The Ferrari 458 Italia set new standard for supercars in the late 2000s - now you can have one for less than £100k
With a Pininfarina-designed body, a naturally aspirated V8 mounted directly behind your back and a truly exhilarating driving experience, the Ferrari 458 Italia remains the definitive supercar of the early 2010s.So good is the F430’s successor that residual values remain strong, which is why the 458 is best snapped up now before modern classic status takes hold and renders it a near-unaffordable collector’s item.Given the fact that list prices for newer 296 GTBs and Purosangues are falling by the week, the 458 should make for a solid investment too.Sure, those cars are more powerful and much faster on paper, but the 458 will certainly nip at their heels – and because it predates the hybrid era, it delivers a sensory experience that its modern equivalents can only dream of.A 0-62mph time of 3.3sec and a top speed of 210mph mean it’s still a ridiculously quick car and its Getrag-engineered dual-clutch automatic gearbox is the ideal wingman to the 458’s intoxicating 4.5-litre V8, which makes 542bhp and 398lb ft of torque.You can access 80% of the Ferrari’s power as early as 3250rpm, but you won’t be swapping cogs as low down as that because this heady V8 lump will rev all the way to 9000rpm. Watch for skipping gears on the test drive, though, because the dual-clutch auto can suffer from electric gremlins (see ‘Buyer beware’, right).While the fabulous V8 and slick gearbox endow the 458 with plenty of drama, its chassis balance and handling make it a true driver’s car – and one that’s far sweeter than cheaper Ferraris of yore.Whether or not the dampers are in their ‘bumpy road’ mode (handy for Britain’s unkempt roads), the 458’s body is controlled and tight, and despite the steering being light and quick, it’s communicative and precise.The 458 handles with a supreme level of agility matched by only the Noble M600 – and yet the Ferrari is the far better-riding car. And the trick electric differential and suite of driving modes – controlled via the tactile manettino on the steering wheel – mean the 458 can be either a laid-back daily driver or exciting track car, to suit your mood.The Brembo-sourced carbon-ceramic brakes provide plenty of stopping power too. Just make sure you’ve got £10,000 stashed away when you need to replace them.You can pay less than £100,000 for a high-mileage car, but for around £125,000 you’ll have access to a broader choice of colours, interior trims and cars with a main dealer service history.If your future 458 will spend most of its time on track, carbon buckets and Alcantara trim are must-haves – and try to avoid carbon exterior elements because you don’t want gravel and the like forcing unwanted (and expensive) repairs.Opt for leather and comfort seats if you’re after a grand touring ambience. Sunseekers are likely to be drawn to the open-air thrills of the 458 Spider, which commands a slight premium over the coupé. Whatever your choice, the 458 is a landmark supercar that has tumbled to such accessible levels (in a relative sense, of course) that it’s impossible to overlook.Why not snap up this hedonistic Ferrari, set the sat-nav for the North Coast 500 and bask in its brilliance all the way to John O’Groats.
