Does Anyone Else Think That The Horse In

Yes.

And i have seen some European registered 458 with a front license plate and that is even more barfer !

 

I still can't figure out how a front plate works in all of it....I guess the logo on the hood and the horse is somewhat redundant?

 

Yes.

It is excess bling and will be irresistible to car logo thieves (You know, those teenagers with the three-pointed star belt buckles).

 

Jim, serious question for you. What is your overall opinion of the 458? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

 

The Porsche 918 spyder looks better and better!

 

Not the same market.

 

It looks like an after thought.
Everything was probably finished when someone decided to fill the void with a floating Cavallino

 

The superfluous cavallino in the front grille is emblematic of today's highline brand marketing, as practiced religiously by FIAT. Every piece of glass, plus headrests, plus front fenders, horn button, wheel centers, tail panel, floor mats, front grille area and hood must have either a Ferrari label or a cavallino. It gets a bit nauseating after awhile. People shop at a Ferrari Store in many cases just to obtain a red bag. It would appear that Bloomingdale's has become the marketing model for Ferrari. I just hope that they don't dilute the brand too much by spreading it too thin. Licensing agreements can provide welcome income, but they can also come at the expense of the very brand that is being so heavily promoted. Fred

 

+1, +1

 

Agreed. Seems to be a poor afterthought

 

I do. And so are the headlights IMO.

 

Perhaps because parts of the nose are flexible they chose the 'floating Cavallino' solution. There is no egg crate grill to work with as in past models which included the horse.
CH

 

I don't like it. I think it should be tilted down to better follow the lines of the car. But, I think they were thinking most will remove it for the front plate.

Ironically, many seem to be trying to keep the horsey and put the plate in some rather weird locations.

That's people for ya...

 

Is the nostril pony an option?

 

I'm with you on this. I think there is something to be said about an aftermarket solution that may not get you to 202 MPH but would look better. I think it is the weak part of the design.

 

Over the last five or six years, I've observed something very intriguing. Ferrari is masterful at releasing a new model that is almost perfect. And I'm convinced this is on purpose.

The 360 Modena is a beautiful car - just gorgeous! But the Challenge Stradale incorporates a few subtle changes that make it that much better.

I didn't think anything of it, but then the F430 came out. That nose leaves something to be desired. I understand the flaring nostrils are a tribute to the 156 Sharknose and the 330 TRI/LM, but it's still a little off. Then Ferrari came out with the 430 Scuderia. The nose is altered and the model is instantly perfect!

Now we have the 458. It's stunning! It looks like the love child of a 360 and an Enzo. But there's something not quite right about it. When the Stradale/Scuderia version of the Italia debuts, I'd bet money that the front will be more aggressive and more ...perfect.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the nose of the 430 Scuderia was designed first, and then Ferrari said, "Okay, it's perfect! Now scale it back and make it less aggressive so that we can use the perfect nose for the limited edition version, and we'll use the less aggressive nose for the 'base' model."

 

+1 you are correct

 

I think the horse is the only nice thing about the front...

 

I bet the designers had a more aggressive/cohesive design penned, and they probably had to scale it back to make room for the 'stradale' version and 'evo' versions that are further down the product pipe-line. This is the 348/360 of this series after all...

 

they did it to make the cali look good

 

I agree with you completely, although the whole 458 seems to be the best base model we have seen under this arrangement by a country mile. The prancing horse looks decent, but I can't wait to see Canadian 458s with the plate perfectly situated right there.

 

With the Enzo being the exception that proves the rule... right?