Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVII

2 4 8 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I historic Cambiano company in the 60th anniversary year of its collaboration with the Prancing Horse”, and it’s quite a celebration. While it’s not only breathtaking to look at, it’s also unashamedly driver-orientated in the extreme. To quote the manufacturer again, it’s “an authentic open-top, explicitly referencing the track, underscoring and intensifying its sense of sportiness, fun behind the wheel and the pleasure of design at its purest.” To put that more plainly, it’s a beautifully designed, perfectly balanced racing machine that is as at home on the road as it is on the track. And it will take your breath away. The exterior of the Sergio is quite simply a work of art. Overall, it’s a deceptively simple design that harks back to Ferrari’s glory days of the 1960s and 1970s, with a two-tone colour scheme that unifies the front and rear end into an expression that’s both aggressively angular and stylishly streamlined. Based on the 458 platform, the original styling cues are most obvious in the rear lights and curves at the back end, while a feast of swoops and wings can be found on the front fascia and flanks. These swoops obviously serve a serious purpose in terms of airflow, but what they do for the car’s looks make them worth the price of admission all on their own. Breaking up the solid red of this sensuous sheet metal, matt black detailing runs through the front splitter, along the side skirts, up behind the doors and into the rear diffuser, creating a decidedly dynamic contrast. In addition to this, large black sections on the top of the car’s nose are reflected in the rear engine cover, filling in for the roof line that ceased to exist when Ferrari made the Sergio open-topped. It’s certainly pretty, but it’s also functional, with the roll bar artfully integrating air intakes for clutch and gearbox oil cooling, not to mention that the considerable downforce generated from the simple wing design remains intact. On the car Simply AbuDhabi enjoyed, the lookwas completed by customSergio-specific wheels painted gold and diamond finished. They’re a seriously stylish touch that put that final flourish to a superb design. Naturally, the Sergio’s cabin is also customised, with black leather upholstery offset by body-coloured stitching, while Alcantara seat inserts and dashes of carbon fibre set a suitably high-performance tone. Beyond the personalised colours and a Sergio nameplate fixed to the passenger side dash, the rest of the interior is based closely on the more familiar 458, with highly bolstered seats, large buttons to select between driving modes, an F1 -inspired steering wheel, and large paddle shifters. It was a wise decision. After all, when you’ve created the perfect driving environment, why change things? Much like the interior, the Sergio’s drivetrain goes untouched in its transplant from the 458 Speciale, with a naturally aspirated, 4.5-litre, V-8 engine putting down 398 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm and 596 horsepower at a hair-raising 9,000 rpm. With a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox, the Sergio can sprint to 60 mph in just three seconds, with an estimated top speed of over 200 mph. Once again, Ferrari made the decision not to interfere with greatness, allowing the Sergio’s looks to set it apart while the proven mechanical genius of the 458 does the talking. Although it’s not been officially stated yet, it’s probably safe to assume that the Sergio’s full specification includes the tractionmanaging Side Slip Angle Control System found on the Speciale. It’s a fantastic systemwhich features an F1-Trac and an E-Diff to put maximum adhesion between the car’s contact area and the road, guaranteeing maximum traction in any conditions and true racing car handling at all times. To my eyes, in fact to all of my senses, the Sergio really is the perfect celebration of all things Ferrari and Pininfarina. However, in my opinion there’s just one failing. Ferrari simply didn’t make enough Sergios for us all to have one in our dream garage.