Ferrari has officially released the first set of photos and details of the F430 replacement model. The Ferrari 458 Italia is a mid-rear engined super car with two seats that is set to make its official global debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The name 458 Italia comes from the displacement and number of cylinders of the engine. The design of the 458 Italia was made as usual by the famous Italian designer Pininfarina. The power of the F430 replacement comes from a V8 4.5 liter engine with direct injection that has a maximum output of 570 horsepower at 9000 revs per minute. The engine has a maximum torque of 540 Nm (or 398.2 lb-ft) at 6000 revs per minute. Still, over 80% of this enormous torque power is available from 3250 revs per minute.

The new V8 engine has a power-to-capacity ratio of 127 horsepower per liter, which is actually a record, being the highest HP per liter ratio in comparison to any other engine the Italian company has ever built. The F430 replacement comes with a dual clutch transmission, the same one used on the California model. The car has a rear wheel transmission. The 458 Italia is capable of astonishing performances. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is realized in less than 3.4 seconds while being able to achieve a maximum speed of over 325 km/h.

Ferrari also claims that their new model has an average fuel consumption of 13.7 liters per 100 kilometers (17.2 mpg) while having a level 320 grams per kilometer of CO2. Honestly, I do not understand why Ferrari wanted to mention these figures, because I am more than certain that environmental problems are the last concerns on the mind of a person who buys a Ferrari.

The Ferrari 458 Italia weighs just over 3000 lbs (3048 lbs more precisely) or 1380 kilograms. The power to weight ratio is 2.42 kilograms per horsepower, a mind blowing performance. The weight is distributed 42%-58% on the front and rear.

Of course, technology couldn`t miss out of a fantastic new Maranello super car. The F430 replacement comes equipped with the latest generation of the E-Diff, F1-Trac and ABS systems. All of these systems are now controlled by the same ECU. Thanks to this, Ferrari says that the 458 Italia delivers produces 32% more longitudinal acceleration out of the corners in comparison to all the other previous models.

The laws of physics say that anything that goes fast must stop some time. Ferrari obviously thought of that so the 458 Italia`s brakes have something that the Italian company describes as being a ``prefill function whereby the pistons in the callipers move the pads into contact with the discs on lift off to minimize delay in the brakes being applied``. Thanks to this feature the 100 to 0 km/h breaking distance is just 32.5 meters. Not bad at all.

The F430`s replacement design has been influenced quite a lot by the requirements necessary for aerodynamic efficiency, a thing that has happened with all of Ferrari`s models of the current decade. The company that has the Prancing Horse as a symbol says the car itself manages to generate no less than 140 kilograms of downforce at 200 km/h. The F430 replacement`s nose also has small aero elastic winglets that manage to create downforce, not to mention the complete flat underbody. As the car goes faster and faster, the winglets deform to reduce the section of the radiator inlets and cut drag.

Unfortunately, we can not say a lot of things about the interior of the car, because Ferrari only released a single photo of the 458 Italia`s interior. Still, in the photo we can see a new steering wheel which has on it the majority of the main controls and is quite clearly inspired from the Formula 1 cars.

All in all, the Ferrari 458 Italia is a fabulous car, managing to rise up to the expectations and signification of the Prancing Horse symbol completely.