Racing a supercar against a supercar can be entertaining, sure. But take a highly modified 2003 Seat Cordoba that almost no one has ever heard of and pit it against a lightly modded-out Ferrari 458, and you get a spectacle hard to fathom.
Loca lfolklore says the Ferrari 458 Spider had a good run between 2011 and 2015. The Italian car manufacturer made its first retractable hard-top mid-engine supercar using the 458 Italia "International Engine of the Year." The naturally aspirated 4.5-liter V8 was one of the first of its kind mounted in a Ferrari.
The red line from the RPM counter resided in the 9,000 neighborhood. Its 7-speed automatic gearbox pumped 570 hp and 540 Nm (398 lb-ft) of torque to the rear wheels. In its heyday, it could accelerate from 0 to 62 mph or 100 kph in just 3.4 seconds and reach 199 miles per hour or 320 kph. Here's a fun fact: it took 14 seconds to open the roof.
Our 2014 Ferrari 458 Spider has undergone some slight modifications, like an F1 exhaust system and Pipercross filters, which pump up its performance numbers to 572 hp or 580 ps. It also sports a Liberty Walk widebody kit.
Racing against it is a highly modified second-gen 2003 Seat Cordoba, which looks like its face melted and didn't care one bit. The nameplate came into existence in '93 as a three-box sedan version of the Seat Ibiza. It was built on the Polo A04 (PQ24) platform under Volkswagen's watchful eye and wallet.
Photo: Officially Gassed - OG
This front-wheel drive Spanish VW has a 1.9-liter straight-four turbocharged Diesel engine that develops 500 horsepower. However, using a nitrous kit, it can reach 700 hp. It was made for drag racing, scoring 9.4 seconds at 154 mph or 248 kph down the 1/4-mile. Recently, it competed and lost against a 1972 Toyota Corolla that wore a 5.6-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine capable of delivering 570 horsepower.
The Cordoba's mods include a 2869 Skillaturbo, injectors +160%, 2.0 pistons, a Veicomer ported head, a 272 high-lift camshaft, and a 3-stage nitrous oxide system. It also makes so much smoke that you could easily mistake it for an 1800s steam locomotive. "Eco-friendly" isn't part of its vocabulary.
During the first roll race, both cars pulled a photo finish, and Jamie from the "OFFICIALLY GASSED - OG" UK-based YouTube channel called it a draw after reviewing the action replay. The second race went to the Seat by about three car lengths. They went for a final deciding race, where the Cordoba took home the gold.
After that, they moved on to classic drag racing, where the Seat didn't take any prisoners—at least not in the first race, winning by half a car length. But then, the Ferrari 458 started getting mad and won on the second and third tries, securing total victory. The prancing pony sports car covered the 1/4-mile (402 meters) in 11.69 seconds at 123 mph or 198 kph. The Seat Cordoba finished in 11.79 seconds, one-tenth slower, while going 113 mph or 182 kilometers per hour.
For the 0 to 60 mph times, the 458 Spider took 3.49 seconds, whereas the Spanish Volkswagen took 4.01 ticks. The latter tried its best, but the Italian pony maintained its reputation like a true champ. The only way this race could have been more entertaining is by featuring Lambo or Porsche competitors from Ferrari's era.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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