Ferrari 458 Italia – Informaţii oficiale

While it’s true that every Ferrari is innovative by definition,
it’s equally true that in the course of the Prancing Horse’s
history, certain cars have marked a genuine departure from the
current range. This is very much the case with the Ferrari 458
Italia, which is a massive leap forward from the company’s previous
mid-rear engined sports cars.

The new model is a synthesis of style, creative flair, passion and
cutting-edge technology, characteristics for which Italy as a
nation is well-known. For this reason Ferrari chose to add the name
of its homeland to the traditional figure representing the
displacement and number of cylinders.

The Ferrari 458 Italia is a completely new car from every point of
view: engine, design, aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and
ergonomics, just to name a few.

A two-seater berlinetta, the Ferrari 458 Italia, as is now
traditional for all Ferrari’s road-going cars, benefits hugely from
the company’s Formula 1 experience. This is particularly evident in
the speed and precision with which the car responds to driver
inputs and in the attention focused on reducing internal friction
in the engine for lower fuel consumption than the Ferrari F430,
despite the fact that both overall displacement and power have
increased. However, Ferrari’s track experience makes its presence
felt in the Ferrari 458 Italia not only in terms of pure
technological transfer but also on a more emotional level, because
of the strong emphasis on creating an almost symbiotic relationship
between driver and car. The Ferrari 458 Italia features an
innovative driving environment with a new kind of steering wheel
and dashboard that is the direct result of racing practice. Once
again input from Michael Schumacher – who was involved from the
very start of the Ferrari 458 Italia project – played an invaluable
part.

The Ferrari 458 Italia’s Pininfarina design provides further
evidence of the complete departure from the past that this new car
hails. The Ferrari 458 Italia has a compact, aerodynamic shape,
underscoring the concepts of simplicity, efficiency and lightness
that inspired the project. As with every Ferrari, the car’s styling
has been very heavily influenced by the requirements for
aerodynamic efficiency, as can be seen from the downforce of 140 kg
at 200km/h generated by the new model. The front features a single
opening for the front grille and side air intakes, with aerodynamic
sections and profiles designed to direct air to the coolant
radiators and the new flat underbody. The nose also sports small
aeroelastic winglets which generate downforce and, as speed rises,
deform to reduce the section of the radiator inlets and cut
drag.

The new 4499 cc V8 is the first Ferrari direct injection engine to
be mid-rear mounted. It has a very low piston compression height
typical of racing engines which contributed to achieving its
compression ratio of 12.5:1. Equipped with the traditional
flat-plane crankshaft, the engine delivers 570 CV at 9000 rpm and,
with an outstanding power output of 127 CV/litre, sets a new
benchmark not only for the whole Ferrari range and the history of
company, but also for the entire market segment. Maximum torque is
540 Nm at 6000 rpm, over 80 per cent of which is available from
3250 rpm. Specific torque is a record 120 Nm/litre. However, what
is truly extraordinary is the amount of torque available while
still maintaining high levels of power at low revs.

The car’s soundtrack is also typical Ferrari, with an exciting,
powerful growl emerging from the engine before it channels through
to the exhaust’s three rear tailpipes.

The Ferrari 458 Italia is equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch
transmission which increases performance whilst providing very
smooth shifts even at full throttle. The engineers have developed
specific, sportier gear ratios to match the power and torque curves
of the new V8, guaranteeing high torque even at lower engine speeds
and allowing the car to reach its maximum speed in top gear.

This new Ferrari is also a major leap forward when it comes to
cutting emissions. Despite the fact that the new engine is
significantly more powerful than the V8s that preceded it, the
Ferrari 458 Italia produces just 320 g/km of CO2 and fuel
consumption is 13.7 l/100 km (combined cycle), the best in the
entire segment.

The engineers also focused on weight reduction during the design
phase for similar reasons. Consequently, the Ferrari 458 Italia has
a dry weight of 1380 kg with a power-to-weight ratio of 2.42 kg/CV.
Weight distribution is also optimal with 58 per cent over the rear
axle. The result of the engineers’ endeavours can be summed up in
to two simple statistics which together perfectly encapsulate the
Ferrari 458 Italia’s exceptional performance: 0-100 km/h
acceleration in under 3.4 seconds and a maximum speed in excess of
325 km/h.

For the new chassis, once more in aluminium, Maranello’s engineers
incorporated various types of advanced alloys along with aerospace
industry-derived manufacturing and bonding techniques.

With regard to vehicle dynamics, the Ferrari 458 Italia’s
suspension features twin wishbones at the front and a multi-link
set-up at the rear tuned for maximum roadholding and superlative
handling. Along with a more direct steering ratio, the Ferrari 458
Italia thus offers extremely rapid turn-in and body control whilst
maintaining superior ride comfort.

The integration of the E-Diff and F1-Trac (now controlled by the
same ECU) and their respective mappings is even greater, resulting
in a 32 per cent increase in longitudinal acceleration out of
corners compared to previous models. The evolution of the control
logic, with even faster and more accurate calculation of levels of
grip, ensures even greater roadholding, better handling and ease of
control on the limit.

The same ECU also governs the high-performance ABS, providing even
more precise control over the logic threshold and greater
efficiency. The brakes also feature a prefill function whereby the
pistons in the callipers move the pads into contact with the discs
on lift off to minimise delay in the brakes being applied. This
combined with the ABS has cut the 100-0 km/h braking distance to a
mere 32.5 metres.

The Ferrari 458 Italia’s interior is another area of the car that
exalts its sporty personality. The driver is welcomed by a new
layout and a revolutionary ergonomic interface where the main
controls are all clustered on the steering wheel.

With the Ferrari 458 Italia, Maranello has brought a highly
distinctive new car to its 8-cylinder range. The company now offers
two models that share a common, race-derived DNA, both
exceptionally sporty and fun to drive in true Ferrari tradition,
but aimed at two very different kinds of client. While the Ferrari
California was created for owners requiring a more versatile sports
car with a practical edge, the Ferrari 458 Italia is designed for
owners for whom the priority is uncompromising on-road performance
with occasional track day capability, but who still demand a car
that is useable in day-to-day driving like all Ferrari’s recent
models.

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 (front/rear): 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

Noul
Ferrari 458 Italia va deveni în curând mândria constructorului de
automobile sport cu un căluţ cabrat pe capotă, fiind considerat cel
mai rapid model Ferrari de serie construit vreodată. Chiar mai
rapid şi decât un Enzo. Asta pentru că sub capota spate de află un
motor V8 de 4,5 litri şi care dezvoltă nu mai puţin de 570
CP la 9000 rpm şi un cuplu motor de 470 Nm. Injecţia
directă de combustibil ajută la un consum mai scăzut, ca de
asemenea şi transmisia cu şapte trepte şi ambreiaj dublu. Dar nu
doar la acest capitol contribuie acestea.

Performanţele sunt cel puţin impresionante: 0-100 km/h
în aproape 3,5 secunde şi o viteză de top de 203 mile pe
oră. Magneziul şi fibra de carbon au fost folosite pentru
a ţine greutatea noului Ferrari 458 în limite acceptabile, frânele
fiind şi ele ceramice. Lansarea oficială a avut loc la Salonul Auto
de la Frankfurt.