Car Crash: Ferrari 458 Italia Destroyed After 2 Hours of Ownership

That is Exhibit A of why some people should never buy a "super car" and maybe why some type of detailed orientation would be appropriate, or simply an I.Q. test. What a shame , only hope, no one was seriously injured (looks bad). Best

 

Shocking

 

I was a party to a similar incident. I sold a Daytona coupe to a man a few years ago. This took place at my home in Laguna Beach, CA, which is a seaside community with fairly large hills. My home was on one of the hills, with a winding road leading down to the beach. The buyer gave me a check, took the keys and blasted off. He got as far as the first corner, about 200 yards. It is a 150 degree off camber, and tight, left turn. He went straight off, stuck the car's nose about three feet into the dirt. If he'd gone another ten feet he would have cleared a plateau and gone off a cliff about 500 feet high. Beat the Hell out of him, totaled the car, but it was insured. He owned an insurance company...;-)

 

So sad. It could happen to anyone. It can be tough if someone is not familiar with the power of these supercars. Pnce you know them they are a wonderful automobiles.

Yesterday I when looking for a new toy. drove the 700hp Aventador, great car!. Then I went to Fearri and drove their 640hp GTO ferrari.

The dealer was with me and he found a road I could release the fury. So I dipped into the trottle. Car took off in anger. Out of nowhere I car pulled out in front of me.Right in front of me and panicked and hit the brakes. I stomped on the brakes and the car stopped just in time. The dealer turned to me and said " you should buy it just because the brakes work so well" What a cool guy the salesman is. Not sure of the speed.

The sad thing if I had hit them it would be my fault. So it can happen.

Best

Lee

 

Note to self, drive in right lane only when picking up 458 next year.

 

That I am afraid was 2 years ago, the experienced driver (he had many ferraris inc a scud at the time) was out for a test drive, took ill and crashed at around 30mph. Looks so bad as they cut the roof off to get him out.

I believe he passed on some time later due to illness and nothing to do with the crash.

 

As far as I'm concerned here is the USA, (might get beat up on this one) everyone who purchases any type of super car should first show proof of some type of high speed driving course such as Russell School of Racing (now simracing, the best IMHO), Skip Barber etc. (U.S. anyways). If I am not mistaken, years ago Ford required this when anyone purchased their "RC" Cobra's.

Seen WAY TOO MANY of these terrible accidents of these super cars, all because of someone is driving way over their heads and no idea (not a clue) how to handle the dynamics of a high performance sports car. They think "hey I can drive 160+mph is a straight line", no issues...

Heck, years ago the #1 crashed car off the dealers lot here in the USA was the Viper. Back then no traction control etc...Folks just stomped on the throttle with no idea of any car dynamics got many folks hurt and trashed cars with some horrific accidents.

 

As Lee and Migg48 have said, it happens.

With these cars, you can go side ways when flooring the gas if you aren't pointing dead straight. All the electronic aids help but they aren't fool proof (no pun intended).

If you add unfamiliarity, poor weather, traffic condition, it can be a pickle.

No one tells you to drive slowly when you try one of these. So, it's only natural for people to go all out on their first drive. My friend took my car 90 mph into a fast corner immediately after he hopped in. He is a very good driver but clearly the excitement went over his head.

Be safe!

 

Like a concealed carry permit. You have to be trained.

It seems to me that a disproportionate number of these occur just after the car is picked up. The new driver, unfamiliar with the car, gets himself into trouble right away. If this is right, many of these might be headed off by the simple step of the salesman at delivery taking the car out for a test drive with the buyer, demonstrating the car and how things work. After all it doesn't do the dealer any good if the customer goes out and gets himself trashed.

 

i dont understand why people dont bother to get acclimated to the car first before going all out... not even professional drivers will do that... its always best to know the car before you start getting on it...

 

Thanks but no thanks.

I don't need any more nanny laws or government bureaucracy.

Kai

 

the 458 gives you so much confidence... i am guessing it is easily done.

the 750 miles i have covered, i have made sure i have gone no faster or even slower than what i would cover the same road in the R8 at. Plus there was the breaking-in period, now ill gently start opening the taps.

Sorry to see a 458 destroyed like that.

Hope the occupants are ok.

Sunny

 

In British Columbia, when getting a driver's license, for a minimum of 2 years, you get a restricted Novice license and have to have a big green sticker with a N on the back of your car. Working at a university, I see Ferraris, Astons, Porsches, with these novice N stickers. Scary.

 

I swear this is why they have the so called "break in period" of 500 miles. It's not to break in the engines and drivetrains. It's to break in new drivers.

That crash looks really brutal. It's hard to believe anyone came out unhurt.

 

There might be benefit to the dealer, this same customer now need to buy a replacement car.

 

Actually, you are wrong. The only reason you see these in the press is because they are "news". There are way more accidents with just plain cars that are going too fast for the car and/or the driver's limits.

It's not a lack of training, unless you want to talk about a lack of training for every driver (which I would agree with BTW). It's a lack of intelligence and self discipline. No driving course can teach you those. In fact, a driving course may actually give you the idea you can control it faster than you can.

After all... you passed the high speed driving course. Why not?

You can be killed driving a Camry too fast just as easily as a in a supercar. Drive a Camry under a semi, have the roof peal back, and see if it's a whole like different inside.

 

Big money provide some people big ego and a sense of invincibility....................

 

That's it entirely. No understanding of their actions.

 

It is getting worse now that these cars don't have clutch pedal, even clueless folks can drive them.

Notice how many Enzos are being crashed in an unintelligent way compare to the F50 and F40?

 

I don't think it's the clutch pedal. I think that these cars just hold the road so well, people think they can do anything with them.

If anything the integration of the gearbox to motor shift speed and nannies makes them less likely to crash. Braking and tire technology has greatly reduced braking distances. The problem is, as they go faster or stop faster, no one else on the road is.

 

I agree that lack of a clutch pedal as well as all the technological assists, combine to create a "false" sense of control. IMO, anything that requires driver input, eliminates a certain percentage, while on the other hand, still does not stop people from lacking good judgement. These cars can accelerate so quickly as to "confuse" other drivers or if another driver, "anticipates" a car behind them at a "normal" speed or even if glancing in their miorror and deciding the car they see (458) could not possibly be next them in time, they could move over, requiring fast reflexes. I have witnessed more than once a clear lane ahead, get on the gas, only to have someone in Prius or alike, turn into the lane while putting their blinker on - guess who would be accused of reckless driving? Best

 

Let me also say I never crash in an unintelligent way I only ctash in a intelligent way

Best

Lee

 

Re the point about acceleration taking people by surprise, it is a real effect. People do not expect you to be able to get to a particular point as fast as it is possible for you to do. One has to exercise caution even in lesser but still powerful cars.

I am still struck by how many of these mishaps occur when the car goes out the door. If you have not developed the "reflexes" for working the paddles, signals, the quick steering etc., AND you drive aggressively (hey, let's try it without traction control), you are a good candidate for becoming toast.

 

Again, I will disagree.

It's not the lack of control of the vehicle. It's the lack of intelligence on how hard to drive under different circumstances that causes people to do stupid things. If anything, the lack of clutch pedal gives you LESS to worry about in a serious situation.

Any idiot can drive too fast, slam into an SUV, and bounce under a Semi -- in any car. It's not the equipment that's the problem. It's that people are too dumb to do the right thing with what they've got and follow the rules of the road.

A Camry doing 100 miles per hour is just as deadly and dangerous as a Ferrari. So, why did the driver of the Ferrari go 100 MPH on city streets?

The answer: Stupidity

Maybe we need an intelligence test first before you buy one.

And saying people who use auto boxes are less intelligent than manuals is just plain dumb in itself.