The new Ferrari SP-8 is not a car for sudden rain showers
The SP-8 is Ferrari’s latest one-off commission, and it's been shown for the first time at the 2023 Finali Mondiali
For some Ferrari customers, a 296 GTB or 812 Superfast simply isn’t exclusive or striking enough. While this may be hard to fathom, there’s clearly no shortage of these clients; Ferrari’s ultra-exclusive One-Off program has produced a series of bespoke models over the years, each tailor-made to exacting customer design briefs. The latest One-Off project is the SP-8: a mid-engined roadster that takes visual inspiration from the firm’s classic racing prototypes and the most recent Ferrari Icona model, the Daytona SP3. We took a look during its public debut at Mugello Circuit for Ferrari's 2023 Finali Mondiali show.
Based on the now-defunct F8 Spider, the SP-8 has been commissioned by a Taiwanese client, with its name referencing the lucky number 8 in Chinese culture. Ferrari’s 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 is cradled within an aluminium chassis, and while there’s no word on whether the F8’s 710bhp output has been raised for this application, the SP-8 is an altogether more specialised machine than the base car – primarily because it has no roof.
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Ditching the F8 Spider’s folding metal arrangement saves a few kilos, but it also means that the SP-8 is strictly a car for clear days. The removal of the roof mechanism has enabled Ferrari’s designers to radically resculpt the rear deck, and the whole car has been carefully designed using CFD to optimise aero efficiency and reduce buffeting inside the cabin.
With a pair of slim LED light strips at the leading edge of the front bumper, the SP-8’s shark-nose front end calls to mind that of the SP3 Daytona, with a two tone paint graphic on the doors evoking that car’s sculptural side profile. The rising waistline and smooth rear haunches provide a markedly different design character to the F8, set off by specially designed five-spoke wheels.
There are no significant architectural changes inside, save for a revised centre console that features the H-pattern automatic gear selector equipped to other modern Ferraris. The customer has chosen laser-etched navy blue Alcantara and gradient-effect cloth for the seat upholstery, carrying through the two-tone exterior design.
The SP-8 made its public debut at Mugello Circuit, before going on display at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello over the winter.
