Ferrari’s one-off SP51 lops the top off of an 812 GTS

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Ferrari late September pulled the covers off of its latest Special Projects one-off, the SP51, a roadster based on its 812 GTS, built for a longtime customer in Taiwan. This collector apparently appreciated the 812’s 6.5-liter V12 – in that car it produces 789 horsepower, allowing it to reach 211 miles per hour (340 km/h) – but wanted something styled just a little differently.

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Ferrari’s one-off SP51 lops the top off of an 812 GTS Back to video

So Ferrari’s team got to work, crafting bespoke headlights and taillights, and opening up the grille so it could be filled with carbon-fibre. You’ll see carbon-fibre in the blade behind the front wheels, too, as well as in the sleek halo-like piece behind the seats, where you’d expect a roof might be but won’t.

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The striping over that unique bodywork is inspired by the Ferrari 410 S of 1955, but is laid down over an exclusive Rosso Passionale red you won’t see on any other Ferrari. That hue carries over into the Alcantara upholstery inside, too, as does the aforementioned blue-and-white striping.

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Ferrari worked with the customer – which it calls one of its “leading collectors” – on each and every custom touch, except for maybe the aerodynamics, where its engineers had the final say in ensuring the roadster wouldn’t generate too much turbulence or fill the cabin with excessive wind noise.

It’s not the wildest Special Projects car from Ferrari, but that restraint also means it’s arguably one of the more handsome commissions turned out from the division as of late. That said, sometimes taking risks pays off—our fave Ferrari specials, after all, are the Monza twins. What are yours?