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Ferrari is working on a convertible version of its 458 Speciale, as shown by this prototype parked outside the automaker’s HQ in Maranello, Italy.
The prototype has the convertible body of the 458 Spider but with a number of elements exclusive to the 458 Speciale - among them a more assertive front bumper, new sills. an aerodynamic fin, and two exhausts.
The regular 458 Spider has a three-pipe exhaust design and more streamlined sills.
UNIQUE NAME
The car is likely to have a unique name, just like the previous 430 Scuderia Spider 16M, which was the convertible version of the hardcore 430 Scuderia.
IMAGE GALLERY: 2014 Ferrari 458 Speciale Spider
Apart from the convertible roof and potential name-change, the 458 Speciale Spider should be almost identical to the 458 Speciale coupe.
This means it will be powered by a 4.5-litre V8 tuned to deliver 439kW, an optimised seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and the innovative Side Slip Angle Control (SSC), an upgrade of the transmission control used in F1.
According to Ferrari: "SSC instantaneously calculates the car’s side slip angle, comparing it with reference data - torque management is optimised while differential torque is distributed more efficiently."
The 458 Speciale Spider will likely be launched at the October 2014 Paris auto show.
