These are the first official photos of the Ferrari F430, the Italian sports car maker’s 360 Modena replacement. Slated to bow at September’s Paris motor show, the latest prancing horse features revised bodywork and a more potent drivetrain. Easily spotted external changes include a beefy front bumper with reshaped air intakes, modified side intakes and an Enzo-like rear end with a monster aerodynamic diffuser.

To achieve performance on par with Lamborghini’s Gallardo, the F430 gets power from a 4.3-liter V8 engine derived from sibling marque Maserati’s Coupe, Spyder and Quattroporte. The Ferrari uses a flat-crank, unique intake manifold and lighter internal parts to churn out 483 hp at 8500 rpm, a significant improvement over the 360 Modena’s 400 hp rating. Just as promising, torque rises from 275 lb-ft to 343 lb-ft at 5250 rpm. Ferrari claims the new car sprints from 0 to 62 mph in 4.0 seconds, a half-second quicker than the old model. Top speed bumps to 196 mph—a 13-mph improvement. Ferrari says it has modified the F1 gearbox’s performance, with shifts taking a scant 0.15 second.

Ferrari officials say they have imbued this road car with Formula One technology, including an electronic differential and a steering wheel-mounted switch resembling those found on its F1 steering wheels; the switch lets drivers change traction and stability control settings. Carbon-ceramic brake discs are optional. Pricing isn’t set, but expect to pay at least 10 percent more than the Modena’s $158,000 base (approximately $175,000) when the F430 hits our shores, likely in spring ’05.