HighestOfHigh
Cornering Kingpin
This car is just so sick. It's good to be rich right now.
Sure is..imagine with the Spyder version comes out.
458 [2009-2015] Ferrari 458 Italia 'First Drives' thread.
- Thread starter Bilal
- Start date
The Ferrari 458 Italia (Type F142) is an Italian mid-engine sports car produced by Ferrari. The 458 is the successor of the F430, and was first officially unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. It was succeeded by the 488 GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) in 2015.
Sure is..imagine with the Spyder version comes out.
Tarek
Cornering Kingpin
bmer
Tire Trailblazer
Perhaps, we'll see when the McLaren and this meet in an actual test.Other than the looks,u know this is the superior machine at the moment.
Anyway, I've always thought that aesthetics forms one essential part of the attractiveness of sports cars. When the car in question doesn't have an exterior that is desirable IMO, it loses a big portion of its charm in my eyes. The 458's flatfish-like appearance simply doesn't induce similar kind of visual delight as the 430 or current Lamborghinis.
Merc1
Premium
Motor Trend - First Drive: 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia
Maximum Reset: The F430 Gets A CTRL+ALT+DEL
Ferrari has rebooted its V-8 sports car range, starting with a sheet that's as clean as it was when the 355 gave way to the 360 Modena. Sure, the Ferrari 458 Italia is still a mid-engine rear-drive all-aluminum design, but the engine, gearbox, chassis, suspension, electronic controls, aerodynamics, instrumentation, and ergonomics are all revised. The actual manettino switch itself may carry over from the 430 Scuderia, but little else does as the 458 rolls out, ready to serve as the basis for the next decade's worth of V-8 Ferrari sports cars.
Starting from the very basics, the wheelbase is stretched 1.9 inches for greater stability while the overall length grows by only 0.6 inch, meaning the overhangs are way smaller, which reduces the polar moment of inertia, making the car more eager to rotate. New aluminum alloys cribbed from the aeronautics industry required Ferrari to employ novel bonding techniques, the overall result of which is a bodyshell structure improved by 20 percent in static torsion and 8 percent in static bending (dynamic stiffness increases by 16 and 7 percent, respectively). Even the body skin uses new materials that permit the roof, door outer panel, and front hood to be just 1 mm thick. The door inner panels are now die cast, and the door intrusion beams use an aluminum-lithium alloy that makes them 50 percent lighter than the F430's. The net result is a larger, stiffer bodyshell that weighs the same as the F430's.
Extensive wind-tunnel and computational fluid dynamics work yield a sleek-looking body with a slightly smaller frontal area (thanks to more compact architecture around the rear wheels) and a drag coefficient that drops from 0.34 to 0.33. More important, this new body's coefficient of downforce (0.36) is greater than its drag coefficient, for an overall aerodynamic efficiency of 1.09 (up from the F430's 0.90). And the front/rear downforce is balanced 41/59 percent front/rear, which nearly matches the weight distribution with a driver onboard so that the dynamic weight balance of the car never changes at high speeds. Downforce peaks at 794 pounds at top speed (202-plus mph).
Under the hood is a new direct-injected dry-sump V-8 engine optimized to spin to 9000 rpm (500 up from the F430, and the highest-revving street-legal V-8 production engine). Rated at 557 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, it also sets records for specific power (124 horsepower/liter) and torque 89 pound-feet/liter) in a naturally aspirated engine. Smaller, lighter, lower-friction pistons with graphite-coated skirts help achieve the high revs. Further friction reductions come from a Diamond-Like Carbon coating on the valve tappets and superfinished camshafts.
Other engine-tech highlights include a three-valve variable intake geometry system to broaden the torque curve at lower and middle rpm, a new scavenging system that uses two separate crankcase scavenging pumps for the front and rearmost pairs of cylinders and the middle foursome, reducing losses from splashing and windage and boosting torque by almost 7 pound-feet at 3500 rpm. A variable-geometry oil pump consumes almost 7 fewer horsepower at 9000 rpm. Even the direct injection is trick: 70-80 percent of the fuel is injected during the intake stroke per usual, the remainder squirts in 40 degrees after bottom dead center, creating a slightly rich mixture right by the spark plug for better ignition and combustion.
Backing this new engine is a further development of the California's seven-speed Getrag-sourced dual-clutch transmission, updated with a more compact, faster-acting programmable E-Diff3 differential and all-new close-ratio gearing tailored to the car's 9000-rpm engine and chosen to ensure top speed is achieved in seventh gear. No, friends, there is no manual transmission. Ferrari has given up on this go-slow technology. They're in the go-fast business. And apparently many paying customers agree -- a manual is offered on the California, but according to company officials none have been delivered yet. Due to the engine, transmission, and aerodynamic efficiency improvements, fuel consumption is slashed by a claimed 13 percent, allowing a smaller and lighter fuel tank (22.7 gallons down from the F430's 25.1) while preserving the same range.
Not to be outdone, the chassis engineers have seen fit to redesign the suspension front and rear, stiffening the lower control arms up front and employing a new four-link rear suspension, including a very robust lower control arm with a toe-control link and an upper-camber link. Fitting Delphi MagneRide infinitely adjustable shocks has allowed spring rates to rise and anti-roll bars to shrink (with the shocks now shouldering more of the dynamic roll-control responsibility), all of which dramatically improves the car's dynamic roll control without the ride penalties that big anti-roll bars inflict. The vehicle dynamics programming builds on the Scuderia's F1-Trac/ESP 8.0 system by integrating control of the new E-Diff3 during acceleration and the next-gen ABS during braking with the new standard carbon-ceramic brakes. The system also has some authority over the adjustable shocks. The Manettino settings look like the Scud's (low-grip, sport, race, traction-off, stability-off), but the low-grip setting is now calibrated to sense ice or snow as distinct from wet pavement and alters its programming accordingly.
So how does it work?
It bends the mind and makes one question the superlatives one has so blithely applied to what now seem like much lesser vehicles. It makes the F430 seem like the model one graduates from when one's means at last permit purchase of the 458 Italia. The performance seems on par with the track-optimized 430 Scuderia, but the car is far more civilized, slightly quieter, and considerably more comfortable than the Scuderia. Indeed Ferrari officials claim the 458 ties the Scuderia in the hallowed metric of Fiorano lap times, at 1:25 -- coincidentally the same as the Enzo.
That's the kind of coincidence that makes one instantly wonder whether an edict has been handed down on a stone tablet declaring that no vehicle shall undercut the hallowed Enzo until its better-performing replacement is released, but the technicians shrug off such conspiracy theories pointing out that the Enzo had an incredibly low weight-to-power ratio of 5.0 pounds per horsepower, but comparatively crude vehicle dynamic control systems, tires, suspension, etc. The Scuderia was completely track optimized and wore competition-spec Pirelli PZero Corsa tires. The 458 leverages its copious power and electrickery to achieve the same time on normal Michelin Pilot Sports. (Might the inevitable Scuderia or Challenge Stradale 458 variant finally be allowed to out-lap the mighty Enzo?)
On the vaunted Fiorano circuit, the car amazes with its ability to instill confidence. The giant 15.7-inch front, 14.2-inch rear CCM brakes seem always to possess a bit more stopping power than you really need, and the stability control safety nets keep you out of trouble in such an unobtrusive fashion as to make you think you learned something from Dario Benuzzi's demonstration lap. (You didn't.) Switch off the traction control, and the stability control allows 20 or 30 degrees of drift before stepping in. Turn the stability control off and you can easily loop it, but the fear of crashing results in less aggressive throttle inputs and, for me at least, a lower lap time.
Out on the twisting Apennine byways, even in full Race mode with stability engaged, the car tracks remarkably true to the driver's intended path, but the electrons are incredibly busy. If the go-pedal's down, the stability light is flashing, though there's no apparent brake intervention or power trimming (often the intervention is handled in the E-Diff3 or some other system). Leave it in automatic mode, and its gear selection is nearly faultless, though we often thought 1st gear would have been more appropriate for the tightest hairpins, which it generally chose 2nd for. Nevertheless, the relentless zepto-quick upshifting under wide-open throttle, and the frenetic rev-matched downshifting while braking hard for the next corner stimulate an endorphin rush the likes of which few cars can summon.
Super-quick steering (just two turns lock-to-lock) allows you to keep your hands locked at the comfortable 10-n-2 positions (where the horn buttons live) even in some tight hairpin turns. Its heft and effort felt perfect in every situation, from parking maneuvers to 90-mph passing maneuvers. The new suspension keeps the tires pressed to the ground admirably well, even on bumpy and undulating road surfaces. There is a button on the steering wheel for just such roadways, marked with a shock absorber. Press it to drop the damping level down one from the setting predetermined by the manettino switch position, adding compliance that helps keep the tires pressed to the tarmac on bumpy roads. A drive in this car leaves one empathizing with the poor sots tasked with making the next car better. Can Ferrari really hope to advance the performance of its range meaningfully?
Of course the car isn't completely perfect. In order to simplify the dash in the face of mounting accessories and features that need controlling, the Scuderia has succumbed to the multi-function mouse-knob mania now afflicting the entire auto industry. There are two color display screens flanking the giant centrally located tachometer. The right one displays an analog speedometer dial, or the navigation screen, or the radio tuning, and is controlled with a twist-n-push knob and three buttons. The left one includes a bar at the bottom with certain basic info, like a digital readout of the speedo, but can also display coolant and oil temperature gauges, tally lap times, show you how your engine, brakes, and tires are doing temperature-wise, or display the current setting of all the various functions (traction, stability, ABS, E-Diff3, the transmission and damping systems) and is controlled by a round array of compass-point buttons, an OK button and two selector buttons.
It all works, mostly, though some of the functions are about as intuitive as those on BMW's first crack at iDrive. And the steering wheel now incorporates not only the manettino, start/stop button, and horn functions, but also the turn-signals, plus controls for the high-beam lamps, wipers, and on the back of the spokes, radio volume and tuning. Those left and right turn-signal switches take some real getting used to, and for the moment there is no provision for the three-flash to pass function. The dash is probably the most highly styled of any in recent Ferrari history, with borderline flamboyant vents placed on overly sculpted protrusions. But the look generally works, especially given that customers can choose between myriad hues of leather and stitching to cover it all.
Bottom line: At an estimated price bump of 10 percent over the F430, the 458 Italia seems a raging good deal, promising Enzo performance at 60 percent off. It's also one of the prettiest and best engineered supercars of this century. If only all our favorite car models could be rebooted this successfully.
2010 Ferrari 458 Italia First Drive and Review - Motor Trend
M
Maximum Reset: The F430 Gets A CTRL+ALT+DEL
Ferrari has rebooted its V-8 sports car range, starting with a sheet that's as clean as it was when the 355 gave way to the 360 Modena. Sure, the Ferrari 458 Italia is still a mid-engine rear-drive all-aluminum design, but the engine, gearbox, chassis, suspension, electronic controls, aerodynamics, instrumentation, and ergonomics are all revised. The actual manettino switch itself may carry over from the 430 Scuderia, but little else does as the 458 rolls out, ready to serve as the basis for the next decade's worth of V-8 Ferrari sports cars.
Starting from the very basics, the wheelbase is stretched 1.9 inches for greater stability while the overall length grows by only 0.6 inch, meaning the overhangs are way smaller, which reduces the polar moment of inertia, making the car more eager to rotate. New aluminum alloys cribbed from the aeronautics industry required Ferrari to employ novel bonding techniques, the overall result of which is a bodyshell structure improved by 20 percent in static torsion and 8 percent in static bending (dynamic stiffness increases by 16 and 7 percent, respectively). Even the body skin uses new materials that permit the roof, door outer panel, and front hood to be just 1 mm thick. The door inner panels are now die cast, and the door intrusion beams use an aluminum-lithium alloy that makes them 50 percent lighter than the F430's. The net result is a larger, stiffer bodyshell that weighs the same as the F430's.
Extensive wind-tunnel and computational fluid dynamics work yield a sleek-looking body with a slightly smaller frontal area (thanks to more compact architecture around the rear wheels) and a drag coefficient that drops from 0.34 to 0.33. More important, this new body's coefficient of downforce (0.36) is greater than its drag coefficient, for an overall aerodynamic efficiency of 1.09 (up from the F430's 0.90). And the front/rear downforce is balanced 41/59 percent front/rear, which nearly matches the weight distribution with a driver onboard so that the dynamic weight balance of the car never changes at high speeds. Downforce peaks at 794 pounds at top speed (202-plus mph).
Under the hood is a new direct-injected dry-sump V-8 engine optimized to spin to 9000 rpm (500 up from the F430, and the highest-revving street-legal V-8 production engine). Rated at 557 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, it also sets records for specific power (124 horsepower/liter) and torque 89 pound-feet/liter) in a naturally aspirated engine. Smaller, lighter, lower-friction pistons with graphite-coated skirts help achieve the high revs. Further friction reductions come from a Diamond-Like Carbon coating on the valve tappets and superfinished camshafts.
Other engine-tech highlights include a three-valve variable intake geometry system to broaden the torque curve at lower and middle rpm, a new scavenging system that uses two separate crankcase scavenging pumps for the front and rearmost pairs of cylinders and the middle foursome, reducing losses from splashing and windage and boosting torque by almost 7 pound-feet at 3500 rpm. A variable-geometry oil pump consumes almost 7 fewer horsepower at 9000 rpm. Even the direct injection is trick: 70-80 percent of the fuel is injected during the intake stroke per usual, the remainder squirts in 40 degrees after bottom dead center, creating a slightly rich mixture right by the spark plug for better ignition and combustion.
Backing this new engine is a further development of the California's seven-speed Getrag-sourced dual-clutch transmission, updated with a more compact, faster-acting programmable E-Diff3 differential and all-new close-ratio gearing tailored to the car's 9000-rpm engine and chosen to ensure top speed is achieved in seventh gear. No, friends, there is no manual transmission. Ferrari has given up on this go-slow technology. They're in the go-fast business. And apparently many paying customers agree -- a manual is offered on the California, but according to company officials none have been delivered yet. Due to the engine, transmission, and aerodynamic efficiency improvements, fuel consumption is slashed by a claimed 13 percent, allowing a smaller and lighter fuel tank (22.7 gallons down from the F430's 25.1) while preserving the same range.
Not to be outdone, the chassis engineers have seen fit to redesign the suspension front and rear, stiffening the lower control arms up front and employing a new four-link rear suspension, including a very robust lower control arm with a toe-control link and an upper-camber link. Fitting Delphi MagneRide infinitely adjustable shocks has allowed spring rates to rise and anti-roll bars to shrink (with the shocks now shouldering more of the dynamic roll-control responsibility), all of which dramatically improves the car's dynamic roll control without the ride penalties that big anti-roll bars inflict. The vehicle dynamics programming builds on the Scuderia's F1-Trac/ESP 8.0 system by integrating control of the new E-Diff3 during acceleration and the next-gen ABS during braking with the new standard carbon-ceramic brakes. The system also has some authority over the adjustable shocks. The Manettino settings look like the Scud's (low-grip, sport, race, traction-off, stability-off), but the low-grip setting is now calibrated to sense ice or snow as distinct from wet pavement and alters its programming accordingly.
So how does it work?
It bends the mind and makes one question the superlatives one has so blithely applied to what now seem like much lesser vehicles. It makes the F430 seem like the model one graduates from when one's means at last permit purchase of the 458 Italia. The performance seems on par with the track-optimized 430 Scuderia, but the car is far more civilized, slightly quieter, and considerably more comfortable than the Scuderia. Indeed Ferrari officials claim the 458 ties the Scuderia in the hallowed metric of Fiorano lap times, at 1:25 -- coincidentally the same as the Enzo.
That's the kind of coincidence that makes one instantly wonder whether an edict has been handed down on a stone tablet declaring that no vehicle shall undercut the hallowed Enzo until its better-performing replacement is released, but the technicians shrug off such conspiracy theories pointing out that the Enzo had an incredibly low weight-to-power ratio of 5.0 pounds per horsepower, but comparatively crude vehicle dynamic control systems, tires, suspension, etc. The Scuderia was completely track optimized and wore competition-spec Pirelli PZero Corsa tires. The 458 leverages its copious power and electrickery to achieve the same time on normal Michelin Pilot Sports. (Might the inevitable Scuderia or Challenge Stradale 458 variant finally be allowed to out-lap the mighty Enzo?)
On the vaunted Fiorano circuit, the car amazes with its ability to instill confidence. The giant 15.7-inch front, 14.2-inch rear CCM brakes seem always to possess a bit more stopping power than you really need, and the stability control safety nets keep you out of trouble in such an unobtrusive fashion as to make you think you learned something from Dario Benuzzi's demonstration lap. (You didn't.) Switch off the traction control, and the stability control allows 20 or 30 degrees of drift before stepping in. Turn the stability control off and you can easily loop it, but the fear of crashing results in less aggressive throttle inputs and, for me at least, a lower lap time.
Out on the twisting Apennine byways, even in full Race mode with stability engaged, the car tracks remarkably true to the driver's intended path, but the electrons are incredibly busy. If the go-pedal's down, the stability light is flashing, though there's no apparent brake intervention or power trimming (often the intervention is handled in the E-Diff3 or some other system). Leave it in automatic mode, and its gear selection is nearly faultless, though we often thought 1st gear would have been more appropriate for the tightest hairpins, which it generally chose 2nd for. Nevertheless, the relentless zepto-quick upshifting under wide-open throttle, and the frenetic rev-matched downshifting while braking hard for the next corner stimulate an endorphin rush the likes of which few cars can summon.
Super-quick steering (just two turns lock-to-lock) allows you to keep your hands locked at the comfortable 10-n-2 positions (where the horn buttons live) even in some tight hairpin turns. Its heft and effort felt perfect in every situation, from parking maneuvers to 90-mph passing maneuvers. The new suspension keeps the tires pressed to the ground admirably well, even on bumpy and undulating road surfaces. There is a button on the steering wheel for just such roadways, marked with a shock absorber. Press it to drop the damping level down one from the setting predetermined by the manettino switch position, adding compliance that helps keep the tires pressed to the tarmac on bumpy roads. A drive in this car leaves one empathizing with the poor sots tasked with making the next car better. Can Ferrari really hope to advance the performance of its range meaningfully?
Of course the car isn't completely perfect. In order to simplify the dash in the face of mounting accessories and features that need controlling, the Scuderia has succumbed to the multi-function mouse-knob mania now afflicting the entire auto industry. There are two color display screens flanking the giant centrally located tachometer. The right one displays an analog speedometer dial, or the navigation screen, or the radio tuning, and is controlled with a twist-n-push knob and three buttons. The left one includes a bar at the bottom with certain basic info, like a digital readout of the speedo, but can also display coolant and oil temperature gauges, tally lap times, show you how your engine, brakes, and tires are doing temperature-wise, or display the current setting of all the various functions (traction, stability, ABS, E-Diff3, the transmission and damping systems) and is controlled by a round array of compass-point buttons, an OK button and two selector buttons.
It all works, mostly, though some of the functions are about as intuitive as those on BMW's first crack at iDrive. And the steering wheel now incorporates not only the manettino, start/stop button, and horn functions, but also the turn-signals, plus controls for the high-beam lamps, wipers, and on the back of the spokes, radio volume and tuning. Those left and right turn-signal switches take some real getting used to, and for the moment there is no provision for the three-flash to pass function. The dash is probably the most highly styled of any in recent Ferrari history, with borderline flamboyant vents placed on overly sculpted protrusions. But the look generally works, especially given that customers can choose between myriad hues of leather and stitching to cover it all.
Bottom line: At an estimated price bump of 10 percent over the F430, the 458 Italia seems a raging good deal, promising Enzo performance at 60 percent off. It's also one of the prettiest and best engineered supercars of this century. If only all our favorite car models could be rebooted this successfully.
2010 Ferrari 458 Italia First Drive and Review - Motor Trend
M
Merc1
Premium
Road and Track - Driving Impression: 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia
It's a tall order replacing the F430. But it's been done...and quite well.
The all-new Ferrari 458 Italia — the F430 replacement that goes on sale in the U.S. in June — isn't available with a conventional manual transmission. Sacrilege? To some, yes. But to Ferrari, it's only natural. After all, less than 1 percent of F430s were sold with a manual gearbox.
More important, Maranello insists on employing whatever standard equipment is necessary to keep this Ferrari at the top of the performance heap. That's why carbon-ceramic brakes are now standard. And yes, it's why the 458 is fitted with the new twin-clutch 7-speed manual transmission, whose lightning-fast and error-free paddle shifts greatly reduce lap times around the Fiorano test track. Moreover, in automatic mode, the shifts of this new Getrag gearbox are almost imperceptible, a far cry from the clunky automatic upshifts of the F430's single-clutch F1 paddle-shift gearbox.
So, this new 458 (as in 4.5-liter, 8-cylinder engine) is all about going fast — on road and track. And in either environment, the Italia excels. In fact, it laps Fiorano at 1 minute 25 seconds, a pace equal to that of the hallowed Enzo, as well as the practically race-ready F430 Scuderia.
How does this comfortable 2-seat berlinetta manage such a feat? It all begins with a gem of a V-8, a direct-injected 4.5-liter that makes 565 bhp at its 9000-rpm redline. The more common number you'll see is 570 bhp, but that's only when the car is getting a full ram-air effect from the ducts just aft of the 458's rear quarter windows. At any rate, this 4-cam 32-valve powerplant pulls hard to redline in all 7 forward speeds, and it propels the Italia to a claimed top speed of over 202 mph in top gear, just a couple hundred rpm before redline.
Tricks learned from Formula 1 are employed in this dry sump flat-crank V-8, specifically in the areas of coatings for reduced friction, and a revised oil scavenge system that consumes less power while significantly reducing pumping losses. All told, Ferrari says the mid-mounted engine produces 127 bhp per liter; that's best in the world for a naturally aspirated engine.
Thanks to shorter overhangs, the new 458 is only slightly larger than the outgoing F430 — it's 0.6 in. longer and 1.5 in. wider, with a wheelbase that has increased by 1.6 in. The chassis remains an aluminum space frame design, 20 percent stiffer torsionally than the F430's. Strengthened double A-arm suspension is found up front, complemented by a new multilink rear with reduced camber change. Perhaps most significant is the incorporation of magnetorheological shock absorbers, the first such application in a mid-engine Ferrari. In short, these quickly adjusting shocks have allowed Ferrari to dramatically reduce body roll via stiffer springs and smaller anti-roll bars. Further improving the reaction of the 458 is a quicker steering rack, with assist dependent on vehicle speed, not engine rpm.
The carbon-ceramic brakes are from Brembo, featuring 6-pot aluminum calipers in front, 4-pistons in back, pulled straight from the Scuderia. Of note, a new "prefill" function is employed, which automatically moves the brake pads close to the rotors the moment the driver comes off the throttle quickly. This results in more immediate brake response and reduced stopping distances.
As for the style of the 458's aluminum skin, it's the result of Pininfarina and Centro Stile working together to create a design that looks like an evolutionary F430 replacement, aesthetically pleasing but more purposeful than before in its management of airflow. Of note, the vents in the top of the front fenders, fed by slots just inboard of the LED headlamps, slow the speed of air flowing over the nose of the car to increase downforce. Also, the winglets in the radiator grilles are flexible, their outboard edges moving down by nearly an inch at high speeds to direct air below the car, again for increased downforce. In addition to aforementioned air intakes aft of the rear quarter windows, the engine receives some cooling air from NACA ducts in the car's flat bottom, and the shape of the rear fenders has been designed to enhance airflow to the clutch and gearbox coolers, mounted aft of the engine on the driver and passenger sides, respectively.
On the track at Fiorano, the 458 is a treat. It feels like a race car. Response is crisp from the throttle, steering and brakes. The view over the low cowl is superb, flanked by pontoonish fenders, and the V-8 behind you likes to be fed throttle. Traction control, especially on a cold morning, is your best friend. The carbon brakes have a rock hard pedal, and the high-performance ABS can be invoked each lap going into the parabolica turn, without fear of brake fade.
Using the red manettino switch on the steering wheel, it's best to learn the track in Sport mode, which allows the car to be driven fairly aggressively without too much intervention by the stability control. Race mode, with its more aggressive differential and stability control settings is better, allowing more drifting and fantastic power-on exits — but still with a safety net if needed. Most entertaining is TC Off mode, which allows lots of drifting and has a way of reminding you that the 458 Italia has 58 percent of its weight over the rear wheels, and that you're not Michael Schumacher or Rafaelle de Simone, the Ferrari test driver who took me out for a few laps in the car. For the record, the 458 has a curb weight of 3274 lb.; that's only 66 lb. heavier than the F430.
Inside, there's plenty of space, even for a 6 ft. 4 in. driver (me), and the well-padded standard seats offer just enough lateral support. The steering wheel offers more controls than ever (even pushbutton directional switches, which eliminate a stalk control), but doesn't look too crowded, thanks in part to a smaller airbag. Front and center is the tachometer, as it should be, flanked on the right via a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screen that can display a number of different features, be it a speedometer, radio information or the GPS map. To the left of the wheel is the VDA (Vehicle Dynamic Assistance) center. Foremost among its offerings are displays to show the varied settings for all the 458's electronic chassis and differential programs, each tailored to a specific setting on the steering wheel's manettino. Quite novel is a pictogram of the car that shows when the engine, brakes and tires are warmed up and ready for hot lapping. When they appear blue on the screen, they are not. When they're green, it's time to go out on the track. When red, you're tires are probably shot.
I confess, I never got to that point. You'd probably have to lap consistently for a couple of hours to do just that. Love to give it a try, however, because the new Ferrari 458 Italia is a most fitting successor to the F430. It's also a car that I, like any other fan of the marque, need to spend more time in.
What's Hot:
* Fabulous V-8
* Superb carbon-ceramic brakes
* Twin-clutch 7-speed transmission
What's Not:
* No true manual transmission
* "Function over form" aesthetics
* Upshifts too soon in automatic mode
Cars to Compare:
* Audi R8
* Lamborghini Gallardo Balboni
* Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
* Porsche 911 GT3
Road & Track Magazine - Driving Impression: 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia (11/2009)
M
It's a tall order replacing the F430. But it's been done...and quite well.
The all-new Ferrari 458 Italia — the F430 replacement that goes on sale in the U.S. in June — isn't available with a conventional manual transmission. Sacrilege? To some, yes. But to Ferrari, it's only natural. After all, less than 1 percent of F430s were sold with a manual gearbox.
More important, Maranello insists on employing whatever standard equipment is necessary to keep this Ferrari at the top of the performance heap. That's why carbon-ceramic brakes are now standard. And yes, it's why the 458 is fitted with the new twin-clutch 7-speed manual transmission, whose lightning-fast and error-free paddle shifts greatly reduce lap times around the Fiorano test track. Moreover, in automatic mode, the shifts of this new Getrag gearbox are almost imperceptible, a far cry from the clunky automatic upshifts of the F430's single-clutch F1 paddle-shift gearbox.
So, this new 458 (as in 4.5-liter, 8-cylinder engine) is all about going fast — on road and track. And in either environment, the Italia excels. In fact, it laps Fiorano at 1 minute 25 seconds, a pace equal to that of the hallowed Enzo, as well as the practically race-ready F430 Scuderia.
How does this comfortable 2-seat berlinetta manage such a feat? It all begins with a gem of a V-8, a direct-injected 4.5-liter that makes 565 bhp at its 9000-rpm redline. The more common number you'll see is 570 bhp, but that's only when the car is getting a full ram-air effect from the ducts just aft of the 458's rear quarter windows. At any rate, this 4-cam 32-valve powerplant pulls hard to redline in all 7 forward speeds, and it propels the Italia to a claimed top speed of over 202 mph in top gear, just a couple hundred rpm before redline.
Tricks learned from Formula 1 are employed in this dry sump flat-crank V-8, specifically in the areas of coatings for reduced friction, and a revised oil scavenge system that consumes less power while significantly reducing pumping losses. All told, Ferrari says the mid-mounted engine produces 127 bhp per liter; that's best in the world for a naturally aspirated engine.
Thanks to shorter overhangs, the new 458 is only slightly larger than the outgoing F430 — it's 0.6 in. longer and 1.5 in. wider, with a wheelbase that has increased by 1.6 in. The chassis remains an aluminum space frame design, 20 percent stiffer torsionally than the F430's. Strengthened double A-arm suspension is found up front, complemented by a new multilink rear with reduced camber change. Perhaps most significant is the incorporation of magnetorheological shock absorbers, the first such application in a mid-engine Ferrari. In short, these quickly adjusting shocks have allowed Ferrari to dramatically reduce body roll via stiffer springs and smaller anti-roll bars. Further improving the reaction of the 458 is a quicker steering rack, with assist dependent on vehicle speed, not engine rpm.
The carbon-ceramic brakes are from Brembo, featuring 6-pot aluminum calipers in front, 4-pistons in back, pulled straight from the Scuderia. Of note, a new "prefill" function is employed, which automatically moves the brake pads close to the rotors the moment the driver comes off the throttle quickly. This results in more immediate brake response and reduced stopping distances.
As for the style of the 458's aluminum skin, it's the result of Pininfarina and Centro Stile working together to create a design that looks like an evolutionary F430 replacement, aesthetically pleasing but more purposeful than before in its management of airflow. Of note, the vents in the top of the front fenders, fed by slots just inboard of the LED headlamps, slow the speed of air flowing over the nose of the car to increase downforce. Also, the winglets in the radiator grilles are flexible, their outboard edges moving down by nearly an inch at high speeds to direct air below the car, again for increased downforce. In addition to aforementioned air intakes aft of the rear quarter windows, the engine receives some cooling air from NACA ducts in the car's flat bottom, and the shape of the rear fenders has been designed to enhance airflow to the clutch and gearbox coolers, mounted aft of the engine on the driver and passenger sides, respectively.
On the track at Fiorano, the 458 is a treat. It feels like a race car. Response is crisp from the throttle, steering and brakes. The view over the low cowl is superb, flanked by pontoonish fenders, and the V-8 behind you likes to be fed throttle. Traction control, especially on a cold morning, is your best friend. The carbon brakes have a rock hard pedal, and the high-performance ABS can be invoked each lap going into the parabolica turn, without fear of brake fade.
Using the red manettino switch on the steering wheel, it's best to learn the track in Sport mode, which allows the car to be driven fairly aggressively without too much intervention by the stability control. Race mode, with its more aggressive differential and stability control settings is better, allowing more drifting and fantastic power-on exits — but still with a safety net if needed. Most entertaining is TC Off mode, which allows lots of drifting and has a way of reminding you that the 458 Italia has 58 percent of its weight over the rear wheels, and that you're not Michael Schumacher or Rafaelle de Simone, the Ferrari test driver who took me out for a few laps in the car. For the record, the 458 has a curb weight of 3274 lb.; that's only 66 lb. heavier than the F430.
Inside, there's plenty of space, even for a 6 ft. 4 in. driver (me), and the well-padded standard seats offer just enough lateral support. The steering wheel offers more controls than ever (even pushbutton directional switches, which eliminate a stalk control), but doesn't look too crowded, thanks in part to a smaller airbag. Front and center is the tachometer, as it should be, flanked on the right via a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screen that can display a number of different features, be it a speedometer, radio information or the GPS map. To the left of the wheel is the VDA (Vehicle Dynamic Assistance) center. Foremost among its offerings are displays to show the varied settings for all the 458's electronic chassis and differential programs, each tailored to a specific setting on the steering wheel's manettino. Quite novel is a pictogram of the car that shows when the engine, brakes and tires are warmed up and ready for hot lapping. When they appear blue on the screen, they are not. When they're green, it's time to go out on the track. When red, you're tires are probably shot.
I confess, I never got to that point. You'd probably have to lap consistently for a couple of hours to do just that. Love to give it a try, however, because the new Ferrari 458 Italia is a most fitting successor to the F430. It's also a car that I, like any other fan of the marque, need to spend more time in.
What's Hot:
* Fabulous V-8
* Superb carbon-ceramic brakes
* Twin-clutch 7-speed transmission
What's Not:
* No true manual transmission
* "Function over form" aesthetics
* Upshifts too soon in automatic mode
Cars to Compare:
* Audi R8
* Lamborghini Gallardo Balboni
* Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
* Porsche 911 GT3
Road & Track Magazine - Driving Impression: 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia (11/2009)
M
NarutoRamen
Kraftwagen König
Merc1
Premium
Edmunds - 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia First Drive
Speed Is a Passionate Science
Ping open the driver-side door — it's a high-pressure die-cast piece, all metal and yet light as carbon fiber and it does indeed open with a resounding ping. You're presented with a fairly challenging new cabin design, as Ferrari has been brave here and rethought many of the standard control functions of a sports car.
It doesn't take long for the 4.5-liter V8 to come alive. Given the stratospheric specific output of 570 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and peak torque of 398 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm, it works from surprisingly low revs. Throttle response is razor-sharp, and the exhaust noise, as you'd expect from Ferrari, is sensational.
Was it a mistake to fit a dual-clutch gearbox? Quite simply, no. The seven-speed automated manual transmission involves you to just the right degree, but retains that almost otherworldly smoothness and efficiency only present with a dual-clutch design.
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia is not just a Ferrari; it's one of the most modern sports cars on the road. It says that Ferrari is not just about passion and performance but also about technology and leadership.
Speed Is a Passionate Science
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia is the ideal car with which to plot the remarkable performance increase seen in sports cars over the past two decades.
If you can remember the 1975 Ferrari 308 GTB, it had a 255-hp 3.0-liter V8. After various iterations it gave way at last to the 1989 Ferrari 348 with a 3.4-liter V8 that produced 295 hp. This was followed by the 1994 Ferrari 355 with 380 hp, which in turn gave way to the 1999 Ferrari 360 Modena with 400 hp and then the 2004 Ferrari F430 with 483 hp. And now, just as the Fun Police look to be calling time on motoring enjoyment, Ferrari gives us the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia with a 570-hp 4.5-liter V8. This latest 87-hp leap is the single biggest power advance in all that time.
Power comes from the new 4,499cc F163FB V8. This engine retains the fundamental architecture of the F430's engine including the flat-plane crankshaft but also adds direct fuel injection, which helps make possible a tall 12.5:1 compression ratio. Suffice it to say Ferrari has excelled itself and given us a specific output of 127 hp per liter without resorting to forced induction. This is more than just power; it's the use of technology to enhance the kind of power we expect from Ferrari. There's not just more power; there's more Ferrari.
Stretched Out for Aero Stability
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia sits on an entirely new aluminum platform that is 20 percent more structurally rigid than the 430's chassis structure. It's much like the F430 in concept with its aluminum extrusions, sheets and die-cast pieces, but new technology has dramatically reduced wall thickness, and the hood, roof and door skins are in fact just 1.0mm thick. Meanwhile, the style of the Pininfarina-designed body clearly refers to the Ferrari FXX track car (itself a development of the Enzo), yet it's also interesting for the way it manages airflow within the bodywork, much like a Formula 1 car.
If the profile of the car looks especially elegant, that's because the 458 has an especially long wheelbase relative to its overall length, as there's an extra 2 inches between the axles. As you'd expect, a double-wishbone suspension lies at the front end and Ferrari's own multilink arrangement is in place at the rear, while an evolution of the Delphi-developed magnetorheological damper technology controls the wheel movement.
As with all new Ferraris, the Brembo-developed brakes feature ceramic-composite rotors, and they measure 15.7 inches in diameter in the front and 14.2 inches in the rear. The 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport tires have been specially tuned for this car.
Clutch or Not?
Perhaps the biggest news encased in this latest chapter of the purest Ferrari sports car is contained in the transmission. For starters, the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia will not be available with a manual gearbox — we're told the demand for one just isn't there. But rather than persist with the current single-clutch automated manual transmission (even though it affords very quick shifts, just 60 milliseconds for the 430 Scuderia compared to 40 milliseconds for a Ferrari F1 car), Ferrari has equipped the 458 Italia with the Getrag-built, dual-clutch seven-speed automated manual introduced by the Ferrari California.
For all their smooth-shifting competence, dual-clutch automated manuals aren't known for being especially involving or exciting. They do, however, offer significant improvements in fuel-efficiency and thus air emissions, and that is currently a big incentive for Ferrari. The 458 Italia produces 307 g/km of CO2 emissions, a figure that's a useful margin better than the V12-powered Ferrari 599.
Find Your Seat
The interior of the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia has been executed by Ferrari design director Donato Coco, and it's a fairly challenging new cabin design.
The instrument cluster consists of a large, centrally placed tachometer with a 10,000-rpm dial. It's flanked by two screens using TFT technology (thin-film transfer, which you usually see on laptop computer screens) and they display instrument readouts selected by separate controls on either side of two air vents. All the extraneous levers and switches have been swept aside.
There's everything from a lap timer to an overall warm-up management function to conventional clock faces. The steering wheel houses the indicator functions and the wipers. It's compact, futuristic-looking and — best of all — the design works, largely because the balance between ergonomic sense and childish titillation has been cleverly judged.
Switch On, Fire Up, Drive Off
Twist the key, thumb the starter button and the 90-degree V8 fires enthusiastically, but then like all high-performance direct-injection engines, it settles to a rather flat, uninteresting idle. Sitting stationary, it sounds like a Civic with a gammy exhaust.
The situation quickly improves, though. Pull the right-side shift paddle toward you, the gearbox engages 1st without a judder and you're under way. It would be churlish to suggest that the 458's new low-speed manners in any way detract from the overall experience. The driver doesn't feel as connected to the experience, even at a dawdle, but anyone who's gagged on burning clutch material while attempting a three-point turn in a Ferrari 360 Modena with the first Ferrari automated manual will marvel at how good this new Getrag-engineered dual-clutch gearbox is.
It doesn't take long for the motor to come alive, because Ferrari has worked very hard to reduce frictional losses, including a dual-scavenge pump for the dry-sump oil system that stops its splashing between the crank throws. There's a whole list of details aimed at reducing friction, including super-finished camshafts, carbon coatings on valves and graphite coatings on the pistons. The direct-injection system delivers fuel at a pressure of 200 bar, and a very clever variable intake geometry can work in four different sequences.
It all combines to leave an engine free from inertia, one that will lump from 1,500 rpm without a problem. Some 80 percent of the power output is available at just 3,250 rpm, reassuring the driver with the knowledge that the remaining 5,750 rpm to the power peak of 9,000 rpm will deliver only even greater amusement. The exhaust noise is as sharp as the throttle response, and while only the center exhaust outlet is open at light throttle, the outer pair spring to life as soon as you push on the throttle a bit harder.
Around Fiorano and Onto the Road
The dual-clutch transmission weighs about 25 kilograms (55 pounds) more than the F430's gearbox, but Ferrari has worked very hard to get as much as possible of the Italia's overall weight increase of 100 pounds within the span of the wheelbase, so the effect on agility is barely felt on the road. The gearchanges themselves are crisp yet very smooth, and you do get a nice little nudge in the small of your back. In short, the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia 's seven-speed transmission involves you to just the right degree, but retains that almost otherworldly smoothness and efficiency only present with a dual-clutch. If you're worried by a possible delay between paddle flick and the meshing of the gears, then don't — it takes less than 50 milliseconds.
There are several chassis settings on the now familiar manettino dial on the steering wheel for adjusting the configuration of the engine, transmission and chassis electronics, including the traction control, stability control, electronically controlled differential and the new ABS brake system. You have your choice of Slippery, Sport, Race, CT (traction control) and CST (traction and stability control) disabled. Somehow Ferrari has developed an ECU that allows all of these devices to communicate with each other, and the result is very impressive. More important, where the F430 would offer only a firm suspension damping setting if the driver wanted a fast gearshift, it is now possible to have the car in the most aggressive engine configuration and yet make the dampers compliant enough for a bumpy road.
Despite its longer wheelbase, the 458 changes direction more keenly and manages to deal with the inputs of a new, very quick steering rack. It has just two turns lock-to-lock, and though some people will think the quick steering lacks some feel, it is very well matched with the chassis, and the driver feels confident placing the car exactly where he wants on the road — even narrow Italian roads littered with mad people in battered Fiats.
Flying on the Ground
As you'd expect in a car that not only is expected to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds but also reach a top speed of 202 mph, aerodynamics also play a large part in the 458's dynamic armory. At speed, the key figure is 794 pounds of downforce at 202 mph, which is achieved with no rear wing and a lower drag coefficient than the F430. There's some lovely detailing on the car, including intakes on the nose that reduce lift over the front fenders by a full 40 percent, while those clever little movable vanes within the front air intakes are pushed downward at speed and redirect the air underneath the car to reduce drag.
Every great drive must come to an end, and the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia's braking performance is exceptional and far beyond any eventuality you'll find on the public road. On track, these carbon-ceramic brakes can sustain continued high-speed use and will resist fade long after the Michelin tires have given up.
Passionate Technology
It's a very clever car, the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia. Fast, comfortable, refined and yet still overtly exciting. It packages Ferrari's motorsport knowledge into a road car that takes the business of accessible supercar performance to new levels. It will arrive in the U.S. in June 2010, and we can expect a price increase of about 10 percent over the F430, which brings us to about $225,000.
And yet this is a bit more than the usual Ferrari. That old stereotype of a hastily cobbled together package with a ferocious engine and antiquated chassis might be broken at last. Ever since the Ferrari 308 GTB, Ferrari has been experimenting with the latest technologies, and each generation of its midengine sports car has incorporated them. But now with the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia, there's the same feeling that still comes to you in a walk between the gorgeous buildings of the factory, with the wind tunnel on one hand and the Formula 1 race shop on the other.
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia is about science, not just speed.
2010 Ferrari 458 Italia First Drive
M
Speed Is a Passionate Science
Ping open the driver-side door — it's a high-pressure die-cast piece, all metal and yet light as carbon fiber and it does indeed open with a resounding ping. You're presented with a fairly challenging new cabin design, as Ferrari has been brave here and rethought many of the standard control functions of a sports car.
It doesn't take long for the 4.5-liter V8 to come alive. Given the stratospheric specific output of 570 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and peak torque of 398 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm, it works from surprisingly low revs. Throttle response is razor-sharp, and the exhaust noise, as you'd expect from Ferrari, is sensational.
Was it a mistake to fit a dual-clutch gearbox? Quite simply, no. The seven-speed automated manual transmission involves you to just the right degree, but retains that almost otherworldly smoothness and efficiency only present with a dual-clutch design.
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia is not just a Ferrari; it's one of the most modern sports cars on the road. It says that Ferrari is not just about passion and performance but also about technology and leadership.
Speed Is a Passionate Science
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia is the ideal car with which to plot the remarkable performance increase seen in sports cars over the past two decades.
If you can remember the 1975 Ferrari 308 GTB, it had a 255-hp 3.0-liter V8. After various iterations it gave way at last to the 1989 Ferrari 348 with a 3.4-liter V8 that produced 295 hp. This was followed by the 1994 Ferrari 355 with 380 hp, which in turn gave way to the 1999 Ferrari 360 Modena with 400 hp and then the 2004 Ferrari F430 with 483 hp. And now, just as the Fun Police look to be calling time on motoring enjoyment, Ferrari gives us the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia with a 570-hp 4.5-liter V8. This latest 87-hp leap is the single biggest power advance in all that time.
Power comes from the new 4,499cc F163FB V8. This engine retains the fundamental architecture of the F430's engine including the flat-plane crankshaft but also adds direct fuel injection, which helps make possible a tall 12.5:1 compression ratio. Suffice it to say Ferrari has excelled itself and given us a specific output of 127 hp per liter without resorting to forced induction. This is more than just power; it's the use of technology to enhance the kind of power we expect from Ferrari. There's not just more power; there's more Ferrari.
Stretched Out for Aero Stability
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia sits on an entirely new aluminum platform that is 20 percent more structurally rigid than the 430's chassis structure. It's much like the F430 in concept with its aluminum extrusions, sheets and die-cast pieces, but new technology has dramatically reduced wall thickness, and the hood, roof and door skins are in fact just 1.0mm thick. Meanwhile, the style of the Pininfarina-designed body clearly refers to the Ferrari FXX track car (itself a development of the Enzo), yet it's also interesting for the way it manages airflow within the bodywork, much like a Formula 1 car.
If the profile of the car looks especially elegant, that's because the 458 has an especially long wheelbase relative to its overall length, as there's an extra 2 inches between the axles. As you'd expect, a double-wishbone suspension lies at the front end and Ferrari's own multilink arrangement is in place at the rear, while an evolution of the Delphi-developed magnetorheological damper technology controls the wheel movement.
As with all new Ferraris, the Brembo-developed brakes feature ceramic-composite rotors, and they measure 15.7 inches in diameter in the front and 14.2 inches in the rear. The 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport tires have been specially tuned for this car.
Clutch or Not?
Perhaps the biggest news encased in this latest chapter of the purest Ferrari sports car is contained in the transmission. For starters, the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia will not be available with a manual gearbox — we're told the demand for one just isn't there. But rather than persist with the current single-clutch automated manual transmission (even though it affords very quick shifts, just 60 milliseconds for the 430 Scuderia compared to 40 milliseconds for a Ferrari F1 car), Ferrari has equipped the 458 Italia with the Getrag-built, dual-clutch seven-speed automated manual introduced by the Ferrari California.
For all their smooth-shifting competence, dual-clutch automated manuals aren't known for being especially involving or exciting. They do, however, offer significant improvements in fuel-efficiency and thus air emissions, and that is currently a big incentive for Ferrari. The 458 Italia produces 307 g/km of CO2 emissions, a figure that's a useful margin better than the V12-powered Ferrari 599.
Find Your Seat
The interior of the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia has been executed by Ferrari design director Donato Coco, and it's a fairly challenging new cabin design.
The instrument cluster consists of a large, centrally placed tachometer with a 10,000-rpm dial. It's flanked by two screens using TFT technology (thin-film transfer, which you usually see on laptop computer screens) and they display instrument readouts selected by separate controls on either side of two air vents. All the extraneous levers and switches have been swept aside.
There's everything from a lap timer to an overall warm-up management function to conventional clock faces. The steering wheel houses the indicator functions and the wipers. It's compact, futuristic-looking and — best of all — the design works, largely because the balance between ergonomic sense and childish titillation has been cleverly judged.
Switch On, Fire Up, Drive Off
Twist the key, thumb the starter button and the 90-degree V8 fires enthusiastically, but then like all high-performance direct-injection engines, it settles to a rather flat, uninteresting idle. Sitting stationary, it sounds like a Civic with a gammy exhaust.
The situation quickly improves, though. Pull the right-side shift paddle toward you, the gearbox engages 1st without a judder and you're under way. It would be churlish to suggest that the 458's new low-speed manners in any way detract from the overall experience. The driver doesn't feel as connected to the experience, even at a dawdle, but anyone who's gagged on burning clutch material while attempting a three-point turn in a Ferrari 360 Modena with the first Ferrari automated manual will marvel at how good this new Getrag-engineered dual-clutch gearbox is.
It doesn't take long for the motor to come alive, because Ferrari has worked very hard to reduce frictional losses, including a dual-scavenge pump for the dry-sump oil system that stops its splashing between the crank throws. There's a whole list of details aimed at reducing friction, including super-finished camshafts, carbon coatings on valves and graphite coatings on the pistons. The direct-injection system delivers fuel at a pressure of 200 bar, and a very clever variable intake geometry can work in four different sequences.
It all combines to leave an engine free from inertia, one that will lump from 1,500 rpm without a problem. Some 80 percent of the power output is available at just 3,250 rpm, reassuring the driver with the knowledge that the remaining 5,750 rpm to the power peak of 9,000 rpm will deliver only even greater amusement. The exhaust noise is as sharp as the throttle response, and while only the center exhaust outlet is open at light throttle, the outer pair spring to life as soon as you push on the throttle a bit harder.
Around Fiorano and Onto the Road
The dual-clutch transmission weighs about 25 kilograms (55 pounds) more than the F430's gearbox, but Ferrari has worked very hard to get as much as possible of the Italia's overall weight increase of 100 pounds within the span of the wheelbase, so the effect on agility is barely felt on the road. The gearchanges themselves are crisp yet very smooth, and you do get a nice little nudge in the small of your back. In short, the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia 's seven-speed transmission involves you to just the right degree, but retains that almost otherworldly smoothness and efficiency only present with a dual-clutch. If you're worried by a possible delay between paddle flick and the meshing of the gears, then don't — it takes less than 50 milliseconds.
There are several chassis settings on the now familiar manettino dial on the steering wheel for adjusting the configuration of the engine, transmission and chassis electronics, including the traction control, stability control, electronically controlled differential and the new ABS brake system. You have your choice of Slippery, Sport, Race, CT (traction control) and CST (traction and stability control) disabled. Somehow Ferrari has developed an ECU that allows all of these devices to communicate with each other, and the result is very impressive. More important, where the F430 would offer only a firm suspension damping setting if the driver wanted a fast gearshift, it is now possible to have the car in the most aggressive engine configuration and yet make the dampers compliant enough for a bumpy road.
Despite its longer wheelbase, the 458 changes direction more keenly and manages to deal with the inputs of a new, very quick steering rack. It has just two turns lock-to-lock, and though some people will think the quick steering lacks some feel, it is very well matched with the chassis, and the driver feels confident placing the car exactly where he wants on the road — even narrow Italian roads littered with mad people in battered Fiats.
Flying on the Ground
As you'd expect in a car that not only is expected to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.4 seconds but also reach a top speed of 202 mph, aerodynamics also play a large part in the 458's dynamic armory. At speed, the key figure is 794 pounds of downforce at 202 mph, which is achieved with no rear wing and a lower drag coefficient than the F430. There's some lovely detailing on the car, including intakes on the nose that reduce lift over the front fenders by a full 40 percent, while those clever little movable vanes within the front air intakes are pushed downward at speed and redirect the air underneath the car to reduce drag.
Every great drive must come to an end, and the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia's braking performance is exceptional and far beyond any eventuality you'll find on the public road. On track, these carbon-ceramic brakes can sustain continued high-speed use and will resist fade long after the Michelin tires have given up.
Passionate Technology
It's a very clever car, the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia. Fast, comfortable, refined and yet still overtly exciting. It packages Ferrari's motorsport knowledge into a road car that takes the business of accessible supercar performance to new levels. It will arrive in the U.S. in June 2010, and we can expect a price increase of about 10 percent over the F430, which brings us to about $225,000.
And yet this is a bit more than the usual Ferrari. That old stereotype of a hastily cobbled together package with a ferocious engine and antiquated chassis might be broken at last. Ever since the Ferrari 308 GTB, Ferrari has been experimenting with the latest technologies, and each generation of its midengine sports car has incorporated them. But now with the 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia, there's the same feeling that still comes to you in a walk between the gorgeous buildings of the factory, with the wind tunnel on one hand and the Formula 1 race shop on the other.
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia is about science, not just speed.
2010 Ferrari 458 Italia First Drive
M
Similar threads
- Poll
California [2008-2017]
Ferrari Battle - Your Pick F12 Berlinetta, FF, 458 Italia or California??
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in
Maranello, Italy. Founded in 1939 by Enzo Ferrari (1898-1988), the company
built its first car in 1940, adopted its current name in 1945, and began
to produce its current line of road cars in 1947. Ferrari became a public
company in 1960, and from 1963 to 2014 it was a subsidiary of Fiat S.p.A.
It was spun off from Fiat's successor entity, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, in 2016.
Official website: Ferrari
Official website: Ferrari
