Ferrari transformed its 488 Spider into this stunning special edition

By Stephen Edelstein December 13, 2016

Ferrari is very good at creating limited edition cars, enticing customers to spend ever-greater amounts of money with the promise of exclusivity. This latest special editions certainly meets that requirement.

It’s called the Ferrari J50, and just 10 will be made. The sleek targa-topped supercar was created by Ferrari’s Special Projects division to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ferrari in Japan. The J50 is based on the 488 Spider, but has completely different bodywork inspired by iconic Ferraris, including the F40 and F50.

The overall design is more aggressive than the 488 Spider, with a pointed nose and headlights that bear a passing resemblance to the slit-like lights on the Ferrari FXX K track car. A black graphic wraps around the nose and around the body, just like on the F40 and F50. The windshield and side windows are steeply angled, creating what Ferrari calls a “helmet visor” look.

Unlike the 488 Spider on which it is based, the J50 is not a full convertible. Instead, it has a removable roof panel that exposes only the area directly above the cockpit; anything more would have interrupted that sleek styling. Ferrari says the lower windshield also increases airflow over the rear spoiler at the back of the car, which in turn provides more downforce.

Ferrari kept the mechanical bits from the 488 Spider, so the J50 still uses a 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8. However, output is up by 20 horsepower, giving the J50 a total of 681 hp. The interior is pretty much unchanged from the 488 Spider as well, although Ferrari did add some special trim to the seats to match parts of the exterior.

Each of the 10 J50 production cars will also be tailored to its owner’s specifications, so they may end up looking a bit different from the red-and-black car pictured here. Ferrari would not discuss a price, but no matter how much the J50 costs, it probably won’t have trouble finding buyers.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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