Ferrari has taken the wraps off its F430 replacement, the 458 Italia. Power will come from a new direct-injected 4.5-liter V-8 making 562 hp at 9,000 rpm and 398 lbs.-ft. at 6,000 rpm—an increase of 60 hp and 51 lbs.-ft. of torque compared to the F430 Scuderia. As expected, the car will utilize a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission—like the Ferrari California—that has been specifically engineered to match the power curve of the engine. Zero-to-60 mph is estimated at less than 3.4 seconds and a top speed just past 200 mph, at 202.

The car is riding on an aluminum chassis and weighs a diminutive 3,042 pounds—a tad heavier than the F430 Scuderia’s 2,975-pound body. Some advances in the 458 include a compact aerodynamic shape that reduces drag but increases down force, lessons learned in racing to reduce engine friction and improve fuel consumption and emissions, and a sloping dashboard and a steering wheel that houses most of the controls to keep the focus on the road. Like the F430, the 458 Italia is made as a track-ready sports car and not a grand touring vehicle you can take to the track, like the California. More will come when the car officially debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Read our Ferrari 458 Italia overview here.

[via Ferrari]

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