The new F1-SuperFast2 gearbox is unbelievably fast and requires a complete readjustment of your cognitive references, so strikingly fast upshifts are. A compelling synthesis between the swiftness of the best double-clutch systems and the sensational experience that only sequential gearboxes seem to be able to procure. The gears slam at each request of your right index, interrupting the thurst for a mere 60ms. With the Scuderia, a threshold has been crossed, this gearbox feels faster than the human brain. The gear is already engaged and the V8 has already resumed pulling strong while your cortex is still trying to make sense of the endless flow of aural and physical information. The sensation is unreal, an amazing showcase of a technical know-how that seems currently unique in the industry.

With its 150ms upshifts, the F430 was a reference for mechanical sequential gearboxes until the 599 Fiorano (100ms) was launched. The 430 Scuderia is in a class of its own. If these number seem artificial, reality is striking. Glowing superlatives and lousy metaphors can’t quite describe the experience when, 5 LEDs lit on the steering wheel rim and tacho needle rushing to the redline, your finger triggers this brilliant electro-mechanical flash. The acceleration, the shrieking V8, the controlled violence of the shift, and this satanic ritual that resumes without the slightest respite. Downshifts are just as good, with glorious throttle blips and the occasional race-style exhaust sputtering. The SuperFast2 system is without doubt a very strong point of this car, as much for its sheer effectiveness as for the thrills it brings.

The engine of the Scuderia is an evolution of the 4.3L V8 of the F430, with a careful attention to details such as specific pistons raising the compression ratio to 11.88:1, polished intake manifolds, the removal of pre-catalytic converter (the car is still emissions compliant). Power is up by 20hp, with a claimed 10% gain in torque at low and mid revs. In spite of a rather high specific power output for a normally aspirated engine (118.4hp/litre), the engine pulls surprisingly hard from lower revs, making it a fierce weapon for hairpin exits and razor sharp overtaking. Travelling the rev range is an epic journey, with a sustained crescendo until the redline. If other car makers achieve similar rev ranges, the brilliance of Ferrari engines remains astounding, whether with this V8 or with the V12 of the 599 Fiorano. Where others demonstrate a great rev range – the Porsche 997 GT3’s flat 6 for instance – Ferrari gives a unique incentive to flirt with the redline in each gear. With a measured power-to-weight ratio of 2.78 kg/hp, is it necessary to stress that this car is very, very fast.

Though a bit less extreme than a 360 Challenge Stradale from inside, noise is LOUD as soon as the muffler valves open iup, with a balanced mix between induction and exhaust notes. Personally, I still have a soft spot for the V12 of the 599 Fiorano and its richer and more subtle harmonics, but the sonic aggression of the Scuderia is undoubtedly an integral part of the experience. Claimed acceleration figures are of course impressive with a 0-200 km/h (124 mph) in 11.6 seconds.