Ferrari 458 Italia 2010
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:55 am
Inside Line wrote:Ferrari has revealed images and tantalizing first details of the successor to the best-selling F430. The new 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia will be launched officially at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. With it, Ferrari has taken on the difficult task of showing that excellent performance can be combined with lower fuel consumption — and by launching an all-new model rather than an update, it's clear that Ferrari intends to put a big distance between itself and its competitors.
There's no doubt that the new midengine Ferrari sports car is eye-catching. It's thoroughly modern, yet very menacing. It is easy to guess why it is called 458 — it has a 4.5-liter V8 mounted in the engine bay.
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia also makes a statement about speed. The 458 Italia is faster than the high-performance 430 Scuderia, which was not only faster than the F430 but also the Enzo, Ferrari's last hypercar. The 458 Italia will surpass 203 mph, marginally more than the 430 Scuderia's top speed of 197 mph. The new car is also quicker to 60 mph than the 430 Scuderia and beats it under braking. It is superior in a straight line and will also beat the 430 Scuderia on a twisting road. The 458 Italia has F1 Trac stability control as well as E-Diff, but both systems have been improved enough to put 25 percent more power to the road when it exits a corner.
Aerodynamic downforce has been brought to a higher level, too. At 125 mph, the car develops 309 pounds of downforce without any visible spoilers. Ferrari has made it a primary goal to offer as much downforce as it can without the use of wings that spoil the shape of its cars.
The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia's low nose makes the cockpit seem relatively big. Its hips move very high, enveloping the rear wheels, while the rear deck is long and sloping. The taillights are the same as those on the Enzo. A large rear aero diffuser is included. The triple-tip exhaust system is something new.
The engine sits under glass like a diamond in a jeweler's shop window. This direct-injection version of the customary flat-crank V8 has 200cc more displacement than before, producing 570 horsepower at 9,000 rpm. The elevated redline suggests Ferrari has used exotic metallurgy to make the moving parts as light as possible. Maximum torque is 398 pound-feet at 6,000 rpm, but from 3,250 rpm onward, 80 percent of the car's muscle power is already at your service.
Just like the Ferrari California hardtop convertible, the 458 Italia features a dual-clutch automated manual transmission. Quick shifts and the use of seven ratios help speed acceleration. At the same time, raw speed has not been compromised, as 7th gear is meant to crack the 200-mph barrier rather than produce high fuel efficiency. Ferrari says in its press release that fuel efficiency has been improved significantly by the use of direct fuel injection and low-friction engine components.
A close look at the bodywork makes you realize that there are few open ducts to increase aerodynamic drag. The car's underside has been enclosed to improve aerodynamic slipperiness as well. We think the V8 gets intake air from ducts at the rear of the car, and it appears that the pronounced grooves in the fenders direct the flow of air to these inlets.
The engine is cooled by a central radiator in the front of the car. It is fed air by the two large openings in the front bumper, which also incorporates the cavallino rampante on a small but pronounced pedestal. One novelty is a pair of small black wings left and right in the front bumper. They are flexible, and when the car gains speed, they deform in such a way that the aerodynamics of the car improve.
The bodywork and chassis of the new Ferrari are made of aluminum, but Ferrari says it has used more magnesium and other exotic alloys than in the past. The press release also describes manufacturing methods from the aerospace industry.
The design of the car has been done by Pininfarina, but the interior has been penciled by Ferrari design chief Donato Coco. Ferrari has promised to reveal additional photos and technical details of the car at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in September.
. Pis là, on n'ose même pas imaginer sur piste comment la Ferrari va torcher n'importe quelle Corvette ZR1 !
