You’ll likely know Frank Stephenson as one of the car industry’s most influential designers, with the Anglo-American virtuoso having penned everything from the first BMW Mini to Maserati’s MC12. But possibly his most challenging brief came with the Ferrari F430, a berlinetta to succeed the 360 which used many of the same technical ingredients as its predecessor. How do you evolve such a pretty design without ruining it?
In a new film, Stephenson explains his contribution to Ferrari’s flat-plane-cranked V8 supercar, which famously included Michael Schumacher among its development team. What makes this video so interesting are the secrets Stephenson reveals about his inspirations; like the link between the ‘shark-nose’ 1961 Ferrari 156 F1 racer and the front-end of his F430. And the reason why the 430’s wider tracks freed him to add a more aggressive angle to the car’s upper elements. While it’d be hard to call the F430 one of Ferrari’s prettiest designs, it’s never been without fans.
The F430’s outstanding performance and the searing talent of the Scuderia version are well known, but this is your first chance to discover why Ferrari’s 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo rival looks the way it does…
