Ferrari has just released a new video along with some photos of the real life 458 Italia tearing up a racetrack in the nude and some more reveling images of the interior. The topic of Maranello’s latest feature is style, and who better to tell us about it than Paolo Pininfarina, the Chaiman of Pininfarina S.p.A. So when he tells you that there were a lot of historical elements that went into the 458’s design, you can take his word for it.
However the Italia’s styling is not all about looking good, in fact it is quite the opposite. Paolo explains that the design was driven by aerodynamic efficiency “Every part of the car, from the mouth to the side fins to the rear air outlets are built to improve the car’s aerodynamics, he says."All the design choices are driven by aerodynamics, but the final result is very light and essential." This resulted in a very light sports car that is capable of outperforming the outgoing F-430. The 458 Italia maintains the classic side profile of the modern day Ferrari but has a bit more focus on airflow. The side skirts were designed to act like rudders pushing air away from the turbulent rear wheels just like the front bumper on our Prius.
Looking at the 458 from behind you would think that the majority of the hot air in the engine compartment would be escaping through those two large mesh grills, but in fact almost all of it rises out from either side of the back glass. Those grills were as meticulously designed as the scoops that feed them in order to get as much air the mid engine sports car’s radiators without affecting how the car cuts through the air. However in true Ferrari fashion they manage to keep us on the edge of our seats, Paolo’s last word into the camera is that the center element hanging from the chassis of the car will have “two exhaust pipes, and one center pipe.” We are hoping for an F-40 inspired unit. If our guesses are correct from yesterday’s interior reveal, a turbo all wheel drive Ferrari sure would be sweet.
More news on the Ferrari 458 Italia on www.ferrari.com: new photos and interview now on the site in the run-up to the Frankfurt Show
Maranello, 27 August 2009 – In the run-up to the official unveiling of the Ferrari 458 Italia at the Frankfurt Motor Show on the 15th of September, enthusiasts can find out more about the car on www.ferrari.com. There they will find the first photographs of the 458 Italia’s interior and of the steering wheel and instrument binnacle which represent a significant step forward in the concept of the ergonomic interface between driver and car.
In fact the main commands are now grouped on the steering wheel, the secondary commands are handily set in two satellite pods either side of the dash and there are now comprehensive instrument displays on the panel ahead of the driver. These solutions represent an important safety aspect, enabling the driver to concentrate fully on driving. Similarly this layout ensures maximum control of the car in highperformance driving, an uncompromising approach that derives directly from Ferrari’s F1 experience.
Working closely with the Ferrari Styling Centre, the engineers have thus reinterpreted the positioning of the major commands to provide a truly driver-oriented cockpit. All steering-column mounted stalks have been eliminated, with the indicators, full beam, flash and windscreen wiper functions now being activated by buttons on the steering wheel boss. The button to select the shock absorber setting is now positioned next to the ’Engine start’ button where it falls readily to hand. Behind the wheel are a number of secondary functions, such as the stereo, while the gearbox paddles are now longer making shifts even easier from any steering angle.
The right-hand satellite pod on the dash incorporates controls for the infotainment, the Bluetooth connection, sat-nav, digital speedo and rear parking camera. Clustered on the left-hand satellite pod instead are the optional cruise control, buttons for choosing the video setting of the left-hand dash TFT screen and the on-board computer interface. The latter controls the trip computer, the Vehicle Dynamic Assistance and the display of the car’s set-up.
The Vehicle Dynamic Assistance monitors the operating parameters of the most important areas of the car - engine/gearbox, tyres and brakes. The VDA is enabled in the following manettino settings – Race, CT off and CST off – and provides visual confirmation of the status of each component based on an algorithm from parameters reading lateral and longitudinal acceleration, revs and speed. This enables the driver to assess the ideal operating conditions for the car. There are three status settings: WARM-UP (operating temperature too low), GO (ideal operating conditions) and OVER (one or more components are no longer at their optimum level and need cooling).
Along with the photos now on-line, the Ferrari site also includes an exclusive videointerview with Paolo Pininfarina, Chairman of Pininfarina S.p.A., who provides indepth insight into the 458 Italia’s design philosophy and exterior styling. The next release on www.ferrari.com will include an analysis of the car’s performance characteristics with an interview with seven-times F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher.
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