Your thoughts on Auto Evolution's Speciale review

The Speciale is a remarkable car. I heartily disagree with the closing comments in the referenced review. The Speciale is surprisingly comfortable and very compliant on the road, even in the race setting. I have said in another thread, the Speciale is not a more robust 458 Italia, it is a different animal. I actually think the most fair-minded and accurate review of the car appears in the Irish Times---The reviewer, a former Ferrari naysayer unravels the remarkable nature of this new model and revels in its unique character.

 

It's one opinion. I think the author of the article would probably be happier with more of a GT car...something softer, quieter, and more comfortable. I don't think the Speciale gets tiring at all. And I much prefer the race seats to the Daytonas I had in my 458. They're much more supportive and more comfortable...far from a "gimmick". The thinner glass and reduced insulation does mean more road noise gets through, but that's just part of the car. And it's all about saving weight. Clearly the author doesn't understand/appreciate the value of that.

 

Why? I love my CS, but if someone (anyone) said its raw and loud and thus "tiring", I'd say "yeah". I know you know this first hand...so, do you really care what anyone else says about the Speciale? Especially if they say its "tiring" because its stiff and loud? I don't understand why that even makes you pause, let alone "pains" you...

Related...many original owners ran away from their scuds...too loud, significant other hated it, yada yada. Whatever...its supposed to be that way...and the scud is awesome. I see no reason the same thing won't happen with the Speciale too, other than a "lesson learned" impact of Italia owners not buying the Speciale because they appreciate the GT-ness of the Italia and learned their lesson already.

So - I haven't seen the latest with you...last I saw you were contemplating selling one or both of the CS's and getting a Speciale...what's the latest?

 

I think part of the lesson is to wait and grab a especiale when it's $100k off sticker when people realize its a great race car, but not what they want....just like the Scud.
Both are pretty amazing, sans the hood and stripes on one of them.

 

Well, in a limited sense I'm actually going to agree with the author. Look, it's just not a comfortable drive up to wherever for an hour drive car. You can take a 458 or a spyder and be extremely comfortable while having fun. The Speciale, however, demands to be driven harder. It's loud, it's not extremely comfortable, the sound system is really essentially pointless (hasn't been this pointless since the base sound system in the F430), it clearly rattles around more due to all the vibrations and it's not particularly happy just casually driving. I don't agree with him about the seats which are perfectly comfortable to me. All in all though, I would have to agree with him. Look if you want to tear and rip around curves and thoroughly enjoy the driving experience, then this is pretty much the ultimate car for you. If, however, you want a fun but comfortable drive while going to a weekend getaway, I think I'd rather do it in a 458 or Spyder.
Then again, 5 hour drive? Nothing beats the F12. 7 hour drive to the mountains or multi state drive? I can't imagine anything better than the FF. Long jaunt on the coast? I guess a Cali is ok although I'd rather do it in a Spyder by a long shot.

 

Appreciate if you could provide the link?

Thanks in advance

 

I do not agree with this author about the slimmer windows and stiffer seats.

This car is designed to be a track special for its lightness, in fact I was hoping for more thinner/lighter/noisier components than the current offering. I am satisfied with the audio quality of the radio that is just good and clear enough for my blue-tooth mobile ... was hoping if they could just have had 2 speakers instead of 4. The standard race seat in standard technical fabric is comfortable and cooling for extremely humid conditions, I drive 2 hours straight in average speeds in excess of 200km/h non-stop and I don't feel tired or stressed. Perhaps the author is not physically fit. I keep myself physically and mentally fit to drive, not drive to keep myself fit LOL!

The Speciale, like all other Ferraris, is endowed with the Manettino which can alter the response characteristic and comfort of the car in 3 different modes for Engine maps/loudness and Suspension settings respectively. Dynamic handling at the extreme speeds is very neutral for a Mid-Rear engine sports car as compared to the V12 Super GT cars. To me the 458 is essentially like a 5 in 1 car! Indeed the most practical and special super car from Italy's best.
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It's just one guys opinion.

The car is a bit gimmicky in that most of the performance increase probably comes from tires and hp, and the weight savings has a pretty negligible effect, especially when you consider that just having another person in the car more than offsets the savings, or a full tank of gas vs 1/2 tank in a normal 458.

However, gimmicky is the whole point of it. The whole appeal of the car is that it's supposed to be more exciting, tiresome, louder, and slightly less usable. The car can't really exist without these traits due to Ferrari's typical product cycle.

Without the problems he brings up, it would just be a 458 facelift. Facelifts aren't really part of Ferraris business model and shelf life from what I can tell, and these late model variations are usually a way of drumming up some additional demand towards the end of life. They help to get rid of excess component inventory, fill some otherwise excess capacity, and as a bonus have a nice premium and probably bigger margins.

This car can't exist otherwise, IMO.

 

I wish it was a little more... Special. Designwise it looks same as a regular 458. Other than that, I would take one.

 

What is a less gimmicky performance enhancement than HP and tires?

(Remember this is a DOT street legal $350,000 Ferrari, not a tube frame bracket racer.)

Are you sure that's the word you want to use there?

The aero bits and faux weight savings stuff could "maybe" be called that, but good old straight forward power and sticky tires is the opposite of gimmicky, right?

 

But it IS a 458. I think it has the same amount of design/looks changes (frankly maybe more) than the CS and Scud had over their base versions.

 

Link to Irish times piece on the Speciale----http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/motors/ferrari-458-speciale-car-review-finally-a-ferrari-worthy-of-any-fantasy-garage-1.1762808#.U67GyPSPb_A.email

 

Gentleman. Until you have seen the car in person and driven one I suggest you reserve judgement. It is not a more robust, tricked-out 458 Italia, it is a different animal. I have had three Italias(2 coupes and a Spyder) and this is a distinctive evolution of the 458. And by the way, after almost 500miles on the odometer I would say it is nearly as comfortable.

 

What I mean is that the car is gimmicky in the sense that it didn't need to be 'hardcore' to achieve what it did. It didn't even need to be louder or weigh less. I don't know how truthful it is, but someone mentioned that the tires alone are accountable for 1s difference in the 1.5s improved Fiorano time.

I don't really consider the excess power, street legal tires, and new software to be the definition of raw or hardcore. A 458 with some more power, same tires, and new software would probably be very, very close while still being as usable and comfortable as a regular 458. This car could have just been a facelift and viewed as the normal version. The only reason it's a Speciale is because they marketed it as such and changed up the trim. The 991 C2S could not be a GT3. People would have said what the hell is this wild car? On the other hand, I think this could have been the 458 without raising any eyebrows.

To me it's just gimmicky. It's a regular car masquerading as hardcore car masquerading as a track car. Whoopsy takes it out to dinner. How raw could it really be? I used to really think there were huge difference between the regular cars and track day variations, but as times goes on I'm becoming less convinced. I've never drive most of them so I can't say for certain, but I do feel like with each new model (CS > Scud > Speciale) I'm reading about people saying the cars are feeling less and less hardcore. Hell, a 16M, Performante, or R8 GT Spyder don't even make sense for what they are marketed as.

This isnt unique to Ferrari though. I think all brands are doing this now and capitalizing on the perception of being more raw and exciting. It's easy money.

 

Trust me this car isn't masquerading as anything. The Speciale is a bench-mark car. I have seat time in the F40 and this car generates a similar sense of raw power, precision and race car design without the drama.

 

Ferrari 458 Speciale car review: Finally a Ferrari worthy of any fantasy garage

"The engine howls and screams, flitting its way through timbre changes at every few hundred revs until it’s bellowing at 9000rpm. Unlike other cars that have revved that high, the 458 Speciale does it without losing its muscular sound in the search for piston speed. And it’s stronger in the mid range than the numbers suggest, letting you short shift it in fast or lumpy corners for more drive out the other side without losing much momentum..."

"And the gearbox is incredible, engaging the shift before the paddle has even sprung back on your fingers..."

"The way the car feels at its core never changes, from 10km/h to 300km/h and it’s a handling integrity that’s not shaken by wind, road, bumps or unexpected direction changes..."

 

I think we're talking about different things. I'm just saying that I don't think the Speciale warrants the marketing put behind it. I don't doubt that it's different than a 458 or better, but I don't think it's anything close to the track day car it often made out to be. Or at least that's the impression I get when people talk about it.

As you said, it's without the drama and not really any less comfortable in your opinion than the 458. I don't have any experience to back it up, but I think this car could much more easily be described as "The New 2015 458," than a track day car.

Again, this is related to the marketing and why I feel it's gimmicky. It gets talked about too often as something I don't think it is. If it was just the 2015 458 with new CF interior options and option performance tires, I wouldn't consider it gimmicky at all.

 

Dear Noone1, with all do respect. Drive the Speciale before you speculate on what it is and isn't. I think opinions are best formed with sufficient data, not just the input of other enthusiasts(including my own) and personal speculation. That said, after owning 14 vintage and modern Ferrari's it is my opinion that the Speciale is the ultimate modern Ferrari track car designed with the ability to exist comfortably on the streets. It is raw and civilized. Not an easy recipe to perfect.

 

How is the opinion on this different than the Scud? Sounds like the same animal, only 458-based, not 430-based.

 

Having owned 2 Scuds and 2 standard 430's I would say that the Scud felt like an enhanced 430. The 458 Speciale does not however feel like an enhanced 458. It simply feels different. The Speciales physical design, performance characteristics and especially the visceral experience leaves the driver feeling like they have had a distinctly different experience than the standard 458 provides. I personally loved my Scuds but always felt they were augmented 430's. I think the experience of going from the standard 360 to the Challenge Stradale provides a more appropriate comparison. The CS is not an enhanced 360 it is something quite different in my opinion(I love the CS so well that I have had 5) and can still drive the CS after driving a 458 and feel thrilled.

 

i just read auto evolution's review of the F458 italia. the author talks of the tail-happiness of the car on wet roads even when using the WET manettino setting. i am really surprised by this statement since it is the opposite of my experience. i felt the car is very planted on wet roads and - with good tyres - not really prone to aquaplaning.
your thoughts?
peter

 

I agree from my drive of 30 minutes. I was shocked at how comfortable the standard race seats were, coming from the standard (non racing) seats in my 12 coupe. Solid, without rattles like I found when driving a Scud, the Speciale seemed nearly as comfortable as my 458 but clearly had enhanced performance just wanting to run.