wow, with scud-style stripes it looks stupid ugly...just way too much of a gap between the stripes. san-stripe / non-race livery is definitely the way to go for this generation. No one had a shred of doubt that it would drive amazingly around the circuit, but to read that on the street it is as compliant as an MP4-12C makes the speciale even more unattractive to me because I don't live and breath the track, but I would still like to get the adrenaline going while driving on the streets (w/o excessive rates of speed) which either CS and Scuderia easily delivered.
Ugly...?not...of course just a fantastic design.Fantastic design..?..not just stupid ugly car..Fantastic design...or ugly?more ugly and less fantastic?of course fantasticly ugly for most here At the end I hope to be able to drive soon one (mine) and tell you what a passionate, proud owner will feel driving this stupid ugly car with catfish look and that day be sure I will feel sooo good. I noted that many experts and talented writers inside this Forum stopped to talk in this threadt..I think I will follow them sorry..I got bored (it is my problem I know..)
oh yes, this car is so damn ugly - I think I will paint mine with camouflage and drive it only with sunglasses and a hat on because I'm ashamed to drive it - hopefully nobody will recognize me when I'm driving ;-)))
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt8UF4ZKIxc]Ferrari 458 Speciale (2013) CAR video review - YouTube[/ame]
From the videos it seems the 458 Speciale lost ALL the famous pop and crackle on the over-run. Or is it just me ?
I like the summary of Ben Berry: "not better than the Italia, but different, even more hardcore to drive". It seems the Special is what I have expected: the true successor from my Scuderia. I'm looking forward to the first trip with a Speciale. And I'm sure the ugly side wings and air guides in the front bumper can be removed with a flex or something similar. Maybe I should start now with saving money!
and Jethro Bovingdon from Evo writes: The firmer ride has no hint of harshness. Its wedded beautifully to a heavier, even more accurate steering system, more consistent and responsive brakes and the sweet brutality of the twin-clutch gearbox. The Speciale isnt stiffer, faster, louder its just beautifully wrought, cohesive and no question it feels more serious, more focused and just plain better. It is noticeably noisier than the Italia, though. It doesnt howl and shriek quite as manically as a Scuderia, but the engine can drone away if youre in Race mode or upwards. Theres ever-present road noise that drums up through the bare floors, but in a car of this potential and focus its far from a deal-breaker. Strangely, the gains in simple performance terms dont feel as great as Id expected, but no matter. This is still a seriously rapid car. The engine is remarkable and the way it melds thick, instant torque with that explosive top-end delivery is quite breathtaking. The faster rev-match on downshifts does make a difference and it actually makes braking late into a corner a slightly more brutal process, each shift bringing a jolt as the gears hit home. It feels like the shifts are completed with no margin at all. If the clutch closed a millisecond sooner the rear wheels would lock. There is no margin, no slack anywhere in this car. The Speciale wears unique Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tyres - the same basic tyre as weve recently tried on the GT3 and SLS Black Series and the car simply dances over a seriously testing road thats slick with moisture and fallen leaves. Grip is astounding and the heavier steering provides something to lean against and accurately relays an impression of the surface and the tyres grip. What of SSC? Well, witchcraft just about sums it up. Its almost supernatural, allowing you to drive so hard but remaining for the most part invisible.
The thing that keeps on amazing me in reviews like these is how the different journalists (CAR, evo, Autocar, AutoExpress, TopGear) end up with such a different, almost conflicting, opinion about similar aspects. About the ride, the comfort when not driving at 10/10, the steering, the noise, the sounds quality (which is subject to personal opinion), etc. That only confirms how subjective these things are. A number of them refer to the 991 GT3. Which I should be getting a couple of weeks prior to my Speciale. However, these same journalists seemed more positive (almost ecstatic) about the GT3 than the Speciale, it seems. Maybe that's because many perceived the normal 991s as a bit too soft after the 997, whereas the 458 Italia has almost always been revered globally (hence the difference is less apparent)? Thoughts?
Actually, I think the 458 and 991 are both considered more refined than their predecessors while being more capable and faster. Many here do find the 458 too "GT like" compared to their own standard for a mid-engine sports car (I've said that ever since i first drove one and interestingly the Mayor recently said the same thing). Thus the interest in a more raw, emotional car like the speciale. I see much similarity in the 991/GT3 and 458/speciale product lines positioning. These first speciale reviews, to my eye and given my expectations, tell me that maybe the car is not as sensorial as I am hoping...the sound being perhaps the area of disappointment (why has 458 lost the snap crackle and pop?). And, with regard to the looks, i think it's a nice aggressive design overall...but lets not be fools and or kid ourselves..the lower front is pretty hideous by nearly unanimous (9 out of ten or more?) decree. I've decided I don't care about the small side wings as they are insignificant and thus not important to the overall look, and I do like the nart stripe but do not like the "scud" stripes (way too far apart) so my taste is obviously questionable! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
Does the crackle and pop have any long term reliability issue on the cats? Are these caused by unburned gas escaping the exhaust phase of the valves resulting in these pops and crackles that may result in premature wear of the honey comb structure? Can someone chime in on this? I do like the NART Strip too!
Interesting thought. I was also wondering. Porsche introduced the 458-style pop and crackle into 991 series (base, S, Turbo/Turbo S versions all pop and crackle in Sport Plus mode, but interestingly not the 991 GT3 !?) and they claimed the fine-tuning so as not to destroy cats is extremely difficult. I guess that is why Ferrari tuned it down.
Ferrari 458 Speciale review | Auto Express [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMt0tggTIio]Ferrari 458 Speciale review - Auto Express - YouTube[/ame]
Do anyone know when to expect delivery if you order a 458 Speciale today? Asked my local Ferrari dealer today, but they couldn't give me an answer. I live in Norway and we do not have an official Ferrari dealer. The dealer we have is not completely up to date when it comes to new models.
So the speciale msrp is going to be about 300k. I could easily see it going over 400k or high 300 with options. Am I wrong?
I say lightly option is $50k, all available option is $100K. So 350~400k........... Is pretty much the same as an Italia comparably equipped, since the Speciale come with more standard equipments......CF seats, intake manifold, sport wheels.........etc.
I dont see the 458 equipped with exactly that coming close to 300k, maybe about 265 but not 300k. You have to remember to get the 458 to 300k you need to add a lot of goodies, like nav etc on the inside, but if you had all the carbon the speciale has and rims, and thats it, youre still looking at below 300k.
An upgraded Italia will not completely get the factory uprated Engine, Transmission, Brakes, Suspension, Aero and other bells and whistles.
I haven't heard how much the CF doors cost, but it's a lot. Add the rest of the CF, and that's over 30k there. Want those light rims? Titanium lug nuts? Better brakes? Faster shifting tranny? Extra 34hp? The speciale with very few options is a steal over the italia if you want the CF trim that the speciale has. But, to each their own. The italia is fantastic as is. So is the spider. I love them all.
