Ferrari blows its lid for Paris show

Lamborghini is likely to steal many of the headlines at the imminent Paris motor show with its secrecy-shrouded lightweight concept, but Ferrari also has an ace up its sleeve.

The prancing horse will use the French expo to reveal an open-topped version of its 599 coupe, and the car in question is dubbed the SA APERTA. The "SA" part of the moniker is a tribute to Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina, whose styling studio has a long-standing connection with Ferrari, while Aperta is Italian for 'Open'.

Ferrari has timed the new model's arrival to coincide with Pininfarina's 80th anniversary and -- to commemorate this milestone -- Ferrari will build and sell just 80 examples of the V12-powered drop-top.

But you can put the chequebook away because the car will be available only as a left-hooker and, in any case, all 80 units are already spoken for (each requiring its prospective owner to part with in excess of 400,000 euros).

The SA APERTA is distinguished by a low-slung, steeply raked windscreen, while directly aft of the occupants are a pair of aerodynamic fins that integrate the two roll-bars, which have been styled to mimic the outline of the seats. 

Ferrari says the roadster comes with a light soft top "designed to be used only if the weather gets particularly bad". (Er, why else would you need it?)

To compensate for the loss in rigidity that comes with lopping off the roof, Ferrari's boffins have stiffened the chassis to the extent that the SA APERTA allegedly corners with the same alacrity as its hardtop sibling. Tellingly, this is said to have been achieved without adding significantly to the car's weight.

Technical details are still scant, but Ferrari has revealed propulsion comes from a V12 with 500kW (where the donor coupe's 6.0-litre unit has only 456kW). Ferrari boasts of "absolute benchmark performance and superb driving pleasure", and these claims aren't likely to be too far wide of the mark.

The SA APERTA follows in the wake of the Ferrari 575M Superamerica (the last V12-powered Ferrari roadster), of which 559 units were built in 2005-06.

The only other open-top Ferrari in the present range is the V8-powered California, as production of the F430 Spider finished last year.

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