Oakley Design Releases Ferrari 458 Italia Tuning Program

Not to be mistaken by the sunglass manufacturer, Oakley, Oakley Design is a British Tuning company that normally specializes in Porsche. But given their highly successful Porsche packages, Oakley Design has decided to broaden their conversions and touching on Italy’s most famous stallion. Putting their hands on the all new Ferrari 458 Italia, Oakley Design has conjured one beautiful, limited piece of machinery.

For those wanting the complete package, Oakley Design will only be releasing five numbered production cars, with the modifications available separately for those with deep enough wallets. Starting with the aesthetics, Oakley Design did thorough testing to prove their front spoiler adds 45 kg (100 lbs) of downforce to the front end at speeds of 150 mph. The rear spoiler with a Gurney flap adds 25 kg (55 lbs) of downforce in the rear on the same test, at the same speed. Cooling and overall airflow has been fine tuned with a central radiator vent, side sills and new diffusers in the rear and underbody.

To enhance the look further, Oakley Design throws in carbon fiber on the roof, mirror covers and engine cover insert below the rear window glass.

While we’re absolutely digging the clean and race-inspired design of the exterior, Oakley Design’s carbon fiber air intake box along with a titanium exhaust with triple tips and a remapped ECU increases horsepower from 562 to 618. Torque jumps from 400 ft-lbs to 420 ft-lbs.

To bring it altogether, Oakley Design tossed on a set of 20-inch OZ Racing wheels wrapped with Pirelli’s Trofeo tires. They will also offer the option of 19-inch wheels for those looking for something smaller. But hey, bigger is always better right?

Overall we’re digging that Oakley Design used a nice white 458 Italia to show off its mods, but we’re a little on the fence with the side vents by the headlights. Perhaps if they were match-painted white. Who are we kidding, we’ll take an Oakley Design 458 Italia without any complaints.

The official release is available after the break.

GALLERY: Oakley Design Ferrari 458 Italia

PRESS RELEASE Following international acclaim for their finely honed Porsche GT2, GT3 and Panamera conversions, Oakley Design is now proud to announce their tuning programme for the Ferrari 458 Italia.

Production will be limited to just 5 cars, each bearing a unique build number plaque.

Outside of this Limited Edition model, individual parts will also be made available for clients who do not require the complete package.

With Jon Oakley’s motorsport background central to the company’s philosophy, any change, whether aerodynamic or mechanical, is only done for sound technical reasons.

Wind tunnel testing proved that the carbon-fibre front spoiler lip adds 45kg of downforce over the front axle at 150mph (240km/h), while the racecar style centrally positioned radiator vent now channels air out over the bonnet instead of under the car. This vent also helps to boost the airflow at the base of the front windscreen, benefiting aerodynamics.

Further internal airflow management is seen in the radiator air exit ducts beside the headlamps, which receive carbon-fibre inserts and improved ducting from the radiator.

Deeper, wider side sills improve airflow control down the cars flanks, as well as helping to optimize the flat-bottom effect. The longer but lighter carbon-fibre rear diffuser has deeper boundary layer fences to improve directional stability.

Finally, a new rear spoiler with Gurney flap adds 25kg of downforce over the rear axle at 150mph. This works together with the underbody diffuser to reduce the Italia’s overall drag by smoothing out the separating airflow.

The only exterior alterations made for cosmetic reasons are the signature Oakley Design carbon-fibre roof panel, mirror covers and engine cover insert below the rear window glass. These are matched in the engine bay by carbon-fibre panels covering the inner wings and rear bulkhead.

Lower kerb weight automatically improves performance and puts less stress on the suspension, tyres and brakes. The complete titanium exhaust system with triple outlet pipes and no bypass valve shaves a huge 30kg from the Italia’s aft section, where it counts the most.

At half the weight of cast alloy equivalents, the signature Oakley Design lightweight composite wheels save a significant 8.0kg of unsprung weight per corner. Made in the UK, these two-piece wheels have a magnesium-alloy centre married to a carbon-fibre rim. Their adjusted offset keeps the wheel centre line the same as OE to compensate for the half-inch wider footprint at each corner.

Oakley Design plan to offer 9.0J x 20-inch and 11.0J x 20-inch wheels with 245/35ZR20 and 305/35ZR20 tyres, as well as one-inch diameter smaller 9.0J x 19-inch and 11.0J x 19-inch OZ Racing wheels shod with the New Pirelli Trofeo tyre that meets the latest EU regulations for street legal trackday rubber.

Apart from lower back-pressure in the new exhaust system, the improved throttle response and output is down to the larger carbon-fibre air intake box, larger ram air feeds and larger diameter white silicon pipes with Oakley Design logos connecting the air boxes to the intake.

With an ECU remap optimising the fuelling and ignition curves, these changes account for an approximate 10 percent power gain from 570bhp to 627bhp, while torque is up five percent from 540Nm to 567Nm.

Carrying around 65kg less and with more power on tap, the factory 3.4 sec 0-100km/h time drops to around 3.0sec, while top speed has been calculated at over 330km/h.

As reducing the sprung weight has the effect of stiffening the suspension, the car is undergoing extensive testing in this form. A bespoke suspension kit for hard-core trackday drivers is also underway at Intrax, Oakley Design’s suspension and development partner.