2010 Ferrari 458 Italia

Exterior and Interior

Designed by Pininfarina, the 458 Italia features compact and aerodynamic lines. There is 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 nose also sports small aeroelastic winglets which generate downforce. The car’s rear is defined by triple exhaust tail pipes, a styling cue that recalls the legendary F40.

The interior combines leather for the upper and lower surfaces of the dashboard with aluminum insertions for the instrument binnacle. The original shape of the air vents was inspired by the design of Formula 1 exhaust chimneys in use up until a few years ago. The console includes two Alcantara-trimmed storage trays for small oddments.

Ferrari is offering its clients the "Carrozzeria Scaglietti Programme" that allows them to personalize their car to suit their own tastes and requirements. As with the rest of the range, there are four main personalization areas dedicated the 458 Italia: Racing and Track, Exterior and Colors, Interior and Materials, Equipment and Travel.

The Engine

The Ferrari 458 Italia is powered by a 4,499 cc V8 engine that delivers a total of 570 HP at 9,000 rpm and a peak torque of 540 Nm at 6000 rpm. The engine delivers an outstanding power output of 127 HP/liter and 120 Nm/liter. All this while delivering only 307 g/km of CO2 and a fuel consumption of just 13.3 l/100 km.

The engine is mated to a F1 dual-clutch gearbox and sprints the sports car from 0 to 60 mph in under 3.4 seconds while top speed goes up to an impressive 201 mph.

The Competition

The 458 Italia takes on models like the Audi R8, Aston Martin DBS, and Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. While the R8 is no doubt the cheapest one, the 458 Italia features a fresher design, and it comes with the glorious Ferrari name.

When it comes to power, the 458 Italia also has a huge advantage. By comparison the DBS goes to 510 HP, the Gallardo Lp560-4 at 560 HP, and the 458 Italia delivers 570 HP.