Ever driven a Ferrari 458 Italia – all 562 hp of it – and found yourself thinking, "This is great, but I just wish it was faster"?
Well, good news: Naza Italia has just introduced the Ferrari 458 Speciale, as part of the Ferrari Racing Days event in Sepang taking place throughout the weekend. The Speciale finds its way here six months after making its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year.
The previous article has already gone into detail the changes made to the Italia to give it a harder edge, but here are the specifics.
Power from the 4.5 litre direct-injected V8 jumps by 35 hp to 597 hp (the highest specific output of any production engine ever produced, at 133 hp per litre), made right at the screaming 9,000 rpm headline, although peak torque remains at 540 Nm at 6,000 rpm. Weight drops by 90 kg to 1,395 kg dry.
These changes enable the Speciale to go from 0-100 km/h in three seconds flat, on the way to hitting 200 km/h in 9.1 seconds. The lightweight special (hah) also lapped Ferrari's Fiorano test track in 1 minute 23.5 seconds, 1.5 seconds quicker than the Italia.
This is due in no small part to the active aerodynamic appendages fitted to the Speciale – movable flaps front and rear balance downforce and cuts drag at higher speeds. A new side slip angle control system (SSC) analyses side slip and optimises torque management and distribution between the rear wheels for better control at the limit.
Now that you know about the car, you should know about the price – the Ferrari 458 Speciale will retail at RM1,238,800. Now, those of you who think this is a bargain compared to the RM1.9mil price tag of the Spider, hold your horses – this price is before import and excise duty - Naza Italia will announce the full price at a later date.
If you're interested in the hardcore 458, you better hurry – there's a 12-month waiting list already, with Naza Italia expecting it to double after the launch. As with all new Ferraris, the Speciale is offered with a seven-year scheduled maintenance at standard service intervals (every 20,000 km, or once a year with unlimited mileage).
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