Ferrari is working on a convertible version of its hardcore 458 Speciale, as evidenced by a prototype spotted outside the company’s headquarters in Maranello, Italy. The prototype, photos of which can be found on 4WheelsNews, features the convertible body of the 458 Spider but with a number of elements exclusive to the 458 Speciale.

These include a more aggressive front bumper, new side sills with an aerodynamic fin, and dual exhaust tips. The regular 458 Spider has a three-pipe exhaust design and more streamlined side sills.

We’ll likely see the 458 Speciale Spider introduced at the 2014 Paris Auto Show in early October (a private showing already took place during last weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance). 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.

Apart from the convertible roof and potential name change, the 458 Speciale Spider should be almost identical to the 458 Speciale coupe. This means a 4.5-liter V-8 tuned to deliver 597 horsepower, an optimized seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and the innovative Side Slip Angle Control system.

Stay tuned for an update.

Ferrari 458 Speciale, 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show

Ferrari 458 Speciale, 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show


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