Monday, January 10, 2005

David Coates / The Detroit News The Superamerica, a convertible version of the Maranello coupe, has a top speed of 199 mph.

Ferrari rolls out its super-fast Superamerica

By Nick Bunkley / The Detroit News

Auto Show Reports Ferrari rolls out its super-fast Superamerica Ferrari designer helps west coast show's new focus Model Information Get detailed reports, specifications, ownership costs, and wholesale and retail prices. Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

DETROIT - You'd better get in line soon if you want to own one of the world's fastest convertibles, a sleek new Italian supercar with a glass roof that can be electronically tinted.

Better stop at the ATM, too. Oh, and you might want to sell your house.

Sticker price for the Ferrari Superamerica, a 12-cylinder convertible version of the Pininfarina-designed 575M Maranello coupe, is $305,000. But you do get quite a bang for your buck. Top speed of the Superamerica, unveiled Monday at the North American International Auto Show, is 199 mph.

Its 540-horsepower engine is slightly more powerful than the Maranello's, and buyers can choose either Formula 1-style steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters or a manual gearbox.

The car's roof pivots backward in just a few seconds, coming to rest on top of the trunk.

It's the first vehicle ever to feature electrochromic glass in the roof. A touch of a button turns the roof from transparent to opaque in less than a minute.

The Superamerica is a limited-edition model, with only 559 to be produced.