New Ferrari 458 Speciale A revealed

• The new Ferrari 458 Speciale A has been revealed. It is the most powerful open-top road-going 'spider' model in Maranello's history, and will debut at next week's Paris motor show.

• The 458 Speciale A – the 'A' stands for 'Aperta', which is Italian for 'open' – is limited to 499 examples, like the flagship LaFerrari hypercar. The 458 Speciale A is described by Ferrari as "a celebration of the dazzling success of the various versions of the 458".
• The car is propelled by the same engine as the 458 Speciale coupé, which is the most powerful naturally aspirated road-going V8 unit ever built by Ferrari. The 4497cc engine has a maximum power output of 597bhp at 9000rpm and maximum torque of 55kgm at 6000rpm. Equipped with a seven-speed twin-clutch semi-automatic transmission, the 458 Speciale A can accelerate from 0-100kph in 3.0 seconds – the same as the Ferrari 458 Speciale coupé – and hit 200kph in 9.5 seconds.
• Maranello hasn't confirmed an official top speed. The 458 Speciale A's dry weight is claimed at 1340kg. Its aluminium retractable hard top, which takes 14 seconds to deploy or retract, makes it 50kg heavier than the 1290kg Speciale coupé.

• Mirroring the exterior differences between the 'standard' 458 Italia and 458 Spider, the new Speciale A features a number of changes to accommodate the retractable roof and its mechanism. One consequence of the rearranged rear deck is that there is no longer a glass cover over the engine. Instead you get a painted cover with six air vents.
• The 458 Speciale A is also the most aerodynamically efficient Ferrari spider ever. It features front and rear active aerodynamics, a rigid chassis structure comprised of ten aluminium alloys and the Side Slip Angle Control (SSC) system. First introduced on the 458 Speciale coupé, SSC takes control of the limited-slip diff’s operation when the car is switched into Race or TC (traction control off) modes.
• The Paris show car will be presented in a triple-layer yellow livery with a blue and white central stripe and five-spoke forged wheels.
• The interior gets blue carbonfibre – exclusive to this model – on the dash, moulded door panels and central tunnel, as well as the newly designed seats in Alcantara with contrasting stitching and 3D technical fabric. A special plaque in the cockpit commemorates the three international 'best performance engine' awards the V8 has won.