2010 Ferrari 430 Scuderia: R.I.P. This track-dedicated version of the F430 made enthusiasts believe once again in the ability of Ferrari to put the "super" in supercar, but now we'll have to wait until a similar car is built from the 458 Italia.
2010 Ferrari 458 Italia: The 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia would be headline news from any car company, since it is an attempt to bring forward the concept of an exotic sports car into an age more conscious of efficiency. You wouldn't think this is the case just by looking, as the 458 Italia is Ferrari's most arresting design in decades, a combination of the modernism of the Enzo-derived FXX track car and a sense of sleek beauty that recalls Pinifarina during the 1960s.
Under the skin is Ferrari's version of the 90-degree V8 design shared these days with Alfa Romeo and Maserati, but Maranello makes the high-revving, flat-crank, 4.5-liter V8 its own with the application of direct fuel injection, producing 570 horsepower at 9,000 rpm. Maximum torque is 398 pound-feet at 6,000. Two things make it modern. First, 80 percent of peak torque is available at just 3,250 rpm, so the power is surprisingly tractable. And second, Ferrari claims the engine gives the 458 Italia more power with less carbon-dioxide emissions than any other car in the world.
Just like the Ferrari California, the 458 Italia features a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission, making this 203-mph supercar easy to drive to the grocery store. Underneath the aluminum bodywork you'll find a largely aluminum chassis, although Ferrari notes that it has continued to adapt ultra-lightweight metallurgy and aerospace manufacturing.
2010 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano: Before the Ferrari California distracted them, the purists were equally scandalized by the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, a front-engine GT car powered by a 620-hp 6.0-liter V12. As odd-looking as it might be, the 599 GTB has persuaded enthusiasts that a real sports car can have the engine in front of the driver, preparing the way for the latest Aston Martin V12 cars.
2010 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti: Ferrari has long had its own version of the Aston Martin Rapide, Lamborghini Reventon Roadster and Porsche Panamera, and this glorious luxury barge with a backseat is it. The only difference is the V12-powered 612 doesn't have four doors. Will Ferrari give the 612's successor more doors? We'll see, but for 2010 there's nothing new to report.
2010 Ferrari California: Purists recoiled in horror when the California was introduced last year, yet this hardtop convertible points the way to future profitability the little company from Maranello must have if it is to stay in business without the economic dramas that have afflicted exotic-car manufacturers like Lamborghini and Porsche.
Much to the dismay of the purists, this is the people's Ferrari, a car guaranteed to appeal to a broad spectrum of drivers across the globe. It's a front-engine GT car, powerful yet amenable to driving in the real world, and its hardtop convertible assures enjoyable weekend adventures during every season. And there's a vestigial backseat if you need to give someone a ride to the restaurant.
There's some serious technology in this car, as the combination of a 460-hp 4.3-liter V8, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission from Getrag, and a modular-style aluminum chassis get your attention from the first. Yet these are the very things that also make the Ferrari California delightfully easy to drive and surprisingly affordable to buy. The Ferrari California is perfect for those who have always believed that even a Ferrari should be capable of being driven every day.
2010 Ferrari F430/F430 Spider: R.I.P. The Ferrari 458 Italia supersedes these cars, so no more calls, please.
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rossofiorano says:
04:06 PM, 01/01/2010
I'm ready to see a 458 vs. McLaren MP4 comparison test. Go Ferrari!