The Top View of the 458 Italia - Functions

from pics of the crash test cars, looks like C is what feeds the engine...

 

Thats what I think too.

 

Pictures?

 

Am I correct to understand the front "winglets" are there to increase downforce, and/or do so more effectively than the 360/430?

 

What about the little inlets on the hood next to the headlight "cluster" (or is that "clusterf***)?

"C" is the same basic location as the engine combustion air intakes on the 355, and similar in longitudinal placement as the intakes on the 360 and 430, just relocated back to the "flying buttress" location. Area of high pressure.

I'm guessing that the "D" area is for engine bay cooling and "E" for engine compartment evacuation.

OR, it could be that "D" is engine combustion air and "C" is for engine bay cooling. One or the other for sure.

As I understand the press release, the little winglets in the front deform at high speed (remember the deformable wings that were banned on F1 cars) to close the inlets slightly and thus reduce parasitic drag....meaning that the radiators get enough air flow at higehr speeds from smaller openings.....sort of makes sense if you think about it.

Still wondering about the little inlets next to the headlights. Can't be cabin fresh air, can it? Seems that aerodynamically it make more sense to use the pressure zone at the base on the windshield for air intake, but since that would be a conventional approach, maybe not. Seems Ferrari wants to push the edge of the envelope, sometimes just for the sake of showing that they can. Just not sure what the would be supplying if not the cabin? Oh wait...I know..it's to cool the 10,000 MW stereo amp in the front trunk...yeah, that's it.

But can we please do something about the cheesy headlight light cluster? Like send it back to Audi? It's just too "been there, done that, got the t-shirt" to be on a Ferrari. Why make it look like the California? That's like making the 911 look like the Boxster...and no one would ever do that, right....oh, never mind. It's a styling exercise that had it's best day a year ago on cars from other designers. Just makes the front end look way too busy.....IMHO of course...your opinion may be different.

Would love to see the details of the undertray.

Wonder if when driving in rain, water shoots UP from those "B" outlets above the front wheels? It is OK to drive in the rain....the recent cars are all aluminum, so they won't rust.

 

These are the winglets on the lower intakes that I believe are being referred to. And those little inlets next to the lights are the ones to which I am referring.

Damn but that little horse has just GOT to go. Totally cheap looking. Wonder if that will be an extra cost deletion option.
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IMO
A- Radiator cooling
B- Front brake cooling
C- engine cool air.
D- air flow in and out of E. Just like the 599 FXX. Air is stabilized behind the car. Also helps with engine cooling.

 

In another forum it was discussed, if this horse actually IS the number plate mount and if the horse was only photoshopped into the pictures to hide the mount.

 

I beg to differ - I quite like the cavallino there

 

To cavallino or not to cavallino, that is the question! LOL. Frankly the cavallino looks cool, I don't think it looks cheap. But Ferrari could just be horsing around too.

 

Still curious, so the Evo and Autocar test drives confirm that the C pillar intake is the one feeding the engine, and not the intakes at the very back of the tail...which are for the oil radiators????

 

I think we should offer a little consolation prize for the first FChatter to have his ripped off by a no-life. Should happen within about ten minutes of the first car to be parked on a public road.

 

A bit of the old in out. Maybe Ferrari could make the horse like the lady on the front grill of the Rolls Royce. It would simply disappear once the engine is shut off.
CH

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWgiAxJy_4A

 

Great review......

 

Yep I agree with Gatorgreg, rear scoop is to direct air to rear wing create air suction below similar to an upside down plane wing (air flows faster and creats down force, air above wing creates downward pressure due to curved shape, is the best of what would otherwise be a stand alone spoiler, this way it is incorporated into the engine lid. Very crafty. Doubt whether it creates any cooling for the engine bay. May also reduce turbulance behind car which muddies the downforce.

 

I'm willing to bet that between D and E are 2 radiators on either side for oil/trans cooling. Similar to F40.
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...that's where my money is. C feeds the engine.


_J

 

i think that's what one of the journo's said...the C pillars house the the engine intakes...and the one's at the tail are to cool gearbox and engine oil..

 

C is engine air intake
D 1 is gearbox cooling
D2 is clutch cooling

Engine compartment cooling is fed through vents on the lower side of the car in front of the rear wheels.