|
 A
new Ferrari is always big news.
However, when it is instantly
hailed as the best car the
company has ever made, it's
massive news. The Ferrari 458
Italia is that car. The
replacement for the F430 is
actually Ferrari's 'entry-level'
model, yet it's stuffed full of
F1-inspired know-how and has
looks to die for.
Here are ten
things you need to know about
the latest, and possibly
greatest, Ferrari:
1:
Despite not going on sale until
summer 2010, it's already picked
up a raft of awards, including
Car of the Year from GQ and Top
Gear magazines.
2:
The name 458 refers to its
4.5-litre engine with 8
cylinders (V8). It boasts 562bhp
from a 4.5-litre V8 engine.
3:
The 458 will crack 62mph from
rest in just 3.6 seconds, 124mph
in 10.4 seconds and then a
202mph top speed if you have a
long enough road. Yet it's more
economical than a BMW X5 M,
posting 21.2mpg combined -
though 307g/km is hardly
eco-friendly.
4:
If the standard car isn't
exclusive enough, the 'Carrozzeria
Scaglietti' programme allows
buyers to completely customise
their 458, including any
interior or exterior colour and
all kinds of trim materials. It
might be the cheapest new
Ferrari, but the sky's still the
limit.
5:
The Italia doesn't have an
indicator stalk. Instead, the
turn signals are accessed via
buttons on the steering wheel,
as are the windscreen washer
jets.
6:
It has a 'Manettino' on the
steering wheel, which means
'little dial' in Italian. It's
derived from Formula One
technology, allowing the chassis
and other drive system settings
to be adjusted five ways between
road and racetrack modes.
7:
The 458 is the first Ferrari
ever that won't be offered with
a manual gearbox. However, the
car's seven-speed, twin-clutch
automatic transmission is
capable of gear-change speeds
impossible with a manual. It
will change gear in less than 50
milliseconds. Even Jackie Chan
can't move his arms and legs
that quick.
8:
It is seventh in a line of
junior Ferraris stretching back
to the Dino 246, a car which had
only 195bhp. The fourth in line,
the F355, is seen as the model
that began the series of
beautiful, fast and easy to
drive small Ferraris we know
today.
9:
It's exactly as quick around
Ferrari's Fiorano test track as
the Enzo - a £1m supercar
supposed to be the pinnacle of
Ferrari engineering, and which
you could only buy if you were
chosen to. We bet a lot of Enzo
owners are upset right now. Jay
Kay has one.
10:
Luxury car dealers are already
cashing in on the clamour to be
one of the first owners, with
one dealer offering a left-hand
drive car for £220,000 plus VAT
at the time of writing (February
2010). That's over £50,000 above
the list price. |