Ferrari’s replacement for the F430, the 458 Italia was not simply a development of its predecessor, it was an entirely new design. Setting a new standard on which supercars were to be judged, having acquired over 30 international awards during its production, including ‘Car of the Year’ and ‘Supercar of the Year’ in 2009. Powered by a sonorous 4.5L V8, in Ferrari’s traditional mid-rear position, the 458 could accelerate to 100 km/h (62mph) in just 3.4 seconds, onto a top speed of 325km/h (202mph).
The car's striking exterior styling, designed by Pininfarina under the leadership of Ferrari design director Donato Coco, was designed for aerodynamic efficiency, underlined with the themes of purity, simplicity, technology, efficiency and lightness. It was unmistakably a Ferrari, incorporating the characteristics of every car that has ever left Maranello. The 458 drew much inspiration from the Ferrari Enzo and the Millechili concept car whilst its novel triple exhaust tailpipes are a styling cue that recalls the legendary Ferrari F40. The car's interior was designed using input from former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher, creating a layout more common to racing cars, and the new steering wheel incorporated many controls normally located on the dashboard or on stalks.
The design of the engine components was heavily influenced by the carry-over of racing technology, from Formula 1 in particular, resulting in better performance and lower fuel consumption. The 458 Italia set a benchmark for a naturally-aspirated production engine, having been engineered to reach a maximum of 9,000 rpm – a first on a road car with this cylinder capacity – producing 562 bhp, with 80 per cent of the torque available from 3,250rpm. The exhaust system was designed to provide the kind of thrilling soundtrack owners of Ferrari’s V8s are used to whilst also guaranteeing high levels of acoustic comfort. The newly designed aluminium-intensive chassis was developed using new alloys and constructed using innovative manufacturing processes from the aviation industry, resulting a lighter chassis with improved structural rigidity. The weight of the overall car was carefully managed to ensure improved performance and handling, leading to a car that weighed only a little over 1500kg. New brake technology, combined with the ABS and standard carbon ceramic brakes, meant the 458 could stop from 100km/h (62mph) in a staggering 32.5m.
This fine scale model of the Ferrari 458 Italia has been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of Ferrari regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by the Ferrari's engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.
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