I took one look at the photo.  One glance at the stats of 562 horsepower and 202 mph top speed.  I breathed out a soft “Hello, lover“.   Some girls may get soft eyed at infants but this girl loves the sexy lines of a sleek machine.   The sensual feeling of sliding down into the leather seats, shutting the door, and feeling that sensation of the car enveloping you.   The wide wheel base, fat tires, and low center of gravity and I’m in heaven.

Ferrari F458 Italia.

So Ferrari has brought us the 458 Italia. It’s the first all-new mid-engined production Ferrari in a decade, replacing the F430 which itself was based on the 360 Modena. It’s set to debut at the Frankfurt auto show in a couple of weeks, but Ferrari’s already given a sneak peek at this gorgeous beast.

The 458 Italia represents a significant step forward from the already blindingly fast F430, adopting the latest lessons gleaned from Ferrari’s campaigning in the Formula One world championship. Under its curvaceous bodywork lies an all-aluminum chassis, powered by a new 4.5-liter V8 with direct injection, producing 562 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, revving all the way up to 9000 rpm and driving the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

This is enough power to accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.4 seconds en route to a top speed of 202 mph. Inside the all-new interior features controls centralized on the steering wheel, from which the driver can control everything, and a warning system that alerts the driver when his ride is ready to roll.

~ Raine Devries