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Posted by: Anthony Lim

The Ferrari 458 Italia has made its first appearance in Malaysia - the F430 replacement was unveiled at the Ferrari F1 party at the Naza Italia showroom earlier today. On hand to unveil the vehicle at the Naza Italia facility in Petaling Jaya were Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

Pricing for the two-seater, mid-rear engined berlinetta, which made its debut at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show last year, starts at RM2mil. Key features include a new 4.5l 90-degree V8 block developing 578bhp at 9,000rpm and 540Nm of torque at 6,000rpm, with over 80% available from 3,250rpm, and performance figures include a 0-100kmh time of under 3.4secs and a maximum speed of over 325kmh.

The engine is mated to a seven-speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox which has faster response times than the gearbox on the California; the 458 Italia has specific, sportier gear ratios to match the power and torque curves of the new V8, and the E-Diff 3 electronic differential has also been integrated into the gearbox, resulting in a more compact and lighter unit.

The 458 Italia rides on a second-generation Magnetorheological Suspension Control shock absorber system. Compared to the system first introduced on the 599 GTB Fiorano, SCM2 boasts an evolved ECU and a 50% quicker input time as well as a damper force generation time half of that on the 599. Other numbers include a chassis that has 15% better torsional rigidity than the F430's, and beam stiffness has also been improved by up to 5%. As for brakes, you get Brembo 6-pot aluminium callipers at the front and 4-pots at the rear.

Inside the cabin, the layout has been revised to become more driver-oriented, with improved ergonomics and switchgear grouping - all the main controls are now located directly on the steering wheel, while secondary functions are set in two satellite pods either side of the dash and the panel ahead of the driver includes comprehensive instrument displays. The upper and lower surfaces of the dashboard are trimmed in leather while the instrument binnacle sits atop an aluminium insert that forms a single, structural element housing the satellite pods.

The vehicle can of course be customised through a personalisation programme, from adding for example optional diamond-finish forged alloy wheels or the Racing Superleggero (super lightweight) seats in carbon-fibre, not to mention the infinite number of trim combinations available for the interior, with a choice between leather, carbon-fibre and Alcantara.

To date, Naza Italia has received 14 bookings for the 458 Italia.