Manufactured from 2004 until 2009, the Ferrari F430 was the successor to the very successful 360M and, according to its creators, was at least 70% new compared with the previous model, itself a ground-breaker. Its aluminium structure was more rigid than the 360's, it had a new engine, a new F1 gearbox, a new differential and a brand-new chassis, and although the styling is obviously reminiscent of the 360M's, in reality, it's pretty much a ground-up design. Largely the work of Pininfarina, although overseen by Ferrari's design chief Frank Stephenson, the F430 still looks fresh today, more crisp-edged than the 360, with a strong hint of Enzo around the surface-erupting tail-lights.

Its all-new 4.3-litre V8 engine, with four valves per cylinder instead of the 360's five and chain camshaft drive instead of belts, with a consequent great reduction in service costs, has a variable-valve-timing system lifted straight from the Enzo's V12, dry-sump lubrication, a very high compression ratio (11.3:1), a variable airflow plenum chamber and an enormous electronic brain making the decisions in the form of not one, but two, Bosch Motronic ME7 ECUs. At 483bhp it boasts 21% more power than the 360, exceeding even that of the mighty (and turbocharged) F40, whilst the torque spread is extraordinary for an engine keen to howl beyond 8500rpm. All these factors contribute to a 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds and a maximum speed in excess of 196mph.

The advancements continued with the Manettino, the steering wheel-mounted selector for stability systems, damping, shift speed and throttle response. And there's the E-diff, whose calibrations this alters, a clever, clutch-controlled active differential that sorts out waywardness, not by inhibiting one rear wheel, but by pouring more torque into the other. Ferrari reckons it's worth three seconds a lap at the Fiorano test track, and it certainly helps make the F430 a far more forgiving machine than the 360, and a car of supremely subtle and keen responses.

Our vendor is only the second owner of the this stunning Ferrari 430 F1 Coupe that comes with a full Ferrari main dealer service record and has covered only 22,137 miles. Finished in a striking shade of Tour de France Blue with a superb tan interior, it's accompanied by its factory Vehicle Identification Passport (VIP) photographically recording its route through the production process at Ferrari’s Maranello factory where every Ferrari has been built since 1947.

Registered to its first owner in Surrey on 14th September 2006, it has a very impressive service record conducted by Maranello Egham every year from 2007 through to 2017 including two major service routines up to 21,120. In August 2020, it was serviced by Lancaster Ferrari Colchester at an indicated mileage of 22,005 and will be serviced by them again just prior to the auction and will come with a full MOT and its comprehensive history file corroborating the mileage and service history.

Presented to auction in truly stunning condition, the time has now come for someone else to enjoy what must surely be one of the finest examples on the market today and, when combined with the low mileage and impeccable maintenance record, this could turn out to be one of your better decisions.