Matt Farah One Takes a 458 Speciale Aperta
There’s a certain appeal to open-top cars that simply can’t be matched by their coupe counterparts. Even with sunroofs in their fully-open position, they can’t quite duplicate the experience of the wind rushing all around you. That’s what makes this 458 Speciale Aperta such an incredible car, as you can hear in Matt Farah and The Smoking Tire‘s “One Take” video below.
Having the engine howling right over your shoulder is another benefit, and there’s not many better engines to be heard. Displacing 4.5 liters and sending out 597 horsepower, it stands as the highest specific-output naturally aspirated V8 in production. It also bellows out quite well, with a near 9,000 rpm red-line.
On the road, it’s tough to tell apart from the coupe in terms of dynamics. Chassis stiffening was incorporated, but it went on a serious weight-loss program everywhere else. You’ll have to do without carpets, and carbon fiber replaces anything else that can’t be removed. All in, there’s a 90kg weight savings. With the performance of the coupe, plus an added dimension of joy through the open top, it’s no wonder these cars are starting to appreciate in value. Only 499 of these Speciale Aperta’s were ever made, and new they were about $400,000. They are nearly double that amount if you want to buy one now.
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Via [The Smoking Tire]
