Ferrari 458 Italia

Ferrari 458 Italia "Car of the Year" at Robb Report

Praised as a "shocking demonstration of just how much improvement can be brought to an already near-perfect sports car," the Ferrari 458 Italia has been selected by the Robb Report editors and a panel of guest judges as the luxury lifestyle authority's 2011 Car of the Year.

Revealed in Robb Report's March issue, which hits newsstands on February 22, the award is presented to an automobile, formally introduced in the previous year, whose technical designs, styling, and performance position it as the world's preeminent sports or luxury vehicle.

Tags: aston martin v12 vantage, audi a8L, audi r8 v10, cadillac cts v coupe, Ferrari 458 Italia, MaseratiGranturismo, Porsche 911 Turbo S, robb report, rolls royce ghost

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Ferrari Confirms AWD Hatchback Ferrari

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Ferrari has unveiled its first-ever four-wheel drive car -- a four-seat, V-12 hatchback styled by Pininfarina called the FF (for Ferrari Four).

The FF replaces Ferrari's flagship 612 Scaglietti, and will make its official debut at the Geneva show in March.

The 6.3 V12 (6262cc) develops 651 horsepower and 504 lb ft of torque. The powerplant is good for 335kph and a swift 0-100kph time of 3.7 seconds.

The exotic car drives the four wheels via the dual-clutch F1 gearbox already seen in the California and the 458 Italia models.

The Pininfarina-designed shape seems an evolution of the company's 599 and 612 designs [see gallery]. The bold lines of the 458 Italia can also be seen.

The "shooting brake"style body marries a long nose to a small estate style cabin, which has an elongated roof that extends back down to meet a scalloped rear with round tail lamps embedded in the rear flanks. Twin-exhausts poke out each side of the rear.

Pricing not announced yet.

Gallery: Ferrari FF and Influences

Tags: ferrari 458 italia, ferrari 599, ferrari california, ferrari ff

The Classicist: UK's Elite Meet & Greet at High Net Worth Event

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings, Events, Charity, Men's Style, The Classicist, Wealth, Architecture & Design

Some of the UK's wealthiest citizens met up recently at Cotswold Airport in the heart of bucolic Gloucestershire to rub elbows while eyeballing the latest in supercars and private jets. The ultra-exclusive Elite 2010 event was organized by Aeronautics Ltd. and the Fine English Company, dedicated to the best in bespoke British luxury. 200 high net worth VIPs were in attendance at the occasion hosted by British Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. The event benefited Fly2Help, a charity dedicated to helping those who have suffered disaster, difficulty or tragedy by allowing them to experience the fun and love of flying. We got an inside look at the proceedings thanks to Fine English Co. founder Benedict Wormald.

Aeronautics Ltd. are the UK Sales Representative for Hawker Beechcraft and specialize in the sales, acquisition, management and charter brokerage of private jets. Other participating organizations at Elite 2010 included Aston Martin Racing, the famed British marque's motorsports division; Coutts, the legendary private bankers to the Queen of England and the British Royal Family as well as famed figures from the Duke of Wellington, Charles Dickens and Lord Nelson to The Beatles; Von Essen Hotels, the private collection of individual country house hotels in the UK and France which includes the famous Cliveden, once home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor; London's The Nth Degree Club Concierge, whose services include event management, private dining, exclusive chef's tables at top London restaurants and personal shopping; PremiAir Aviation; and Affinity Marketing Group.

Gallery: Elite 2010 UK

Tags: Aston Martin, aviation, Benedict Wormald, bespoke, BMW, British Royal Family, charity, Cliveden, England, events, Ferrari 458 Italia, Fine English Company, Fly2Help, furniture, Gloucestershire, Hawker Beechcraft, helicopter, London, Porsche, private jets, Queen of England, Spitfire, UK, Von Essen Hotels, wealth

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21-Year-Old Saudi Student's Stunning $10 Million Supercar Collection

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

Saudi engineering student Dhiaa Al-Essa was one of the unfortunate fellows whose brand new Ferrari 458 Italia (above) went up in flames recently. No worries though – the 21-year-old has 30 other supercars in his $5 million collection, including three more Ferraris, five Porsches, three Lamborghinis, two Rolls-Royces and a Mercedes SLR McLaren. His mega-rich financier father, who purchased the cars for him, has promised him two even more expensive models next year for his 22nd birthday: an ultra-rare Koenigsegg Agera and a Bugatti Veyron, doubling the value of his collection to $10 million. Meanwhile he's replacing the torched 458 Italia with a brand new Ferrari 599 roadster. [continued]

Tags: Bugatti Veyron, car collection, Dhiaa Al-Essa, Ferrari, Ferrari 458 Italia, Koenigsegg Agera, Lamborghini, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Saudi Arabia, Saudia Arabia

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Report: Ferrari to Recall 458 Italia in Europe to Address Fire Concerns

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Ferrari 458 Italia – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ferrari has reportedly responded to a recent spate of fires in its new 458 Italia with a recall in Europe. At least five fires have been reported since deliveries began earlier this year which Ferrari has been investigating. Apparently when the 458 is driven hard (the way a Ferrari is supposed to be driven) in high ambient temperatures an adhesive that holds the rear wheel arch in place, can overheat and essentially melt. This allows the wheel arch and heat shields to come loose. Either the glue or the heat shields can then smoke and potentially ignite. So far 1,248 Italias have been delivered in Europe and those cars will be retrofitted with a more secure fastening system that keeps the arches and shields in place. New cars still in process at the factory will be retrofitted before delivery and the manufacturing process will be updated with the new fasteners.

Gallery: Ferrari 458 Italia

[Source: AutoCar]

Tags: Ferrari, ferrari 458 fires, Ferrari 458 Italia, ferrari 458 recall, ferrari recall

Is Ferrari's New $265,000 Supercar an Accident-Prone Firetrap? [video]

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Video

Is there a curse on Ferrari's new $265,000 supercar, the stunning 458 Italia? In the mere 90 days that have elapsed since the first models were delivered to well-heeled customers, 458s the world over have been the victim of an inordinate amount of crashes, fires and other mishaps, the sheer number of which seem to indicate a mechanical flaw rather than mere idiotic driving. Their frequency and severity – such as the spontaneous combustion of one example on a Paris street (above) – has prompted Ferrari reps to declare that "We are taking it very seriously and investigating each incident" but they have declined to comment further or admit to any production flaw. Rumors abound however that faulty gas overflow tubes and vapor systems are to blame. Designed by famed styling house Pininfarina, the 458 has a 4.5-litre V8 engine boosting it from 0–62 mph in 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 202 mph. There have been 11 recorded wrecks in all, making for nearly $3 million in trashed exotics. Check out a timeline of the 458 Italia incidents and a video of the one that recently caught fire in China after the jump:

[via JamesList]

Tags: car crash, China, Ferrari, Ferrari 458 Italia, Paris, Pininfarina, supercar, Switzerland

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Ferrari Unveils the 458 Challenge for Gentleman Racers

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Opinion is divided as regards the styling of Ferrari's newest model, the 458 Italia. Regardless of your views vis-a-vis its aesthetic shortcomings, it's hard to argue that the famed marque's just-unveiled Challenge version of the supercar is a real looker. The track-only berlinetta is slated to compete alongside its predecessor the F430 Challenge in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli's 2011 season. In order to lower the vehicle's weight and get the most from its 570 hp V8 engine, Ferrari engineers reduced the thickness of the bodyshell panels using carbon fiber and tweaked the gearbox. As with previous Challenge models the 458 version will be available to both gentleman racers and pros with "the time and money to drive the car during race weekends on the world's leading circuits."

Tags: carbon fiber, Ferrari, Ferrari 458 Italia, Pirelli

Eric Clapton Wants a Ferrari 458 Italia with a V12

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Celebrity Shopping

The sky's the limit when cost is no object. Case in point: celebrated blues guitarist and recording legend Eric Clapton, who has reportedly placed a very special order from Ferrari.

Clapton's a known Ferrari aficionado, and upon visiting the factory recently in Maranello, apparently fell in love with the new 458 Italia. Just one thing: instead of the V8 engineered for the car, he wants one with the V12 from the larger 599 GTB Fiorano – the same engine, more or less, that was in the Enzo, we might add.

Ferrari has, according to reports, agreed to build the special supercar according to Clapton's specifications. The question on our minds is whether the car will end up sounding better than its owner.

Tags: 458, 458 italia, clapton, eric clapton, ferrari, ferrari 458 italia

Take a Ferrari Tour of Central Switzerland

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos

On Sept. 9 – 12, Loeven Sportwagentouren, organizers of the Bugatti tour we wrote about last summer, is offering a driving tour of Central Switzerland 's scenic Rigi, Reuss and Rütli Oath regions in the new Ferrari 458 Italia. The tour offers three adrenaline-filled day trips from the luxurious base camp of the Bürgenstock Resort perched above Lake Lucerne. You'll power through famous mountain passes like the Grimsel, Gotthard, Furka, Nufenen and Ächerli – a steep, single-track lane with sharp ascents, hairpin turns and narrow bends. If classics are more your cup of tea, Loeven can arrange to get you a Ferrari Dino, or you can even bring your own car as long as it can keep up. The 458 Italia costs about $6,500 and the Dino about $3,200 on top of the $2,800 per person base price for the tour. Bookings are now open, but be quick about it – space is limited to about 10 cars.

Tags: Bürgenstock Resort, Bugatti, driving tours, Ferrari, Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari Dino, Lake Lucerne, Loeven Sportwagentouren, supercar, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, tour

Ultimate Drives Launches Supercar Tours of Europe

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos

Taking a jaunt though Europe just got a hell of a lot more exciting thanks to Ultimate Drives, a new supercar touring outfit. The company offers a high-octane tour to Switzerland's swank St. Moritz and the neighboring Engadine region, which also takes in the stunning Stelvio pass and crosses the border into Italy. Prices for the tour start at about $1,800 per person, including equally stylish off-road accommodation. The eye-popping autos to choose from include a trio of Ferraris – the F430 Spider, California (above) and 599 GTB – as well as the Aston Martin DB9 Volante, Bentley Continental GTC and Maserati GranCabrio. Starting in July, the Ferrari 458 Italia and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG will also be available for speed junkies. The round trip includes over six hours of driving, as well as lunch en route and a trek to one of the region's famed glaciers. More budget-conscious enthusiasts who still like to put their foot down can opt to do the tour in a BMW or Jaguar instead.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Aston Martin, Bentley, BMW, Europe, Ferrari, Ferrari 458 Italia, Italy, Jaguar, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, St. Moritz, supercar, Switzerland, Zurich

Lucky Gets Luckier: Fernando Alonso's Ferrari 458 Italia

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Celebrity Shopping

Just when you thought Fernando Alonso couldn't get any luckier. The guy's the only driver ever to really beat Michael Schumacher at his own game during his prime, and now he's got his job. He's a two-time world champion, probably makes more money than just about anyone else on the grid (or in any other sport, for that matter), and has already won his debut grand prix with Ferrari. To cap things off, the Spaniard just took possession of a brand new Maserati GranCabrio.

What, still not enough? How about throwing a new Ferrari 458 Italia into the mix? According to reports, Alonso's contract with the Scuderia stipulated his receiving a 458 in exactly these specifications: painted Bianco Fuji (otherwise known as pearl white) with his signature logo embroidered onto the seat backs. It was spotted recently at the company's headquarters in Maranello, and brought to us by the mavens over at FerrariChat by our star tipster Patrick.

Gallery: Fernando Alonso's Ferrari 458 Italia

Tags: alonso, fernando alonso, FernandoAlonso, ferrari, ferrari 458 italia, Ferrari458Italia

Ferrari 458 Italia priced at £169,545

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Want to know how much that new Ferrari 458 Italia will set you back? If we were buying, we probably wouldn't want to know, but British pricing has just been announced in the first official indication of what buyers can expect to shell out.

The list price, including all taxes, for the 458 in the UK comes out to £169,545. That's a significant £40k increase over the F430 it replaces, but a few grand less than the top-of-the-line 430 Scuderia whose performance it more closely resembles. (The pricing also puts the 458 into perspective vis-a-vis its kid brother, the California convertible, which comes out to £143,325 on the 2010 price sheet.) Of course these are just starting points for eager buyers, with options like LED indicator lights on the steering wheel, Alcantara microsuede trim for the trunk, electric seats and a spare wheel all delving well into four figures. Nobody ever said buying a new Ferrari would be cheap.

Gallery: Ferrari 458 Italia

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Tags: 458, 458 italia, 458Italia, ferrari, ferrari 458 italia, Ferrari458Italia

2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Ferrari 458 Italia

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Any day with a new Ferrari is bound to be a good day. So even amidst all the new vehicle launches and concept car debuts which we've been bringing you from Frankfurt, the new Ferrari 458 Italia stands out.

A complete redesign of Maranello's mid-engine V8 supercar, the 458 incorporates the latest technologies gleaned from the F1 circuit: components like flexible aerodynamic elements, a "virtual race engineer" system, a multi-function steering wheel localizing all the controls, and an all-new 4.5-liter V8 engine that revs all the way up to 9000 rpm. 562 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque hustle it up to sixty in 3.4 seconds and to a 202 mph top speed. We checked out the pair of Italias which Ferrari displayed at the Frankfurt Messe, and so can you in the gallery below.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Ferrari 458 Italia

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Presenting The New Ferrari 458 Italia in all its Glory

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Say hello to the new Ferrari 458 Italia. It's the first all-new mid-engined production Ferrari in a decade, replacing the F430 which itself was based on the 360 Modena. It's set to debut at the Frankfurt auto show in a couple of weeks, but Ferrari's already given us a good look at the good-lookin' supercar with a whole gallery full of photos, which you can peruse at your leisure below.

The 458 Italia represents a significant step forward from the already blindingly fast F430, adopting the latest lessons gleaned from Ferrari's campaigning in the Formula One world championship. Under its curvaceous bodywork lies an all-aluminum chassis, powered by a new 4.5-liter V8 with direct injection, producing 562 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, revving all the way up to 9000 rpm and driving the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That's enough power to reportedly accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.4 seconds en route to a top speed of 202 mph. Inside the all-new interior features controls centralized on the steering wheel, from which the driver can control everything, and a warning system that alerts the driver when his ride is ready to roll.

Gallery: Ferrari 458 Italia

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Tags: 458, 458 italia, 458Italia, ferrari, ferrari 458 italia, ferrari italia, Ferrari458Italia, FerrariItalia