Two days ago, Eugenio Molinari established two new world water speed records on Lake Como, navigating a boat, fitted with an engine of a Ferrari F430. The two records were set in the categories Endurance Group B class S1 and S2, which are dedicated to Granturismo boats with a minimum weight (including commander and fuel) of 1100 kg (2424 lb) and 1450 kg (3196 lb) with an average speed of 123,288 km/h (76.6 mph) and 122,035 km/h (75.8 mph) on the running kilometer.

Boat and engine derive from serial production, while the engine has been slightly altered so that it could be used on water. This is not the first time that shipmasters have used engines from Ferrari for competitions and high performances. Already in the year 1953 a boat had been fitted with an engine from Ferrari, a 375 F1. Today's record-setting boat will be part of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of Ferrari at the upcoming weekend in Maranello.

"I dedicate this record to Luca di Montezemolo, on the occasion of the 60 years of Ferrari; Montezemolo leads the company with passion and great innovative energy, maintaining the spirit of the Prancing Horse," said 71-year-old Eugenio Molinari after setting his 71st record.

The mid-mounted engine, a V8 90° with 4308 cc and 490 bhp at 8,500 rpm, propels the Berlinetta from Maranello. Its maximum torque is 343 lb-ft at 5,250 rpm. For the employment off shore the engine had been modified in the areas of its respiration, exhaust and control. The cooling system remained unchanged, while the radiator paraflu/air had been changed to a heat exchanger paraflu/acqua. The cooling circuit of the latter uses a pump external to the engine, moved by the specific transmission of the boat, which pumps cooling water to the heat exchanger and the exhausts of the engine.