A quick glance at this, and you could easily mistake this for just another 458 Italia. But the stickers scream 'RACE', and when you run your eyes across the finer details, you will notice the single bolt wheels. Typical. You see single bolt wheels, and you already know that this car has a purpose. In fact, every car with single bolt wheels have the same purpose - reduce weight, and time between tyre changes. And look good ;)
So; all the cars in the showroom were moved outside. All just to make space for this 458... because this is the the Ferrari 458 Challenge.
2011 is a good year for Ferrari in Malaysia. For the first time, the (single marque series) Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli has expanded to the Asia Pacific region and will grace Sepang for the very first time (the other two tracks will be Zhuhai, and Shanghai). The Challenge series started in 1993 for Ferraristi owners who wanted to get involved with motorsports and serves to give owners the opportunity to compete with others on some of the greatest tracks in the world. Since 2007, the 430 was used exclusively in the series, but now the 458 has also been included in the lineup.
The powerplant in the 458 Challenge is unchanged from the road-going Italia; 570bhp @ 9000rpm. Modifications instead have been done to the DCT F1 gearbox and this is said to guarantee higher torque at lower revs. Also worth noting is the use F1-Trac control system used for the first time in Challenge cars. The F1-Trac constantly monitors levels of grip for maximum high-performance road holding, and is integrated with the E-Diff to guarantee maximum stability and acceleration out of corners.
A lot of focus has also been channeled into reducing the dry weight of the Challenge. Carbon-fibre and polycarbonate has been used extensively on the body shell and windows. Suspension has also received tweaks; stiffer springs, single-rate alloy dampers, single bolt 19" forged wheels, larger Pirelli slicks, and a 30mm lower ride height. Whilst I don't have the official weight of the 458 Challenge, I did note the significant weight difference between the Italia and Challenge.
The 2011 APAC Challenge series will consist of 5 rounds:
Round 1 – June 19, – China, Zhuhai
Round 2 – July 24, – China, Shanghai
Round 3 – August 14 – China, Shanghai
Round 4 – October 2 – Malaysia, Sepang
Round 5 – November – Finali Mondiali (Ferrari Finals in Europe)
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