Ferrari 458 Italia (merged)

[Purist]

I'm a tad confused. What is meant by a "designed car" versus an "aero tunnel dominated design"?

[cmk]

I think he means designed for aesthetics first and foremost, rather than designed for aerodynamics first and foremost. I'm not sure I totally agree with that statement.

[pederb]

We need someone who is good with Photoshop to make into a GT2

[old man]

Originally Posted by Adam43

I like the lack of overhang. I liked that on the McLaren F1 too.
A good looking car. Ferrari's can look a little plastic nowadays, I have a good feeling that this one will be good in the flesh too.

For the McLaren racer they lengthened the tail and I have models of both on my bookcase, the road car looks wrong IMO against the race version. Wonder if that will happen here?

[Tim the Grey]

I am pretty sure they can't do that!

[gucom]

@ SebringMG / cmk: this car has more aerodynamic features than any previous Ferrari roadcar, bar the Enzo (and maybe F50 and F40)... You just have to read the press release to see this. for instance, there're flaps in the front bumper that close off air intakes at speed for low drag, open up for downforce. Also, look at the integrated rear spoiler (well done by the way! Looks like a real integral part of the car, but it seems like it's almost a proper rear wing! I wonder if it'll be allowed in homologation for a racecar though?)

[cmk]

I didn't say what it was, I said what I thought he meant. I have a good idea what the car was designed for, and I also know how much work went into the cars you mention...and how much work went into optimizing the CFD of the 360 and 430, which for some reason you fail to mention in deference to an ancient car like the F40.

[M-Kart]

Just had a go at a (very quick) rendition of a F458 Italia GT2 Car, just for an 'idea' of what it might look like. Here's what I came up with:

[gucom]

Not bad... not bad at all! ofcourse it's helped by not having too much stickering on it, but it looks pretty darn good in that pic, would be a nice addition to the field!

To repeat my question to the more knwledgeable guys (or girls) out here, there seems to be a rear-wing-like element integrated in the rear end of the road car, would that have to be blocked off for the car to be homologated?

[MJ_N_09]

Originally Posted by M-Kart

Just had a go at a (very quick) rendition of a F458 Italia GT2 Car, just for an 'idea' of what it might look like. Here's what I came up with:

This is most likely what it'll look like...IMO.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by M-Kart

Just had a go at a (very quick) rendition of a F458 Italia GT2 Car, just for an 'idea' of what it might look like. Here's what I came up with:

Well that looks good to me!

[pederb]

Originally Posted by M-Kart

Just had a go at a (very quick) rendition of a F458 Italia GT2 Car, just for an 'idea' of what it might look like. Here's what I came up with:

Very nice, good job.

[MJ_N_09]

I would submit that rendition to Ferrari if I was M-Kart.

[Splatz the Cow]

Originally Posted by old man

For the McLaren racer they lengthened the tail and I have models of both on my bookcase, the road car looks wrong IMO against the race version. Wonder if that will happen here?

No. They did not.

Maybe you should sell those model cars hey, get ones you understand first. Spend 20 seconds on google to find out your facts first - it is worth the effort.

[Splatz the Cow]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

Ferrari unveiled the details of it's F430 replacement today along with a few photos. The car won't be officially unveiled until September at the Frankfurt Auto Show, but I have to say I find what I see promising. I haven't really loved a modern Ferrari since the F355, but this car looks like it has potential, although I'm not sure about the interior!

I'd imagine a GT2 version is on its way as well!

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/28/o...he-458-italia/

Well the side view is a fantastic blend of ideas and very exciting. Very brave indeed. Ferrari are clearly pushing BMW type boundaries here with the traditional Ferrari style. It is overall a Dino impression. But dissected it has elements of four Ferrari cars (so far) to blend it back in to previous models. Yet the overall impression is Dino for the future face of Ferrari.

Look at the front. Although clearly an advancement from the 430, it still has many of the cues of the 550 but to smaller proportions. (More obvious from the front - later.) Still from the side view, the back end is clearly trying to keep the relevance of the Enzo alive, but more significantly, has taken the best bits of that car's design. But what is that bit in the middle that joins the front to the rear? A similar trick was done with the Testarossa and 512 using multiple layers and lines to change the direction of the surfaces. Although at first a bit of a strain to the eye in 2D, the motion from front, middle, rear is successful in completing the lines of the car. Best of all for Ferrari, the airflow as well as eyeline will suck in behind the cabin of the car, reducing lift.

From the top view, it is clear that this air will then be fed to the integrated rear wing, passing over the air ducts on the way. This is done in a fairly orthodox way similar to the Pagani Zonda, but far less crudely than that car. The fat hips/haunches are also somewhat similar to the Zonda, but this may give a clue to the internals underneath. On a 430 this would look a disaster, but with the more pronounced rear fenders on this car, it just about balances out.

To the front on view, what a sight! Like a whale shark! This is very much like the racing 550 mouth, very wide, open, and low. For those that know the Colani Ferrari and Corvette, the organic design present in those two is similar to the organic design Ferrari seems to be heading now.

If the engine delivers and mechanicals are good, there's no reason why this can't be a benchmark car for Ferrari, and maybe the best looking one for nearly three decades.

[Gingers4Justice]

There's a lot more space to play around with aerodynamics for a potential GT car compared to the 430. And that thing looks to have a low centre of gravity. Yum.

[Purist]

Splatz, that was rather uncalled for on the McLaren F1. You could be gratious enough to provide a brief explanation, and then suggest somewhere our forum companion could look up further details, rather than just slagging him off as an idiotic oaf, alright?

SebringMG and Splatz, it's a matter of taste, but I certainly do NOT think the F458 is as high on the aesthetic scale as you do. If they took those extra carbon bits out of the middle of the front grille, I would certainly say it was an improvement over the F360/F430. I never did find the Ferrari 308 particularly attractive. Since the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, the three best looking road-going Ferraris in my book have been the F355, the 550 Maranello, and the 599 GTB. The F40 is just too angular overall for my liking. The Enzo looks like they slapped fenders on a formula car, and didn't even bother to cover it up. The F50 needed a bit more refinement of the shape, and a roof, which it got both in the competition version. And the Modena line has simply always looked too clinical to my eyes.

[Splatz the Cow]

McLaren F1 Road Car
Length 4287 / 168.78 mm / inches
http://www.mclarenautomotive.com/mcl...cification.php

McLaren F1 GTR 1995
Length 4287 / 168.78 mm / inches
Source: http://www.mclarenautomotive.com/mcl...cification.php

Takes less than twenty seconds to get to McLaren Cars website from google and look at this info.

Took maybe two mintues for me two cut and paste it here.

For someone who claims to own two Mclaren models, it is extremely lazy and disrespectful to all of us on here to not, 1.) look at his models and asses which one's they are, and 2.) look on the McLaren website to find out the easily available facts that they present to the public.

McLaren are one of the most forward and open manufacturers, from the major supercar class, and there is really no excuse for not making the most of this.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Splatz the Cow

No. They did not.

Except for the ones where they did (1997 version). There's nothing in the post you quoted that says they did it from the beginning or on all cars - so you're not only rude, but wrong as well.

[MJ_N_09]

Just shut up Splatz. Not only are you 100% wrong, but you're attacking people who actually know about your 14 year old dream car.

[arakis]

F1 GTR '97

With the F1 GT homologated, McLaren could now develop the F1 GTR for the 1997 season. Weight was further reduced and a sequential transaxle was added.[38] The engine was slightly destroked to 6.0L instead of the previous 6.1L. Due to the heavily modified bodywork, the F1 GTR '97 is often referred to as the "Longtail" thanks to the rear bodywork being extended to increase rear downforce. A total of ten F1 GTR '97s were built. The weight was reduced to a total of 910 kg.

F**k google ask ME, I have WIKI

[MJ_N_09]

^ You do realize that Wiki can be edited, right?

[arakis]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

^ You do realize that Wiki can be edited, right?

my friend ofcouse i know, but pictures dont lie

[AndrewF31]

What's the fuss here? There were 2 distinct McLaren F1s. One that looked like the Road car (95-96) and then the longtailed one in 1997. Different times in the GT class.
We also had those 911 GT1s, that only resembled 911s because of the front headlights!

The GT2 Viper isn't a bit longer than the standard car?

[MJ_N_09]

Originally Posted by arakis

my friend ofcouse i know, but pictures dont lie

Yeah, I wish I could call you my friend, but our opinions are way too different.