Ferrari 458 review

          FERRARI 458 

Since the 3.5-litre F355 ended production in 1999, two new generations – the 360 Modena and F430 – had rolled out of Maranello before the 458 arrived.

There has always been a bit of a contradiction about the notion of a junior Ferrari. But, with a few notable exceptions, that is how the mid-engined V8-powered cars from Maranello have been known.

So it was with the 308 GTB, and the line of cars that followed. Now, though, things are changing at Ferrari. In the California, it has a fourth model line designed to cater for those wanting a slighter softer experience from their Prancing Horse. 

Which has given this 458 Italia, the latest V8 Ferrari, the licence to move into more serious territory. There is nothing remotely junior about 562bhp or a top speed in excess of 200mph.

Not only does it outpace the V12 599 GTB to 60mph and 100mph but, once you plunder the massively tempting options list with its array of performance and luxury enhancing gadgets, this is a car that can easily cost over £200,000. For the 458 Spider (note the lack of Italia nomenclature for the open-top car), this reality is even more attainable; its basic price is £198,856.

Numbers are one thing, though. What we are here to find out is if the new junior has not just moved the game on, but also entered the rarefied ranks of the truly great Ferraris.

DESIGN

Of course, any observations about the Ferrari 458 Italia’s styling are entirely subjective but, in our office, the consensus is that it marks a return to sensational-looking Ferraris. With a flat undertray, but without any obvious aero aids, the 458 generates more downforce than the F430 (360kg flat out) and yet it is also more aerodynamic. One obvious change from the styling of the car it replaces is that the intakes for the engine bay cooling have been moved from the car’s rear flanks to the undertray, improving the overall efficiency and the operation of the rear diffuser.

The striking air intakes on the 360’s and F430’s rear haunches have been dropped in favour of a triangular intake that blends into the tapering windowline. It's a more elegant solution. Clever aerodynamics haven’t harmed the beauty of the car: the distinctive vent that leads up to the headlight allows in air to cool the brakes and then feeds it out of the channel on the other side to reduce lift over the front arches.

Then there are the inlet wings that angle air upwards so that there is enough being pushed through the radiators at low speeds but then deform to reduce drag at high speeds, when you don’t need such a large inlet area for adequate cooling. These wings also generate downforce.

Ferrari says the small lip on the boot provides plenty of downforce, too, and a movable wing is not necessary. We never found any reason to disagree. 

Finally, there is a touch of Enzo in the 458’s overall design, particularly in the shape and position of the rear lights (although the Enzo had twin units). Vents below the rear lights are for radiators to cool the gearbox and clutch.

Having said all this, the 458 Spider arguably ups the desirability stakes even further. Its aluminium roof is 25kg lighter than the 430's fabric set-up, and can be retracted in just 14 seconds. Whilst it loses the Italia's glass engine cover, the cohesive packaging of the roof means choosing a convertible Ferrari is no longer rife with compromises.

INTERIOR

If you sit in the F430 and then step into the 458 Italia, it feels as though you have skipped two generations of Ferrari, rather than one. Everything in the 458 feels modern and exudes a sense of handcrafted workmanship that was missing from its predecessor.

The protruding, almost abstract-looking vents give the dashboard the appearance of wrapping around the driver, and with most of the controls placed on the steering wheel or to the right of the driver, it is an extremely driver-focused cabin.

It takes some familiarisation to get used to the indicator, windscreen wiper and headlight controls being placed on the steering wheel, but in practice it’s a very convenient set-up. There is the problem that, with lock applied, the required button could be out of thumb’s reach but, given the 458’s quick steering, it’s rare to need to shuffle the wheel.

Visibility isn’t great; looking straight ahead is fine, but the three-quarter view at junctions is a little awkward. Space for luggage isn’t bad, though; there’s some space behind the two seats and a deep, if narrow, boot at the front.

Our review car came with carbonfibre racing seats, which are pricey by any standards but also hard to fault, other than for their lack of height adjustment.

A vast personalisation scheme means that the success of any 458 interior will depend on its owner’s choices. Anything from materials and colours to the width of the stitching can be personalised. Even so, we think that the standard kit could be slightly more generous. Sat-nav should be standard on a car of this price.

Performance

Think of a set of performance criteria that a modern supercar should meet and, chances are, you’ll have drawn up a list of performance figures that all but mirror those belonging to the Ferrari 458 Italia. Its 0-60mph time starts with a three, its top speed starts with a two and, on the way, it passes 100mph in around seven seconds, eases to a standing quarter mile in less than 12sec and breezes past 150mph before a standing kilometre is out.

More impressive than the numbers themselves, though, is the way with which the 458 goes about setting them. Not too many years ago, extracting 562bhp from a naturally aspirated 4.5-litre engine – some 125bhp per litre – would have produced an undriveable, snarling fire-breather of an engine. Not too many years before that, it would not have happened in a road car at all.

So it’s a testament to advances in production, materials, injection and electronic technology that the 458 happily spins into life without drama and, as early as 3000rpm, is pulling with as much torque as the outgoing F430 gave in total – this despite revving to 9000. Most remarkable of all, perhaps, is the speed with which the 458 builds its revs. There is no hang, no lag. You ask of the throttle and the engine delivers in an utterly predictable, linear fashion.

As with the California, the 458’s power is directed to its wheels via a dual-clutch transmission that, some might say (although not us), dilutes the thrill of a single-clutch robotised manual. The efficiency with which it goes about swapping cogs comes with no loss of mechanical feel.

The 458, like all current Ferraris, comes as standard with carbon-ceramic brakes capable of stopping it repeatedly, from high speed, in no time at all.