F1 touches grace a special Ferrari

Thereare plenty of things that jump out about the Ferrari 458 Speciale, the latest offering from the Prancing Horse which debuted at Frankfurt last week.

There's the technological innovation, there's the trademark Ferrari style.

But the first thing that jumped out for us was the numbers Ferrari has been spending - and will continue to spend in the next few years: 1.2 billion euros ($1.7 billion) on product development over the past five years, 2 billion euros on future research and development over the next five years.

And that's not counting the cash it's funnelling into Formula One as it attempts to bridge the gap with Red Bull and McLaren.

But, back to the Speciale: anything backed with this kind of cash is likely to sing, and the 458 promises a veritable chorus.

Being the headline act Ferrari is, the Speciale's unveiling drew a typically large crowd at the show which resembled a mosh pit as punters grew more frenzied in their quest to get their first look at the supercar.

The engine is one of the most powerful V8s ever put out by Ferrari, achieving a comfortable 596 horsepower at 9000rpm.

A product of the marque's in-house foundry, the machining process and equipment were the same as used by Ferrari's F1 team.

The F1 touches continue throughout the car, with the dual-clutch transmission boasting new control logics which promises to deliver an "even keener" sense of urgency when it comes to acceleration.

It'll do 0-100km/h in three seconds flat and happily manage a lap of Ferrari's Fiorano circuit in 83 seconds.

A super-light frame and newly-patented aerodynamic features at the front and rear of the vehicle also help ramp up the speed factor.

In fact, this is the most aerodynamic Ferrari road car ever. It has moveable flaps at the front which reduce drag and increase downforce once you hit roughly 170km/h.

Air-channelling ridges run down the side before the active flaps reappear at the rear, which also has a new diffuser and spoiler.

Specially designed Michelin sport-cup tyres, an enhanced braking system and sideslip angle control round out the more heavily promoted tech features.

The racing touches continue inside the vehicle, with carbon fibre and other lightweight materials dominating the fit-out.

All controls are within easy reach of the driver on the wheel or dashboard, while the positioning of the bridge puts the gearbox at an ideal angle for the driver.

Those with the cash to splash will also have a heavy amount of options available when it comes to customisation.

In terms of trim, the 458 comes with "Soul Aretha" leather as well as specially tailored fabrics.

Teak and ash wood trim and L-pattern stitching round out the internal package.

There's no word on an international release date yet but we'll keep you posted.