Wednesday, June 8, 2011

2012 Ferrari 599 Roadster Rendered

2012 Ferrari 599 Roadster Rendered

An open Ferrari is among the classic dream cars, especially when it’s powered by a high-revving V-12, and the iconic manufacturer is about to launch another one. Ferrari is expected to unveil the new model, based on the 599GTB Fiorano, at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in mid-August.

Our renderings show a classic, open roadster quite unlike its predecessor, the 575-based Superamerica, which sported an unusual, Fioravanti-designed glass top. That roof was hinged at the B-pillars and flipped 180 degrees to settle on top of the trunk. The 599-based roadster, by contrast, is expected to be equipped with a metal folding hardtop of a more conventional type, similar to that of the V-8–powered Ferrari California.

To help offset the extra weight of the folding roof and requisite chassis reinforcements, the open-top 599 should get a power boost to 635 hp, up from the regular 599's 612 hp. This should translate into 0-to-60-mph times of around 3.5 seconds while maintaining a top speed in excess of 200 mph. It will be the fastest open Ferrari ever, and chopping the roof means an unfiltered V-12 aural assault for occupants’ ears—if you’ve ever heard a Ferrari twelve-cylinder, you know how addicting it can be. It’s a compulsion from which we’ll never be cured, but like most addictions, this one comes with considerable financial penalties. We expect deliveries to commence by mid-2011, and a base price somewhere in the neighborhood of $400,000. What the roadster version of the Ferrari 599 will be called is unclear, but Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo says that it will carry "an emotional, romantic name."

As for competitors, the air is pretty thin up here. The alternatives include the Aston Martin DBS Volante and perhaps the Bentley Continental Supersports convertible. Mercedes-Benz is working on a droptop version of the SLS AMG, and the upcoming Lamborghini Murciélago replacement also will be available as a roadster. While all of those cars are—or will be—lustworthy, it’s hard to beat the pedigree and allure of an open-top Ferrari.

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