Unveiled ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show this coming week is the Ferrari 458 Speciale A spider – yes, a roofless variant of the Speciale coupé, itself a lightweight, ahem, special derived from the regular 458 Italia.
The Speciale A (for Aperta, Italian for "open") features a retractable aluminium hard top from the 458 Spider that folds in a mere 14 seconds. Weight has gone up by just 50 kg over the coupé, sitting at 1,340 kg dry.
Apart from unique five-spoke forged wheels, the aerodynamic addenda that come with the coupé also feature here, including movable flaps front and rear that balance downforce and reduce drag. Under the skin, there's the same Side Slip Angle Control (SSC) system that analyses side slip and optimises torque management and distribution between the rear wheels for better control at the limit.
Nestled below the slatted engine cover (no see-through glass canopy, we're afraid) is the firm's 4.5 litre V8 that has been tweaked to produce 605 PS at a screaming 9,000 rpm and 540 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm, mated to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The 0-100 km/h sprint takes the same 3.0 seconds as the coupé, while the 0-200 km/h time is just 0.4 seconds slower at 9.5 seconds. Despite the slight weight penalty, Ferrari claims the Speciale A laps its Fiorano test track in 1 minute 23.5 seconds, the same as the coupé.
This particular unit making its appearance at Paris is finished in triple-layer yellow paint with central stripes in Blu Nart (blue) and Bianco Avus (white), as well as wheels in Grigio Corsa (grey). The smattering of carbon-fibre trim inside also now has a blue tinge to it, while the newly-designed seats have been upholstered in blue Alcantara with contrasting stitching and yellow 3D technical fabric.
Appetite whetted? You better hurry, as only 499 examples of the Ferrari 458 Speciale A will ever be made.
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