There were moments during test driver Raffaele de Simone’s demonstration of the 458 Speciale’s ability to whip its mid-engined rear askew at Fiorano that I sat harnassed in the passenger chair of the bucking Prancing Horse and silently regretted never procreating or, because human cloning is taboo, not depositing a sample of my DNA to be cryogenically frozen for posterity’s sake.
The achingly beautiful Speciale is the most powerful naturally-aspirated V8 that the Scuderia has ever produced with a benchmark 99 kW output per litre from its Jean-Jacques His-fettled motor, but after Raffaele allowed me to take the wheel of the 458 and complete a couple of laps on a track where a seven-time Formula One world champion, then at the very top of his game, once circulated ad nauseum, I pulled focus on the newcomer’s LaFerrari-sourced carbon ceramic braking system.
On the approach to the first bend I snick up the ratios of the instantaneous-shifting dual-clutch seven-speed transmission, the shift speeds of which have been further sped up (somehow) from the ‘box on the Italia, but when I stomp on the brake pedal with mild force, the 458 digs in its hooves so violently that the supercar arrives at the apex at a veritable crawl and in totally the wrong gear.
If the Speciale’s brakes are devastatingly effective and resistant to fade, its throttle pedal is rectilinear in its responsiveness; it feels virtually hair trigger-like to operate, which might be a problem on a bumpy road, mind you. Just a flick on the left carbon-fibre shift paddle, bury the throttle and within fractions the 445 kW 4,5-litre V8 shrieks to its 9 000 r/min rev limit.
But I have not even got to the best part yet; with the combination of the Ferrari’s bespoke 20-inch Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber, a dry mass of 1 290 kg and active aerodynamics (there are moving front flaps and tray in the nose of the car, as well as a trio of electro-actuated flaps in the rear diffuser), it’s not surprising that the Speciale is said to be capable of lateral acceleration of 1,33 G. However, should the laws of physics and a let’s say slight shortage of driving nous interfere with proceedings, as they were always likely to with an excitable, star-truck motoring scribe at the wheel, at Fiorano, the Prancing Horse reacts instantly.
So on the second lap, when I felt confident with the required braking, turn-in and acceleration points of the circuit, I selected Race mode on the mannetino and left the timing of shifts solely up the transmission’s software. Minutes earlier, Raffaele demonstrated that with the right steering angle and throttle input the Speciale would oversteer with ridiculous ease and control, but I was not afforded the opportunity to choose the time and place to test his assertion, however.
It would be easy to the blame the slightly greasy track, but all it took was a liberal application of throttle pedal on the exit of a bend for the 458 to get its wriggle on. Even so, before it even happened an eerie calm descended over me.
Supercars with mid-mounted engines can reportedly be tricky to handle beyond the limit, but the Speciale’s step out was almost serene. The car’s side-slip angle control system performs instant analysis of the car’s yaw angle, then compares it with the target value it’s calculated and directs the e-diff to distribute torque to the respective rear wheels for optimal corning stability. The slide was arrested as quickly as it happened and there was no need for me to countersteer wildly.
That experience encapsulated my time behind the wheel of the newest addition to the Prancing Horse stable. Its steering is refreshingly analogue in its sharpness and instantaneous reactions. Allied to that, the Speciale’s aerodynamic, suspension and engine/drivetrain package will instill confidence in even circumspect drivers – it compels you to explore its, and your own, limits.
In short, the Speciale goes even better than it looks … and anything I’ve driven before.
Specifications
Model: Ferrari 458 Speciale
Engine: 4,5-litre, V8, petrol
Power: 445 kW at 9 000 r/min
Torque: 540 N.m at 6 000 r/min
0-100 km/h: 3,0 seconds
0-200 km/h: 9,1 seconds
Dry mass: 1 290 kg
CO2: 275 g/km
Top speed: 325 km/h
Price: R4,6 million (est)
