Sculpted Masterpiece: Ferrari 458 Italia

Ferrari 458 Italia

The latest iteration of the Italian supercar!

Exotic car maker Ferrari has scored big in 2009. Earlier this year, customers of the Ferrari California with its famed retractable roof began to see their orders filled. In September, the hard top Ferrari 458 Italia was introduced, the most modern and technologically advanced Ferrari ever. With seven models now available, enthusiasts of the celebrated Italian sports car marque have a stable of “Prancing Horse” stallions to choose from, the largest line up in the automaker’s outstanding eight decade history.

An All New Ferrari

Completely new inside and out, the Ferrari 458 Italia is a two-seater “berlinetta” (little saloon) model, which derives its name from its all new engine — a mid-rear mounted direct injection 4.5L V8 — as well as from its country, Italy. Ferrari thought that it was important to offer tribute to its native land, noting that its newest model reflects her people’s passion, creative flair and embracement of cutting-edge technology.

Bodily evidence of this is found in the 458 Italia’s Pininfarina styling which gives the car a look that is both beautiful to behold as well as highly aerodynamic. Sharp edges, defining bulges and sporty, crisp lines mark the new model which takes its styling cues from the now retired one million dollar Ferrari Enzo F1 racer. The Ferrari 458 Italia officially replaces the aged and heavier Ferrari 430, offering a larger and more powerful engine than its predecessor, yet realizing important fuel economy improvements while emitting fewer emissions.

Sleek Design, Potent Engine

The front of the new Ferrari features a single opening for the grille and side intakes, utilizing aerodynamic sections and profiles which have been designed to direct air to the coolant radiators and to its new, flat underbody. Ferrari included small aeroelastic winglets in the nose piece which helps to add downforce and deform as speed increases, reducing the size of the radiator inlets and further decreasing wind drag.

The engine itself is an engineering achievement and represents Ferrari’s first attempt to mount a direct injection engine in the mid-rear section of the car. An exhilarating, powerful and familiar growl emerges from the engine the moment it kicks on, thundering through the entire frame and out through the exhaust’s triple tip rear tailpipes. Producing 562 horsepower with 398 pound-feet of torque, the engine harmonizes with a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, enabling the 458 Italia to travel from zero to sixty in about 3.3 seconds, while topping out at just over two hundred miles per hour. Time to contact the Kansas Speedway about their track rental times!

With no manual gearbox available and no plans to build one, the 458 Italia lacks the only thing that F1 drivers do – shift gears. Still, with the paddle shifters at the ready a measure of control remains with the driver, which is probably for the best when most of your driving is on I-70 or cruising down Metcalf Avenue.

Formula One Champ Advises

The 458 Italia’s cockpit is as close to a F1 duplicate as you’ll ever find thanks to the work of retired seven-time world drivers champion Michael Schumacher who is now a Ferrari advisor. Schumacher counseled Ferrari to move all of the key controls to the steering wheel (shift paddles, start/stop switch, etc.) in an effort to help the driver maintain road concentration, while maximizing control over the supercar.

The Ferrari’s instrument cluster features an ample, central tachometer that redlines at 9,000 rpm and measures up to 10,000 rpm, along with a smaller speedometer on the right side that exceeds 200 mph and a digital information display located on the left side. Secondary controls including heating and air-conditioning, lights and audio are located on either side of the steering wheel.

Controlling Your Ferrari

A car as powerful as the Ferrari 458 Italia needs its share of safety features to make sure that it stays on road or track at all times as well as protects occupants in the event that control is lost.

The newest Ferrari features improved lateral traction, enhanced anti-lock braking and a shorter braking distance than the model it replaces. A more direct steering ratio improves handling, while its 42/58 weight distribution and a curb weight of just over 3000 pounds work in tandem to help rein in the power of this mighty stallion.

Riding on 20” wheels, the Ferrari’s 235/35 tires up front are joined by larger rubber in the back, 295/35 tires which enhance rear grip. You won’t be taking your supercar out in bad weather, but in the event that a sudden storm blows in you’ll still have the confidence that you can return home – in low gear, of course.

Satisfied Workers Build Fantastic Cars

Just 27 Ferraris are built each day at the company’s production facility in Maranello, Italy, which has been rated as the best place to work in the entire automotive industry. Production there is divided between Ferrari’s two newest models – the California, which is sold out until 2011 – and the 458 Italia, the latter which will begin to be delivered to its first customers in early 2010.

Pricing for the Ferrari 458 Italia is set at the dealer level where information about the Ferrari Driving Experience, a two-day precision driving school where students learn about threshold braking, weight transfer, managing acceleration,identifying the ideal driving line on track and discovering the limits of vehicle adhesion in both wet and dry driving situations is also shared. The school, of course, is located in Italy which gives interested Ferrari fans the opportunity to tour the production facility while sampling local culture.

Photo Credit: S.p.A.

Chrysler Unplugs ENVI Program

You could see this one coming – in a bid to concentrate on bringing forth new products based on mostly Fiat technology, the Chrysler Group LLC pulled the plug on its ENVI electric car program. ENVI, which was featured front and center last year as Chrysler sought financial assistance from the federal government, is going away demonstrating what mostly everyone knew about this initiative: that it was vaporware.

L.A. Showing

Last year, at the Los Angeles Auto Show, I saw the ENVI display hurriedly put together by Chrysler. Those cars included electric versions of a Chrysler minivan and Jeep Wrangler in addition to the Dodge Circuit EV (pictured). Chrysler had promised way back when that the Circuit would hit the market by the end of 2010, provided that the requested funding from the federal government was made available. Those funds came, Chrysler went bankrupt, Fiat took over and the ENVI program has been aborted.

Apparently, the following statement issued by Chrysler in September 2008 about the ENVI no longer applies:

“We have a social responsibility to our consumers to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient, advanced electric vehicles, and our intention is to meet that responsibility quickly and more broadly than any other automobile manufacturer,” said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO – Chrysler LLC. “The introduction of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge electric vehicles provides a glimpse of the very near future, and demonstrates that we are serious and well along in the development of bringing electric vehicles to market.”

Nardelli Vanishes

Okay, Nardelli is long gone and the face of Chrysler has changed, but you have to wonder exactly what position Chrysler will take when it comes to delivering fuel efficient, environmentally friendly cars. Their only chance of that seems as though it is hinged upon whatever Fiat does and, according to what I’ve read, the Fiat 500 may be the best effort put forth by the Italian automaker. Perhaps that diminutive gas model will eventually be joined by a plug-in electric hybrid. Who knows.

ENVI stood for the first four letters of “environmental” – which was tasked with helping Chrysler develop electric-drive production vehicles and ancillary technologies.

Circuit EV

If there is anything unfortunate about this announcement is that the design for the Dodge Circuit EV may end up going to waste. Apparently, there is an all new Viper design in the works for 2012, but my thinking is that vehicle will come from Ferrari/Maserati, not Lotus which crafted the Circuit. Ferrari and Maserati are part of the extensive Fiat Group which means that whatever design plans are on the horizon, an Italian design studio may be involved.