Typically when one sees or hears the numbers 666, it is a bad sign. I think by now it's almost engrained in everyone's psyche that it's the sign of the Devil.
Now though, it may signify LOVE.
That's because the 458 replacement — the name has yet to be decided — is rumored to produce 666 horsepower. According to reports coming to us from abroad, Ferrari has targeted the McLaren 650S' power output as a benchmark.
That's not completely unwise either. A lot of exotic owners have been MORE than happy to go and snap up the British supercars as there isn't a problem acquiring one, which is completely the opposite of Ferrari's ethos.
In other words, McLaren will be more than happy to build you the car of your dreams. Ferrari, well, you have to "play ball" and be a part of the club to get on the all-new cars list.
Aside from that stuff there's plenty to talk about when it comes to Ferrari's 458 replacement. While we thought it would simply be a revised 458, now it sounds like there's going to be a significant reworking, especially when it comes to the car's engine. There's good reason for this — sales in China have been hampered by regulation and taxes due to the engine capacity being ABOVE 4.0-liters. Rumors are saying that now Ferrari is seeking to build a V8 with capacity below that mark to boost sales in the Far East.
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...Modified with dry-sump lubrication compared with the wet sump in the California, the V8 will have a capacity below 4.0 litres to comply with an influential Chinese tax threshold. Currently, the 4.5-litre V8 in the 458 suffers high taxes in China, hampering sales...
...Ferrari may even need to select a stroke of 75mm, equivalent to just 3.5 litres, to maintain similar engine geometry to the rev-happy V8 in today’s 458. However, whether that is sufficient to generate the required power is a point for discussion...
The target car for the new 458 will be the 641bhp McLaren 650S and there are suggestions the Ferrari might be rated at 666bhp. To develop 666bhp from under 4.0 litres, the new V8 will have to produce 168bhp per litre, and from 3.5 litres 192bhp per litre...
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