Sounds absolutely sensational!! I can't wait!! I am seeing her for the first time in Frankfurt! Had my deposit down a long time so hopefully fist quarter of next year it might be here!? Thank you for sharing the details ��
Got the chance to meet her. The back realy seems sexy! But when you come foreword and saw her face humn... When you look down on her from an angle looks cute. I guess. Well we do still have time to choose to keep her or not. Maybe a good envestment in my country. The best part. Got to go to both Ferrari museums! Really nice
This afternoon in Maranello: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Gr. Martin
[Situation] When company invite someone to see new car and that person says that best part was visiting museum... Seems that 458 Speciale is great car, but not so shocking like 430 Scud & 360 Stradale back in time.
This thread is too funny. All talk (me included) about tiny wings and stripes and mirror material. Very little about the performance and technology... this is the track oriented limited edition...it's not supposed to be for everyone. I think this thread has reaffirmed why so many f-car owners put so little miles on their cars and drive them to C&C primarily and wash them so much...it ain't about the driving for most (I wont listen to arguments from people that drive their ferrari less than 2000 per year unless they also own several performance cars simultaneously). Looks, looks, looks. Would be fun if the thread had a discussion on the performance and the technology evolution. Maybe we don't yet know enough about that to discuss so we keep seeing "I don't like the looks" posts. I think it would be better if posters had to honestly state whether they would own or have owned a CS or Scud or Speciale. My guess is the vast majority of posters here have not and aren't interested in owning the Speciale either. Would certainly provide context to the commentary! (For the record, taking own advice, I own a CS, track it a bit, and will own a scud and hope to be able to afford a Speciale some day.)
^^^ IMHO you are far from real world situation. Ferrari through its history provides sexy cars for their customers. If you want track oriented car, take GT3 RS and drive it all day long on the edge of its limits. As you know design of that car is same for past 50 years... Ferrari owners like great performance, sound, great chassis etc., but primarily they all want sexy car. Most of them like to enjoy with their ladies/buddies on swirly roads during weekend , not measuring tire types, engine compression, fuel values (all that track stuff). You can find proof for my statements on track and on forums. Visit some tracks, and you will see how many Ferrari owners push their cars to the limits. You will find them, but they are minority. On others side, most owners of cars like GT3 RS like to spend their time on tracks (I recommend you visiting Nürburgring to see it for yourself). Same goes with forums. On Ferrari forums most owners like to talk about dealers, price drops, aftermarket parts that will enhance looks of their cars etc. On Porsche forums most people talk about engine tweaking, lightweight wheels, track equipment, older cars that can be prepared for track etc. As conclusion, I totally understand big discussion about design of the new 458 Speciale, because for Ferrari owners that is very important topic.
To reinforce this point, one should listen to the importance of style from "the horse's mouth." http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/458-italia/420536-take-time-watch.html One has many choices for extreme track performance, but few also provide great design.
WOW! The new 458 Speciale is a great looking car! I really like it! The front of the Speciale looks more aggressive than the Italia. Well done Ferrari!
hmmm..., I'm not quite agree with this statement. At the Ferrari mid-engine series for me the performance values are clearly much ​​more important than the design (yes, I'm a Ferrari owner). And the Speciale-performance values ​​are convincing absolutely! IMO these few design changes at the Speciale are not really worth mentioning. At the very end, the Speciale is still a 458 - only once more faster and more agile. Who does not like the Speciale shouldn't get upset. The 458 Italia and Spider is indeed still available.
I disagree totally. Ferraris are great track performers and are designed for such use. Whether or not owners track them that frequently is another discussion altogether and also has to do with the running costs of these cars. Ferraris get tracked though, especially in dedicated track days of the various Ferrari clubs.
We ALL know the Speciale is focused on "technology" ----looks follow function. It is not a car designed to maximize market appeal, but a limited production car for the "fringe" who can afford and like (for whatever reason) the latest and best Ferrari has to offer in terms of weight/hp /aerodynamic ratio's. I race cars but not the 458, so the Speciale is not for me. As for "looks", I really find it hard to believe anyone finds the Speciale "better looking" than the 458, but that is the point after all. It simply does not make "looks" the priority. Best
I mentioned you as one type of Ferrari owners. You are minority. You missed main topic my friend. We are not questioning 458 Speciale capabilities. Read posts more carefully next time
I disagree totally. Ferraris are great track performers and are designed for such use. Whether or not owners track them that frequently is another discussion altogether and also has to do with the running costs of these cars. Ferraris get tracked though, especially in dedicated track days of the various Ferrari clubs.
Having put over 9k miles on my 458 Spider in 4 months should tell you that I drive my Fcar. It is my understanding most Fcars are driven an average of 2500 miles a YEAR. and this I did with my 360 Spider and my F355 GTS. the 458 just begs to be driven. A monster when wanted or a comfortable GT as well. for me looks are very important. that's why I passed on the F430 Spider when my number came up. just did not like the looks compared the the 360 Spider. loved the rounded aero looks harkening back to fcars of the 60s-70s. If you don't care about looks, might as well buy a 911 and save the $$$. that's why we have a Boxster S. classic rounded looks harkening back to the iconic 550 Spyder. and yes it has a 6 spd stick shift. the car is fun to drive in the mountain twisties. Well, for my money, the 458 Italia/Spider has it all. Looks and performance. Have not taken it to the track. so far no burning desire like I had with the 360 and F355. the car is just too much fun that going to the track seems like overkill. and after tracking the car, normal speeds seem so slow that there is more temptation to go even faster on public roads and I don't need any more points on my license. and I wonder how the 458S performance will compare to the F12 (which has stunning looks IMVHO)?
Great event, One of those you can't forget. Very efficient organization.Quite perfect. Quite too perfect .Great motivation, great people, great car.So, since I have not a big capacities with your language I hope you will forgive me for some mistakes. Before to comment the car by an external point of view let me share the big emotion that I felt and I would say, we all felt when the car at the end was visible. Something I will not forget. The feeling was really special. A well coordinated program with music, videos,lights and surround was perfectly mixed and made a perfect job. Nice nice presentation. I will try to speak about different aspects,trying to remember all I have seen or heard. NAME: perfect name for this car. I understand their filosofy.And speaking their same language I understand even better their choice. It would be reductive to consider this car just a mix between a reduced weight and a slight increase of horse power. I will try to summurize the reasons. WEIGHT :1290 kg dry weight. At my question they suggested to add around 100 kg. No more details but the declared empty weight is without extra optional carbon. The extra optional carbon will reduce the amount by another extra 8 kg. It will be available in case but I forgot to ask about mirrors sorry.So it is possible to have a car ready to drive for around 1380 kg. Not bad at all ENGINE-POWER: 605 Hp. They mentioned even a competitor that will be soon on the market and are sure that this level of power (hp-liter) will be for a long time on the top.They explained how they got this. It was a complete job all the time taking in mind the weight of every singular improvement. They explained how they made the new pistons, pin,conrods and so on and have shown them too.Very impressive.As you can imagine every detail was re-evaluated and updated.To get an extra 35hp was not easy.Without to damage the torque expecially at medium. So they increased the compression rate up to an incredible 14-1. The standard 458 has 12.5 and Scuderia had below 12. But they even explained what this compression rate means in term of durability-materials-problems.The overall job of reduction of weight in the engine area produced a reduction of 8 kg. More than 3 just coming by the carbon air intakes. Lot of carbon will be standard in the engine area as a basic configuration. The spark plugs will work as sensors too and will detect every changes that can damage the engine due to the huge compression rate. Very clever solution. Every single basement and other sensible parts of the engine after the work in fondry will be X-ray cheked for each car and not as for the regular 458 (just some of them are tested ).The tolerances on this engine have many strict similarities with Formula One concepts and they know that they can get some results only if everything is simply perfect! BRAKES: an argument that I like a lot. Minus 8% in brake distance.To find a way to be lighter (the front brake pads are smaller for example) with larger brake discs and even to solve the traditional rear brake problems of the regular 458 and in the meantime to fix new records in brake distance was not easy. They got this! from 200k/h to 0 the distance is 122 meters . Last top brake system was the one introduced by F12. The F12 stops in 131 meters. the same distance is for the regular 458. Then the distance from 100 km/h to zero is just 31 mt.No comments, right? The Scud was a fantastic performer in this area if you remember and was able to stop in around 126 mt for example from 200 km/h..I asked about the LaFerrari distance but I didn't get numbers. But these brakes derives by LaFerrari's ones. The electronic SSC will help to eliminate the rear brake problems but just in some manettino's positions. GEAR: very impressive improvement here. The downshift speed is 44% faster than f12 (that actually was the top in this area) and the upshift is 20% faster. TIRES: you know everything about them.Actually these tires are in exclusive for this car. Better performance with wet surface.305 rear - 245 front. It will not happen here that one Speciale will have one type of tires and another will have other ones coming from a different manufacturer as it happens for the standard 458. Just these Cup 2 will be available for this car. They declare 6% improvement in this performances. MAGNETIC SUSPENSIONS : great improvements here and last generation will be delivered. More confort if necessary and even more efficient steering sensibility . The front wheels reactions to the driver imputs are greater compared to the 458 that is already a devil in this area.The suspension is new and a new filosofy arrived via an algorithm that can control much better the required work. They mentioned they were ispired by aviation filosofy but don't ask me more pls since I have no details about what they mean. SSC : most was already told. Nice improvement that will allow to drive faster or with more control during understeer.But expecially faster.The distribution of the traction will help to eliminate the rear brake's problems as told before .It will be available in Ctoff and Race.The SSc will send his imputs to the EDiff (will give better agility )and F1track (will distribute at best the torque). WHEELS: will be available in titanium, black and gold colours. Only one design. Very nice design when seen in person.I don't see any special problems to clean them.. AERODINAMIC: the render doesn't make justice on the two clear (not painted) air intakes (they are movable doors) side by side the front cavallino. The colour is nicer beleive me. Not cream as in the rendering. More delicate and soft.They open over the 170km/h and are actionated directly by the wind.The flow is deviated orizontally and laterally and will go just in front the radiators air intakes with the purpouse to disturb the influx of the air and the cooling and so reducing the drag.This flow will go throught the two side vents in the front of the front wheels that tend to encapsulate the flow itself. Below the two doors and the cavallino, there is a black orizontal aileron (sorry I don't know how to call it). That aileron works even as a door.I mean that over 220 km/h it will open downword redirectering the airflow below the car .The two big opening (air intake) on the hood are necessary for the extra need of engine cooling. The space for the baggage is plus minus the same.Good new! Rear: the 3 flaps move down by 17 degrees over 220 km-h .The rear portion of the flat bottom is made in carbon fiber even to reduce the weight.The diffuser will be available in carbon fiber.The car was studied in aerodinamic gallery. The two lateral shark fins are not too bad and will be available in carbon too. They contribute a lot to the general aerodinamic and seems remouvable. EXTERIOR: every colour will be available. The livery is available even in light gray as for the old Scuderia (nice new). It will be as that one. I like the lateral side. I like a lot the rear even if I have to admit that is less elegant than the regular 458. But beleive me more aggressive see in person than by a pic. I like even the front but not by every angle. I think that for me it will work a dark colour with old Scuderia stripes. The best view, recapitulating is 3/4 rear- complete rear-lateral side-3/4 front. Complete front need some extra effort to be accepted but it is far to be bad...I think that with carbon rear diffuser the car will look fantastic ..Very nice the ehaust system and I have no complains about the position. INTERIORS: all colours and materials will be available as for the 458. Standard the led indicator steering wheel but not the 4 points harnesses.Alcantara is standard .No right satellite, no radio.But available as option.Available even navigation system, and telemetry system that will tell you all details you need (with many level of details...for example where you normally brake or give gas).Camera and parking sensors too.Rolbar too is available. The standard rpm indicator is in yellow. Seatings : not bad, I like them..more than in the rendering of course,but I would have preferred them more contoured. I asked about the internal noise (engine sound compared to the 430 Scud) and the answer is that it is different but not less noisy.We will see Not visible the chassies and the local weldings.It is a pitty. I liked a lot to see the welding done on the aluminium frame of the previous Scud. Here is not possible. Btw, nice looking interior, be sure and the passenger front area is nicer than i was thinking. At the end they gave us a nice present...My Speciale as you see already arrived. What to ask more to them and to this car? thanks Ferrari. Good job! I like the car and I understood so much today. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Own a CS, drove in the Challenge Series, and on the list for one of the first Speciales. Performance is expected to be great. Right now all I've got is what the car looks like.
Very interesting. thanks for sharing. Looks like lots of CF in the cabin and the engine bay. Interesting to see the winglets treatment in front of the rear wheels. Much more complex than previous side views.
Great post. This is the heart of this car. There are some surprises here. The compression ratio increase, new pistons and connecting rods go further than most of us thought they would. And who would have thought that the transmission could be made that much faster than an already lightening like shift. I assume the question you asked was how much to add to the dry weight to get curb weight. Thus curb weight could be 1390 kg without C/F = 3060 lb.
Indeed. The car is much more complex than early releases revealed. Am really excited to see one in person.
