http://www.autoguide.com/manufacturer/ferrari/2011-ferrari-458-italia-review-1481.html
We’ve all seen the lovely pics of the new Ferrari 458 online but how does this car really drive?
A warning: If you are reading this and you own a Ferrari, you probably enjoy driving it very much. Unless you also have $250,000 ready to spend, don’t go drive the new 458 Italia. Because if you do, you won’t like your car anymore.
FAST FACTS
1. Powered by a 4.5-liter V8, the 458 Italia makes 563-hp at 9000 rpm and 398 ft-lbs of torque at 6000 rpm, enabling a 0-60 mph time of 3.3 seconds.
2. The 458 moves away from Ferrari’s fast but jerky F1 transmission, for a new dual-clutch unit.
3. Pricing for the 458 starts at $225,000.
For years, Ferrari ownership has been about compromise. A Ferrari is purposeful, racing-bred technology made to work well on the street, but it comes at a price, both literally and figuratively. Ferraris are expensive to own and maintain, and for that reason, many people only use them selectively to carve canyons on weekends and at racetracks.
Even worse, many owners simply drive them to the mall and back, stopping at Starbucks to show off real excess to people who think $4 coffee is a luxury. Besides the obvious expense of owning and operating such a machine, there are a few other drawbacks.