2011 Ferrari 458 Italia Berlinetta (Coupe) Overview

People usually do not think that Ferrari can improve on their cars because they're already considered perfect and cutting edge, but at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, Ferrari had no trouble proving the world that they can still make a more perfect car than before. They did that with the introduction of the 458 Italia. The 458 Italia was announced as the official replacement for the Ferrari F430, which was produced from 2005 to 2009.

The Ferrari 458 Italia is a current production model for Ferrari from 2009 and is considered one of the best looking Ferrari's that is also capable of challenging the Enzo around the track. As of 2011, a replacement for the 458 Italia has not yet been announced. The 458 Italia comes in four known variants: the 458 Italia Berlinetta (coupe), 458 Italia Spider, 458 Challenge and the 458 GTC (Grand Touring Challenge).

Although the 458 was announced as a replacement for the outgoing F430 model, it was actually based on an entirely different design that was driven by Ferrari's learning experiences from Formula 1 rather than the F430. The 458 was designed by Pininfarina. There have been unconfirmed reports that the inspiration for the design was drawn from the Ferrari Enzo and was designed to be Ferrari's best V8 car, significantly distinguishing itself from the current Ferrari California model. Although it would be hard to notice, the design was actually driven heavily by the aerodynamic capabilities and efficiencies.

The car itself doesn't look like it was engineered to produce a certain amount of drag, rather it looks like it was designed with passion and fury in mind with the end result being extremely aerodynamic. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari's former Formula 1 driver also provided input on the 458's design from things such as the steering wheel to the dashboard layout of the interior. A few key notable details of the 458 distinguish it from a number of other Ferraris, such as the triple tailpipes - last seen on the F40, and the five-spoke rims that emphasize the 15.7 inch carbon ceramic Brembo brakes.

The Ferrari 458 Italia features a 4.5 liter V8 engine that produces 562 horsepower at 9000 rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque at 6000 rpm. Despite the low peak torque, Ferrari claims that the Italia has access to 80% of the torque band below 3250 rpm. The 458's engine is only approximately 3% larger by 150cc than the F430's 4,300cc engine but displaces 16% more horsepower and torque. A tremendous increase can be attributed to a new direct injection engine design that Ferrari created in collaboration with Maserati, a first for mid-rear Ferrari engine setups. The 4.5 liter V8 gets the Italia from 0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds and a top speed over 202 mph. That is 0.6 seconds faster than the F430, 1.1 seconds faster than the 360, 0.4 seconds faster than the F40 and only 0.3 seconds slower than the Ferrari Enzo. The Italia is Ferrari's fourth road-car to receive the Getrag dual-clutch 7-speed transmission. It shares the same technology with the Enzo, 360 Challenge Stradale and the F430 Scuderia. The Italia is the first common production car that will not be offered with a traditional manual transmission.

The Ferrari 458 Italia has impressed Ferrari fans since the initial announcement was made in 2009. The Italia has impressive performance figures and has made a strong statement about perfection that will be hard to top, but then again, we are talking about Ferrari here. You can expect to see the Ferrari Italia 458 Berlinetta (Coupe) sell at a MSRP ranged between $225,000 and $250,000 depending on the options. The 458 Spider is expected to sell around $257,000 MSRP. A used 458 Italia rarely sells below $270,000 due to the low availability of the car.

2012 ferrari 458 spider

2012 ferrari 458 spider

2012 ferrari 458 spider

2012 ferrari 458 spider

2012 ferrari 458 spider

The Ferrari 458 Italia is the best car I have ever driven. You might assume the Italian supercar earns that distinction on sheer performance and sex appeal, but the truth is that the 458 is a much more complete car. Its excellence is in how it combines measured balance with raw capability unlike any other vehicle. The 458 Italia is sophisticated but visceral. Aggressive yet refined. Elegant and brutish. With the Spider, Ferrari aims to add one more contradiction to the 458's achievements: a convertible that's also a coupe.

Ferrari's task in building a Spider is not quite as intuitive as it sounds. The open-air 458 is certainly a predictable and modest evolution of the Italia, but the buyers of the two cars are very different. The average 458 Italia will see most of its action on the weekend, without a passenger, and on shorter trips. Spiders, on the other hand, are more likely to be daily drivers exposed to city streets, often with a passenger in the right seat. More notably, Ferrari asserts that Spider owners drive with a sporty -- not aggressive -- style.

Even with buyers using their cars in an entirely different manner, Ferrari won't compromise any of the intensity in its mid-engine coupe to deliver a droptop version. Despite the fact that the Spider is 30 percent less rigid than the coupe, the spring rates are unchanged. And while the magnetorheological dampers are specifically tuned for the Spider, you won't notice a difference in the ride quality between the two cars. The Spider is every bit as firm, controlled, and focused as the Italia. The steering is just as sharp, the throttle pedal just as responsive, and the suspension just as poised. Twist the manettino to Race mode, however -- perhaps an unlikely move for the less aggressive convertible buyers -- and the Spider can't hide the fact that it's missing a major structural component. With the dampers firmed up, the bumps aren't just felt through the seat. They're seen in a small wiggle of the windshield and heard in the muted rattle of the aluminum chassis. Nothing unusual, but this is the one clear difference between coupe and convertible.

The 458 Spider's retractable roof is a two-piece hardtop inspired by the 575 Superamerica. Like that car, the roof rotates -- rather than folds -- into its stored position. Unlike that car, the 458 Spider uses an aluminum skin instead of glass. Ferrari claims that the 458's hardtop assembly is actually some 55 pounds lighter than the 430 Spider's fabric roof. It adds roughly 110 pounds to the Italia's 3400-pound curb weight.