusts the shock absorbers’ damping characteristics within a certain range based on the settings selected by the driver using the manettino on the steering wheel.

The wheels are fitted with 19’’ rims with 225/35 tyres at the front and 285/35 at the rear. There is also the option of run-flat tyres combined with electronic pressure control. When flat, these tyres can be driven for 120 kilometres at a maximum speed of 80 km/h.

The power steering has a servo that adjusts the degree of assistance on the basis of engine speed. The ratio is very direct at 60 mm/turn and the turning circle is around 11 metres.

The braking system of the F430 consists of powerful, all-round vented and cross-drilled cast-iron discs (330x32) with four-pot callipers and is integrated with all the car’s electronic control systems (ABS, CST, EBD). Working in close collaboration with Brembo, Ferrari’s engineers have developed a new cast-iron alloy for the discs which includes molybdenum for better energy/heat dissipation. This new alloy provides significantly improved braking performance without increasing the size (and therefore the weight) of the discs. The overall heat-energy index for the F430 under braking from 300 km/h is one of the lowest among high performance cars with cast-iron systems.

An outstanding alternative is the option of specifying the latest generation system based on carbon-ceramic technology that Ferrari developed for its F1 single-seaters. This technology has already been successfully employed on its road cars, starting with the Enzo Ferrari. Different diameter carbon-ceramic discs are mounted front and rear: 360x34 mm with 6-pot callipers at the front, and 350x34 mm with 4-pot callipers at the rear.

The diameters of the hydraulic pistons are differentiated to distribute the pressure exerted on the discs and optimise performance. Pedal travel is constant even under repeated braking, and fade has been eliminated even under hard track use. The adoption of carbon-ceramic discs brings with it a significant increase in longevity the new brakes can in fact easily cover 350 laps at racing speeds on the Fiorano track.