Autocar’s Steve Sutcliffe manages to secure the first seat time in the new Ferrari 458 Speciale and he pushes the car to the limit to answer one very important question: is this the world’s best super car? Let’s join the action and see.

People make comparison between the Speciale and the legendary F40, as the new car is said to deliver the same sort of raw, unadulterated performance as the big daddy. Is it true? Steve has the answer:

Ferrari 458 Speciale is powered by a mid-rear-mounted 4497 cc GDI V8 engine, developing 605 cv at 9000 rpm and maximum torque of 540 Nm at 6000 rpm. It is considerably more powerful than the normal 458 which has 563 cv, but with the Speciale it all comes down to the weight, aerodynamics, and chassis tuning.

The Ferrari 458 Speciale sees the introduction of Side Slip Angle Control (SSC) for more effortless car control on the limit, thereby greatly enhancing driver enjoyment. This system makes drifting and looking heroic a lot easier for novice drivers.