Ferrari F430

Bella's after car. This Ferrari F430 model was a gift from her vampire husband, Edward Cullen. Twilight has introduced many of us to exotic and luxurious cars, and these cars have almost as many fans as the Stephanie Meyer's Saga does. We, Twilight fans, relate each character to their car, almost as a part of that character's personality.

When someone undergoes a significant change in their life – be it personal, professional or sometimes even spiritual – they often want to make a clean break with other aspects of their existence. This can help establish a clean slate for the future, a clear path for moving forward, and also cut any anchoring ties with the persona that the person is trying to leave behind.

When Bella was transformed from her human form into a full-fledged vampire, it was clear that she could no longer live in the same manner as she had before. One area in particular where this was glaringly obvious was with respect to her choice of vehicle. Sure, a 60 year old pickup truck might have been appropriate for a small town girl just out of her teenage years, living alone with her father in an isolated community – but that represented the past. Her new life was moving faster than she could ever have imagined, and as such she needed an automobile that could keep up with the most rapid of paces. Edward recognized this, and he took care of the choice of vehicle for Bella.

Enter the Ferrari F430. The latest evolution in Ferrari’s line of sport coupes, the F430 is a no-holds barred speed machine, a vehicle which is equally at home on a Formula One race track as it is on the street. Ferrari’s racing heritage is evident in every example of every car to leave their shop, and the F430 is no exception. An upgrade over the Ferrari 360 it replaces, the F430 is powered by a 4.3 liter V8 that produces a scintillating 483 horsepower and 343 lb-ft of torque. The engine revs up to a redline of 8,500 rpm, allowing it to share the same exotic exhaust sound as the race cars upon which is based. In terms of transmission choices, a 6-speed manual transmission is standard equipment, but buyers in the know can opt for a 6-speed F1 sequential transmission that uses the same hardware and software as Ferrari’s Formula One race car. This allows for shifts that occur faster than the blink of an eye, along with excellent engine management when downshifting.

The Ferrari F430 has a top speed of just under 200 miles per hour, making it virtually unbeatable on the highway. Not only that, the coupe can accelerate to 60 miles per hour from a standing start in only 3.5 seconds – shorter than the time it takes to read this sentence. A computer-controlled rear differential helps to keep the vehicle’s prodigious power firmly applied to the pavement, and the suspension system is driver-adjustable. This lets the car be fine tuned to handle the specific situation it will find itself in, with 5 settings ranging from mild to wild. Other features such as the traction control, transmission and throttle response are also configurable.

A true champion stemming from a long line of champions, the Ferrari F430 is a suitable car for anyone finding themselves at the top of the food chain – vampires, human or otherwise