Ferrari Superamerica
Take a 200mph Ferrari 575 Maranello, chop off its metal roof and replace it with a carbon fibre and glass panel, and you get the most desirable convertible on the planet. Enter Ferrari's new 575 Superamerica, which also lays claim to being one of the coolest and most indulgent cars ever built.
Offering a perfect blend of coup
Take a 200mph Ferrari 575 Maranello, chop off its metal roof and replace it with a carbon fibre and glass panel, and you get the most desirable convertible on the planet. Enter Ferrari's new 575 Superamerica, which also lays claim to being one of the coolest and most indulgent cars ever built.
The newcomer will be sold in limited numbers, and the production run of 559 (one less than marketing bosses thought they could shift) has already been snapped up. The price? If you stick with the six-speed manual box, £191,000 will cover it. Fancy the paddle-operated F1 system? That will be £198,800. Needless to say, value for money wasn't Ferrari's top priority. Instead, it set engineers to work on the unique roof mechanism.
The system has been developed by Italian firm Saint Gobain, and as well as opening or closing in only seven seconds, its electrochromic glass offers five levels of tint. The darkest setting (selected via a switch on the centre console) lets in one per cent of light, and at its clearest it is similar to a conventional sunroof.
But with such speed of operation, if the sun is shining, you will probably just hit the roof control switch. With the top resting on the rear deck, little more than a gentle breeze disturbs the cabin, so occupants get to enjoy the sound of the engine in perfect clarity. And the 5.7-litre V12's deep howl is so intoxicating, you will not even care if it is raining.
Ferrari has squeezed more power out of the huge 575 unit to negate the 60kg weight gain from chassis stiffening in the change to cabrio. The result is 548bhp, a 199mph top speed and 0-60mph in only 4.25 seconds. Bosses claim the Superamerica is the world's fastest convertible.
Buyers can even choose a sportier suspension and braking set-up for the car, and at £14,445 the firm expects at least 40 per cent of owners to opt for this 'HGTC' pack. It works brilliantly in combination with the F1 transmission, sharpening the handling and allowing you to enjoy the power in perfect safety. On the road, you will rarely approach the limits of the huge rear tyres or trouble the F1-inspired carbon-ceramic brakes, but it is nice to know Ferrari's engineers have tested it to the limit and beyond to ensure a special driving experience.
Keen drivers will still prefer the tin-top's stiffer structure and more controlled suspension, but this car treads a fine line between road-burner and boulevard cruiser. The hood is fantastically simple, and the re-styled rear takes years off the familiar 575 design. Ferrari will have disappointed more than one person by building only 559 Superamericas.
