Replacement for the F430...... via pistonheads.co.uk

[g8crasher]

FERRARI 458 ITALIA: THE F430 REPLACEMENT REVEALED

Ferrari's F430 replacement gets dramatic looks - and serious amounts of power

The new 458 Italia. Will 562bhp do?It might look like the lovechild of an Enzo and a 599, but this could be the most significant new Ferrari for decades.

It is called the Ferrari 458 Italia and, although it is the direct replacement for the Ferrari F430, it marks a step change in both styling and technology for the mid-engined Ferrari.

Under the bonnet the new 458 Italia will also have, if the specifications are anything to go by, one of the most stunning engines in Ferrari history. The new V8 displaces 4490cc but develops 562bhp at 9000rpm (up 79bhp on the F430), giving it a specific output of 125bhp per litre. That, Ferrari claims, gives it the highest specific output of any naturally aspirated road car. The 9000rpm red line also eclipses the 8500rpm F430, making the 458 Italia the highest-revving road car in Ferrari history. It is also the first direct-injection engine to be mid-mounted in a Ferrari.

Dramatic lines owe much to the wind tunnelIt's not all about power, however. This also promises to be a pretty flexible engine, with 80 per cent of the 398lb ft of torque available from 3250rpm, with two-thirds on tap all the way through the rev range. Ferrari has also cut down on CO2 emissions and fuel consumption.

Transmitting the power to the rear wheels is a version of Ferrari's seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, first seen in the California and now fettled so that it shifts more aggressively and faster than the 430 Scuderia's 0.06secs.

The clever technology continues with the F1-Trac skid control system and E-Diff now controlled by a single ECU rather than individual ones. This helps streamline the 458's electronic thought processes and helps contribute to acceleration out of corners that's claimed to be a third better than in an F430.

Large glasshouse promises decent visibilityAnother natty techno trick that the new 458 Italia has up it is sleeve is a 'prefill' system for the brakes that puts the callipers in contact with the brake discs as the driver lifts off the throttle and before he applies the brakes. Useful when approaching a corner as fast as is likely in a 458, we reckon.

And you will be going fast. Ferrari says the 458 Italia is good for a 3.4-second sprint to 62mph, while top speed is a claimed 202mph - in other words Ferrari's 'junior' supercar model has entered Ferrari F40 teritory.

The Pininfarina-designed body, which has echoes of 2007's Mille Chili concept car - focuses on aerodynamics above aesthetic beauty so, while it develops a solid 140kg of downforce at 200kph (124mph), it's probably best described as 'dramatic' rather than 'beautiful'. The other striking aspect of the 458 Italia's design is its surprisingly large glasshouse. Could this be the first Ferrari for quite some time with genuinely decent all-round visibility?

Is there a hint of Gallardo in that nose?

Under the skin the double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear end is attached directly to the aluminium chassis.

The new Ferrari 458 Italia might have a name that sounds like an Alitalia flight number, but it's sure to be a hell of a lot more exciting than that. The car will be revealed in the flesh at the Frankfurt show in September, and should go on sale in the UK early next year, with prices starting at around £150k. We really can't wait.

Ferrari 458 Italia – Technical specifications

Dimensions

Length 4527 mm (178.2 in.)

Width 1937 mm (76.3 in.)

Height 1213 mm (47.8 in.)

Wheelbase 2650 mm (104.3 in.)

Dry weight 1380 kg (3042 lbs)*

Weight/power ratio 2,42 kg/CV (7.16 lbs/kW)

Weight distribution fr/r 42%/58%

Engine

Type V8 – 90°

Displacement 4499 cc (274.5 cu in.)

Maximum power 570 CV (425 kW)** @ 9000 rpm

Maximum torque 540 Nm (398 lbs/ft) @ 6000 rpm

Specific power output 127 CV/l

Compression ratio 12.5:1

Tyres

Front 235/35 ZR20 8.5”

Rear 295/35 ZR20 10.5”

Performance

Maximum speed >325 km/h (>202 mph)

0-100 km/h

Fuel consumption + emissions

Fuel consumption*** 13.7 l/100 km

Emissions*** 320 g CO2/km

Gearbox

Dual-clutch, 7-speed F1

Electronics

E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high-performance ABS

article via http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/news/default.asp?storyId=20343

[Guest fruitcakepablohoney]

This is just too damn sexy.

[Guest kopimonster]

yea...very nice.... :love7:

[Guest ehwwong]

new style, triplet exhaust?

[Guest kopimonster]

will look like a rocket from the back hehe

[Guest Sareve]

new style, triplet exhaust?

Nah, the triple exhaust harks back to the F40. I LOVE THIS CAR!!!! It looks soooooo good!

[Guest wc]

if performance wise, it's better then the F430 Scuderia, it wouldn't just enter the F40 territory, it will enter the Enzo's territory.

Ferrari has claimed that the Scuderia is as fast as the masterpiece Enzo at their own test track already.