Ferrari to unveil limited-edition 599 roadster at Pebble Beach?

Noah Joseph — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari

Ferrari 599 HGTE - Click above for high-res image gallery

If a V12 convertible strikes you as the quintessential Ferrari layout, it may come as a bit of a surprise to realize that Maranello hasn't made one since 2006. That's when the bizarre flip-top 575M Superamerica finished its limited run of 559 units. And Ferrari hasn't made a V12 convertible since.

That's all about to change, however, as early as two months from now, according to a report from Autocar magazine. In a recent conversation with the British publication, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has confirmed that a roadster based on the 599 GTB Fiorano is set to make its debut later this summer at Pebble Beach. Coupled with the 599XX, HGTE, HY-KERS concept, GTO, China edition and the one-off P540 Superfast Aptera, that will make quite an array of Fiorano variants over the course of four short years.

Like the Superamerica (and the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina before it), the 599 roadster will be an limited-edition affair, and we don't mean "limited to however many we can produce and sell." No word on whether the convertible Fiorano will adopt the same sort of rotary top mechanism as fitted to the Superamerica, or a more conventional softtop like the F430 Spider or a folding hardtop like the California.

While Montezemolo wouldn't confirm the name, he said it won't be called the Superamerica, but "will have an emotional, romantic name such as Italia or Fiorano". If we had to guess, we'd go with "599 GTS Monza", but we won't guess too loud. Legend has it that when he learned the press had already dubbed the 365 GTB/4 as the "Daytona", Enzo himself dropped the official moniker. Not that it stopped anyone from calling it that, or that Il Commendatore is still around for that matter, but we hear they're reading Autoblog in supercar-magnate heaven these days.

Gallery: Ferrari 599 GTB HGTE

[Source: Autocar]

Ferrari to unveil limited-edition 599 roadster at Pebble Beach? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTS roadster

Noah Joseph — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:33:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Supercars, Ferrari

Ferrari seem to content with cutting the roof off of everything these days. The F430 Spider remains the company's hottest-selling model, with the new California on the way. A roadster version of the 430 Scuderia is anticipated to make its debut at Mugello in November, and now spy shots have surfaced showing what sources suggest is a convertible version of the 599 GTB Fiorano.

Although the test mule in the spy shots has a fixed roof in place, reports note that the roof appears ill-fitting and mismatched in color to the rest of the body. If that's anything to go by, Ferrari could be planning a successor to the Superamerica version of the Fiorano's 575 predecessor and the 550 Barchetta that came before that. The former featured an intriguing Fioravanti-designed glass roof mechanism, however the 599 Spider would, in all likelihood, employ a similar folding hard-top to the clever mechanism found on the new California, to the possible inclusion of the Fiorano's aerodynamic buttresses. Following the revival of the GTB (grand touring berlinetta) designation on the existing 599, the convertible would likely take on the GTS (grand touring spider) nameplate, while installment of Ferrari's new quick-shifting SuperFast3 dual-clutch transmission could help mitigate the extra weight. Of course this is all pure speculation, so stay tuned.

[Source: Auto Express]

Spy Shots: Ferrari 599 GTS roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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