Ironing out the 458 Design | FerrariChat

Ironing out the 458 Design

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by operator_stavros, Oct 13, 2009.

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  1. operator_stavros

    Jan 4, 2008
    28
    #1 operator_stavros, Oct 13, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I keep telling myself I want to like the 458, the basic proportions are there, but the execution was off for me. I feel too many stylistic creases, vents and angles throw off the design, so I decided to take a stab at softening some of the features that I had issues with.

    I have modified some of the press photos to display some of these changes. While still not 100% perfect the way I see the car in my mind, I think with this design I would not be left second guessing the design cues as much.

    From the front, the hood vents have been removed and filled by integrated hood, lights, and bumper. The bumper was left largely unchanged even though the flappy whiskers still slightly irk me, their aerodynamic benefit may be worth keeping. At least the center partition has been painted to break up the "big mouth" effect. The fender vent remains as it probably does have a positive effect at reducing low pressure at the nose, although stylistically it looks tacked on.

    At the rear the grill has been made full length, and the lower valance has been sculpted much softer and the hard creases removed. The tailights have been made in pairs instead of single units as I felt that the exposed protruding tailights look better in a stagger sized pair such as the Enzo, rather than left single such as on the 599.

    Lastly the mismatched tailpipe size has been reversed with the center pipe being larger than the exterior pipes. I feel these changes help balance the car better and give it a more flowing appearance, rather one that is chiseled.
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  2. jeff

    jeff Formula 3

    Feb 19, 2001
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    Nice job.
     
  3. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ
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    Anthony T
    Really nice job, especially cleaning up the nose.
     
  4. gothspeed

    gothspeed F1 World Champ

    May 26, 2006
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    #4 gothspeed, Oct 13, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2009
    The front looks a lot better :)!!! ............. though looking at the rear it would look even better if all four lights were the smaller size of the inboard lights ............. that would peel it futher away from the cartoonish california ...... :eek:
     
  5. F430GB

    F430GB F1 Veteran

    May 5, 2008
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    Gil Folk
    I like the "tuned" front and the original rear. :) Nice Job.

    -G.B.
     
  6. OceanSide760

    OceanSide760 Karting

    Jul 8, 2009
    185
    The front is 50/50 for me

    but the rear is AMAZING !!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  7. bitzman

    bitzman F1 Rookie
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    Feb 15, 2008
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    wallace wyss
    The front hood on the stock version looked like they closed the hood with a flashlight
    stuck in the edge. I don't care how efficient it is, it looks funny. Two taillights in back, smaller than they are now, is good but I would have had them non staggered, i.e. even. That way you get a little bit of Enzo in a lower price car.
    Sometimes automakers do a fast cosmetic "correction" in one or two years but I think Pininfarina is too proud to accept criticisms from outside. Witness how the '59 Chevys were a "one year" model. GM changed fast when they encountered rejection.
    But since every Italia will be sold long in advance, they won't feel the pressure to change. Still, we out here appreciate you being able to show us visually what we were thinking but didn't have the tools to convey on paper (or in cyberspace)
     
  8. fiorano94

    fiorano94 F1 Veteran

    May 26, 2006
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    I wish the front looked like that:(
     
  9. ghost

    ghost F1 World Champ
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    Dec 10, 2003
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    I think you need to work for Ferrari - :)

    Great job.
     
  10. Hexnut72

    Hexnut72 Formula Junior

    Nov 22, 2006
    331
    It looks nice, but now you have messed up all the time they put into managing airflow. It is easy to be critical when all you are worrying about is looks. What about keeping the engine and brakes cool?
     
  11. manya81

    manya81 Formula Junior

    Apr 8, 2008
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    Robert
    sorry, I prefer the original
     
  12. FriscoRays

    FriscoRays Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2005
    279
    Not a fan of form over function? Me neither. Although I do agree the front looks nicer, I would not be willing to give up a functional design element in the name of looks.
     
  13. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

    Feb 9, 2005
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    You did exactly what I would do to the nose, paint that black section body color. I like the addition to the headlights, although I would like to get rid of that Audi LasVegas neon part.

    I like the rear, but for the sake of tradition, I would keep the single lights. Ekferisto.
     
  14. jjsaustin

    jjsaustin Formula Junior

    May 11, 2008
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    I still don't like the origami hood.
     
  15. Cartist

    Cartist Formula Junior

    Mar 28, 2006
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    Grapevine, TX
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    Omar
    I'm surprised the front grill doesn't have a body-color option in the configurator, but I reckon many owners will ask/pay for it. Looks much cleaner and I can see it only adding to resale value.

    The rear grill will probably look like that sans the extra taillights as they would interfere with the upper rear duct work... I think they should have stayed quad-lights - staying true to all the MR Dino-lineage cars - Just with two smaller round lights per side.
     
  16. operator_stavros

    Jan 4, 2008
    28
    I was wondering what functional design elements I eliminated? The cheesy headlight vents are what really kills this design for me. Just look at them!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/43146236@N03/3975856826/sizes/o/in/set-72157622503532940/

    Is that really going somewhere important at a 90 degree junction? Slap on a fake hood scoop and call me Shirley...

    If Ferrari is using such a duct to cool brakes or radiators, or "managing airflow" then I would consider some top laminar flow engineers to apply to Ferrari to replace those they have on staff. I could see these vents possibly allowing trap air in the bumper to escape, but then I would expect the ducts outboard of the headlight to perform that function.

    There really must be a better way than bad styling cues. At over $200K buyers should be able to have their cake and eat it too.

    At the rear, the extended engine grill will only aid in cooling, that is unless Ferrari had been doing it all wrong all along with the CS and Scuderia and challenge versions of each...that I doubt however. I mean the rear while not as bad a the front, is still a mess of shapes, creases, and angles. There lacks a central cohesiveness to the design. There is simply too much going on all around the vehicle

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/43146236@N03/3975853916/sizes/o/in/set-72157622503532940/

    What we do have is the dubious styling from Ferrari's new designers tarnishing vehicles like the California, and now the 458. Again, the potential was there with both vehicles but lacked in final execution.
     
  17. Lesia44

    Lesia44 F1 World Champ
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    Aug 5, 2009
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    Mmm... not sure your changes make it any better, just different.
     
  18. OceanSide760

    OceanSide760 Karting

    Jul 8, 2009
    185

    Being an owner of 5 F-cars in 12 years, I can tell you that this guy's design is better.
     
  19. Lesia44

    Lesia44 F1 World Champ
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    #19 Lesia44, Oct 14, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2009
    So having owned some Ferraris automatically makes you an authority on design? And do you really think all of the changes incorporated here weren't on Pininfarina's drawing board at some point during the design process.
     
  20. charliebronson

    charliebronson Formula 3

    Dec 5, 2004
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    I personally think it's a big conspiracy at pininfarina. They deliberately "dumb down" the look of the initial production so that they can make improvements with the strad/scud production for the 458 and charge $50K more. Not too crazy considering they nowadays are in the business of making money and not only to win F1 championships.

    -Peter Oh

    P.S the o.g poster did improve the looks of the car. =)
     
  21. Lesia44

    Lesia44 F1 World Champ
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    I actually think that it's more a case of them taking on board the criticism and using the scud version as a way of addressing the crits without it looking as if they're admitting that the original didn't work.
     
  22. 2GT

    2GT Formula 3

    Aug 25, 2008
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    Fred
    Other than my personal preference for four equal-sized taillights, I think that the OP has vastly improved the looks of the 458. I find it hard to believe that the requirements of airflow management dictate that the front end look like the aftermath of a fender-bender. Too many incompatible elements have created a design that, while good-looking in low lighting conditions, is too fussy in execution, and somewhat lacking in overall integration. I for one prefer the look of projector beam headlights to LEDs. It's all too Hollywood looking at night, and not that pleasing in daylight either. I am not a Luddite, but I think that technology for its own sake seems to be taking over automobile design. A 250 GTO or a P4 may not make it in today's game, but I'd still rather look at either of them on a daily basis than anything that PF and Ferrari have produced lately. I always admire new Ferraris, but, starting with the California and continuing with the 458, design heritage seems to be getting tossed out the window. That being said, the OP has truly cleaned up the 458's design, attesting to its basic soundness. I just think that the surface development, whether or not dictated by the demands of proper airflow, has resulted in an over-styled vehicle. Fred
     
  23. TexasF355F1

    TexasF355F1 Six Time F1 World Champ
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    I feel there is something odd without having the vents next to the headlights. At certain angles the vents do look strange and out of place, but from others they look like they belong. I like them and the styling-cue it adds.
     
  24. Lesia44

    Lesia44 F1 World Champ
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    It's not the vents that are the problem, it's the great big square slab that is the trailing edge of the headlight that's the problem. That big square slab is totally at odds with every other line on the front of the car and is having a great big fight with the otherwise nice flow that's happening along the length of the hood. Sort that out and everything forward of that falls into place.
     
  25. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    I dont think it looks better. Not worse either. There isnt much originality in the changes, most everything was discussed in the several 458 threads ( Challenge grill, 4 tail lights, painted front grill..).
     

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