What Makes The Ferrari 458 Speciale So Special? – Part I
Do you know when a car witch you from the very first moment? The reasons that lead to an unhealthy relationship with a car can be different, but when you can choose from more than a couple of them to get out for a ride, and instead you always choose her, at that moment you realize that she is special – Special indeed. The capital “S” fits perfectly here because the 458 Speciale is truly mind blowing, not only because it is the extreme version of the already phenomenal 458 Italia, or because it is the last naturally aspirated V8 of Maranello’s Prancing Horse, but because each time you put yourself behind the wheel and play with the manettino, it becomes a real event. A marriage between your body and her one, made of carbon fiber and an even more rigid structure, clearly more suitable for a drive with the blade between the teeth, irrespective of the fact that you trash it between the curbs of a track, or between a winding mountain road.
The 458 Speciale has evolved to a supercar at supreme stage straight from your most distant dreams, taking in a blissful her personal Olympus that makes her even better than the following model, the 488 GTB, that despite the best efficiency and the thrust of the two turbos, does not send you that shiver down your spine that you were missing since the F430 Scuderia. It may be a matter of imprinting? Or will the fact that a so special edition with more power and a more naked and raw setting, knows how to take your guts and twist ‘em as only cars like this can? It has an innate versatility and a pure-bred stallion’s voice, no doubt, the 458 Speciale is one of the most incredible cars I’ve ever driven. Next month we’ll put it under pressure to analyze its perfect recipe.
Words by Christian Parodi