There is an uncorroborated rumor that Ferrari is developing a Spider version of its thrilling 458 Speciale – the highest-performing variant of the 458 lineup.
The news solely emanates out of 4wheelnews and has popped up all over the web. They claim to have “inside sources” that confirmed Ferrari has given the go-ahead for this new convertible. Ferrari, so far, has no official comment on the matter.
It is important to offer some context. In January 2014, during the launch period of the Speciale coupe, Car magazine published an interview with Ferrari’s Technical Director, Roberto Fideli. The outlet asked specifically about the possibility of an open-roof variant of the Speciale. Here is what Fedeli had to say:
“I don’t think we will build a Spider version of the 458 Speciale, but ask me again in one-to-two years. With the 16M [the convertible 430 Scuderia] we had our 16 Formula 1 constructors’ championships to talk about and a lot of clients were asking for this kind of car, but we don’t redo the same exercise and always avoid repeating our past.”
If Fedeli is correct (and as he is Technical Director, so he has direct knowledge), it spells bad news for enthusiasts. However, on an unrelated note, Fedeli was also asked about turbocharged engines in the interview. He said, “We are developing a turbocharged V8 engine, but I don’t know when it will be ready to put in our cars.” One month later, in February, Ferrari released images and details of the turbocharged California T. Clearly, Fedeli was not forthcoming in his response.
Furthermore, Maranello is expected to debut a 458 successor imminently. Most reporting suggests it will feature a revised 458 chassis and a turbo V8. The timing of the new mid-engine car may be as good a reason as any for Ferrari to forgo a Speciale Spider.
Take this rumor with a healthy grain of salt. Neither the rumor site nor Ferrari can be fully trusted on this matter. Regardless, please enjoy the beautiful rendering below, courtesy of our friend Khalil from Virtuel Car.
By Nico Grant
Render via Virtuel Car
PHOTO GALLERY
