Hi Guys,

I first saw pictures of the 458 a few months back and found myself to have no opinion or regard for it, not even enough to warrant it a second glance.

However, a few months (plus dozens of hi-resolution pictures courtesy of the brilliant Teamspeed forum and its members) down the line, I am besotted with it... so much so, that I am seriously considering trading-in the R8 V10 I only took delivery of in January 2010.

P.s. Although I have been flicking through the forum for a couple of months, this is my first post!

 

^^Big welcome to the TEAM! BTW Make a new thread with pics of the great collection in the signature!
How do you like the RR autobiography?

 

Welcome to the team.
And if you want my opinion, trade it right now!

 

Thanks DJ!

I have had the Autobiography for around 4/5 months now and I love it... it has everything you could ever need in a car: Comfort, Luxury, Power, Practicality, Presence, Speed (this list could go on forever). It was my daily driver, only until recently, when I took delivery of my R8 V10.

On the other hand, the Drophead Coupe has rolled off its heated garage floor on only three occasions since I took delivery in June 2009! As you can probably tell... it is my baby.

 

I felt the same way Uomini... usually when I see a car at first in pictures, I immediately start ripping it apart (except Astons and 911s of course). When I saw the 458 at first I kept thinking of ways to improve it. Paint this, raise that, black out this, blah blah. When I first saw the 430, I couldn't like it more than the 360... but in time that changed.

After seeing many videos and photos of the Italia, and understanding more about the car... I have grown from doubt, to appreciation, to obsession!

I forgot which TS member said it first, but I agree with them that this will be a huge success for Ferrari and maybe their best selling car. A crowning achievement before the emissions standards set in... I can't imagine a finer sports car at the moment. 565HP NA from 4.5L is incredible. Enzo performance, California civility, potentially trend-setting aero work and steering wheel controls... and the sound!

Two thumbs up from me.

 

I have had to restrain myself to another 2/3 months of debating and decided that if I still cannot function as a human being without a 458... I will place an order for it in June 2010.

P.s. Unfortunately I do not have wealthy parents, some variety of maturing trust fund or a winning lottery ticket... otherwise I would have done so already without having to trade-in my R8 V10!

 

I am sure once you drive the new 458, you will find a way to have it! :-)

 

My only concern is whether the 458 is truly an everyday supercar (if I buy it, I will use it all day everyday Monday to Friday). I have read a few write-ups to suggest that it is... but I also have a niggling fear this sentiment is down to automotive journalists becoming clouded and consumed by the air of the 'NEW FERRARI 458' (looks, interior, performance, technology etc) while the novelty of it is still new.

For me, my R8 V10 is the prince of the everyday supercars... had Audi sorted themselves out and put in a DSG gearbox instead of the R-Tronic (which is so absolutely horrendous I bought a manual) it would have been king. The only negative, for me, is the manual gear-changing has eroded my left kneecap, due to the area I live in.

Does that make sense to you guys?

 

It does make sense, in that the R8 is quite a comfortable and easy-to-use everyday supercar. But I don't know that a 458 would be that much more difficult to live with as to dissuade you from driving it every day? It has most of the amenities of the R8...

In any case, the R8 V10 is quite a daily driver!

 

This car looks amazing in real life ...
Here are some of my pics













Hope you appreciate !