‘Best Supercar of the Year’ by GQ magazine: "The most beautiful Ferrari in many years", the engine considered a masterpiece, just like the car’s dynamics. The overall impression behind the wheel was exceptional, while the magazine states, that the "458 is on top of the car world… and took innovation to a new level.”
Top Gear have also awarded the Ferrari 458 Italia "Car of the Year" the Top Gear team stated “it's our winner because the scope of its abilities is absolutely breath-taking….Its chassis electronics are so clever they're almost supernatural. It has amazing active aerodynamics. And while it's probably the best-handling Ferrari road car ever, it's also the smoothest riding and most refined.”
With the 4,499 cc V8 engine, the F1 dual-clutch gearbox and a 1,380 kg dry weight, the 458 Italia boasts an extraordinary weight power ratio of 2.42 kg. Meaning it gallops from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3.4 seconds and hits a maximum speed of over 325 km/h.
The Ferrari 458 Italia delivers superb vehicle dynamics with an ideal weight balance for a mid-rear engined sports car. The engineers took a leaf out of Scuderia’s Formula 1 single-seaters and focused their efforts on obtaining maximum efficiency across the board with the 458 Italia.
Ferrari as a brand has always been known to have an uncompromising design approach integrating styling and aerodynamic requirements. The Pininfarina design features compact, aerodynamic lines, underscoring the concepts of performance-oriented efficiency that inspired the project. The nose features a single opening for the front grille and side air intakes, with aerodynamic sections and profiles designed to direct air to the coolant radiators and the new flat underbody.
The introduction of the 7-speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox brings an important freshness to the 458 Italia which guarantees faster and smoother changes. The E-Diff 3 electronic differential has also been integrated into the gearbox, resulting in a more compact and lighter unit. Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes with 6-pot aluminium callipers allow the 458 Italia to boast outstanding braking distances thanks to the development and optimisation of the Bosch control logic and the evolution of Ferrari’s Pre-Fill logic.
The Ferrari Styling Centre set out to re-interpret Ferrari’s traditional sports car interior themes in an innovative and functional way. The interior reflects the design rigour of the exterior of the car, with clean, uncluttered forms that highlight the new driver-oriented cockpit inspired by the racing world. Radically new and intuitive ergonomics see the driver set in the centre of a simple, streamlined lay-out.
