2014 Ferrari 458 Speciale Overview

Do you like the regular 458 Italia, yet yearn for more horsepower and performance? Well, Ferrari has just the extreme car to fulfill your extreme desire! The 458 Speciale is the ultimate trim of the 458 lineup that is street-legal (there is also a track-only 458 Challenge).

Horsepower is bumped to 597, which is 35 more than the base 458 Italia. Peak torque remains at 398 pounds-feet. This makes the 458 Speciale the high-power, naturally aspirated V-8 Ferrari of all time, Ferrari says. Ferrari claims the engine itself, at 133 horsepower per liter of displacement, is the most horsepower-dense naturally aspirated road engine ever. Ferrari cites a 0 to 62 miles per hour acceleration time of 3 seconds flat, and a 0 to 124 miles per hour time of 9.1 seconds.

To enhance the car's handling, dry weight (how much the car weighs without any fluids) is cut to 2844 pounds from 3024 pounds in the base 458. A different algorithm was programmed into the Side Slip angle Control for more control at the handling limit. The system measures lateral slip and works with the traction control and electronic differential. Tires were developed with Michelin, and that resulted in a set of custom Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s. Lateral grip, at 1.33 g, is the best achieved by any Ferrari. Ferrari says the tires improve lap times by providing better consistency and wet grip; the best lap time Ferrari got out of the Speciale on its Fiorano track was 1:23.5, which comes close to the under-1:20 times posted by the hypercar LaFerrari.

Aerodynamics were honed by Pininfarina. It involves larger air intakes and vents, and a larger rear diffuser. Unspecified active aerodynamics are supposed to maximize downforce while minimizing air resistance, and the 458 Speciale introduces "advanced active aerodynamics" for its future models.

Ferrari is mum on any specifics on pricing or an on-sale date, but you can expect the 458 Speciale to be a hefty amount of money more expensive than the 458 Italia.

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