London-based publisher System 3 today re-affirmed its PlayStation 3 downloadable content plans for racing simulation game Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli. This content will come in the form of five brand new Ferrari models and one new track, and is set to launch in May 2009 (PAL territories – NTSC details tba). Each car also provides gamers with a brand new Trophy to race for.
The DLC pack includes:
Car 1: 430 Scuderia
The 430 Scuderia is just one of five stunning new Ferraris available to download and throw around the tracks of Ferrari Challenge! Visually striking with a distinctive exhaust sound, every last detail of the Ferrari 430 Scuderia exudes uncompromising sporting finesse as a direct result of its close links to Ferrari Challenge racing. And with the car’s development process aided by none other than Michael Schumacher, it’s not hard to understand why it’s been such a hit with Ferrari enthusiasts.
It’s both lighter and more powerful than the standard F430 and can achieve 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds, with a top speed of 198mph! It can also complete a lap at Fiorano (Ferrari’s test track) in a time comparable to that of the Enzo, the car that has come to epitomise Ferrari's philosophy of transferring F1 content to its road cars.
Car 2: 599 GTB Fiorano
Introducing the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. It might present a bit of a mouthful but the car’s name sums it up perfectly. Fiorano is the circuit Ferrari uses to hone the performance of its track and road cars; GTB refers to ‘Gran Turismo Berlinetta’ (the most famous Ferrari berlinettas ever built); and 599 reflects the 5999cc, V12 engine. With all that hype it’s a good job that the car doesn’t disappoint! In fact, we’d say it sets a high benchmark of excellence in the sports car world.
The 599 GTB Fiorano sprints from 0 to 60mph in under 3.7 seconds and boasts a top speed in excess of 206mph! In 2006 the car won Evo’s Car of the Year award and Top Gear Magazine’s SuperCar of the Year award. However, it’s still the new model's uniquely innovative and luxurious inners that guarantee superior driving pleasure.
Car 3: 612 Scaglietti Sessanta
The 612 Scaglietti Sessanta is just one of 60 truly unique 60th anniversary celebration cars. Based on the 612 Scaglietti, the Prancing Horse's range-topping Gran Turismo combines blistering performance and superb handling with superior comfort, sumptuously handcrafted trim, state-of-the-art accessories and meticulous attention to detail. It’s a beautiful but powerful machine made even more desirable by its extremely limited availability. The 2-door coupe can reach speeds of 195mph.
A few years ago it was featured on UK car program Top Gear, where host Jeremy Clarkson raced against, and beat, his plane and train-faring co-hosts in a race from the UK to Switzerland. We can’t offer you the opportunity to re-enact that race but we can allow you to download the car and race on any track in Ferrari challenge!
Car 4: 330 P4
Presenting the ultra curvaceous and instantly recognisable Ferrari 330 P4. As one of the most revered cars in Ferrari’s long and illustrious history, the 330 P4 remains one of the most evocative shapes ever created. Powered by an F1-derived, 4-litre V12, it produces 450bhp and is capable of speeds of over 200mph. The sexy motor grabbed the headlines in 1967 when Ferrari beat the Ford GT40 in the ‘24 Hours Of Daytona’ event with a 1-2-3 finish! Company founder Enzo Ferrari kept a picture of the winning trio’s final approach for as long as he lived.
To this day only one completely original car remains. This fact, combined with the car’s obvious historical significance, has made it one of the most sought after, rare and valuable cars in the world today! Now there’s a story to be thinking about when you’re racing it around Monza…
Car 5: Enzo Ferrari
May we present another of System 3’s brand new DLC Ferrari motors: the awe-inspiring Enzo! Built to celebrate four years at the top of the F1 Constructors’ Championship, the car is a marriage of cutting edge technologies and is named after Ferrari’s founding member. Combining an F1 gearbox with a 5998cc, V12 engine and a carbon fibre body, the Enzo is a formidable drive that can achieve a top speed of 227mph and accelerate from 0-60mph in just 3.14 seconds! Its super-stylised chassis and gutsy roar are unmistakable and, six years on, it still drops jaws.
Whenever the car turns up at auction it regularly sells for over $1 million with the famed 400th charity auction car selling for $1.27 million in 2005! All of which, in our humble opinion, makes the Enzo a pretty special car. Coveted by collectors and the stuff of owner-drivers’ dreams, the Enzo is now ready for Ferrari Challenge owners to enjoy. And trust us, you won’t be disappointed!
Track 1: Nürburgring
System 3 are proud to present the awesome German GP race track Nürburgring! The 5.15km-long ‘GP-Streke’ section of the track is most notably used for GP2 and F1 racing, with many drivers claiming it to be one of the most challenging purpose-built circuits in the world. As a booster for German pride, Michael Schumacher set the lap record of 1.29.468, a time achieved in the F2004 Ferrari F1 car in the 2004 F1 season.
Nürburgring is well known for its long home straight, which is closely followed by a blind, narrow and barrier-laden first corner. It’s just the beginning of what is an extremely demanding circuit. As long as the GP-Streke section of the track is, it’s actually only a fraction of the 28.26km-long Gesamtstrecke (‘whole course’), a track which takes over 6 minutes to drive around in the average supercar! So get downloading and master one of the most demanding tracks on the racing circuit!
Cars and the track will be available individually or as a pack. An exact launch date and price for this DLC pack will be announced in the near future.
PlayStation 3 users who have not previously taken their console online will also be prompted to download the latest patch for the game, which address various minor issues and improve certain aspects of the game. These include:
Ferrari Challenge PS3 Patch Version 02.20
- adjustable steering wheel resistance added.About Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli
- multiplayer collision option added.
- 30-minute race duration option added in Multiplayer.
- minor Multiplayer connection issues resolved.
- Trophy support added.
- XMB background music support added in single player.
- Photo mode added to Showroom.
- lap split-times added to Time Trial mode.
- gear indicator added to in-car view.
- ‘Legend’ A.I. difficulty added.
- Host & Friends options refined.
- reservation system in Private lobbies implemented.
- frame rate improved in 1080p mode.
- improved detail in 1080 modes.
Released in late 2008 on DS, Wii, PS2 and PS3, Ferrari Challenge was a labour of love for System 3 founder and professional race driver Mark Cale. Combining 60 years of sumptuously detailed Ferrari car models with a handling engine tuned by GP2 and soon-to-be F1 driver Bruno Senna, Ferrari Challenge was a hardcore racing fan’s dream game.