Frankfurt 2009: Ferrari 458 Italia
by Noah Joseph on Sep 15th 2009 at 7:31AM 
Ferrari 458 Italia – Click above for high-res image gallery
Here in the velvet-roped-off Autoblog section of the Frankfurt Motor Show press room, opinions are split over the styling of the new Ferrari 458 Italia. While some of us are enamored of the supercar's svelte shape, others....well let's just say they're more fond of Ferraris of yore. But whatever your take on the design, there's no doubting that this is a seminal debut for the Maranello marque, for whom the new 458 is the first completely new production mid-engine car in a decade.
We caught a pair of Italias – in red and yellow – strutting still on the Ferrari show stand ahead of the press conference scheduled for later today, which we present for your consideration and viewing enjoyment in the high-res image gallery below. Check it out and leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
FThorn 7:38AM (9/15/2009)
Strikes me as less stunning with the blacked out light area.
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Nellydesign 8:29AM (9/15/2009)
I kinda have to agree. I was floored by the original press shots of the red one, but this one in yellow and the pictures from the show look really boring. I think it's that black mouth on the front facia. It's like a candy bar.
Insight 9:03AM (9/15/2009)
I'll take mine in black to try to hide the headlight wounds.
Sofa King Fast! 9:38AM (9/15/2009)
Yeah, what's up with the headlights? That wasn't the design we saw in the concept car.
It looks like the headlights are missing or something.
Zamafir 10:22AM (9/15/2009)
Ferraris finally given up on the wonderful lines of the 360/430 and not for the better. The rears fine in a derrivative Ferrari way, a bit if California a bit of Enzo a bit of the f430 and that's fine it IS a Ferrari but that front end is akward for the sake of being akward. I'll take a beautifully penned less quirky FASTER mclaren any day.
hoyaCS08 11:03AM (9/15/2009)
When the 360 came out, everyone was complaining that it looked "japanese" and "soft" compared to the 355. Then the 430 came out, and everyone complained about how "busy" it was and that the rear was too tall, and the front intakes too big and bugeyed, and wished for the 360 again. Now the 458 is out, people are reminiscing about the good-ol-days with the 360 and 430.
Either pininfarina's design has gotten consistently worse every generation (not likely), or they just tend to be ahead of the curve with designs that people learn to appreciate.
I'll wait until I see one in person. I thought the 599 looked weird in pictures, but in person it's amazing. In 20 years people will consider the 599 a design classic, believe me.
Franz 11:34AM (9/15/2009)
If I had one, I'd keep the lights on all the time.
lineardrag 12:59PM (9/15/2009)
no need to get black to hide the blacked out areas of the headlight because they house a bunch of LEDs. too bad they didn't turn them on for the show. it must look amazing
con72 6:30PM (9/15/2009)
It is fricken AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A classic before it has even left the shop.
Das Borgen 8:16AM (9/15/2009)
WANT
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coffee jones 1:54PM (9/15/2009)
Go back to 4chan.
pgarez 7:56AM (9/15/2009)
When I first saw this car I was impressed, however, the more I look at it the more it feels like it's not complete. I envision a robot pulling out this body as a complete molded fiberglass tub ( not a good thing for a car company known for technical excellence ). There should be a few line breaks, something to make it look more machined. Even the Vette has finally pulled its designs out the " looks like a fiberglass tub " syndrome and IT IS fiberglass. It's a nice start but somethings missing.
Hey Ferrari, think you need to send your designers to a course at McLaren with their new P11.
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/upload/7329/images/McLaren_2_1000px.jpg
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Flea 8:06AM (9/15/2009)
with the line breaks you're basically asking them to make the car less aerodinamically efficient, and with the P11 you're asking them to make it look like a generic artega-marcos-noble inbreeding experiment.
I'll keep the current design, the only bit of which that I don't like is the black plastic around the headlight LEDs.
pgarez 8:47AM (9/15/2009)
Flea I can't argue with your function over form argument. However, I hardly think that Ferrari is going after the " greenest super car " trophy and it doesn't take an enormous boost of power to compensate for a little creative design. Having said this, most intake side blades DO server a function, to feed air to the engine. I hardly think McClaren as an obvious target for your " no idea how to build a real supercar " argument...and let me also introduce you to the new Lotus Esprit concept. I will await your learned opinion on how Lotus fails at putting aerodynamics at the forefront of their design language.
http://www.car411.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/LOTUS-Esprit-front-550x366.jpg
Let's be clear, I don't hate the Ferrari, I just think it's a little boring for such a lusted after nameplate. If this vehicle was slated exclusively for track duty, then I would understand but let's face it, 90% of these vehicles will not be blasting at 150mph day in and day out trying to squeeze that extra millisecond through aerodynamic slip.
hoyaCS08 10:47AM (9/15/2009)
pgarez - actually, if you read the details on new McLaren MP4-12C, you'll find that those massive side intakes actually feed cool air to the radiators, not the engine. They were necessary because McLaren decided to place the dual radiators next to the engine to minimize ducting and save weight - at a cost to aerodynamic efficiency (and design, most would argue).
The F458s shape is a result of many hours in the company wind tunnel, and Ferrari has created a shape with excellent aero/downforce balance while still providing enough air for both cooling and engine intake purposes. They also managed to create a shape that is clean, fresh, and not just a caricature of every "supercar" design since the mid-80s, with wild strakes and swoops and intakes. If you remember (i.e. are over the age of 12), Ferrari pioneered the stylized air/radiator intakes with the Testarossa, in 1984. Manufacturers have been building off that concept for the last 25 years. Time for something new.
(btw - your linked picture of the McLaren "P11" is mock up from 2007 that isn't even the final design. You do realize the released pics and details of the MP4-12C, right?)
pgarez 11:07AM (9/15/2009)
Hoya,
Once again I admit to not being as concerned with engineering. Ok so the McClaren vents were to cool the radiator not the engine, splitting hairs. They serve a functional purpose ( ie not asthetics )
Either way McC managed to serve form AND function in their design and it's hardly 80's looking. cue Diablo or F40 for reference on 80's design.
I think, and it seems I am not the only one, to think the Ferrari is boring and weak in design and as mentioned, very few of these cars will ever see the track. Its not ugly but it's lacking...but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
As you read my initial comment was not contesting the engineering prowess of the Ferrari design but rather an a critique of it's aesthetic appeal.
Either way, I can't afford one and they will sell like hot cakes, so my opinion is largely immaterial.
meshies 10:39PM (9/15/2009)
that Lotus concept has Lamborghini wheels and is photoshopped from a toy.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/editorial_images/non_imported/Hot_Wheels_Front_4_Lo_Res_thumb.jpg
your way off
pgarez 11:44PM (9/15/2009)
Meshies...thanks for the heads up, however, your actually the one who is way off, because whether any of the rides I pointed out were created using PS or were concepts or whatever, it was the design language I was indicating the design language that I prefer...AND the rides I did indicate are indicative of what we ARE seeing from Audi, Lambo, Aston, McClaren, so it really is immaterial.
I don't remember saying that my preferred vision of what a super car SHOULD look like HAD to be a production car.
Now I will grant you that I didn't do enough investigating which in a forum with so many anal car :" dudes " with such a better grasp on what is astheticaly correct. I will make sure to do so the next time round.
Thank you all of my responders for the education.
Javanese 8:05AM (9/15/2009)
The f430 grows on me... but this one looks rather unimpressive the more i look at it. It feels like something the korean would come up with. I dunno, it might have explosive performance, but visually.... ferraris are dead to me after the F355.
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vladimirsc 8:07AM (9/15/2009)
Worst thing is that there is no plans for 6 speed manual gearbox,goodbye ferrari you no longer produce proper drivers cars
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