Ferrari customers couldn’t care less for Ferrari’s switch to turbocharging as demand outnumbers supply, but for purists, the demise of the naturally aspirated V8 is quite sad.
The last car ever to roll out of Maranello’s gates with a n/a V8 was the 458 Speciale Aperta, the open-top version of the hardcore 458.
It was powered by a 4.5-liter V8 that churned out 605 PS (597 HP) and 540 Nm (398 lb-ft) and revved to 9,000 rpm. Although it was 50 kg heavier than the coupe, the open-top Speciale had identical performance, with 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds dead and 0-200 km/h (0-124 mph) in just 9.5 seconds.
With its production run limited to just 499 examples, it currently commands a hefty premium in the market and is already considered a future classic. If in doubt, perhaps the following video of a dark Speciale Aperta doing its thing in Dubai will convince you…