The new Ferrari 458 Spider

Maranello, 23rd August – The new 458 Spider joins the 458 Italia, widening the range of Ferrari’s mid-rear engined V8s and offering the same uncompromising technological solutions, handling and performance in a refined open-top configuration. It is equipped with a Ferrari patented, fully retractable hard top, a world first for a sports car with this lay-out.

The 458 Spider is powered by Ferrari’s naturally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5 litre V8 which was nominated as the 2011 International Engine of the Year for its engineering excellence in terms of driveability, performance, economy and refinement. The power is transferred to the road by Ferrari’s class-leading dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission through the sophisticated E-Diff, itself integrated with the F1-Trac traction control and high-performance ABS for maximum handling dynamics.

Certain of the car’s features, such as its accelerator pedal mapping and the damping of the multilink suspension, have been calibrated to guarantee maximum sportiness and absolute driving pleasure with the top down, in line with Maranello’s exclusive spider tradition. Even the engine soundtrack has been honed to ensure that the car’s occupants are completely captivated by the drop-top driving experience.

Entirely in aluminium, the hard-top solution adopted for the 458 Spider offers a number of advantages over the traditional folding soft-top, including a reduction of 25 kg in weight and a deployment time of just 14 seconds. Fully integrated into the styling of the car, the hard-top was engineered to fit neatly ahead of the engine bay without compromising aerodynamics or the performance of the car. The small space needed to house the roof enables the designers to include a generous rear bench for luggage behind the seats.

The rear of the car is characterised by innovative forms with the buttresses designed to optimise the flow of air to the engine intakes and the clutch and gearbox oil radiators. For maximum comfort whilst driving top down the 458 Spider features a generously-sized adjustable electric wind stop. The design was perfected to slow and diffuse the air in the cockpit, enabling normal conversation to be held even at speeds over 200 km/h.

New technical solutions adopted for the chassis guarantee identical levels of structural rigidity with the roof up or down. The result is a car that is truly exciting to drive, blending extreme performance with the responsiveness that has always characterised Ferrari’s open-top berlinettas.

458 Spider technical specifications

Dimensions
Length	4527 mm (178.2 in.)
Width	1937 mm (76.3 in.)
Height	1211 mm (47.7 in.)
Wheelbase	2650 mm (104.3 in.)
Dry weight	1430 kg (3153 lbs)*
Weight/power ratio	2.51 kg/CV (7.42 lbs/kW)
Weight distribution fr/r	42%/58%
Engine
Type	90° V8
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	>320 km/h (>198 mph)
0-100 km/h	<3.4 s
Fuel consumption + emissions
Fuel consumption***	11.8 l/100 km
Emissions***	275 g CO2/km
Gearbox
Dual-clutch, 7-speed F1
Electronics
E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high-performance ABS

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Source : http://www.ferrari.com

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Ferrari FF Makes Its UK Public Debut At The 2011 Goodwood Festival Of Speed

MARANELLO – June 17, 2011: Ferrari is proud to exhibit its new flagship V12 four-seater, the FF, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, alongside the front engined V8 California and the mid-rear mounted 458 Italia.
The FF ushers in an entirely new GT sports car concept and represents not so much an evolution as a true revolution with the Prancing Horse’s first ever four-wheel drive system. The FF is the first road car to take drive to the front wheels from the front of the crankshaft, rather than through a separate transfer case. The innovative and patented 4RM system weighs 50 per cent less than a conventional four-wheel drive system and ensures perfect weight distribution (47:53) for the optimum driving performance that clients expect from a Ferrari, even for a Grand Tourer with four seats.
Exceptional performance comes courtesy of the new 6,262cc direct injection engine which develops 660hp at 8,000 rpm. In tandem with its transaxle dual-clutch F1 gearbox, stunning acceleration (0-62mph in 3.7sec) is guaranteed.
Ferrari’s new flagship V12 four-seater melds to an unprecedented level an extremely sporty, high-performance character with incredible versatility, superb comfort and sophisticated elegance, guaranteeing both driver and passengers an absolutely unique driving experience.
Also taking part in the event is the Ferrari 458 Italia, an 8-cylinder two-seater berlinetta with a mid-rear mounted engine, which represents a genuine break with the past in terms of Maranello’s previous high-performance sports cars. Designed to fulfil the expectations and ambitions of our most passionate clients, the 458 Italia continues the Ferrari tradition of putting the thrill into driving as a result of track-derived technological innovations.
Thanks to a 4,499cc V8 engine, which punches out 570hp, the F1 dual-clutch gearbox and a 1,380kg dry weight, the 458 Italia boasts an extraordinary weight-power ratio of 2.42 kg (a power-weight ratio of 413 hp per ton). This means it sprints from 0 to 62 mph in under 3.4 seconds and hits a maximum speed of over 203mph.
The 458 Italia on display this year at the Festival of Speed will be a “bi-colore” Rosso Fuoco (dark red) car with a Nero Daytona roof (black). This car encapsulates the racing pedigree of the 458 Italia with the full carbon-fibre interior and exterior packages, including carbon-fibre rear diffuser, side sills and F1-inspired front winglets.
The Ferrari California is the Prancing Horse’s first front-engined V8 which shares styling cues with one of the greatest designs from Ferrari’s history, the 250 GT California. The new California, however, is packed with the latest technology and includes Ferrari’s first application of the dual-clutch 7-speed gearbox, a direct injection 4.3 V8 engine with 460hp, the latest F1-Trac traction control system, multi-link rear suspension, and, of course, an innovative retractable folding hardtop that opens or closes in only 14 seconds. The California has already received the critical acclaim of the automotive press around the world, with Top Gear claiming it is a “proper God’s honest, marrow-deep Ferrari”, and Autocar describing it as “absolutely bloody marvellous!”
The Ferrari California on display at Goodwood features a “bi-colore” roof, with the car painted in Tour de France (dark blue) and the roof and A-pillars in Grigio Titanio (Silver) to echo the tradition of bi-colore berlinettas of the 1950s and 1960s. The car on display in the Supercar Paddock also features host of extra factory-fit options from the Carrozzeria Scaglietti Personalisation Programme, such as diamond-stitching on the rear seats and Cavallino stitching on the headrests.
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Source : http://www.theautochannel.com

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Posted in: Automotive,Car,ferrari

See popular writers & articles across High Gear Media Related Topics Green & Porsche Cayenne Aston Martin & Green Ferrari & Sports Car Chevrolet & Dealers Lotus Esprit & Fuel Write for us Seeking experienced, talented automotive writers Learn More Ferrari 458 Italia Named International Performance Car of The Year

 

An international jury of auto reviewers named the Ferrari 458 Italia International Performance Car of The Year last week in New York.

It’s no secret the Italia is the best V-8-powered, mid-engine Ferrari ever built--and yes that includes the F40, and the GTO. The Italia is faster and balanced better than both of those cars, previously considered the “ultimate” of the eight-cylinder cars from Maranello.

According to the World Car Awards jurors, “The replacement for the F430 Fiorano has been voted by nearly every possible ranking this past year as the best performer hands down. The WCA's would love to break ranks with the crowd, but we also put the 458 Italia squarely among our top three world performance cars. Whether on the track or on a loosely policed winding two-lane mountain road, the technology on board the 458 sets it and its 570 metric horsepower far ahead of most every other V8-powered street car. This is a classic modern Ferrari in every sense, but its sophisticated handling abilities at the limit take it to a whole new level for Italian super GTs. And what a beautiful sound.”

The ten finalists for the award were Aston Martin Rapide, Audi RS 5 Coupe, Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo SUPERLEGGERA, Mercedes-Benz S63 / CL 63 AMG, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Porsche 911 GT2RS, Porsche 911 Turbo, and Renault Megane III / Renault Sport.

To take the award, the Ferrari 458 edged past runners-up Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and Porsche 911 Turbo.

In previous years, the award went to the Audi R8 V10 in 2010, the Nissan GT-R in 2009, the Audi R8 in 2008, the Audi RS4 in 2007, the Porsche Cayman S in 2006 and Porsche’s 911 in 2005.

Article Source: http://www.sportscarmonitor.com

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The FF conquers Asia. Ferrari’s new four-seater four-wheel drive car unveiled at the Shanghai Show by Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa and Felipe Massa.

Shanghai, 19 April – The FF is enjoying huge success on the Asian market having already won over a plethora of clients in the Far East. The new car made its official debut in the Asia-Pacific region today at the Shanghai Show where it was unveiled by Prancing Horse CEO Amedeo Felisa and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver Felipe Massa. The latter couldn’t hide his delight with Maranello’s latest creation: "I’m very pleased to be here in Shanghai for the presentation of the FF,” he told journalists. “It’s a car I like very much indeed: the perfect combination of performance and usability. I have a son who’s just over a year old now, and this is a Ferrari that you can use with the family without having to compromise on the driving pleasure that only our cars can deliver.” Massa also went on to emphasise the very special relationship between Ferrari and China: “I was very impressed by the warmth and passion that the Chinese have for the Ferrari brand –that’s also something I’ve seen every time we come here to race, in fact.”

For his part, Amedeo Felisa spoke about the growing importance of the Chinese market to Ferrari: “Last year, we broke all previous records by reaching the 300-car mark,” he said of the company’s sales there. “In 2011, we intend to continue to grow by at least 30% and exceed the 400-car threshold. I am convinced that the Greater China area will be our second largest market by the end of this year.”

Ferrari’s Chinese market has been growing strongly since 2004. Sales have been excellent across the entire range, but the 8-cylinder Ferrari California and the 458 Italia have performed particularly well. In previews, our Chinese clients were greatly impressed by the technological innovations offered by the FF as well as the generous size of its four comfortable seats and roomy boot (the capacity of the latter can extended up to 800 litres).

The FF is a whole new interpretation of the sporty Grand Tourer concept. It is not only the very first four-wheel drive Ferrari but, more significantly, hails a major break with the past by reconciling extreme performances with the usability and versatility of an authentic GT and a highly innovative design.

The FF features innovations throughout, starting with the fact that it is fitted with our first GDI V12 which is coupled with the seven-speed Dual Clutch gearbox. The new engine punches out 660 hp at 8,000 rpm and delivers maximum torque of 683 Nm at 6,000 rpm, 500 Nm of which are available at 1,000 rpm. The FF boasts the blistering performances of an extreme sports car too: 0-100 Km/h acceleration in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 335 km/h. It also delivers excellent results in terms of efficiency with fuel consumption cut to just 15.4 litres per 100 km and CO2 emissions to 360 g/km, a 25% reduction on the previous V12s. These achievements come in part thanks to the HELE (High Emotions-Low Emissions) system which also incorporates Stop&Start technology.

The FF also guarantees this exceptional performance on terrain with very low grip coefficients, thanks to Ferrari's own patented 4RM four-wheel drive system. Torque is still delivered by the rear wheels, but the PTU (Power Transfer Unit) ensures that as much as is required is also transferred to the front wheels when necessary on low grip surfaces. The FF intelligently distributes torque to each of the four wheels individually, thanks to the fact that all of the dynamic vehicle controls (E-Diff, F1-Trac and PTU) have been integrated into a single CPU. Read More ...

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458 Italia awarded "2011 World Performance Car of the Year"

Maranello, 26 April – A jury consisting of 66 international journalists from 24 different countries awarded the 458 Italia with the title "World Performance Car of the Year", choosing it from an initial list of 14 sports cars, competing for the title. The prize has been announced at the New York International Auto Show and confirms the overall appreciation of the V8 Berlinetta from Maranello by the specialised press all over the world, just like the numerous recognitions did so far. With the "World Performance Car of the Year" the jury’s specialists wanted to underline the 458 Italia’s extraordinary performance capacity on the track and on the road, defining the car as “already a classic in every sense, but its sophisticated handling abilities at the limit take the V8 middle-rear engine Ferrari concept to a whole new level”. In the statement an acclaim regarding the car’s "meraviglioso sound" wasn’t missing. Read More ...

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