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Ferrari 458 Speciale is the fastest Italia yet

Ferrari launched its LaFerrari hypercar at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year to some acclaim. It’ll find that a tough act to follow when it shows off its latest wares at the forthcoming Frankfurt show, but the Prancing Horse is making a decent hoof of things by unveiling the Ferrari 458 Speciale.

The 458 Speciale is a hardcore version of the standard 458 – much like the 360 Challenge and 430 Scuderia were to their standard alternatives. Its 4.5-litre V8 engine has been fettled to produce 596hp, up from 562hp in the standard car, with torque staying at an already impressive 540Nm. The former number is, according to Ferrari, the highest of any naturally-aspirated engine on the market.

The big news is that the 458 Speciale’s dry weight is quoted at 1,290kg, a significant improvement on the standard car’s 1,380kg. Its power to weight ratio has improved markedly, meaning it can now accelerate to 62mph in 3 seconds flat and on to 124mph in 9.1 seconds.

Cornering is aided by new side slip angle control system that works in conjunction with the electronic differential, and specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres that help the thing grip at 1.33 g in lateral acceleration.

Word is it’ll lap Fiorano in 1:23.5 – half a second off the pace of its F12 Berlinetta big brother.

We’ve no word on pricing or availability as yet, but stick around as all will be be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

Ferrari 458 Speciale Pictures

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