The One And Only Ferrari SP51
The Ferrari 812 GTS is a special vehicle but for one Ferrari collector, it just needed a little bit of something else. Enter the Ferrari SP51, a very one-of-a-kind vehicle that draws on the best of Ferrari past and present.
Commissioned by one of Ferrari’s most loyal collectors in Taiwan, the SP51 is a V12 roadster that takes the 812 GTS and turns it up to eleven. Designed by the Flavio Manzoni-headed Ferrari Styling Centre, one of the SP51’s most striking characteristics is its total absence of a roof.
What is left is then coated with new Rosso Passionale three-layer paintwork and a livery that is a nod to the legendary 1955 Ferrari 410 S, a car beautiful enough to make you weep. The rear flying buttresses are reminiscent of the 599 GTB, and the bespoke wheels, with their carbon fibre blades, are a thing of beauty.
The SP51 features a custom front splitter and rear diffuser, along with side skirts and a rear spoiler that work together to optimise the car’s aerodynamics. The front of the SP51 is dominated by specially-designed headlights that give it an instantly recognisable identity all of its own. The rear of the car is equally impressive, with an arched theme that dominates the taillights inset below the spoiler.
Inside the same Rosso Passionale colour custom-created for the exterior is used as the main colour for the Alcantara trim while the livery extends into the cabin. The white and blue stripe appears on the central tunnel and the fascia between the two seats on the firewall, as well as on the steering wheel stitching, creating a sense of seamless continuity between the exterior and interior.
Underneath that stunning bodywork lies the same 6.5-litre, 789bhp V12 engine and running gear as the 812 GTS. That means it’s still a 200mph ear-shredding supercar that will leave you breathless and grinning from ear to ear. And Ferrari says they’ve subjected the bodywork to lots of computer testing to make sure it’s just as aerodynamic as the regular 812.
So if you’re feeling down about the state of the world, just remember that somewhere out there, there’s a person driving a Ferrari SP51, and their life is probably pretty damn good right now.