458C questions

Looking into a 458C for weekend track duty and need your opinions. I am running an ACR-X Viper right now and looking to move on. Is the 458C a side move or a big step up? We have one here at my local track (NOLA) but the car is never driven so I have nothing locally to compare lap times and such. I would appreciate any feedback.

 

FWIW, at Monticello Motor Club the ACR-X turned a 2:25 full course, the 458C turns 2:19 - 2:23. MMC appears like it's a power track (long straights) but speed there comes from perfecting the technical corners and carrying speed in/out. (Different days, different drivers, so compare at your own risk, YMMV, etc).

I race a 458C and have had a chance a while back to do a session in the Viper (so i have limited impressions).

The 458C is sweet - amazing brakes, incredible gearbox, high-revving engine with pull, and points beautifully. The ACR-X was a beast - and a blast- but very very different car. Front engine, monster engine, you had to plan way ahead to brake/turn....fast but very different car to drive.

I recently drove the Aston Vantage GT car that TRG is importing. Nice car - nowhere near a 458C experience, and nowhere near as raw as the Viper.

A big factor (for me) would be the relative levels of required support to keep the cars in top form, i can only compare the Porsche vs. 430C vs. 458C vs. Abarth.

Hope this helps.

 

Really good info and thanks. How about aero, rear wing and front splitter? Who is the go to here in the states for aero parts?

 

Anyone know of a 458c for sale in the US that of other than the one in the classified section?

 

PM me.

re Aero, there are several firms in Europe that do additional aero, Evolution2 and FFCorse I think are the most established.

 

Ron Tonkin Gran turismo in portland has one that is basically brand new. Silver exterior never raced in the challenge series

 

You may want to check out this car:

2011 Ferrari 458 Challenge for Sale in Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 - Global Autosports

 

I highly recommend BAMD Ltd. in the UK. 458C's running their full aero kit have set class lap records at most notably Silverstone. My impression is that they supply the most aggresive aero package (i.e. fastest cars run BAMD aero) at a very comptitive price. Without saying to much, I think one of the brands mentioned in another post has completely obscene prices. Guys I know bought 2 458C's and ordered full aero package from BAMD, they flew in a few guys from the UK that installed it on the cars (included in the price) this was in Europe though. It's one of their cars which is on the front page of their home page (red 458C).

 

that's pretty impressive re BAMD. Had not seen them before.

Curious, did they work with you on setup, and what additional chassis mods did you make given the downforce?

My F430C was noticeably different in balance with the aero kit (which granted was not wind tunnel optimized).

 

Hi,

I'm not mechanically involved with the car. So I couldn't tell you about chassis mods etc. I know they do offer a set up service at reduced costs if you purchase products for them. Of course they'll probably leave you crew with a rough guide as to how to set up and alter the propertirs of the aero kit. I think their kit has huge potential, the rear wing included in their full kit is HUGE. A neat little bonus is that they are currently developing and rolling a few new aero pieces for the 458C, which are available separately and probably at a discount if you've already purchased the full kit from them.

I don't recall the exact price for the full kit, but it was somewhere around £8,000 (ca. $12,000 plus local taxes) including installation (think you could get it about £1k cheaper if you did the 12 hour install yourself) I'd suggest you shoot them an email. They operate a site specifically for 458C upgrades. It's called Ferrari458parts.
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A 458C would be an awesome track day car, but very different from a Viper. I have about 5,000 miles testing in the 458C, and we have the very first two that came to the USA. Other than some VERY frustrating early electronic issues, they have proven, like the 430C, to be very reliable and fast cars. They handle very differently than a 430 and in fact have more in common with a Porsche 997GT car than a 430 in many ways. I don't think it would be quite as fast as the Viper with equal drivers, but it is a much more enjoyable place to spend your rapid heartbeats for sure!

As a track day car, you would have the freedom to address many of the cars shortcomings in Challenge trim...that aero kit looks pretty awesome for example! It needs bigger tires up fron too...that might be worth more time in itself than all that aero.

 

Great info FC - Found a few and trying to make it happen soon.

Thanks again

 

Like others have said, the ACR is R A W , its you and the car, no excuses.

The 458C has alot of electronic's to keep you in check, that you can turn down or off.

MSR this past Sunday running the 1.7CCW we were getting 1:16's , KV was there running and getting 1:17's on their clean laps( I didn't time all the laps on either ).
I don't think either drivers were running at 10/10th's..

We may have a line on a car or two, shoot me your contact information if you would like.

S

 

There is one here in Ontario Canada for sale..the owner has not advertised it for sale as of yet.

 

You're right, he used to have an ACR , I've since been told , he no longer does, therefore was NOT who was out driving on Sunday.

BUT, there was an ACR running and it was running the times above < wink >

S

 

Any major difference between the 2011 and 2012 458C?

 

None specification-wise (I looked into this when looking at used cars).

some 2010's had the "dreaded DCT issues" but I'd imagine all of those have been addressed.

there were/are a series of campaigns that you'd want to make sure were done; not "campaigns" like a road car, but TSB's (eg. my new car had to have the fuel cell inspection plates resealed under a TSB before delivery). They also evolved some parts/parts sources (eg. from BBS wheels to Superalloy).

Bulletins are available on the Corse Clienti portal, either a/your dealer, shop or team should be able to get them.

 

At NOLA last weekend - best lap time 141.2 in 2012 458c - have seen a high 39 when testing there last year prior to COTA as well. It's a great car but you can't go wrong with any RACE car -see you at the track!

 

I'm looking at a 458 C verses a cup car. I have been told that cup cars are a handful at the limit and believe that a 458 is much better behaved at the limit but have never driven either at the limit so I'd like to hear from those that have ( I have driven 996 and 997 cup cars for a few laps at about 70 percent as they were my friends cars and wanted to bring them back in one piece).

I had a friend that bought and ran a 360 challenge and had nothing but problems and huge expenses, so I ruled out racing Ferraris for the last couple of years but I am under the impression that the 458 is on the same level of reliability as a cup car.

How many hours can you run the engine and transmission before a rebuild is necessary? Compared to past challenge cars, where does the 458 rank in terms of reliability? If you were buying a used 458 C, which is the model year in which you guys feel that they really got all the bugs worked out?

 

Hi Doug,

In regards to ferrari challenge cars, they definately got more reliable (and faster) through each generation. I cannot speak on behalf of cup cars, but I can tell you ferrari challenge cars are reliable as long as you are ontop of them in regards to prep and service in between events. No ferrari ever made is exempt from issues, especially electrical/sensor gremlins in the new cars.

In regards to the 458 specifically, it is by far the most reliable of all the previous generations with 1 big exception- the gearbox. They have been prematurely failing since new, and there are still 2013 models out of the factory with issues. If you are looking to purchase a 458c, take note to what gearbox is in the car (original, rebuilt or factory replacement), and that can give you a better hedge on your odds- regardless, it is still a standing issue with these cars, some cars having as many as 7 replacements, and some having none- its a role of the dice.
In regards to the engine, suspension and performance- absolutely impressive. Most ferrari challenge cars get a rebuild or refresh based on km's, and leakdown/compression- atleast that how we determine them....never hrs like a porsche. If you are pounding the car for 6-8 events a year, then I would guess atleast 3 seasons before considering a refresh on a 458c. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks. That is helpful. Is the factory covering the prematurely failing gearboxes under some kind of warranty or are they just saying its a race car, tough luck.