What is it?
It's called the Ferrari 458 Italia and, coincidentally, powered by a 4.5-litre V8. What are the chances? That engine pushes out a canny 562bhp at 9,000rpm, which makes it the highest revving Ferrari road car ever, and also the highest specific output of any naturally aspirated engine in the whole wide world ever - with 127bhp per litre. In fact, injured ex-Ferrari potential stand-in driver Michael Schumacher claimed during the unveiling that it's even quicker than an Enzo around the Fiorano test track. We bet there are some well cheesed off playboys kicking about now; Enzo Shmenzo.
Why's it here?
Because Ferrari had a gap in its corporate clothing design schedule and decided to build a supercar while it waited for the next batch of baseball caps to come in.
Really, the F430 is still as sharp as Will King's son's sword, but it's been around for long enough now to justify a replacement - which this is, and then some. Because it's so far above its predecessor, Ferrari will price it higher when it goes on sale in Spring 2010, asking around £150,000. However, owners can expect to claw some of that back because if its relative parsimony - it's the cleanest Ferrari there ever was, capable of 20.6mpg on the combined cycle and 320g/km. That's largely thanks to direct injection, loads of weight saving measures and a very slippery shape.
It has the seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox debuted in the California too, though reprogrammed to shift with more tenacity, and the inside is a feast of awe-inspiring technological tactility. The Manettino makes another appearance, and the indicator stalks are ditched in favour of wheel-mounted buttons.
Show stopper or floor filler?
Are you joking? Motor shows exist for stuff like this. Now go and look at the pictures.
Mark Nichol - 15 Sep 2009