gets the far better launch, sprinting off the line and leaving the Ferrari in its wake. However, as the 4.5-liter V8 of the 458 pumps out 605 hp and 398 lb-ft compared to the 482 hp and 452 lb-ft of UK-spec Corvette, the Ferrari does begin to close the gap but can’t do so fast enough before they cross the quarter-mile.
The second race is more representative as the 458 Speciale got a proper launch and while the Corvette did jump off the line, it couldn’t hold off the Ferrari. It is a very similar story in the third and final race where the Chevy gets the better launch but is unable to keep pace as the speeds build. The Ferrari ultimately finished the quarter-mile in 11.7 seconds compared to the 11.8 seconds needed by the Corvette.
When it comes to the rolling race, the two prove to be remarkably well-matched, mainly because the transmission of the Ferrari didn’t change down gears automatically and was stuck in fifth. With the cars in their manual-shifting modes, however, the Ferrari had no trouble walking away from the