Every new Prancing Horse begins life as a dash of pencil across a blank canvas at the Ferrari Styling Centre. However, there is a rare breed of Ferrari that enters the world not as a Maranello brush stroke, but as a spark of inspiration from individual clients around the world. These form the One-Off series, an exclusive range that embodies the very pinnacle of Prancing Horse customisation.
The SP-8 that you see before you is one such creation. The latest addition to the One-Off programme is the result of a close collaboration with a Taiwanese client and Flavio Manzoni’s design team at the Ferrari Styling Centre. The result? A thoroughbred two-seater with its roadster credentials compounded by the fact it is entirely without a roof.
Based on the F8 Spider, the SP-8 inherits the same layout and chassis and, more importantly, one of the most critically acclaimed engines of all time (including the winner of the prestigious Engine of the Year (IEOTY) award on four consecutive occasions): the 3.9-litre twin turbo V8. Of course, removing the roof completely on a car boasting such a supreme powerplant presents its own set of unique aerodynamic challenges, and the SP-8 has been extensively refined through relentless wind tunnel testing and track time to ensure it delivers the same acoustic comfort as the F8 that inspired it.
The wind tunnel also played a major contribution in the design of the full-width cast aluminium grille that dominates the front of the car. Made from a single, 3D-printed mould, the grille’s spacing widens towards the flanks to channel air through to the radiators – something only made possible through the close working relationship between the design and aerodynamics teams.
