When our judging panel of nearly 50 readers selected the Ferrari 458 Italia as the 2011 Car of the Year with a landslide vote in Robb Report’s March issue, the editors and writers who had the chance to drive the car were not surprised. While we anticipated the outcome, the 458’s accomplishment still is notable, especially when considered in the context of the Car of the Year competition and, just as important, in the context of its predecessor, the superb F430, which set sky-high standards and expectations for Ferrari’s new mid-engine marvel.