Once again, Ferrari has moved the goalposts in the compact mid-engined supercar market. The new 458 Italia has no less than 90 bhp more power than the superb F430, and a new seven-speed sequential gearbox. And, this is a superb looking car, that looks quite different from its predecessor.
The engine is basically an enlarged version of the direct injection 4.3 liter unit in the California, but thanks to far more sporty valve timing and the larger capacity of 4.5 liters, it churns out no less than 570 bhp. To give you the best chance of using that power, there is a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox which replaces the automated manual box of the F430 – this is similar to the box on the California, but installed in a transaxle to suit the mid-engine configuration.
All this results in an extremely fast supercar which just tops 200 mph, and can reach 60 mph in 3.3 seconds. Fantastic!
New styling by Pininfarina
Visually, the 458 looks different, but is still unmistakably Ferrari, with wide twin air intakes, now part of a wide, single matt black recess carrying the prancing horse badge in the middle. The car has the expected tall, curved fenders and fastback coachroof, and dimensions are virtually the same as on the F430.
Ferrari has also joined the makers of lesser cars in placing the headlamps in large transparent housings which stretch right up the fenders and enclose the other lamps.
In front of each radiator air intake is a plastic winglet which is designed to deform at speed, thus reducing the size of the air intake and reduce drag. Also new are tiny air intakes faired into the headlamp housing.
Sculptured sides
The sides are more sculptured that before, with the front fender line sweeping back into the rear fender, while the sills are cut away from behind the front wheels to just before the rear wheels. Also, the fenders both have knife-edge highlights, while the rear fenders sweep up higher than on the F430 emphasising the power at the back.
Concealed at the rear sides of the coachroof, well back are a pair of submerged air intakes. Those distinctive circular lamps, right on the top edges of the fenders tell you that a Ferrari has just overtaken, while there are air outlets at the top and bottom of the rear panel, with a diffuser below. And, there are three exhaust pipes mounted centrally. Yup, three for a V-8 – a Ferrari joke, obviously.
As usual, the whole body, which has a completely flat undertray, has been designed to reduce drag and generate downforce at speed – without the need for big spoilers or rear wings.
127 bhp per liter
The heart of this amazing new car is the 4.5 liter direct injection V-8, which produces 570 bhp at 9,000 rpm – 500 rpm higher than the 4.3 liter unit – with 398 lb ft (540 Nm) torque at 6,000 rpm. Ferrari says that 80 per cent of peak torque is available from 3,250 rpm, but in practice, the useful rev range is likely to be 5,000-9,000 rpm.
Ferrari also claims that the CO2 emissions and fuel consumption are the best in the class thanks to the direct injection engine, although Lamborghini also uses DI engines now. What's more this engine has a very high specific output of 127 bhp per liter.
The use of the twin-clutch seven-speed gearbox, pioneered by VW, improves the smoothness of shifts at all speeds, and of course gives the driver the right gear for almost any occasion.
The new car has slightly more weight at the back than the F430, with a front:rear weight distribution of 42:58 per cent.
Inside, Ferrari has moved on with the controls, with all the main controls being on the steering wheel, including the engine start button and damper control button. The secondary controls in pods to the left and right of the wheel - all aimed at improving the ease of control, with the driver being able to concentrate more on the business of driving fast - or very fast.
Not as light as it might be....
Ferrari quotes the dry weight of its models, whereas most manufacturers quote the kerb (curb) weight, which is more. The dry weight of the F458 is 3,039 lb (1,380 kg), which sounds good, but is actually 66 lb (30 kg) more than the F430. It also the same as the kerb weight quoted by Lamborghini for the rear-drive only version of the Gallardo.
Therefore, although the F458 is not a heavy car it is not light, and continues the practice of making every succeeding model bigger, heavier and more powerful.
One of the reasons for the relatively light weight, of course, is the aluminum space frame construction, which Ferrari has been using for over a decade now, and which gives good rigidity, crash impact absorption and light weight.
As usual, the front suspension is by double wishbones and coil springs, but a multi-link form of double wishbones is now used at the rear, to give subtle control of toe-in. Sharp steering is assured by the use of a more direct steering ratio.
The handling of the F458 is improved with refinements to the ABS and electronically controlled limited-slip differential, so that the driver can accelerate out of corners faster than previously without losing grip.
As ever, the latest V-8 Ferrari is built for true enthusiasts who want to drive far and fast over all sorts of roads – and tracks.
