A 605 PS version of the 458 with aero parts that change with speed, an open-top Speciale A and a one-off MM Speciale.
The Ferrari 458 Speciale was a variant of the 458 Italia, built by Ferrari from 2014 to 2015 and shown at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. It made 605 PS (597 hp; 445 kW) from a 4,497 cc V8 and reached 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3 seconds. The family also included the open-top Speciale A and an MM one-off.
The Ferrari 458 Speciale is a sharper relative of the 458 Italia, a two-seat, two-door supercar produced from 2014 to 2015. It kept the Italia's mid-mounted V8 but raised output to 605 PS (597 hp; 445 kW), and it shed 90 kg (198 lb) against the Italia. Ferrari presented it at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, and the changes were concentrated on aerodynamics, weight and handling.
What is the Ferrari 458 Speciale?
The Speciale is a rear-wheel-drive, mid-engined two-seater with a longitudinally mounted mid-rear engine. Ferrari derived it from the 458 Italia, and most of the work went into power, weight, aerodynamics and handling. The car was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and built from 2014 to 2015.
A stripe in two colours cuts across the car from the bonnet to the tail, and the bumpers, bonnet and rear end were reworked. The look is very aggressive.
A 458 pushed to 605 PS, with 90 kg taken out and aero parts that change with speed.
Where did the Speciale name come from?
Ferrari considered Scuderia, Montecarlo and Challenge Stradale before settling on Speciale. The car was presented at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show under that name and built from 2014 to 2015.
How did the Speciale's bodywork change?
The rear end has the look of a racing car, with exhaust outlets unlike the central ones of the Italia, and the bumpers and bonnet are reworked as well. Movable spoilers at the front and rear adjust aerodynamic drag as the car's needs change.
The rear diffuser sits at the end of a fully enclosed, flat underbody. Its red flaps change angle to match the load required at the rear axle, so the car gains ground effect at low speed and sheds drag as speed rises.
What do the front flaps and spoiler do?
Two flaps and a horizontal spoiler sit in the centre of the front bumper. The flaps stay shut below 170 km/h (106 mph) and open above that speed, changing the air that reaches the radiators through the black grille. Past 220 km/h (137 mph) the spoiler drops down into position.
At that point the spoiler moves 20% of the aerodynamic load off the front axle and onto the rear. A small splitter and a protrusion under the bumper add 4% to front aerodynamic load, and fins low on the bodywork, close in front of the rear wheels, do something similar.
A separate airflow redirection system adds 20% to the load on the front axle. A movable double splitter in the middle section sends air to spoilers at the bumper corners, plus two fins that protect the rear arches.
How does the rear diffuser work?
The rear diffuser has red flaps that change angle to suit the load on the rear axle. Its movable spoiler has two positions 17 degrees apart. The upper position increases downforce, and the lower one shaves 0.03 points off the drag coefficient.
The car's drag coefficient is 0.35 and its lift coefficient is 0.53. At low speed the diffuser maximises ground effect in its rest position, and as speed rises the flaps deploy to a maximum of 17 degrees.
What is Side Slip Angle Control?
Side Slip Angle Control constantly analyses the car's lateral slip and compares it with ideal values. It then splits engine torque across the pair of rear wheels, which helps the car take corners faster without costing stability or the driver's sense of control.
Ferrari says the braking system was also improved. Working with Brembo, it uses ceramic discs containing more silicon, and its pads are made from a material that dissipates heat better.
The instrument layout is described as unsurpassed. The steering wheel gathers every function a driver needs on the move, and an LED light shows the moment for the best possible gear change.
What changed in the Speciale's V8?
The Speciale uses the Italia's V8 of 4,497 cc (274.4 cu in), whose bore and stroke measure 94 x 81 mm. Output rises to 605 PS (597 hp; 445 kW), reached at 9,000 rpm, and the car is 90 kg (198 lb) lighter than the Italia.
The intake path is 10 mm (0.4 in) shorter, and valve lift increases by 5 mm (0.2 in). Changes to the crankshaft improved how well the bearings are lubricated.
The pistons switch to a lighter, newer material, and the bearings use "novel materials". Carbon fibre makes the intake manifolds, including the filter housing, while aluminium forms the exhaust. The carbon fibre and aluminium take 8 kg (17.6 lb) out of the engine assembly.
Did the Speciale use more fuel than the 458 Italia?
The Speciale used less fuel than the 458 Italia despite its extra power. The figures are 11.8 L/100 km (19.9 mpg-US; 8.5 km/L) for the Speciale against 13.3 L/100 km (17.7 mpg-US; 7.5 km/L) for the Italia, with CO2 ratings of 275 g (9.7 oz) per km and 307 g (10.8 oz) per km.
Two changes explain the gap. An automatic stop-start system works at standstill, and reshaping the piston lifted the compression ratio from 12.5 to 14.0:1. A shorter intake path and greater valve lift also contributed.
How quick was the Speciale?
The Speciale needs exactly 3 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 mph), and 200 km/h (124 mph) arrives in 9.1 seconds. Maximum speed is 325 km/h (202 mph), and around Fiorano it would be 1.5 seconds quicker than the 458 Italia.
Ferrari claims the car's 1.33 g of lateral acceleration is the highest figure of any of its road models. Electronic aids include F1-Trac traction control and the E-Diff electronic differential, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 tyres were developed for the model.
On the figures given for Fiorano, the Speciale is half a second ahead of the 599 GTO but half a second behind the F12berlinetta. The list price of 269,022 euros sits about 38,000 above the Italia's.
Ferrari 458 Speciale specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Layout | Two-seat, two-door, longitudinally mounted mid-rear engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Engine | V8 of 4,497 cc (274.4 cu in), bore and stroke 94 x 81 mm |
| Output | 9,000 rpm peak, 605 PS (597 hp; 445 kW) |
| Weight | 1,290 kg (2,844 lb) |
| Length | 4.53 m (178.3 in) |
| 0-100 km/h | 3 seconds |
| 0-200 km/h | 9.1 seconds |
| Top speed | 325 km/h (202 mph) |
| Fuel use | 11.8 L/100 km (19.9 mpg-US; 8.5 km/L) |
| CO2 | 275 g (9.7 oz) per km |
| Price | 269,022 euros |
What is the Speciale A?
The Speciale A, the open-top sibling of the Speciale, debuted at the Paris show in 2014. The letter A stands for Aperta. Only 499 were produced, which makes it the most powerful Ferrari convertible. The base is the Speciale berlinetta.
Its design follows the Speciale and the 458 Spider. Ferrari sold it only in yellow. The few options were a stripe down the middle, the colours being Blu Nart blue and Bianco Avus white, and alloy wheels with five spokes, finished in Grigio Corsa grey, that lend it a racy air.
Inside, blue carbon fibre and Alcantara make up the main materials, and yellow picks out the seats and the rev counter. Bucket seats came as standard, with the same 3D technology as the coupe bodywork. A blue and white stripe pays tribute to North American Racing Team (NART), an American outfit.
How does the Speciale A perform?
The Speciale A reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3 seconds and 200 km/h (124 mph) in 9.5 seconds. It uses the same naturally aspirated V8 as the coupe, making 605 PS (597 hp; 445 kW), and its top speed sits near the 325 km/h (202 mph) quoted for the closed car.
Maximum torque is 540 Nm (398 lb ft) at 6,000 rpm. The fabric roof takes 14 seconds to open fully, and the car is 50 kg (110 lb) heavier than the coupe. It keeps the coupe's low weight with slightly more ground clearance.
Active aerodynamics at the front and rear keep the car firmly planted at all times. Side Slip Angle Control, first seen on the Speciale coupe, remains its main draw. The block and head are aluminium, with a DOHC layout and four valves per cylinder.
Why is the Speciale A so rare?
The Speciale A was limited to 499 units and is as rare as the LaFerrari. The 458 Speciale appears to be the final naturally aspirated V8 road car from Maranello ahead of the 458's replacement.
Ferrari credits the car with the most aerodynamic body of any spider it has made, yet it looks much like the hardtop base car. It shares the aggressive front wing ventilation, a large diffuser and tube-shaped exhaust outlets at the rear.
What is the 458 MM Speciale?
The MM Speciale is a one-off commissioned by a customer in the United Kingdom. It sits on the Speciale platform, but its body is quite different, with a new front and rear end and wheels exclusive to this car.
A black A-pillar creates a visor effect inspired by the 1984 288 GTO. The car is painted in Bianco Italia, with a stripe in the colours of the Italian flag running from one end to the other.
The Ferrari Styling Centre designed the car, aiming for the windscreen and side windows to merge into one surface. The roofline resembles that of Koenigsegg cars, and new aluminium and carbon fibre bodywork includes side gills closer to those of the 488 GTB.
The front radiators sit closer together and at a steeper angle, the side intakes stand out more, and the rear gains a new spoiler. Ferrari credits these changes with a better aero balance on track.
The MM Speciale uses the 488 GTB's engine, and it weighs 1,370 kg (3,020 lb). A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox sends the drive to the rear wheels, and Ferrari claims a 3-second sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph), with a top speed near 322 km/h (200 mph).
It is sometimes also called the 488 Speciale or the 488 Scuderia, or, given the shape of its headlights, as a new Ferrari Dino. The chassis comes from the Speciale, and the side air intakes feed the engine more directly.
Which rivals did the Speciale face?
The Speciale's main rivals were the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse from 2014 and the McLaren MP4-12C. The power increase brought the Speciale a little closer to the McLaren from Woking.
The McLaren 650S Spider was the direct opponent for the Speciale A. The car also faced the Audi R8 V10 Spyder and a Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder.
Why did the Speciale matter?
The Speciale took the Italia's V8 to 605 PS (597 hp; 445 kW), cut 90 kg (198 lb) of weight and added aerodynamic parts that change with speed. Its Side Slip Angle Control helps it take corners faster, and the same platform carried the open-top Speciale A and the MM one-off.
