From a new Testarossa that’s attracting an army of haters to a first-ever EV that could attract even more, Ferrari has been making some controversial decisions lately. But if you don’t like what Maranello is doing, you can always order off-menu.
Ferrari’s One-Off programs gives customers with enough cash the ability to commission their own unique Ferrari. And one customer chose to give the mid-engine, non-hybrid V8 an encore. The HC25 is based on the F8 Spider, reclothing that car’s chassis and powertrain in new bodywork created by the same Ferrari Design Studio team responsible for the automaker’s current range. The design draws inspiration from that lineup—specifically, the F80 and 12Cilindri.
You can still get a twin-turbo V8 in the Ferrari Amalfi, but that option went away for the automaker’s entry-level mid-engine model when the F8 was replaced by the 296 GTB. The HC25 has the same 3.9-liter engine as the F8 Spider, producing the same 710 horsepower and 567 pound-feet of torque. The manufacturer-estimated zero to 62 mph time is also unchanged, at 2.9 seconds.
What has changed is every inch of bodywork. The press release calls the HC25 an “ideal bridge” between the F8 underpinnings and the styling direction Ferrari has chosen for its latest pride-and-joys. The proportions of the F8 are still there, but the relentless focus on aerodynamics that dominated Ferrari design at the time has been softened. As with the F80 and 12Cilindri, the aerodynamic elements are less obvious, and some features even seem to be there simply because they look nice.
Engine air intakes and vents are hidden in a black ribbon that wraps around the middle of the car, complemented by a large black graphic on the hood and the typical Ferrari mesh surfaces around the rear fascia. The two-tone bodywork is further highlighted by the use of matte Moonlight Grey paint and a gloss finish for the blacked-out surfaces. The headlights were made specifically for this car and sport extra-slim lenses. Vertical daytime running lights—a first for Ferrari—blend with the leading edges of the front fenders.
The interior, however, is mostly unchanged from the F8 Spider donor car—right down to the round air vents that protrude from the dashboard like jet exhaust nozzles. A gray-and-black color scheme (with splashes of yellow) gives it some specialness while mirroring the exterior. Anyway, if this was my car, I’d be paying less attention to the dashboard fixtures than to the sound of the V8 just a few inches from my ears.