Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 2011 Review

Sometimes it pays to window shop... Walking down Swan St, Richmond a few weeks ago we couldn’t help but notice the glamorous addition to Melbourne’s home of Ferrari and Maserati -- a Ferrari 458 GT3. A phone call to Ferrari's head office swore us to secrecy – strange, seeing it was in the window for all to see... Then, an invite arrived that gave us the opportunity to see the country's newest GT3 car in action...

The first in the country, the 458 Italia GT3 is one of four iterations of the 458 Coupe, and the latest acquisition of Melbourne drag-racer, car collector and Ferrari aficionado, Tony DeFelice.

Developed specifically for racing, the Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 is a very different animal from the roadgoing 458 Italia. For starters, you can't drive it on the road and at 1214kg, it has a kerb mass a whopping 166kg lighter than the standard road car and its sports a rear wind that is almost comical in proportions. Its bodywork screams racing and with aggressively flared guards front and rear it’s significantly wider too – 2035mm compared to 1937mm.

Along with motorsport fitments such as a roll cage, lower ride height, 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels and a revised exhaust system, the 4.5-litre V8 engine has been tweaked. In this case though, the idea was not to generate more power, but torque. The racer pumps out 410kW at 9000rpm and 550Nm at 6000rpm compared to the roadcar's 425kW/540Nm.

Lighter,longer, wider, lower and torquier, the Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 looks phenomenal. The pumped wheel arches, letterbox windows, numerous air vents and wicked aero package complete with super-low front splitter make this a true visual feast .

After first flying to Italy to test his new car at Imola (a service that all GT3 Ferrari buyers get) DeFelice, last week transported the stunning racecar to Sandown race in Victoria for its first drive on Australian soil. And thanks to our window shopping, motoring.com.au was invited...

DeFelice currently competes in the ANDRA Doorslammer dragracing category in a ’67 Camaro, but he explained that he is interested in getting into other forms of motorsport – hence the 458 GT3.

The dragman told motoring.com.au: “This [circuit racing] is new to me, but eventually yes [we will race it]. We’re just feeling our way into the sport.”

DeFelice was unequivocal when asked if he had considered any other race cars, such as a GT3 versions of the Porsche 911, Audi R8 etc: “No. Nope. No way. I’ve always had a love for Ferrari since I was kid.

"Whether it’s slower or faster - doesn’t matter. It’s the marque I’ve always loved. I have a passion for the brand.”

Indeed, he was equally adamant when asked what attracted him to the 458 GT3: “Simple, it’s a Ferrari.”

DeFelice and his crew are keen to compete in the Australian GT Championship, where the 458 GT3 would certainly attract a bit of attention.

“That and the Bathurst 12 hour things like that. I’ve got a competitive streak,” he grinned.

So what’s it like to drive one of Ferrari’s best?

“Bloody fun,” laughs DeFelice as his crew pours high octane fuel into the car’s tank.

“[Ferrari] booked Imola and a day at another track, and because I was a drag racer, they wanted a good instructor - because they said 'You don’t know how to drive.' [The test driver, Andrea] Montermini clocked a 1:48 at Imola... My first lap was a 2:02. By the end of the day my time got down to 1:49.86.”

There are pros and cons to watching the Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 belt down the main straight at Sandown raceway. The main one – we didn't get to drive it...

From behind the pitt wall it looks and is incredibly fast -- ridiculously so. The speed it's able to maintain through corners is gob-smacking, but that even caught DeFelice out with an early and uneventful off-track excursion.

Downsides? The 458 GT3 doesn’t sound as wild as we were hoping – it’s about as loud as an Audi RS5, though the transmission whine that bangs through the gears is hard to fault.

DeFelice is an aggressive driver, no doubt about, but as the saying goes, it’s easier to tame aggression than create it. And word is that ex-F1 and CART driver Montermini is considering driving the car in Australia as well.

“Montermini told me, ‘If you want to race in Australia, I would love to be your co-driver’. He wants to drive with us at the [Bathurst] 12-hour but the problem is I have to do five meetings to get off my Ps to get to Bathurst... so maybe not this year [2012]... Montermini has done Bathurst and he loves the track.”

Ultimately motoring.com.au don’t really mind who drives the 458 GT3 – we just want to see it out there. It gets our vote for one of the most beautifully aggressive cars, motorsport or not, we’ve ever seen...

Full gallery of Ferrari 458 GT3 at motoring.com.au

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site.