2010 Ferrari 458 Italia Renderings Shown Before Frankfurt Debut

Posted July 28 2009 05:52 AM by Andrew Peterson
Category: News, Frankfurt Motor Show

2010 Ferrari 458 Italia Renderings Shown Before Frankfurt Debut

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If you’re eagerly awaiting the successor to Ferrari’s F430, you’re in luck. Although the 2010 458 Italia won’t be unveiled until the 2009 Frankfurt motor show this September, Ferrari’s released a number of details ahead of its launch.

Although some could argue the 458 is yet another evolution of the F430’s recipe, there’s quite a bit of all-new content aboard the Italia. We’ll start with what lurks behind the cabin: an all-new 4.5-liter, direct-injection V-8. Ferrari claims it produces 570 hp at a screaming 9000 rpm, and yields most of its 398 lb-ft of torque at 3250 rpm--a significant bump over the F430, considering the track-tuned Scuderia model produces 503 hp and 346 lb-ft of torque.

This new V-8 is coupled with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, similar to the gearbox used in the new Ferrari California, and a departure from the traditional “F1” single-clutch transmission found in the F430. Ferrari hasn’t mentioned the possibility of opting for a true manual gearbox, but we’d be surprised if one isn’t in the cards…

With the new tech-laden powertrain, Ferrari expects the 458 Italia will do 0-62 mph in under 3.4 seconds, and ultimately hit a top speed of over 202 mph. That’s yet another improvement over the F430 Scuderia, as it bests that car’s 0-62 mph time by 0.2 seconds, and can reach speeds at least 5 mph higher. Ferrari also claims the 458 Italia has 32 percent more lateral traction than its predecessor, although we’d love to see for ourselves how this affects the car’s skidpad numbers.

Ferrari’s wrapped all this new technology inside an equally advanced skin. The 458 Italia is a significant departure from the F430, which was largely seen as a conservative evolution of the 360 Modena. Pininfarina granted the 458 a voluptuous body, highlighted by an aggressive snout and strong character lines.

We haven't seen the 458 Italia in person (Ferrari’s yet to reveal the interior’s design), but we’ll see the latest addition to the Ferrari range this September. Stay with Automobile Magazine for all the latest on the 458 Italia and other news surrounding the 2009 Frankfurt motor show.

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4 Comments

1.	must have car, just beautiful !!! Posted July 28 2009 06:35 AM	ronwhitney67
2.	First off, great name. The 458 Italaia? Beautiful. I think they finally got the memo at Ferrari/Pininfarina to go back to styling cars and not just engineering them. Caterhams and Elises have supercar performance, but that's all they offer. The Caterham, for instance, is a ladder with wheels. Cars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis, though, offer the complete package, not just mechanically, but aesthetically. Or at least they're supposed to. If you go watch on youtube Jeremy Clarkson's review from the 90s of the F355, he talks about this, and if he doesn't and I just don't remember this well, then you can see what I mean. That car had fantastic performance while being very usable and incredibly handsome yet still somewhat understated. This is the F355's descendant, albeit there were the 360 and 430 in between. This looks like the proper heir to the 360 throne, whereas the 430, though certainly not unattractive, looked too purpose-built. Think about Italians and everything they do. Do you really want them to try to plan everything out? Do we want Italians "exerting" themselves that way? Ethiopia, for instance? No. Lamborghinis are infamous for their oddities and tendencies to burst into flames (I'm pointing at you Gallardo, Miura). The original Miuras, being mid-engined, had the gas tank over the front wheels, and as you used up gas, the weight on the front decreased and you lost traction. Not good planning. But that didn't matter because they planned enough to make it a) mid-engined and b) unfathomably gorgeous. That was as much as was needed. Any more and it would have made too much sense to be fun. While this car sheds virtually any semblance of past Ferraris' understatedness, it has a terrific arrogance to it that suggests it is ready to take on the Gallardo, which has surpassed the low-hanging Ferrari fruit in terms of desirability by virtue of styling. Compared to the 438, the 458 has a far more cohesive design, generally free of the excessive complexities and small, unintegrated features that have plagued the 430 and 599. The sheetmetal is simple but sophisticated. It looks purposeful but not mechanical. From the front, the 458 looks like a relative of the Maserati MC12 with its low, wide, gaping grille. Again, uncluttered front end, with aggressive headlights. The way in which the hood (technically the boot...) sits in a valley between the exaggerated wheel wells reminds me favorably of the C3 Corvettes. Unfortunately, Ferrari could not avoid the temptation of air ducts in the wheel housings, and immediately inside the headlights. I am sure they serve very good aerodynamic purposes, but they detract for the overall appearance. And of course, that huge black insert in the grille, which supposedly deforms at higher speeds to create downforce, is just plain ugly. It's just ugly. Blech. The side profile is fantastic and the stuff of dreams. All the angles are raked just they way you would draw your own supercar. The rocker panels below the door scream mini-Enzo (as does the whole side profile), especially right in front of the rear wheel well, and the scalloped panel behind the front wing subtly apes the 612. While from the front 1/4 angle the midsection of the car looks too low and perhaps even a bit anorexic, from the side it looks athletic and appropriately lean. The rear is too much of a catastrophe. Large gaps in the sheetmetal, filled with grillework, look messy and patched together. The Gallardo accomplishes this approach more cleanly. This looks hurried and reverts back to the overly-purposeful look found on the rear of the 430. One of the nice features of Ferraris from the recent and distant past has been a sizeable patch of relatively flat, uninterrupted Corsa Rossa where that big chrome prancing horse laid ensconced. The 360 and 355 were certainly adorned this way. Yes, this car has some of that, but that feature is flanked on the sides by oddly shaped grilles and sits above too many contrasting concave/convex surfaces, some recessed and others not. Simply, it is not elegant. The triple tailpipes look sweet, but they look like an addition on a jumbled rear end. Such a unique feature such as triple tailpipes should be one of a couple highlights on the rear of the car. It is unfortunate to watch the demise of the quad tail lights, but I can live with the singles, and putting them in the corners is alright, too; however, by placing them so high, the car gains unnecessary visual height much as the California looks very tall out back. All in all, while the car looks somewhat like Motortrend rendering, it feels more like a Ferrari than the California and looks more like a 360 than a 430. That's all good. This is a eally catchy, edgy, beautiful design, but really from one foot in from each end. Posted July 28 2009 07:27 AM	thedannyman5
3.	The images are officially released Ferrari CAD drawings. Posted July 28 2009 07:51 AM	andrew.peterson
4.	I'm going to get a huge, high-res poster and put it above where I study. Posted July 28 2009 09:46 AM	GopherSZS

2010 Ferrari 458 Italia Renderings Shown Before Frankfurt Debut

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