In Ferrari's first official announcement of the car, the 458 Italia was
described as the successor to the F430 but arising from an entirely new design,
incorporating technologies developed from the company's experience in Formula 1
The 458 Italia is
powered by a 4.5 L (270 cu in) V8
engine derived from a shared Ferrari/ Maserati design, producing
570 PS (419 kW; 562 hp) at 9,000 rpm (redline) and 540 N·m (398 lb·ft) at 6,000 rpm with 80%
torque available at 3,250 rpm. The engine features direct fuel injection, which is a
first for Ferrari mid-engine setups in its road cars.
The body was designed by
Pininfarina, as with all
recent Ferrari models. The car’s exterior styling and features were designed for
aerodynamic efficiency, producing a downforce of 140 kg (309 lb) at 124 miles per hour
(200 km/h). In particular, the front grille features deformable winglets that lower at high
speeds, in order to offer reduced drag. The
car's interior was designed using input from former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Michael
Schumacher, including a new steering wheel design which incorporates many
features and controls as opposed to their being on the dashboard, similar to
racing car designs.
According to British
car magazine Autocar, the 458 Italia's design has
drawn inspiration from the Enzo Ferrari and its Millechili concept car. It has
been designed to be Ferrari's sportiest V8-engined car, to distinguish itself
from the recently launched Ferrari California.
The 458 was also
reviewed on 15th season of Top Gear, where it received
acclaim for its styling and performance. In a drag race against a Ferrari F430, it won by a
considerable margin. The car also lapped the Top Gear test track in
1:19.1, just 0.1 seconds slower than the Ferrari Enzo.
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