Prior Design Ferrari 458 Makes Donuts Even Tastier

How Do You Make a Ferrari 458 Even Better? Start With a Louder Exhaust

We can all agree that the Ferrari 458’s naturally-aspirated V8 is one of the earth’s best sounding engines ever, right? Yet German tuning house Prior Design GmbH has attempted to make the best even better. In this case, that’s done by fitting the 458 with their advanced aerodynamics kit, a PP Performance tune, AirRex’s digitally-adjustable performance air suspension, a set of Pur wheels, and, most importantly, that glorious Fi exhaust.

Goodness, the exhaust on this car sounds like heaven. With a free-revving, small-bore V8 mated to a set of equal-length headers, high-flow catalysts, and a valved-muffler setup, this Ferrari now shouts with even more authority than it did from the factory. One thing is for sure, it sounds a right-side better than the 488’s turbo V8 does, and far better than whatever Ferrari is building in Formula 1 these days. When your 7-year-old Ferrari road car sounds better than a brand new open-wheel race car, you know you’re doing something right.

CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About This Prior Design

The body kit on this Prior Design 458 is a bit much for our tastes, but we do like the LaFerrari-aping front bumper inlets. The canards, while likely providing some good functional front downforce, would be better served in body color than black. As it sits, they appear as cartoonish kitty whiskers on either side of a very angry face.

The air suspension, too, may be a bit of overkill. We really love the way the 458’s factory suspension is engineered, and would hate to see an injustice like air-ride. We will admit, however, that the car does appear to be poised and under control in all its donut-doing glory.

Outside of the exhaust, the Pur wheels would be our next favorite improvement. They’re simple and understated, even in bright bronze finish. They certainly help show off those gorgeous carbon ceramic rotors.

What do you think, is this car perfectly kitted out, or overkill? Weigh in on the forums.