Ferrari 458 Italia/Autobahn

Great post Al. The first few minutes were filmed on normal German roads. I can vouch that the 458 is that fast and that great !!! I drove one by Serramazzoni above Maranello, and 220 Kph comes up pretty fast.
 

Doug S.

The protoplasm may be 72, but the spirit is 32!
Lifetime Supporter
Pete, didn't you fancy a 458 at one time?

If not, just blame it on my age....they say the memory is the second thing to go!

Cheers,

Doug
 

Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
Doug, nothing wrong with your memory, I fancied one so much I bought one.
Traded my F355, my 65 Mustang and my SLK 55 AMG. Cleared the garage. Now all I have is the 458 and the GT40. Here it is in my driveway.
 

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Nice Vid.

Do you get to drive yours that fast Pete? A Ferrari and a GT40 in the same garage, do they fight it out in there while you are not looking? :)

What are the flashing tail lights on some of the cars for? Passing cars at 100 plus over the speed of the car in the next lane with that many cars on the road.....takes some uh, commitment. I have been on the Bahn and to me every second big rig was ignoring the overhead sign that indicated "No big rigs in the fast lane" and pulling out in front of you. No way were we going to go 200mph on that day, not without eating some fine German steel.
 
After having driven my Alfa 74 3.0 litre, a Rover 620 Ti (turbo), and a Ford Mondeo SVT on the autobahn, its not that difficult to pass cars with a great speed differential. The Germans follow their laws and don't do many dumb things. Now, the foreigners that use the roads may forget they are in Germany and not use their rear view mirrors. That can create a problem !!
 

Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
Nice Vid.

Do you get to drive yours that fast Pete? A Ferrari and a GT40 in the same garage, do they fight it out in there while you are not looking? :)

What are the flashing tail lights on some of the cars for? Passing cars at 100 plus over the speed of the car in the next lane with that many cars on the road.....takes some uh, commitment. I have been on the Bahn and to me every second big rig was ignoring the overhead sign that indicated "No big rigs in the fast lane" and pulling out in front of you. No way were we going to go 200mph on that day, not without eating some fine German steel.

No I haven't driven it that fast yet Mesa it is a bit of a target I have been pulled over three times in as many weeks by the police and breath tested. They just wanted a closer look I think. The local dealer does organize track days,so I'll get a chance then. The GT 40 and the 458 haven't come to blows yet,but I have noticed the Fcar sneering and looking down its nose and in return the GT gives it the finger and farts in its general direction.
 
No I haven't driven it that fast yet Mesa it is a bit of a target I have been pulled over three times in as many weeks by the police and breath tested. They just wanted a closer look I think. The local dealer does organize track days,so I'll get a chance then. The GT 40 and the 458 haven't come to blows yet,but I have noticed the Fcar sneering and looking down its nose and in return the GT gives it the finger and farts in its general direction.

Pete, just curious. I drove a 458 last year and loved it. And wondered what the difference between the two cars are like. I am sure the GT40 is rawer, while with traction control and the 7 speed DCT, the 458 is easy to drive. Just curious on your experience.
 

Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
Pete, just curious. I drove a 458 last year and loved it. And wondered what the difference between the two cars are like. I am sure the GT40 is rawer, while with traction control and the 7 speed DCT, the 458 is easy to drive. Just curious on your experience.

Hi Domtoni, you pretty much summed it up, the GT40 is like a sophisticated Go
kart and very raw compared to the 458. The 458 is a much bigger car 46 inches high, so more headroom and interior space. You have to be able to drive to get the best out of the GT40, I can get massive wheelspin in third gear in the dry in the 40 so smoothness and care are essential especially in the wet. The electronics in the 458 make it very easy to drive, even the proverbial little old lady could handle it.
It is very tractable in bumper to bumper traffic, unlike any other Ferrari I have driven. The good news is you can turn the electronic assistance off if you are brave or silly enough to do so.
Performance wise O to 100; top speed etc.There is not much between them.
But point to point or on the track the 458 would win because of the aforesaid
electronic assistance. Unless I was driving the 458 and someone like Mark Webber the GT40 of course.
 
Al,

you should put NSFW on this thread title, that video was pure auto porn.

Pete,
Congratulations on the car. It is the only Ferrari that I have truly lusted over with the same commitment as the GT40. I love the red and the fact you bought a coupe (considering the open air version is coming out in a bit).

Kevin
 
Hi Domtoni, you pretty much summed it up, the GT40 is like a sophisticated Go
kart and very raw compared to the 458. The 458 is a much bigger car 46 inches high, so more headroom and interior space. You have to be able to drive to get the best out of the GT40, I can get massive wheelspin in third gear in the dry in the 40 so smoothness and care are essential especially in the wet. The electronics in the 458 make it very easy to drive, even the proverbial little old lady could handle it.
It is very tractable in bumper to bumper traffic, unlike any other Ferrari I have driven. The good news is you can turn the electronic assistance off if you are brave or silly enough to do so.
Performance wise O to 100; top speed etc.There is not much between them.
But point to point or on the track the 458 would win because of the aforesaid
electronic assistance. Unless I was driving the 458 and someone like Mark Webber the GT40 of course.

Thanks Pete. Interesting that the GT40 and the 458 have similar performance. Both must be a gas to drive !!!
 
Doug, nothing wrong with your memory, I fancied one so much I bought one.
Traded my F355, my 65 Mustang and my SLK 55 AMG. Cleared the garage. Now all I have is the 458 and the GT40. Here it is in my driveway.

looks like there are some advantages to being a productive Conservative, Sir! Nice!
 

Pete McCluskey.

Lifetime Supporter
Mark and Dom thanks, Bob yep, it has taken forty years to be an overnight success. Of course now I am going to devote the rest of my life to doing good works and to help with wealth redistribution. I might even go into politics.....not!
 
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