In the absence of many of the biggest names in motoring at the Paris Motor Show, Ferrari had the spotlight to itself for the debut of its LaFerrari Aperta soft-top supercar; the entire production run is already spoken for. Next year is also a landmark one for the Prancing Horse as it turns a nimble 70; the Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta is possibly an early birthday gift to itself. The automaker also detailed plans to build 350 limited edition takes on its current supercar lineup.
By all accounts, Ferrari turned the debut of the LaFerrari Aperta into a party (which is unsurprising in the world of cars) and revelled in the absence of guests such as Lamborghini, Bugatti, Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Actually, it was also a farewell party of sorts because the LaFerrari Aperta is sold out. Also, the proper name is Aperta, not Spider as we had it in our teaser in July. Thanks for that Ferrari. Ok, let’s get into that now-unavailable supercar for a bit and see how it would have handled if we could have gotten our hands on it.
Like its hardtop sibling, this new hypercar offers hybrid hyper performance (say that 10 times fast!), thanks to an electric motor and V12 engine working in concert. The result is a sprint to 100km/h in under 3 seconds and a top speed of 350+km/h – all without a solid roof. As you might imagine, that amps up the adrenaline quite a bit and we await actual field reports on this. We imagine the technical challenge to be unbelievably complicated.
Why? Well, a car without a hard-top roof loses its structural rigidity and aerodynamic prowess, for a start. However, the AFP reports that Ferrari’s engineers and designers have done everything within their powers to ensure that there is no noticeable difference between the hard-top and soft-top versions.
And this is important because who wants a lesser supercar.
The car will come with a fabric soft top as standard or a carbon fiber removable hardtop can be specified as an option.
As well as a new hypercar, Ferrari also detailed plans to build 350 limited edition cars, 70 examples of each vehicle in its series production range – one for each year of the company’s existence – to mark its anniversary.
However, each of these special models will stand out visually but not in terms of performance. Ferrari’s Tailor Made Atelier (which usually handles ground-up bespoke commissions) has created 70 individual liveries inspired by the most iconic Ferraris in history, some of which, but by no means all, were on show.
The California T “Steve McQueen,” for example, is inspired by the 250GT Berlinetta lusso the actor and racing driver once owned. Like the original car, it’s finished in a deep brown and has a camel leather interior.
The company has also looked to racing success for ideas, including the 1961 Tourist Trophy winning 250GT Berinetta SWB. Applied to an F12Berlinetta on the stand, it boasts Blu Scuro racing livery, a number roundel and a white horizontal stripe across the hood.
Ferrari unveiled a number of planned new liveries to mark its 70th anniversary in 2017
The Ferrari F12berlinetta: “The Stirling” edition
The Ferrari California T: “The Steve McQueen” edition
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