RE: Driven: Ferrari 458 Italia

[Dagnut]

cayman-black said:

Davey S2 said:

Dagnut said:

aarondrs said:

JTK said:

totally different category, 911 gt3 rs to 458 italia. That explains the diffrent price category...

But I'm not sure it does. In what way is it a different category? 2 seater car that has similar performance, equally practical, equally fast and with (if we are about such things) equal 'status'.

Similar performance? Serioulsy doubt that..

Ferrari is 0.5 secons quicker to 60 and will hit a claimed 202 compared with the RS's 193.

Hardly miles apart.

In any event it only matters if you want to play Top Trumps in the pub. In the real world assuming equal drivers I very much doubt a 458 would leave the RS behind.

It is a massive price gap though.

Add to this that Ferraris are usually slower than quoted times and have less than quoted HP. Porsches usually are quicker and have more than quoted HP imo i agree with the above post !

You think the difference will make up 102bhp per tonne to the 458? dream on man

[Daniel1]

id have one, but if i couldnt afford it i would quite happily settle for the 911 gt3rs

[Charge99]

The more I look at pics of this the more wrong it looks, need to see it in the metal I guess. Kinda sad that Ferrari is not offering manuals anymore as they are a work of art, however if you've actually tried changing gear with one, whilst satisfying, it's not a quick process and doesn't go too well with a manic high reving V8!

[anonymous-user]

Don't forget campers - it's not available with a "proper manual gearbox" so obviously won't be of any interest to a real PHer. Not enough driver involvement etc etc...

[stevos69]

Absolutely stunning, Im having one of them. for those that think its ugly?? have you looked in the mirror lately?? Some say you would rather have a Porsche? Why? do you not already have a belly button.

In Black with black leather.. Nice!!!!

[The Venn]

The negativity on this thread about this car is shocking!

I drive a honda. I have owned 'performance' Honda's. Currently, have a company civic type s. All 1.4 of it! I for one would be blown away owning one of these, as a petrolhead I would snap my neck gawping at one even as it drove past!!

This car is a piece of engineering muscle-flexing by Ferrari, cars are always going to look different as that's what they aim for; to be cutting edge.

besides, the fact remains that the guys and girls able to actually purchase this car dont want a 15-year-old design, they want the newest and best of everything. On paper, that is exactly what this is.

plus, i would bet every single person on here would take it if Ferrari gave them one for free... doubt they'd chop it in for that 355 then!

[kambites]

Nope. I'd sell it and buy a 246.

[Complex]

The Venn said:

The negativity on this thread about this car is shocking!

I drive a honda. I have owned 'performance' Honda's. Currently, have a company civic type s. All 1.4 of it! I for one would be blown away owning one of these, as a petrolhead I would snap my neck gawping at one even as it drove past!!

plus, i would bet every single person on here would take it if Ferrari gave them one for free... doubt they'd chop it in for that 355 then!

Being an excellent car by 'a car's' standard isn't enough, it has to be excellent by a supercar's standard, it has to be worth it's massive price tag (360M: ~100k, F430: ~118k, 458I: 172k(!)) and most of all, it has to be worth its Ferrari badge. If I go for a meal at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, and it isn't perfect, I don't say to myself "Oh well, was better than Burger King".

The reason it is getting a lot of negative responses is that people expected it to be perfect in every department, and one of the major ones being styling, and for me it just doesn't deliver. I believe the rear and front of the car look good in isolation, but I just don't think they bode well when part of the same car, the front is smooth and slick, whereas the rear is violent and messy. The rear of the 458 would suit an Enzo's front, and the front of the 458 would suit a 360's rear. Side profile looks excellent, however.

As for the comparisons of this and the GT3RS being in the same category, and on comparable performance levels, I think it's pretty laughable.

[Fittster]

kambites said:

Nope. I'd sell it and buy a 246.

In the time that it takes the 458 to get to 100mph the 246 will have rusted away.

[kambites]

Fittster said:

kambites said:

Nope. I'd sell it and buy a 246.

In the time that it takes the 458 to get to 100mph the 246 will have rusted away.

But in the time the 458 has depreciated to 1/4 of its original value, the 246 will have gone up 50%.

And anyway, weren't the early 246s made of fibreglass?

[Fittster]

kambites said:

Fittster said:

kambites said:

Nope. I'd sell it and buy a 246.

In the time that it takes the 458 to get to 100mph the 246 will have rusted away.

But in the time the 458 has depreciated to 1/4 of its original value, the 246 will have gone up 50%.

And anyway, weren't the early 246s made of fibreglass?

As I understand it there's a fibreglass layer in the floorpan that traps waters next to the metal work with predicatble results.

[crofty1984]

Having had a poke round one in the flesh yesterday, I think it looks OK. The front looks characterful and a little menacing, the profile especially the rear 3/4 is stunning. The arse lets it down for me. I'll put up some pictures later.

[Dagz]

Ithink i have to agree and say its one of the ugliest , not only ferrari but cars ever produced. its looks as if its been designed by a machine with no emotion of feeling, straight lines and everythin, the square style front bumper/air intake looks like somethin cheap and nasty from japan! ferrari has modernised it tooooo much.


To mmuch future on view and not enough passion.

disssappointing.

[Mark Wibble]

I was originally going to post up with the one little thing I think spoils this car, but in light of the huge amount of negativity I'm not going to!

On balance I think this is the best thing they've done recently and the little moan I was going to have pales into insignificance...

[jackbarclay]

Lets face it, the 430 wasn't great looking either, especially in pictures. Yet as soon as one bypasses that exhaust valve, none of it matters. At all.

[jacjac]

For those who think that that is anything but an object of true beauty - please post photo of your misses! I have never liked Farrari's - but I love this one!

[big_rob_sydney]

I find it interesting people are expecting perfection. Yes, its a lot of money, but this is a "cheap" car in the overall Ferrari scheme of things. Isnt this car the entry level Ferrari now?


The cheaper and almost as good argument seems ok to me when talking in "normal" price terms. But at the levels these cars play in, it just seems to me that the argument seems a little redundant. I think if you have this kind of money (sure, generalisation admittedly), then you probably could afford both cars, and the difference in price wouldnt make THAT much of a difference to your reasons for buying either.

I'd wonder if you spend 100k, and HAD the money to spend 180k, how you'd feel if you just had your arse handed to you on a platter. None too happy, I'd imagine. Ego tends to be a big factor in these types of discretionary purchases. Again, generalising, I admit.

[another 3 points]

The Venn said:

The negativity on this thread about this car is shocking!

I drive a honda. I have owned 'performance' Honda's. Currently, have a company civic type s. All 1.4 of it! I for one would be blown away owning one of these, as a petrolhead I would snap my neck gawping at one even as it drove past!!

This car is a piece of engineering muscle-flexing by Ferrari, cars are always going to look different as that's what they aim for; to be cutting edge.

besides, the fact remains that the guys and girls able to actually purchase this car dont want a 15-year-old design, they want the newest and best of everything. On paper, that is exactly what this is.

plus, i would bet every single person on here would take it if Ferrari gave them one for free... doubt they'd chop it in for that 355 then!

Well said that man.

In terms of looks , where as the McLaren MP4 12C is a tamed down development from the fantastic McLaren F1, this here 458 is a huge step forward from the previous Ferrari.
Every now and then a car comes out that takes motoring by the balls and says Im the daddy. That was the McF1 with its central driving position and striking design. The new McLaren is like a poor Chinese copy.

Ferrari have gone the other way. The 458 isnt a ball grabbing F1 but its a much more striking design than its predecessor. Ive never been lucky enough to drive a Ferrari (save the F1 simulator chassie at Maranello) but from all accounts the 458 not only looks but drives better than whats gone before.

Good on Maranello. Now can I have my 458 for de weekenda per favore Mr Montezemolo for sticking up for your new car ?!

[Ronin16VHF]

Why my money would go on something else (if I had enough to consider one of these that is)...

http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/21055/458rollco...

http://www.zap2it.com/media/photo/2009-06/47558768...

This is the first Ferrari in a while (apart from the horror that is the new California) that I haven't liked.

[greggie87]

Ronin16VHF said:

Why my money would go on something else (if I had enough to consider one of these that is)...

http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/21055/458rollco...

http://www.zap2it.com/media/photo/2009-06/47558768...

This is the first Ferrari in a while (apart from the horror that is the new California) that I haven't liked.

LOL!!!

That's classic!

I personally love the styling however.