Bologna auto show

Ferrari 458 Challenge unveiled at

The Ferrari 458 Challenge was recently unwrapped at the ongoing Bologna Motor Show that runs until December 12, 2010. The 458 Challenge is the track version derived from the 458 Italia. The track version of the 458 has a lot of upgrades from the road legal stablemate making everyone awaits for its performance at the single-racing series of Ferrari hitting North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific.

The 458 Challenge retains the 458 Italia’s V8 4.5L capable of giving out 570 horsepower at 9,000 rpm but the Ferrari engineers have made a lot of adjustments in terms of the gear ratios and the F1 dual clutch gearbox to make it gallop faster on the track. The Challenge is also equipped with the electric differential setup just like the road legal version. The Ferrari Challenge will be utilizing the F1 traction control system.

The setup of the track version 458 is further bolstered by an upgraded suspension setup with stiffer springs, lower ride height, uniball joints made from steel, and single rate alloy dampers. The engineers ensure its stopping capabilities by installing the latest CCM2 brakes from Brembo and the Ferrari ABS setup similar to the 599XX.

Ferrari also made the car lighter with the focus on decreasing the thickness of the body panels and by using Lexan and carbon fiber materials all over.

With all the improvements done to the Challenge, the lap time of the 458 at the Fiorano circuit was trimmed down by 2 seconds compared to the performance of its predecessor.

Other racing vehicles are also being exhibited by the Italian car marques at the motor show in Bologna including an F1 and AF Corse.

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Rumor mill: Ferrari 458 Italia Spider will come with folding hardtop

7th June 2010

People from Maranello hinted that the 458 Italia Spider from the stable of the prancing horse marques will come with a folding hardtop! You read that right and that will be a feature similar to its sibling, the Ferrari California.

Ferrari lovers though might be wondering how the mechanism for the hardtop will be installed since unlike the California which has its engine in front, the 458 Italia has its engine mounted in the rear.

We are pretty sure though the designers and engineers have all it figured out so we leave it all to them. With the California, the hardtop was made from aluminum panels with a supporting structure also made from cast aluminum which decreased its overall weight. Press the switch and the roof will close or open in 14 seconds.

The 458 Italia Spider will make use of a V8 4.5L engine that can give out 578 horsepower. This Ferrari can zoom from 0 to 100 km/h in a matter of 3.4 seconds with its max speed pegged at 325 km/h. This new model will be a bit slower compared to the coupe as the mechanism for the mechanism of the folding hard top will add some pounds to the car.

Photo via teamspeed