For most, a standard Ferrari 458 Italia will be more supercar than they’ll ever need, with a screaming 4.5-liter V8 engine, lightweight (mostly) carbon and aluminum construction and enough buttons on the steering wheel to make their use a bit of a chore.
However, as is tradition, it really needed a more special version, which would get many tweaks to make it even faster and more distinctive, and whereas the more hardcore version of the 430 was called the Scuderia, Ferrari didn’t really bother with picking a name for this hotter 458 and just called it the “Speciale.” It seems that they chose not to go with the originally-speculated name, “Monte Carlo.”
Still, it does deserve the name, and it probably now makes many owners of regular 458s feel inadequate. First off there’s extra power squeezed out of the motor, which now puts out an astonishing 597 (605PS) naturally-aspirated horsepower, which when calculated against the displacement, results in 135 hp/liter which is unheard-of in a road car. In fact, it not only is Ferrari’s most powerful V8 ever, but it’s actually also the most powerful naturally-aspirated V8 there is, anywhere and at any price. Editor’s note: the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Edition’s N.A. V8 is more powerful at 622hp / 631PS.
This naturally translates into even more impressive performance numbers. The sprint to 62 mph / 100 km/h is dispatched in three seconds dead, and the Speciale is said to be some 1.5 seconds faster around Ferrari’s own Fiorano track, which is the place where they benchmark all of their models.
There’s now also something called Slip Angle Control or SSC, “which makes it easier to achieve car control on the limit, thereby greatly improving driving emotions.” It goes about doing this by varying the torque between the driven wheels via its E-Diff. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 tires also do their part in helping the car keep its line.
In terms of visual goodies, the 458 Speciale gets enough to make it stand out. Most of the changes operated to the exterior helped the car be as slippery as possible, and for instance, it gets “front and rear movable aerodynamics (wings/spoilers) which balance downforce and cut drag.”
Apparently, Pininfarina was called in help integrate these performance-oriented alterations into the car’s admittedly pretty aesthetics. Oh, and there’s a line that runs across the length of the car, though, it’s much wider than that used to differentiate the 360 Challenge Stradale or its successor, the aforementioned 430 Scuderia.
Expect to see live photos of the 458 Speciale once it makes its debut at the Frankfurt motor show next month.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
