Ferrari 458 Speciale makes its regional debut at the Dubai Motor Show alongside former Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella.
[Not a valid template]Former Formula 1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella was on-hand to pull the wraps off the new Ferrari 458 Speciale.
Fisichella, a former Grand Prix driver with Ferrari, Sauber, Renault/Benetton, Jordan and Minardi as well as current GT racer with AF Corse, unveiled the special edition model – a faster, more dynamic variant of the now four-year old model – to the region for the first time. In the absence of the company’s new 950bhp LaFerrari hypercar, the Speciale is Ferrari’s headline model in Dubai this year following its global debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Powered by a 597bhp 4.5-litre unit, the most powerful naturally aspirated Ferrari V8 ever and up from the 458’s traditional 562bhp, the Speciale hits 0-100kph in 3.0 seconds. Said performance is capable thanks also due to its 1290kg kerb weight. The Speciale – constructed mainly from carbon fibre – also boasts a dual clutch transmission, a world first Side Slip Angle Control (basically a really clever traction control), and new natty racing stripes, and will lap Ferrari’s private Fiorano test track in just 1m 23.5s.
Also on display on Ferrari’s stand at the Dubai Motor Show is the company’s latest GT, the F12berlinetta which crankandpiston.com took for a spin on both its international launch and at home in the Middle East. Also decked out in red is the FF, Ferrari’s first four-wheel drive model, and the 458 Spider.
