Two of the five Ferrari 458 Italia supercars that caught fire worldwide—of which there were five—did so in China, underscoring the extent to which Chinese buyers will spend $550,000 on a vehicle.
On April 23 in Beijing, China, a Ferrari is on exhibit at the Beijing Auto Show. Ferrari has this week recalled every 458 Italia because five of them have lately caught fire.
You might have missed this week’s news that Ferrari has recalled every 458 Italia supercar after five of them caught fire recently.
You probably weren’t directly concerned about this because just 1,248 of these cars were produced by the Italian manufacturer, who sold them to musicians like Eric Clapton.
The fact that two of the five Ferraris that were on fire around the world caught fire in China attracted my attention in the narrative.
That kind of information gives context to the sometimes startling statistics about Chinese incomes that one comes across, like the fact that China has 64 billionaires, more than any other nation besides the United States (according to Forbes’ 2010 rich list), or that China has one of the highest Gini coefficients globally (0.47), which measures income inequality (according to the World Bank.)
212 cars were sold in China in 2008, according to Ferrari, whose slick showroom in the heart of Beijing draws a lot of curious onlookers snapping pictures through the window on their cell phones. Within a few years, the company claims, it will rank China among its top six markets.
Due to taxes, the 458 Italia, which reportedly has explosive glue issues, costs $550,000 in China, more than twice as much as it does in the US. The typical urban Chinese person would need 152 years to earn that much money.
However, the official statistics may understate the number of Chinese who are actually interested in purchasing a vehicle of this type, or the Lamborghinis and Maseratis that occasionally can be seen roaring magnificently outside Beijing’s most upscale hotels.
According to a research on unreported and frequently illegal “gray income” that was published last month by a local independent economic think tank, China’s wealthy may be concealing up to $1.4 trillion, or one-third of the nation’s GDP.
According to a study by the China Reform Foundation, the wealthiest 10% of Chinese citizens hold around 62 percent of such hidden income. According to the analysis commissioned by Credit Suisse, those same 10 percent have an average per capita income that is 65 times greater than the bottom 10 percent of society. Officially, there is a 23 to 1 difference.
The two unfortunate Chinese Ferrari owners, whose prized possession was destroyed in flames, presumably had the money to shrug and purchase another one. They won’t have to, though. They will receive free replacements, according to Ferrari.
In This Article...
The most popular Ferrari is the 458.
The Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009 saw the Ferrari 458 make its debut. Due to its combination of speed, aerodynamics, and elegance, supercar enthusiasts fell in love with it right away. The new model represented a significant advancement for the Italian automaker, elevating the Ferrari 458 to the top of the market.
This iconic vintage automobile has reportedly sold more than 15,000 units to date. Its stunning appearance and mid-sized engine are just two of the elements that make it a must-have purchase.
Successor
Ferrari produces a mid-enginesports car called the 458 Italia (Type F142). The 458, which took the place of the F430, made its public debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The 488 GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta), which debuted at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, superseded it.
Both “Car of the Year 2009” and “Supercar of the Year” went to the 458. Additionally, Top Gear magazine named the Spider “Cabriolet of the Year 2011.” The Ferrari 458 Spider was named the “Best Cabrio 2011” by Auto Zeitung magazine. The Ferrari 458 Italia was named “Best Driver’s Car” by Motor Trend in 2011. James May’s Car of the Year and Top Gear’s 2013 Supercar of the Year awards went to the 458 Speciale. It is still recognized as one of the most stunning automobiles ever made.
What number of Ferrari 458s exist?
The 458 Speciale, a high-performance version of the 458 Italia, was debuted in 2013 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Speciale differs from the ordinary 458 Italia in that it has forged wheels, a vented bonnet, finned side sills, a larger rear spoiler, and reworked bumpers with active aerodynamics; front and rear adjustable flaps balance downforce and reduce drag at high speeds. With the engine’s revision, the power and torque were boosted to 605 PS (445 kW; 597 hp) at 9,000 rpm and 540 Nm (398 lbft), respectively. In order to increase car control at the limit, side slip angle control (SSC) was added to the electronic systems. SSC analyzes the side-slip of the vehicle instantly, compares it to the desired value, and then optimizes torque distribution between the two wheels as well as torque management (via integration with F1-Trac traction control) (via integration with the E-Diff electronic differential]). The Speciale can reach speeds of 200 km/h (120 mph) in 9.1 seconds after accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.0 seconds. Ferrari reported a lap time on the Fiorano test circuit of 1:23.5, which is just 0.5 seconds slower than the F12 berlinetta. Now, lateral acceleration is 1.33 g. Just 3,000 were produced.
When did Ferrari start producing the 458?
The Ferrari 458 cost is probably an investment rather than a sunk expenditure because this Ferrari model has won numerous honors across the world. Between 2009 and 2015, Ferrari produced the 458 Italia, with a new 2015 model costing $239,340. One of the final Ferrari models to be created by the internal Ferrari Styling Center and Italian design firm Pininfarina. It is simple to locate a fantastic 458 for under $200,000 now that they have some mileage on the odometer. The main factor is service. The automobile will be extremely dependable as long as the engine and transmission have received routine fluid changes. It is possible to save money up front only to end up spending a lot when it comes time to refurbish the drivetrain if the owner didn’t follow break-in procedures or used less oil than suggested.
What was the Ferrari 458’s successor?
The eagerly anticipated Ferrari 488 GTB, a vehicle that looks to carry on the famous history and legacy of Ferrari’s mid-engined high performance V8s, has finally been introduced by Ferrari.
It’s no secret that we adore the naturally aspirated V8 of the Ferrari 458 as we recently sold two 458 Italias and two 458 Speciales. We were therefore really concerned when we learned that Ferrari was discontinuing the 458 Italia line and beginning manufacture of a new turbocharged model for 2015.
It was revealed yesterday under the name 488 GTB, and it will have a brand-new 3.9L twin turbocharged engine that makes 660 horses and 560 lb-ft of torque. Compared to the 458 Italia, which generates 560 bhp and 597 bhp in the 458 Speciale, this is a huge increase in power. Furthermore, the powerful engine of the 488 GTB produces more torque than the naturally aspirated V12 F12 Berlinetta, which is amazing in and of itself. The car can reach 205 mph and accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 3.0 seconds thanks to a modified 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission from the 458.
You may be asking why the vehicle is referred to as the 488 GTB. Ferrari claims that the name of the automobile was inspired by the engine since each of the eight cylinders, when rounded up, had a capacity of 488cc. The GTB then refers to the Gran Turismo Berlinetta, a tribute to the legendary 308 GTB.
A variety of electronic features, such as the Side Slip Angle Control (SSC2), initially found on the 458 Speciale, which allows the driver to drift without impairing control until it senses a loss of control, help the performance on the road. Additionally, the E-Diff electronic differential and the F1-Trac stability control both provide greater stability at high speeds. The aerodynamics of the 488 have undergone extensive development as the vehicle generates a startling 50% more downforce than the 458 while producing less drag. Our calculations show that this is the same as 210 kg pressing down on the vehicle at 124 mph. Ferrari claims that these modifications lead to a lap time of under 1 minute 23 seconds around their test track in Fiorano, which is a full two seconds faster than the previous 458 Italia and a tenth of a second faster than the track-focused 458 Speciale.
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What makes it a Ferrari 458?
When the 355—the 348’s replacement—arrived, a new system was also introduced: the first two digits refer to the engine’s cubic capacity (3500 cc), but the second number, 5, refers to the number of valves per cylinder.
Its successors, the 360 and 430, received their names by dividing their capacity by 10. The 458’s name was derived from the engine’s capacity plus the number of cylinders, and the 488’s name came from the cylinder’s capacity (488 cc).
A supercar, is the Ferrari 458?
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In 2009, the Ferrari 458 was released to replace the Ferrari 430, and it immediately rose to the top of the supercar heap.
The mid-engined Ferrari 458 Italia, which competes with the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Porsche 911, and McLaren 650S, comes as a coupe and a convertible version called the Spider. The 4.5-liter V8 in the coupe and the 4.4-liter V8 in the Spider give both vehicles breath-taking levels of performance.
The Ferrari 458 fulfills all the requirements for a supercar in terms of appearance thanks to a stunning, aerodynamically-influenced body that commands attention from a great distance away. With a steering wheel that takes inspiration from Formula 1, the high-end interior is centered on the business of driving.
The 458 is as impressive when driving. The seven-speed dual-clutch Ferrari transmission changes instantly, and the factory-installed ceramic brakes have a powerful stopping effect.
The 458 is amazing when combined with scorching performance, incredibly engaging handling, and some vintage Ferrari magic. Ferrari also produces a more extreme 458 Speciale version that amps up the visceral enjoyment if the normal vehicle isn’t thrilling enough for you.
The Ferrari 458 is the greatest, why?
The Ferrari 458 Italia has been unanimously hailed by tens of thousands of prancing horse enthusiasts as the best V8 to have come out of Maranello. Pitted against everything from the tax-break 208 to the current 488GTB, the 458 won a resounding 42% of the poll, more than twice as many votes as its closest competitor.
Over 4,500 votes were cast in the poll, which was held on behalf of Enzo, a new quarterly magazine published exclusively for Ferrari. The poll was conducted among online readers of Octane as well as those of its sibling publications evo and Auto Express. Enzo is produced by the same team behind Octane magazine.
In its most recent issue, Enzo conducts a thorough group test of some of the greatest V8 Ferraris ever made and gives its assessment. The 458 Italia has now won the vote of the general public, handily defeating the F355 and Ferrari’s newest entry in this market, the 488GTB.
Every issue of Enzo is 100 percent Ferrari, with the team producing road tests on the most recent models as well as drive stories and track tests of legendary vehicles from the illustrious past of the Maranello company. Additionally, readers receive professional analyses of the past and future of the marque, interviews with prominent figures in the Ferrari world, and much more.
Anyone who signs up for an Enzo subscription may currently acquire the first and second issues for just PS6 at www.enzo-magazine.co.uk.