New car news

28 July 2009 - 09:00

It’s the new Ferrari!

See more Ferrari 458 Italia pics

Today is a good day. Today is your first look at the all-new mid-engined Ferrari, the 458 Italia.

It replaces the outgoing F430… and, judging by the numbers, it's going to be simply astonishing.

First, the engine: a new 4.5-litre direct injection V8 putting out – ready for this? – 420kW. That’s 58kW more than the current F430, and 38kW more than the Scuderia.

We’d heard rumours that the F430 replacement might gain turbochargers, but the 458 Italia remains defiantly naturally aspirated – in fact, Ferrari says it manages the highest specific output of any naturally aspirated engine ever. It’ll rev all the way up to 9,000rpm too, making it the highest-revving Ferrari of all time.

You’re looking at a deeply, deeply fast car.

325km/h fast, in fact. And a 0-100km/h time of ‘less than 3.4 seconds’. That is unbelievably quick: the F430 hits 100km/h in four seconds flat, and even the Scud can only manage a three-point-six. In fact, it’s even faster than an Enzo.

It won’t just be a straight-line monster, either: integrated and remapped versions of the F430’s differential and traction control systems which give the 458 32 per cent more longitudinal acceleration out of corners than its predecessor.

Oh, and see those black winglets on the grille, just under the nose? They’re slightly elastic, and deform downwards at speed to generate downforce, improve aerodynamics and cut drag

Ferrari has ditched the F430’s F1-derived gearbox in favour of a revised version of its seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Like the rest of the 458, it’ll be blisteringly fast, nailing shifts even quicker than the Scud’s six-millisecond changes.

All of that, and we haven’t even talked about the looks. Which is where you lot come in. What do you reckon? A future classic?

Now watch Jeremy thrash the F430: