There has always been a bit of a contradiction about the notion of a junior Ferrari.
But, with a few notable exceptions, that is how the mid-engine V8-powered cars from Maranello have been known.
Now, though, things are changing at Ferrari. In the California, it has a fourth model line designed to cater for those wanting a slighter softer experience from their Prancing Horse
However, while the 458 sticks to the established formula of a spaceframe covered with aluminum body panels, it is a significant step forward from the F430.
For starters, the chassis structure is 15 per cent more rigid.Then there is the engine, a new direct-injection 4.5-litre V8.
Although the cast block is the same as used in the California, by the time it is completed the 458’s engine is of a larger capacity and can rev significantly higher – to 9000rpm.
More impressive than the numbers themselves, though, is the way with which the 458 goes about setting them.