An Unused Ferrari 458 V8 Is The Engine Your Project Car Needs

This one-time display engine is theoretically fully operational but has never actually run, and your project car needs it immediately
An Unused Ferrari 458 V8 Is The Engine Your Project Car Needs

When you’re looking at engine swaps for your big project build, common sense says to take it easy. Look at small-block American V8s, or something easily-sourced with four cylinders and a turbo. Hell, if you’re feeling adventurous, get hold of a rotary engine out of a scrapped RX-8.

You don’t normally consider the legendary 4.5-litre, 9000rpm-capable V8 from the Ferrari 458. They don’t exactly shower the used engine market like pigeon poo in Trafalgar Square. This one is, therefore, a pretty unique find – and it’s not even used. In fact it’s extraordinarily unused.

What it should have looked like in a 458...
What it should have looked like in a 458...

This fully-functional 458 engine was used as a display piece and has never been given a car to power. This icon of naturally-aspirated engine history was the unit that finally beat Honda’s F20C to the title of highest specific output for an engine without forced induction, with 124bhp per litre to the S2000 engine’s 118bhp per litre.

And yet, this one has never turned a crank in anger. Its 562bhp and 398lb ft of torque have never been tapped. That, good CTzens, is a crime against the car gods. This engine is special, and it needs to be built into something even more special. It’s going under RM Sotheby’s hammer on 12 May in Monaco, during the grand prix weekend.

It’s the block only, complete with stand. You’d need to fashion everything around it, from the gearbox to the induction and exhaust pipework, not to mention all the wiring and ECU gubbins.

An Unused Ferrari 458 V8 Is The Engine Your Project Car Needs

The F136 FB was loosely descended from the F136 E in the older F430. With 191cc extra the FB evolution added almost 80bhp, helped by a host of revisions and improvements to the internals. Direct injection was a huge change for the 458 era.

There was also an FL version that went into the 458 Speciale variants. It had exotic engine components that pushed power up to 597bhp, but this is the regular version. Ah well, I guess we’ll have to make do. If you could buy it, what would you put it into?

Source: CarScoops

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Comments

Monty4248

I’d like to shove this in the back of a formula Ford

04/04/2018 - 18:44 |
0 | 0
04/04/2018 - 20:42 |
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Anonymous

What about returning it to it’s own shell? A blown 458 works wonders. Knowing that it was a display piece, some rich person will keep it like that, but who knows?

04/04/2018 - 19:23 |
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Anonymous

WAIT. If theres no transmission that means theres a very real possibility of someone attatching a manual to it.

Someome make this happen please

04/04/2018 - 19:29 |
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Renault GTR

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

UPVOTE THIS COMMENT, PEOPLE!

04/05/2018 - 17:57 |
2 | 0
Daksh Pat

screw ls swaps, its now about f136 swaps

04/04/2018 - 20:32 |
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Anonymous

Stop posting gay jdm just because it’s a beauty v12 motor lol butthurt jdm fans xD

04/04/2018 - 21:57 |
0 | 4
ShadowHuayra (HemiPower)

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

It’s a V8

04/06/2018 - 08:41 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Block only 😥

04/04/2018 - 21:58 |
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BoostAddict 1

@corrupttmustang on Instagram. Cooler than the 4586.

04/04/2018 - 22:21 |
0 | 8
ShadowHuayra (HemiPower)

Time to mock build a classic F1 car with modern technology? I would. McLaren M23 anyone?

04/04/2018 - 22:51 |
8 | 0
Anonymous

A museum…

04/05/2018 - 00:03 |
2 | 4