When we said the Ferrari 458 Italia was hot we didn’t think it would actually burst into flames. Sadly it has and Ferrari has had to recall all of them to fix the problem after they investigated a few “spontaneous” fires that destroyed about five 458s.
Ferrari says that the problem lay in a flaw within the rear wheel arch where the glue, binding the heat shield and lining, melts and deforms. At high enough temperatures the glue will actually touch the surface of the exhaust, causing the wheel arch liner to ignite.
So luckily, for over 1200 458 owners so far, they won’t have to worry about watching their Ferrari burn to the ground. Ferrari has also replaced the five 458 Italias that, unfortunately, did not make it.
