Mar 24th, 2010 by Ross Edwards
Ferrari gave North America its first look at the new Ferrari 458 Italia last week. According to Autoblog, Ferrari threw a party in southern California and invited a small group of celebrities and the company’s favorite customers to bid on the very first U.S.-bound 458 Italia to benefit Haiti.
The auction raised $530,000 from the sale of the 458 Italia and $72,000 from the sale of the suit Fernando Alonso wore in F1 and a pair of tickets to the Canadian Grand Prix in June. All proceeds from the auction were donated by Ferrari to the Catholic Medical Mission Board and the William J. Clinton Foundation to be used for Haitian relief.
Ferrari still has not announced when the 458 Italia will officially go on sale in America, so if you’re desperate to fill your garage with a gorgeous Italian sportscar, you’ll have to either settle on the F430 or the Lamborghini Gallardo. Neither of those are bad choices, but if it were my money, I’d either wait for the new 458 Italia or find a used 360 Modena. It may be nostalgia, but the 360 Modena still makes my heart skip a beat when I see one in person, something none of the current crop of supercars can do.
Not that the 458 Italia is ugly, it just doesn't elicit the same visceral reaction as the 360.
Images via Autoblog.
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