No Windshield Needed: Ferrari Debuts 809HP Open-Top Monza SP1 & SP2
These days it seems like high-end automakers are all about broadening themselves and expanding into new, more lucrative segments, namely luxury sedans and SUVs. We've already seen brands like Porsche and Lamborghini expand in those directions, and Ferrari too is planning on expanding its offerings to capture the SUV and sedan markets. This car, however, is most certainly not that.
In fact, the just debuted, limited production Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2 are about as far from a plush SUV as you'll ever get. They don't even have windshields. What they do have is the most powerful engine ever put in a road-going Ferrari and a stripped down, back-to-basics look that recalls the elegant, open-top racing Ferraris of the past.
The SP1 variant only has a single seat, while the SP2 naturally doubles passenger capacity to two, and the small windscreen ahead of the instrument panel is said to deflect the air just enough to make things bearable on the road.
The Monza will be powered by a slightly upgraded version of the 812 Superfast's V12 and will make a neck-snapping 809hp, an astonishing amount considering the cars will only weigh about 3,300 lbs.
While the power and technology is no doubt impressive, what's most interesting about the Monza is the design. In an era of angular, wind-tunnel honed hypercars, the simple, non-cluttered lines of these cars are a breath of fresh air.
Of course, that breath of fresh air is going to cost you. Ferrari hasn't announced pricing for the Monza SP1 and SP2, but with just 500 examples scheduled for production, it's sure to sell out regardless of the price.
As for the rest of us, we'll just have to enjoy the lines from a distance or perhaps get a chance to virtually hop behind the wheel whenever the Monza inevitably makes it to the latest racing game. Whether real or virtual, with its incredible performance and unmistakable design, the Monza SP1 and SP2 are sure to be instant classics.
