Frankfurt auto show: Hardcore 458 to keep Ferrari fans happy

You do start to worry that Ferrari is running out of names to give its cars. After decades of models with evocative names such as Modena, Fiorano, Enzo and Scaglietti, this year we have seen the LaFerrari ('TheFerrari') and now the 458 Speciale - which translates as, um, Special.

Still, while not much imagination is being shown on the naming front, Ferrari does at least seem to be putting in the effort when it comes to the engineering, just as you might expect. A tweaked and tuned version of the (hardly slugglish) 458 Italia, the Speciale punches hard with some pretty spectacular performance. It has an extraordinary weight-power ratio of 2.13 kg/hp, 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3 seconds, lateral acceleration of 1.33 g and a Fiorano lap time of 1’23”5. Even the control systems are fast, with Ferrari claiming a response time to commands of just 0.060 seconds.

It has the most powerful naturally aspirated engine that Ferrari has ever produced for a road car, with the 4.5-litre V8 now pumping out 605hp at a screaming 9,000rpm. Its specific output of 135hp per litre is also, claims, Ferrari, the highest ever recorded by a road car.

Ferrari has worked hard on the car’s aerodynamics, with patented mobile aerodynamic solutions at the front and the rear of the car which ensure that different aerodynamic configurations can be adopted in cornering, where maximum downforce is essential, and on straights where, instead, drag must be reduced to a minimum.

Of particular note are the innovative solutions adopted at the front of the car, with two vertical flaps in the centre and the horizontal flap below them. At relatively low speeds, the vertical flaps are closed, channelling air into the radiators to guarantee the necessary cooling for the engine. However, at speeds in excess of 170 km/h, the flaps open, reducing the volume of air flowing into the radiators, thereby cutting drag. At speeds of over 220km/h the horizontal flap lowers to balance downforce between the front and rear axles, leading to a 20 per cent shift in overall downforce towards the rear.

The turning vanes at either side of the front bumper slow the air flow which increases downforce, thereby shifting the aerodynamic balance 4 per cent over the front. Thanks to their shape, the aerodynamic fins ahead of the rear wheels increase downforce very much in the same way as the front turning vanes.

The rear spoiler has a larger surface area and more pronounced shape which has improved the efficiency of the underbody, increasing downforce. Moving the position of the tailpipes also allowed a new diffuser to be designed which optimises the extraction capacity of the underbody. The rear flaps have two different configurations: raised for high downforce and lowered to minimise drag. Sophisticated sensors and a specific algorithm allow the flaps to be lowered by as much as a 17° angle, thereby stalling the diffuser and reducing Cd by 3 points.

The traction control system has been tweaked too, to specifically give the maximum possible power to the rear wheels on the way out of a corner and, says Ferrari, to ‘greatly enhance driving enjoyment.’

The car’s brakes, too, have been uprated. The 458 Speciale sports Extreme Design calipers, new generation HT2 discs with a higher percentage of silicon, and smaller front pads made from HY hybrid material for improved heat dissipation which is also boosted by special channels in the bodywork and is crucial in extreme driving situations. The result is shorter stopping distances (100 - 0 km/h in 31 m) without any compromises in weight, and more consistent performance under severe use.

Ferrari used the Frankfurt show to confirm plas to ramp up investment in new technology by half to €2bn through 2017 as the Italian marque seeks to build the world's most fuel-efficient high-performance engines.

“Ferrari will build the world’s highest-performance and most efficient engines in the world,” chairman Luca di Montezemolo said. “The secret is innovation, innovation, innovation.”

“We want to build cars that have fantastic performance that stay inside the [EMISSION] rules,” Mr Montezemolo said.

The fact that Ferrari, famed for its prancing horse logo, roaring engines and unadulterated performance, is working to curb its emissions underlines the pressure being put on the entire car industry to reduce its carbon footprint.

Ferrari spent €1.4bn on product investment in the five years to end-2012, including the development of its first hybrid car, the LaFerrari.

The investment figures do not include the brand’s investment in the Ferrari Formula One team.

“This is about – without using electric engines and hybrid all the time – being innovative and reducing fuel consumption and emissions, while keeping the emotional pleasure of driving,” said Mr Montezemolo.

The carmaker, owned by Fiat, says the investment will be funded internally. Ferrari has cash reserves of over €1.2bn and had a positive cash flow of almost €200m in the first half of the year.

Fuel consumption in new Ferrari models has been reduced by 35 per cent in the past four years, and carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by about a quarter, even as the company increases the power of its engines.

Alongside the engine development, the extra spending will enable Ferrari to bring out at least one new model every year, plus special edition cars.

Ferrari, which has 700 buyers lined up for the 499 models of its $1.4m LaFerrari model, sold 7,300 cars in 2012 but has announced that it will reduce production by around 400 this year to maintain the exclusivity of the brand.

Despite that pledge, the carmaker will increase its global footprint this year, entering the Moroccan market next month and starting sales in Azerbaijan by the end of the year, Mr Montezemolo said.

Profit growth will be driven by an expansion of its merchandising and add-ons such as its car tailoring service, he added.

Ferrari clients pay at least €50,000 to have their choice of interior material and colours.

- Additional reporting: Financial Times Service