Ferrari 458 Italia Price Guide

The Ferrari 458 Italia of 2009 to 2015 is the car that many enthusiasts consider the finest naturally-aspirated mid-engine Ferrari ever made. It is powered by a 4.5-litre flat-plane-crank V8 producing 562bhp at 9,000rpm, boasts aerodynamics developed with Pininfarina using Formula 1 computational fluid dynamics, and a chassis of such precision that journalists who had driven everything ran out of superlatives. It was also the last naturally-aspirated V8 Ferrari sports car before the turbocharged era began with the 488.

The Car

The 4,497cc V8 used a flat-plane crankshaft producing 562bhp, a significant increase over the F430’s 490bhp in a car weighing 1,380kg. Seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Aerodynamics included active underbody flaps and a front diffuser; the rear features an integrated diffuser without a separate spoiler. The steering wheel carried all secondary controls, eliminating most dashboard switches. 458 Spider with power-operated folding hard roof added in 2011; 458 Speciale with 597bhp and further aerodynamic development in 2013; 458 Speciale A open version in 2014.

What Goes Wrong

Early 458s suffered a recall for a fire risk from the glue used to attach the wheel arch liner to the engine bay; check that this was addressed on any early car. The dual-clutch gearbox can be jerky in slow traffic until it warms through. High-mileage examples need inspection of the exhaust system, which runs extremely hot. Cam belt changes are annual as on all naturally-aspirated V8 Ferraris.

Buying

The Speciale is the collector’s 458 and values have risen sharply. The Italia is the practical daily high-performance Ferrari. The 458 represents the zenith of the naturally-aspirated era and its value relative to the turbocharged 488 that followed is a matter of continuous debate among enthusiasts.