Brisvegas is the lucky city to have Australia’s first Ferrari 458 Italia. The car was air-freighted to Queensland from Maranello.
“Australian deliveries have started a little earlier than planned because the interest in this remarkable car has been so great that the car has been air freighted to Australia,” explains Kevin Wall, General Manager for Ferrari in Australia and New Zealand. “Even before it was announced we have had Australian clients expressing interest in the 458 Italia and, once its specification was announced, revealing it to be, even by Ferrari standards, a technical tour de force, interest has climbed dramatically and shows no sign of slowing.”The 458 will be familiar to most readers. But in case you’ve forgotten what the car is all about here’s a reminder. It has a 4.5 litre V8 engine which produces 419kW. With a kerb weight of 1380kg the 458 the driver, if they so choose, can plant their right foot and mximise the performance of the 7 speed dual-clutch transmission for a mere 3.4 seconds to propel the car to 100km/h.
Of course, the 458 Italia is about more than outright acceleration, though, as Kevin Wall was quick to point out, “Ferrari’s definition of ‘the fastest’ is not measured in the crude terms of top speed or its ability to reach 100 kmh in the lowest possible time.
“This is why Ferrari measure ‘the fastest’ in terms of the quickest lap time around its notoriously difficult Fiorano test track, which is, essentially, made up of all most difficult corners in Formula One. If a car is the fastest here, then it is, truly, the fastest in the real world.”
So there you have it. According to Car Advice the Australian asking price for the 458 begins at $526,950. I suspect, like me, looking at and dreaming about a 458 Italia is about as close as you’re ever likely to get to owning one. Best make do with the images and extensive press release after the jump. Then make sure you buy a lotto ticket for this Saturday’s draw. Good luck—if you win make sure you throw AUSmotive the keys!
