Would you rather have

If you really truly love stick shift go with the 430 stick.

If you want the safest investment its the CS.

If you want the rawest its either the CS or the Scud- I prefer the Scud.

If you want one car to rule them all (yeah I'm going with a Lord of the Rings reference) get the 458. The other cars are sports cars. The 458 is a jr level supercar. If you don't know what I mean, go test drive one- but really drive it- don't putt around. Just be forewarned- you will be ruined for ever. The 458 is probably the worst financial investment here but I think if you want a car to make you feel special the 458 is the best car they've ever made.

 

MT F430 or Scud

 

If for DD: 458. The build quality and fit and finish on the 458 is amazing. Nice car to live with on a daily basis.

If you're a gated shifter addict like me: 430 3 pedal

If for investment, track time, or you already have a more comfy Ferrari and want something hard edge for the weekend then it's really hard to decide between the CS and Scud. Both are great so it would just be up to your preference on looks and feel.

 

I just bought a MT 430 spider. Prices for Scuds are not the same in the UK: 50% higher than MT 430s.
Would I straight swap the Spider for a similar condition Scud? Immediately, though I'd miss the sunshine. (16Ms gone crazy in last 18 months.) Scuderia the most fun Ferrari I have driven.
458 an amazing car but you need to thrash it to start having fun, like all contemporary Ferraris. Even more so for Speciale. Would not trade MT 430 for a 458.
Not driven CS.

 

458 Speciale, for the performance, gearbox, and styling.

(And a 308/328 for old school manual gearbox and exotic looks.)

 

This is just what I was thinking.
If Im buying as part of a large collection, then CS because its more rare and a first of sorts. For real world use I think the Scud, with a timing chain, more torque, and the faster F1 would be the choice.

 

I had a CS for a few months. It was fun to drive.


on that short list, i like the CS or scud