Ferrari 458 Italia Offers Best-In-Class Emissions With HELE System

Believe it or not but even a manufacturer of high-performance supercars endowed with V-8 and V-12 engines can be conscious about the environment. Take Ferrari, for example. The Italian marque has used this week’s 2011 Geneva Motor Show to present a new version of its stunning 458 Italia supercar equipped with its High Emotion Low Emissions (HELE) technology.

Already available for the Ferrari California in certain markets, HELE is designed to reduce the environmental impact of Ferrari’s cars whilst boosting their performance and driving pleasure. In the case of the 458 Italia, the HELE system manages to reduce the car’s emissions by as much as 15 percent over the standard model. This equates to a best-in-class emissions rating of about 0.97 pounds of CO2 per mile--not bad for a car with 563 horsepower on tap and a 0-62 mph time of just 3.4 seconds.

HELE is essentially a group of technologies designed to reduce a car’s carbon footprint. The major component is an engine start-stop system that switches off the 458’s V-8 when it comes to a stop, then switches it quickly back on when the driver starts to lift his or her foot off the brake pedal.

It's packaged with a variety of other efficiency tweaks, including an intelligent engine fan and fuel pump control, electronic ancillaries such as the power steering and air-conditioning, and a gear-shift pattern that adapts to driving style.

There’s no word on whether the HELE system will be offered to Ferrari’s American customers but it’s unlikely given the rarity of stop-start models available in the U.S. (hybrids not included). For more details, check out the video below and then hit this link for our complete coverage of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

[Ferrari via MotorAuthority]

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