One of the most special Ferrari models is the Ferrari 458 Speciale. For most Ferrari owners, the thought of customizing the vehicle or changing it from stock is blasphemy. However, for the automotive enthusiast who wants to own a Ferrari but is also very concerned about their protection, the AddArmor customized Ferrari 458 Speciale may be exactly what they want.
AddArmor has equipped the Ferrari with B4 level ballistic armor allowing it to survive impacts from handgun rounds of up to .44 Magnum caliber. The company is clear that the armor it adds to the vehicle offers basic protection and that any round fired from a high-powered rifle will penetrate the armor.
This particular vehicle is a one-off prototype, but AddArmor would build one if asked at a price of around $625,000. The base 458 Speciale chosen has every carbon fiber option offered by Ferrari. All the carbon fiber helps offset the additional weight added by the armor system used. The exact type of armor is unknown, but the company does say it’s ten times stronger and 60 percent lighter than ballistic steel.
The armor adds only 156 pounds to the Speciale’s weight and doesn’t impact performance. The car does use a custom exhaust system that reduces weight and adds 40 horsepower and 65 pound-feet of torque. AddArmor says the vehicle will reach 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and 202 mph on the top end. Another bit of good news is the armor customizations are entirely removable.
That means should the owner want to sell the car to someone who isn’t security conscious in the future, all the accessories that turn into a 200 mph safe room can be removed. Typically armored personal vehicles are extremely heavy SUVs, vans, or limousines. While the Ferrari won’t protect against rifle rounds, having additional protection and the ability to reach 200 mph will be plenty of protection for many buyers.