Ferrari has unveiled its 2010 Formula 1 contender, named the F10, in a ceremony at its Maranello headquarters – with the team confident the car will prove a big step forward over last year’s model.
A couple of months ago, it looked like all the teams would get together under the auspices of the Formula One Teams Association to unveil their cars in one massive exposition concurrent with the Valencia test session, but that won't come to fruition. Several teams are expected to debut there still, while others are doing their own thing once again. And Ferrari is first among them.
Unveiled at the team's headquarters in Maranello, the new F10 is the chariot with which Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will be contending for the championship against other top-rated challengers from Mercedes GP, McLaren and Red Bull, to say nothing of the other ten teams on the grid. The latest Prancing Horse – whose Santander-dominated red and white livery we saw a few days ago – is the product of several months of development, as the Scuderia stopped development of last year's car half-way through the season after realizing it was way off pace and concentrated on this year's car instead.
With nearly all the seats accounted for and the first group test at Valencia (scheduled for February 1) fast approaching, the time has come once again, boys and girls, for the unveiling of the 2010 F1 cars. More Photos
Perfect weather conditions enabled Felipe Massa today to complete a special test session started in the morning behind the wheel of a F2008 provided by Maranello’s F1 Clienti department. The World Champion car from 2008 was brought to the Catalan track for a very special two-day test session with Valentino Rossi. The Brazilian driver took the opportunity to regain confidence behind the wheel on a track, which is part of the Formula 1 calendar.
Felipe concluded the training with the single-seater - fitted with demo tyres due to the current rules - after over 400 kilometres. Before a satisfied Felipe let the track he spoke to www.ferrari.com about today’s impressions: "It was a perfect way to optimise my form here in Barcelona. I’m really happy that I had this new opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Formula 1 single-seater on a race track. I can’t wait to sit in the new car and get stuck in.”
Ferrari has begun tests new big super car which will come in the stead models 612 Scaglietti. While, the truth, is a question of tests of so-called "mule" - platforms with the new engine on which the old body "is dressed".
Apparently, the successor 612 Scaglietti hardly becomes larger than the primogenitor, and under its cowl there will be a motor in volume at least 6,0 l (now a cursor 612 Scaglietti has volume of 5,75 l, capacity of 540 h.p.). Besides more powerful engine the new coupe will receive new system KERS, as on Formula-1 bolids. It will accumulate energy received at braking, and to throw out it at will of the driver.
Besides, edition Autocar assures that this car of the first among serial Ferrari will receive all wheel drive system! However while it no more than the assumption, after all the premiere of a new coupe will take place only in the end of 2011 or even the beginning of 2012.
Shown on autoshow Pebble Beach in 2006, this car represented altered Enzo, whose design was updated Pininfarina so that the car began to remind legendary racing Ferrari P4 1967. In total one copy Ferrari P4/5 and then it seemed to us has been constructed only that we saw really a unique sport car.
As it is found out, it can be not absolutely so. According to statements Glickenhaus at forum FerrariChat.com, it is going to construct the racing version of the car which can take part in the 24-sentry to race on a Nurnburgring on May, 13-16th, 2010. However, Glickenhaus recognises that the project became a reality, simply large quantity of stars, however probability of carrying out of such works together should converge remains.
The car will receive name P4/5 Competizione, and will be constructed on the basis of absolutely new car, instead of on the basis of road version P4/5. Which car it will be, Glickenhaus has not specified, however has hinted that it will receive VIN, the chassis, the engine and a gear box from Ferrari. Among the basic difficulties interfering realisation of ambitious plans, absence of the basic sponsor is. Anyway, we wish Glikenhausu of good luck and we hope that one more racing car-dream will appear on autodromes already in the near future.
Ferrari has confirmed that the car, codenamed F142 and long rumoured to be named the F450, will be called the 458 Italia. The name derives from the powerplant: a 4.5-litre V8 which Ferrari claims has the highest specific output of any normally aspirated car engine.
It certainly has more in common with superbikes than cars; at 127bhp per litre, the specific output is greater than that of many turbocharged engines. The high-revving 4498cc V8 has very light internal parts and tiny piston skirts, resulting in low rotation inertia and a 12.5:1 compression ratio. It puts out 562bhp at 9000rpm, 500rpm higher than the 430. That makes it the highest-revving Ferrari road car ever.
It means the 458 Italia will be ferociously fast, and Ferrari claims it will sprint to 62mph in under 3.4sec on its way to a top speed of “over 200mph”. While advanced engine electronics and lightweight parts underpin the extra performance, this will be the first mid-engined application of Ferrari’s direct injection fuel system, which appeared first on the front-engined California. It also runs Ferrari’s now-traditional flat-plane crankshaft.
The 458’s engine will be one of the most flexible in Ferrari’s history, too, with 398lb ft of torque arriving at 6000rpm. While that sounds peaky, it’s only two-thirds of the way through the 458’s rev range, and over 80 per cent (318lb ft) is available from 3250rpm.
The direct fuel injection has also helped cut CO2 emissions, producing a claimed 320g/km of CO2, even though it is faster and produces significantly more power than the 483bhp F430 and the 508bhp 430 Scuderia.
Dual-clutch ’box Ferrari learned a lot developing the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox for the California and it has had to do even more development to fit the unit into the 458 Italia’s engine bay, under the curvaceous glasshouse.
The dual-clutch unit from the California has been modified with different ratios and now shifts even faster than the 430 Scuderia’s 0.06sec. The gearbox’s shift style is likely to be slightly more aggressive than the California’s.
The E-Diff differential and the F1-Trac skid control system have long been the flagship carryover technologies from Formula 1, but the 458 Italia takes them even further and adds another piece of F1-derived technology to the brakes.
Instead of using individual ECUs for the E-Diff and F1-Trac, the 458 Italia has one ECU to control both (as well as the ABS system), resulting in streamlined processing and communication. Ferrari claims a 32 per cent increase in acceleration over the F430 (itself no slouch) out of corners.
The brakes feature a new system called ‘prefill’. When the driver’s foot lifts off the throttle, the pistons in the calipers move the pads towards the discs; that helps to reduce the stopping distance from 62mph to just 32.5 metres.
Aluminium chassis Ferrari has used its experience from designing the 430 Scuderia’s suspension to create the 458 Italia’s double wishbone front set-up and multi-link rear end, all bolted directly to the aluminium chassis. It’s been developed with the help of Michael Schumacher, who was spotted testing the car.
Ferrari has close ties to aluminium specialist Alcoa, which has built a factory near Modena to produce chassis for the firm. The 458 Italia’s frame uses ideas from both the 430 Scuderia and the Mille Chili concept car.
It uses more advanced bonding techniques than the 430 did, along with manufacturing processes more in line with the aero industry.
F1 wind tunnel While the 458 was designed by Pininfarina, the shape has been developed using Ferrari’s F1 wind tunnel. The bases of the black intakes in the front bumper deform at speed, closing up the intakes and reducing drag. These intakes also provide downforce and feed air though the radiators ahead of the front wheels.
The car’s shape makes air curve around the cabin and run over the integrated tail spoiler. The flat undertray enhances the effects of the rear diffuser to create 140kg of downforce at 125mph.
Inside, the 458 Italia will take the opportunity created by the more luxurious California to become the sportiest V8 in the family. Ferrari says the steering wheel and dashboard are “new innovations in production cars”; expect a development of the firm’s wheel-mounted manettino switch.
The Ferarri 458 will be built alongside the California in a new production facility at Maranello. The car will be launched at the Frankfurt motor show next month and is expected to go on sale in the UK next spring. It will be more expensive than the F430, so expect prices to start at around £150,000.
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