Ferrari has revealed the convertible variant of the 458 Speciale, set to be shown in exactly one week at this year’s Paris Motor Show.
Known as the 458 Speciale Aperta, or A for short, the convertible will be limited to 499 units worldwide and will possibly be the final variant of the 458 lineup before the refreshed model bows sometime next year.
Like the coupe, the 458 Speciale A is powered by a normally-aspirated 4.5-litre V8, producing 597 horsepower at 9,000 RPM and 398 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,000 RPM. These figures alone make the Speciale A the most powerful convertible Ferrari has ever produced, and considering it’s limited to 499 units and will likely be Ferrari’s last road car powered by a normally-aspirated V8, it has the potential to become a future collectible.
2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale A.
Handout, Ferrari
The 458 Speciale A’s aluminum roof is identical to that of the regular 458 Spider, and despite the 110-pound weight difference between the 458 Speciale coupe, it can sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h in three seconds flat and even matches the coupe’s 1:23.5 lap time around Ferrari’s Fiorano test track. The Speciale A also includes a number of tweaks under the skin, including chassis reinforcements, aerodynamic tweaks and Ferrari’s Side Slip Angle Control gadget that figures out how much torque to send to (and between) the rear wheels.
When it debuts next week, the 458 Speciale A will be finished in yellow, accented with ‘Blu Nart’ and ‘Bianco Avus’ stripes and will roll on split five-spoke forged wheels finished in ‘Grigio Corsa’. The yellow theme continues inside with matching Alcantara seat inserts and door panels and blue carbon fibre trim.
We’ll bring you the latest on the 458 Speciale Aperta, as well as everything else from the Paris Motor Show, when it kicks off on Oct. 2.
2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale A.
Handout, Ferrari
