traction control. Torque is impressive this
low in the revs.
4000rpm. Throttle against metal,
traction increasing, thrust now fairly
serious, your back compressed against
those thinly padded seats, eyes drinking
up a lot of road.
6000rpm. The noise: a high-tempo, rich
roar growing in volume, pitch and anger.
The Speciale squats harder. You’re at
peak torque now, 540Nm.
7500rpm. Engine roaring, vibration not
insignificant, acceleration simply brutal.
Brain squealing to pluck ‘up’ paddle.
8500rpm. Feels like the thing is going
to explode.
9000rpm. LEDs atop the steering wheel
beckon you to pull the tall, thin, carbon
paddle. There’s so much volume, pitch
and intensity. All at once, you wince at
the revs, yet at the same time it feels likeit could wind on another 1000rpm. It’s at
9000rpm the Speciale is cranking its full
445kW and feels unbelievably alive.
At this point your eyes are as big as an
owl’s and your heart feels like it’s doing
200bpm. Pluck second without lifting.
And repeat. With launch control, you’ve
hit 100km/h in a claimed 3.0 seconds,
200km/h takes 9.1 seconds and, Ferrari
claims, reaching the quarter takes just
10.7 seconds.
If there’s one thing we’ll miss about
naturally-aspirated engines, it’s the
intensity at redline. The 458 Speciale
uses a flat-plane crank V8, 4497cc and
Ferrari’s most powerful NA V8. Also, for
specific output, it’s the most powerful NA
engine ever made.
Its 99kW/litre eclipses, for comparison’s
sake, the 991 911 GT3’s 92kW/litre. And
with 350kW from 3.8 litres, that thing’sAAAATTT 99990000000000000 RRRRRPPPPPPMMMMM TTTTHHHHHEEEE
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