CAR magazine pitches the latest 2014 Ferrari 458 Speciale against the Porsche 911 GT3. Watch our twin test video review here!

Engine displacement will be below four liters

A new report indicates the Ferrari 458 M will be unveiled next year at the Geneva Motor Show with as much as 666 bhp.

Internally codenamed "142M", the Ferrari 458 Italia successor is believed to come with a twin-turbo V8 engine that will have a displacement of less than four liters in order to comply with the Chinese tax threshold which has greatly affected sales of the current model that packs a 4.5-liter V8.

The new motor will be largely based on the California T's 3.8-liter unit and according to Autocar it could be tweaked to develop 666 bhp (497 kW) which would be more than main rival McLaren 650S that has 641 bhp (478 kW).

Chances are the engine will have a 12:1 compression ratio and will benefit from the company's "ion" knock detection system which can automatically adjust combustion conditions for each of the eight cylinders.

Torque is estimated to stand at more than 550 lb-ft (745 Nm) which would be 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) more than the 650S. To cope with the extra power, Ferrari's engineers will have to make some upgrades to the dual-clutch Getrag seven-speed gearbox which will likely get uprated internals and/or an additional gear.

Scheduled to debut March next year at the Geneva Motor Show, the Ferrari 458 M (name not confirmed) will adopt an evolutionary styling with an emphasis on being more aerodynamically efficient.

Not an ordinary color for a Ferrari

A Ferrari 458 Speciale featuring a striking Tiffany Blue paint showed up at a gathering organized by Ferrari of Newport Beach.

Most Ferrari customers select a red, black or yellow paint when configuring their prancing horse but one owner decided not to follow the trend as he went for a Tiffany Blue hue which makes the 458 Speciale stand out even more. He brought his car during a holiday cruise organized by Ferrari of Newport Beach where a wide variety of other models participated, including another $298,000 458 Speciale (painted in red) and the beloved F40.

Basically all current Ferraris were there, with the exception of the range-topping LaFerrari and the 458 Speciale’s open-top sibling called Aperta of which only 499 units are being planned.

We remind you Ferrari is facing a high demand for the Speciale which is why they are prioritizing orders based on their value. In other words, the more equipment a client adds to his Speciale, the more chances he will have getting the car. Consequently, ordering the "basic" 458 Speciale will probably put you at the bottom of the order list, with slim chances of actually getting the car.

Just because we've got the new Ferrari 488 GTB to talk about, doesn't mean that the 458 Italia has lost any of its appeal, does it?

Well, no, of course it hasn't. Especially since it's naturally aspirated V8 is part of the pantheon of all time great power units. Having said that, take a look at this beautiful 458 decked out in Rosso Corsa, and sitting on a set of SM5R Deep Concave Monoblock Strasse wheels.

They measure 20x9 up front and 21x12 out back, and have a lower overall weight than the factory wheels. The SM5R wheels are finished in Brushed Bronze which is what the client asked for, but we're not so sure about that color contrast. Red and Bronze/Gold kind of cancel each other out.

Luckily, the Monoblock SM5R wheels also come in Black, Silver and Gunmetal. As for the design itself, no arguments there, these things are beautiful.

Speaking of which, so is the 458. It always has been.

Features carbon fiber body kit

The Ferrari 458 Italia has received a custom body kit from LA-based tuner Misha Designs.

Two different body kits have been prepared, with the first one encompassing a new hood, front bumper, fenders and side skirts along with a more aggressive rear bumper and a subtle wing. All of these aftermarket pieces are manufactured from carbon fiber to shave off weight and can be purchased individually.

Misha Designs has also prepared a limited edition kit available for the first 20 customers. It's very similar to the first one but the side skirts are more prominent while the rear end hosts a different rear wing inspired by the FXX K.

However, the wing blades are interconnected on this 458 Italia to create one piece, unlike on the FXX K where the blades are independent from one another. Just like the first package, this one too is manufactured entirely from carbon fiber.

Sometimes you just have to call your company what it is, which in this case would be 'Impressive Wrap Hong Kong'. That about says it all, doesn't it?

If you're a private racing team and the Ferrari 458 Challenge was a bit underwhelming, then maybe this improved Evoluzione version will float your boat.

It's got a massive rear wing that's sure to help with downforce, a new front splitter and an updated floor - which leads Ferrari to claim that the Evo will give you better long distance efficiency, as opposed to just faster lap times.

Underneath the custom wrap-job from Impressive Wrap Hong Kong, lies the same powertrain as in the 458 Challenge. That's 570 HP going to the rear wheels, plus you get better gear rations and improved low-end torque when compared to a factory Ferrari 458.

We have to say, this thing looks mean and the red, white and gray mix really hits the nail on the head as far as giving this car an even more race-ready appearance.