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Ferrari 458 Italia Investment Grade Auto Review --
After the production of one of the most successful and drivable cars that Ferrari has ever produced [the F430], the exotic car designers at Pininfarina really outdid themselves with the design of the Ferrari 458. Read more from cafecars.com exotic auto consultant Jack Davis (@ferrarifans on Twitter).
FAST CARS: FERRARI 458 ITALIA SPECS
Pininfarina, which is the design house of choice for Ferrari, has been responsible for some of the most beautiful and seductive automobiles in the world. Their efforts with the Ferrari 458 have incorporated hints of the Ferrari Enzo with its broad rear end, sweeping fender designs and front end lift.
The Ferrari 458 also has features that were used in Formula One racing such as a winglet on the front end that deforms at high speed to reduce aerodynamic drag.
The car's interior was desined using input from former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher, including a new steering wheel design which incorporated many features and control as opposed to their being on the dashboard (making them similar to racing car designs).
Perfomance:
All new direct-injection mid-rear mounted 4.5L V8 is seriously potent with 570 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, of which, 80% is available at 3,250 rpm.
Transmission:
The engine is mated with an all new 7-speed dual clutch gearbox sending power to the rear axle.
Top Speed:
The Ferrari 458 Italia now has the distinction of being the first production model capable of breaking the 200 mph barrier, boasting a top speed of 202 mph. And the 0 to 60 time take only 3.4 seconds.
Fuel efficiency:
Even though the car has much more power than the previous version F430, the 458 Italia is far more fuel efficient with a combined rating of 17.1 mpg as well as greatly reduced CO2 emissions.
FERRARI Recall:
The Ferrari 459 Italia, although a superior sports car, did have its own red hot day in the sun with an adheasive problem in the rear of the car that caused several Ferrari 458 models to catch on fire.
On August 24th, 2010 the BBC reported that 10 Ferrari 458 Italias had either crashed or caught fire in just 3 months. Ferrari responded later that it was aware of the fire-related cases, and was in the process of investigating them.
On September 1st, 2010, Ferrari officially recalled all 1248 of the 458 Italias that were sold to date. A spokesman commented that the problem had been traced to adhesive used in the wheel arch assemblies, and that in certain circumstances, the glue could begin to overheat, smoke, or even catch fire. In extreme cases, the melting adhesive could lead to heat shield deforming and hence moving closer to the exhaust (thus causing the wheel arch lining to catch fire).
Owners who had reported fires that were later confirmed by independent engineers to be due to this problem would receive a new car. All other cars would be modified with mechanical fasteners.
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