2016 Ferrari 458 Speciale A Spider

Today the prancing stallion is known around the world from chic saloons to steamy paddocks. It oozes luxury, power, and panache. It wasn't always so. Ferrari's storied heritage dates to 1929 when Enzo Ferrari founded Scuderia Ferrari - 'Ferrari Stable' - to build race cars and sponsor drivers, both of which he did quite well. After World War II, Enzo began building road cars, but only as a concession to fund his beloved, but expensive, racing program.

The 458 Special A is a spider version of the mid-engine 458 Speciale. The 'A' stands for Aperta - Italian for open. Based on the 458 Italia, it has a naturally aspirated 4.5-liter V8 with 597 horsepower and 398 pound feet of torque. Power comes courtesy of direct fuel injection, 14:1 compression, increased intake and exhaust valve lift, and reworked intake runners and ports. The transmission is a Getrag dual-clutch 7-speed.

It includes Side Slip Angle Control, sophisticated software, that measures the car's slip angle and adjusts the electronic rear differential and stability control based on what it calculates to be the optimum slip angle. The A also has an advanced aerodynamic feature that includes a flap in front that sends air under the car to create more rear downforce at high speeds. Spring-loaded panels up front open above 105 miles per hour to divert air from the radiators and through vanes at the corners of the car. All this grants membership into the highly esteemed 200 mile per hour club.