“Uncanny.” “Mind boggling.” “Incredible.” Those are some of the words Ferrari Challenge drivers are using to describe their first impressions after test-driving the new 458 Challenge in Valencia, Spain this past November. The new racecar makes its Challenge track debut in the spring, when it will share the series for one year with the F430 Challenge.

Scott Tucker, who took second place in the 2010 North American series, and Francesco Piovanetti, who garnered third, were among the Challenge drivers to test the 458 Challenge in Spain; they gave Ferrari News their feedback.

Both drivers praised the new racecar’s performance, particularly its dual-clutch transmission, the first ever used in a Ferrari competition car. They also observed even greater stability through corners, thanks to both the car’s chassis tuning and new dynamic handling controls.

Asked what left the biggest impression after his first drive, Piovanetti said, “The car’s weight balance, lack of roll, and uncanny gearbox.”

A closer look at the 458 Challenge reveals why, drivers are excited to campaign the new car. A significant power advantage over the F430 Challenge is of course an obvious difference, thanks to the 562-hp 4.5-liter V8. Although the power rating is the same as the 458 Italia road car, the 458 Challenge employs a race-optimized intake and a true racing exhaust system. The intake uses a carbon-fiber plenum and filter box, along with flexible intake tubes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TeBJlyUts0

For the exhaust, the GT2-derived Inconel collectors are lighter than in the 458 Italia, and the Challenge car features a two-pipe system rather than the road car’s three-pipe setup. (That system features special valves that close off the two outer outlets at idle and low speeds). The FIA-homologated racing catalysts are lighter and reduce backpressure. There is an optional racing muffler for circuits that require noise control.

Drivers of the Ferrari 458 Italia and California models have been enjoying the transformative performance of the new dual-clutch seven-speed transmission; now, used for the first time in a Ferrari competition car, this technology won over the Challenge drivers immediately. “The transmission is superior to that of a F430C. The shifting, especially downshifting into braking zones, is mind-boggling,” Piovanetti said.

Tucker also sang out the dual-clutch transmission’s praises for acclaim: “The difference is incredible; the old shift system on the F430 can’t compete with the new shift system on the 458. The 458 is much faster and shifts much quicker. You are in a higher gear everywhere compared to the F430.”

The 458 Challenge has a 192-mph top track speed, vs. 202 mph for the 458 Italia. That is mainly because, for racing, the racecar’s transmission uses a shorter seventh gear. Also, for better track performance, tires with a smaller rolling radius than on the 458 Italia shorten the effective ratio in all gears.

The 458 Challenge chassis, which employs revised tuning and new electronic controls, greatly impressed the drivers. “The 458 Challenge has better overall stability and grip, especially on turn-in,” said Tucker.

Optimized for track-only duty, the 458 Challenge chassis uses rigid mounts in place of bushings, and features two-position Multimatic dampers and adjustable stabilizer bars (21 mm in front; 23 mm in back, each with slots adjustable by 10%). Rear track is identical to that of the F430 Challenge, but front track is widened to 1,692 mm, 23 mm wider. The 458 Challenge stands 30 mm lower than the F430 Challenge.

The 19-inch single-nut forged light alloy racing rims carry wider-section tires than on the F430 Challenge: 255 vs. 235 in front and 305 vs. 295 in the rear. The Brembo CCM2 brakes are new, derived from the 599XX experimental car; front discs are the same diameter as in the F430 Challenge but slightly thicker; rear discs are 30 mm wider with the same 34 mm thickness. New brake pads are thicker and more durable. The ABS system provides two settings – “high performance” for dry surfaces and “low grip” for wet.

The chassis changes combine with the first electronic handling systems in a Challenge car, including F1-Trac traction control and the E-Diff active differential, to enable higher cornering limits and faster speeds. There are two settings, “Wet” and “Dry” for various track conditions. The race-prepped 458 Challenge chassis enables a staggering 1.6g cornering capability. Setting a milestone in series performance, the 458 Challenge has posted a 1.6-second faster lap time at Fiorano than the F430 Challenge.

Piovanetti, commenting on the new Challenge racecar’s combination of speed and handling, added: “It’s faster in and out of slow corners, and in straight-line speed. It is just a faster car overall. It seemed to me like a fairly substantial transition [from the F430 Challenge].”