Ferrari 458 Italia: Specs, Price &
the Last Naturally Aspirated Ferrari V8

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Quick Takeaways

  • 375 hp from 3.5 liters — the highest specific output of any naturally aspirated production engine at launch
  • Five valves per cylinder, a first for a road-going Ferrari
  • The last steel-chassis Ferrari V8, and the first road car with an F1 paddle-shift gearbox
  • Roughly 11,000 built across Berlinetta, GTS, and Spider

Table of Contents

What Is the Ferrari 458 Italia?

The 458 Italia is a mid-engine V8 sports car built between 2009 and 2015. It replaced the F430 and was replaced by the 488 GTB.

The name follows the F355’s logic. 4.5 liters, 8 cylinders — and “Italia” for the country, the first time Ferrari had used it in a model name.

It is the end of a line. Every Ferrari V8 since has used turbochargers, which makes the 458 family the last chance to buy a new-era Ferrari with an engine that does its best work above 8,000 rpm.

Performance & Specs

The 458 was a clean-sheet car. New engine, new chassis, new gearbox, and almost nothing carried over from the F430.

Category 458 Italia
Years 2009–2015
Engine 4.5L 90° V8, naturally aspirated
Horsepower 562 hp @ 9,000 rpm
Torque 398 lb-ft @ 6,000 rpm
Transmission 7-Speed Dual-Clutch
Redline 9,000 rpm
0–60 mph ~3.0 sec
Top Speed 202 mph
Dry Weight ~3,042 lb

The figure that matters is 125 hp per liter without forced induction. When the 458 launched, no naturally aspirated road car engine had made more power per liter.

The 9,000-RPM V8

Ferrari’s internal code for the engine is F136 FB. It uses a flat-plane crankshaft and direct fuel injection — the first time a mid-engine Ferrari V8 had run direct injection.

The flat-plane crank is what gives the 458 its sound. It lets the engine rev freely and fire evenly across both banks, which produces the high, hard wail that the turbo cars that followed could not reproduce.

The power arrives late and keeps building. Peak output comes at the 9,000 rpm redline, and the engine rewards drivers who use all of it.

From the F430 to the Turbo Era

The 458 sits at a turning point, the same way the F355 did. The F355 introduced the paddle-shift. The 458 removed the clutch pedal entirely.

  • 2009 — the 458 Italia debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show, replacing the F430
  • 2011 — the 458 Spider arrives with a folding aluminum hardtop
  • 2013 — the 458 Speciale raises output to 597 hp
  • 2014 — the 458 Speciale A closes the run as a 499-car open-top edition
  • 2015 — the turbocharged 488 GTB replaces it

Ferrari’s next V8 made more power with less effort. It also ended the naturally aspirated era for good.

Why It’s Called the Last Naturally Aspirated Ferrari V8

The claim is precise, so it is worth stating precisely.

The 458 family — Italia, Spider, Speciale, and Speciale A — is the last series of Ferrari V8s built without turbochargers. The 488 GTB, the California T, and every V8 Ferrari since have been turbocharged.

Ferrari still builds naturally aspirated V12s, including the 12Cilindri. The 458’s distinction belongs to the V8 alone.

It also gave something up. The 458 was the first mid-engine Ferrari V8 with no manual option at all, which is why collectors who want both a gated shifter and a high-revving V8 look back to the F430 and F355.

Design & Interior

Pininfarina designed the 458 alongside Ferrari’s Centro Stile, and aerodynamics drove most of the decisions.

  • Large single-opening front grille with flexible winglets that deform at speed to reduce drag
  • Triple exhaust outlets stacked in a triangle at the rear
  • Swept-back headlamps that wrap into the front fenders
  • Aluminum spaceframe chassis, stiffer and lighter than the F430’s
  • Spider carried the first folding hardtop on a mid-engine Ferrari

The 458 aged better than most cars of its era. Its basic shape still reads as modern next to cars built ten years later.

Inside the 458

Category Specification
Steering Wheel Manettino, start button, indicators, and wipers all mounted on the wheel
Instruments Central analog tachometer flanked by two configurable screens
Gearbox Carbon-fiber paddles on the column, bridge-mounted gear buttons
Seats Standard comfort seats; carbon racing seats and Daytona-style seats as options
Controls No traditional stalks — nearly every function lives on the wheel

The cockpit was designed with input from Michael Schumacher, and it shows. Everything the driver needs at speed is within thumb’s reach of the steering wheel.

How Many Ferrari 458s Were Made?

Ferrari does not publish official production figures for the 458, but the model was built in large numbers across six years and four variants. That’s why it remains one of the most frequently traded modern Ferraris.

Production Breakdown

Variant Years Production
458 Italia 2009–2015 ~13,318
458 Spider 2011–2015 ~6,248
458 Speciale 2013–2015 ~1,309
458 Speciale A 2014–2015 499
Total 2009–2015 ~21,374

The Speciale A is the one confirmed figure, because Ferrari announced it as a limited edition. The others are widely accepted market estimates and do not include track-only Challenge cars.

The 458 Speciale

The Speciale is the one collectors chase — the track-focused version of the 458, built from 2013 to 2015.

  • 597 hp from the same 4.5-liter V8
  • About 200 lb lighter than the Italia
  • Active aerodynamics with moving front and rear flaps
  • Side Slip Angle Control, a new traction system that manages controlled slides

Its engine set a new benchmark of 133 hp per liter for a naturally aspirated road car. It is widely considered one of the best-driving Ferraris of the modern era.

The 458 Spider and Speciale A

The Spider uses a two-piece aluminum hardtop that folds in about 14 seconds and adds little weight. It drives almost identically to the coupe.

The Speciale A — “A” for Aperta, Italian for “open” — combines the Speciale’s mechanicals with the Spider’s roof. With only 499 built, it is the rarest and most valuable member of the family.

Ferrari 458 Italia Value Today

Mileage, options, and service history account for most of the spread in 458 values, and exceptional low-mileage cars bring considerably more.

The 458 has held its value better than most modern Ferraris. As the turbo era has matured, buyers have placed a clear premium on the last naturally aspirated V8.

Current Market Value (2026)

Variant Value
458 Italia ~$180,000 – $260,000
458 Spider ~$250,000 – $280,000
458 Speciale ~$450,000 – $650,000
458 Speciale A ~$1,000,000 – $2,000,000+

Highest 458 Sale On Record

$ 0

A 58-mile 2015 Speciale A in Giallo Triplo Strato, sold at Mecum’s Kissimmee auction in January 2026. It took the record from another Speciale A that made $1,650,000 at RM Sotheby’s Monterey in 2022.

If you own a 458 or another collector Ferrari, our specialists can value your car or discuss consignment.

Owning a Ferrari 458

The 458 is one of the most usable Ferraris ever built. Its weak points are few, documented, and mostly cosmetic.

  • No belt service. Unlike the F355, the 458 uses timing chains, so there is no engine-out belt service to budget for.
  • Early heat-shield recall. Ferrari recalled early 2010 cars to replace an adhesive in the rear wheel arches that could ignite. Confirm the recall was completed.
  • Carbon-ceramic brakes. Standard equipment and long-lasting, but expensive to replace. Check rotor wear before buying.
  • Front lift system. A common option, and worth having. Without it, steep driveways and speed bumps become a problem.
  • Infotainment. The screens and navigation are dated by current standards. Many owners use the car without relying on them.

Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale is a factory-authorized dealer with a full Ferrari service department and Ferrari-trained technicians.

From the 458 Italia to the 488 GTB

The 458 closed the naturally aspirated V8 era. The 488 GTB opened the turbocharged one — and the comparison shows exactly what changed.

Feature 458 Italia (2009–2015) 488 GTB (2015–2019)
Engine 4.5L V8, naturally aspirated 3.9L V8, twin-turbo
Horsepower 562 hp @ 9,000 rpm 661 hp @ 8,000 rpm
Torque 398 lb-ft @ 6,000 rpm 561 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
Redline 9,000 rpm 8,000 rpm
Transmission 7-Speed Dual-Clutch 7-Speed Dual-Clutch
0–60 mph ~3.0 sec ~3.0 sec
Top Speed 202 mph 205 mph

Scroll for more →

The 488 is faster and makes far more torque, and it makes it 3,000 rpm earlier. What it gave up is the 458’s sound and its willingness to rev. For many buyers, that trade is the whole reason to choose the 458.

Ferrari 458 Italia FAQs

4.5 liters and 8 cylinders. “Italia” was added in honor of the country, the first time Ferrari used the word in a model name.

It is the last naturally aspirated Ferrari V8. Ferrari still builds naturally aspirated V12s, such as the 12Cilindri.

Most 458 Italias trade between $180,000 and $260,000, with Spiders slightly higher and the Speciale and Speciale A well above both.

No. The 458 was offered only with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It was the first mid-engine Ferrari V8 without a manual option.

It is among the most dependable Ferraris of its era. It uses timing chains rather than belts, and its dual-clutch gearbox has a strong track record.

The Speciale makes 597 hp versus 562, weighs about 200 lb less, and adds active aerodynamics and sharper suspension. It is the more focused, more valuable car.

Ferrari built 499 Speciale A cars, making it the rarest variant in the 458 family.

The 488 GTB in 2015, which switched to a turbocharged 3.9-liter V8.

The 488 is faster and makes more torque. The 458 has the more engaging engine and sound, and it is the last of the naturally aspirated V8s — which is why its values have held so well.

More From the Collection

The 458 is the end point of a line that began with the F355.

  • Ferrari F355 — the five-valve V8 that opened the high-revving era
  • Ferrari F40 — the turbocharged flagship that came before it
  • Ferrari Dino — the first mid-engine Ferrari road car

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Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale proudly represents Ferrari in Broward County, Greater South Florida, and across the United States.

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