RE: Ferrari 458 Italia (2009) CAR review

Trident - I know where you'rer coming from. I didn't mean to sound tetchy - I was just understandably horrified that a CAR reader coundn't appreciate a crossed-up Fandango. I'm from the momentum school of driving and get my kicks from pedalling as smoothly and cleanly as possible. Sad to say, I still get a thrill from a perfect heel and toe and the pefrect steering input into a corner. But there's some primeval thirll to be had from kicking a car's rear out on a corner, any corner. Yes, it's not fast and it tends to scare the bejesus out of any passengers, but I love it. And I wont stop doing it...!

RE: Ferrari 458 Italia (2009) CAR review

All the posts below make for an absorbing read posted as they are by an honest group of enthusiastic hooners. My thanks to the writers. Let's have more posts like them untroubled by mind numbing hostile quips of "fridges," and commies lurking under every car.

 I too am an enthusiastic driver; why else would I join the loneliness of the long distance blogger? But when reading of the joy of others I wonder why it is I don't get quite the same thrills about fishtailing down my high street, or "doing 360s." My work takes me to exciting places and projects and driving a car fast for thrills, rather than well for pride, doesn't compare with the intensity of the work I undertake. Track racing is a different issue.)

For me, a hoon, or a blast at night to clear the head, is therapeutic, a private place to think on the move and stay motionless while I think, the effect heightened when in a car of great character and potency. I get pleasure from owning the car often more than the drive, though they can coincide now and again if the weather if fine and optimism is dominant. owning a car that was handbuilt to some degree boosts enjoyment. And I derive greatest pleasure of all in renovating a fine car to a higher standard than it ever left the factory, and then accepting with grace and courtesy psing compliments from other car enthusiasts.

Not so long ago I parked a powerful sports car I had while I talked to a friend. A man and his young son stopped to look at it. I teased the father by opining it was not a very practical vehicle. Not knowing I was the owner, he said, "Yes, but it sure makes the heart beat faster." Now, that I understand, and it's that that stay in the mind more than a memorable drive, for me at least. I have a feeling I am not alone in sharing that form of automotive bliss, after all, I don't regard myself as a particulary skilled driver, only one with many thousands of "flying" hours under my belt.

SK

I agree with Jay Leno about Ferrari's. They are aspirational but not an obsession. And I may be alone in feeling none of the contemporary style, engine behind the driver, are as beautiful as the front engine cars, new and old. I like the tidiness of the 458's front end - it's difficult to give a definitive opinion based upon a two dimentional photograph - yet cannot see it as beautiful for it looks like every other Ferrari only a little more refined, a model still overtly deravitive of the McLaren F1. And it is irritatingly symmetrical. Again, Leno is right when he says everyone knows about Ferraris but real aficionados know about McLaren.

RE: Ferrari 458 Italia (2009) CAR review

I'm not saying I'm a powerslider, but I have fitted windscreen wipers on the side windows....

RE: Ferrari 458 Italia (2009) CAR review

Snark, that sounds like automotive porn issues to me. I hope you have something to keep your member in check when all these fathers tell you about their fast beating hearts...

And Ray, I dont have wipers on the side windows for some reason, but do find driving with the window open a help sometimes unless one happens to drift (i.e. no traction, just slide) though a large puddle which then deposits itself on to the passengers seat of the rental car. Its best to do this with a few days to go before return date for the sake of the, well, bill.

I always take pride in returning my rental cars with obvious signs of being driven 'well'. That means mud stripes running the width of the boot and a certain amount of mud being plastered to the car through a fast backwards out, handbrake up, spin the wheel, drop hand brake,plant foot again, getaway. Not to mention just general tweaks on the hand brake on gravel roads. Dont tell my mum, but I used to do this in her company car on tarmac at about as fast as reverse can go. I found it great practice for whenever I was going to be run out of town somewhere where the locals were all cross eyed and carry pitch forks. 

And from experience, Lesson 1 in the hoons book to rental cars, always check the tread depth before accepting a car from the rental company. Nearly dead tyres equal side of road experience especially if both rears give way at once. No I had nothing to do with it, honest.

Of course I only practice these manouvers on private or closed roads. 

RE: Ferrari 458 Italia (2009) CAR review

I'm with the anti-oversteer faction, I'm afraid. If you wanted to build a car that was great at going sideways, you wouldn't pout all the effort into making a sophisticated mid-engined chassis with complex rear suspension geometry. Cars going sideways are cars going slowly.

Competitive drifting is another thing entirely, they're using machines specifically set-up for the job and display great skill and not a little style.

This 458 looks great, and I'm a fan of the Enzo which is MUCH more exciting in real life than photos (as opposed to the F40). Good work Ferrari, and check out Autocar's video review on YouTube if you want to see this thing in action.