Ferrari 458 Speciale A Drops Top for Paris Motor Show
Ferrari just confirmed that it plans to unveil the open-air version of its 458 Speciale next week at the Paris Motor Show.
It’s called the Ferrari 458 Speciale A and the company plans to build 499 copies before cutting things off. Ferrari says this is its most powerful convertible ever. And about the convertible top: it’s an aluminum retractable hard top that can tuck away or deploy in only 14 seconds and adds roughly 100 lbs to the car.
Just like the coupe version first seen last year in Frankfurt, this car uses a massaged version of the naturally aspirated V8 in the normal 458 that makes 605 hp at 9,000 RPM in this state of tune and 398 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 RPM. The company’s SSC traction control system is at work to deliver the same white-knuckle performance as the Speciale offers by using a different algorithm than past traction control systems to better predict the car’s trajectory and adjust torque to the wheels as needed. Ostensibly, this car can also pull the same 1.33 g at the company’s Fiorano test track as its closed cabin sibling did.
The Speciale A sprints to 62 MPH in three seconds, meaning the added weight hasn’t encumbered acceleration compared to the coupe. That’s due in large part to the SSC system, but Ferrari also claims this this is its most aerodynamically advanced spider ever. Other highlights that help the car be such a track beast – carried over from the coupe – include Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 rubber designed specifically for the car designed for longevity at lapping days and superior grip in wet conditions.
GALLERY: 2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale A
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Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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I think the Speciale "only" makes 600HP, it could be 605PS