Who needs a windshield anyway? Apparently not prospective owners of the just-announced Ferrari Monza SP1 and SP2. The one- and two-passenger cars (respectively) are retro throwbacks that will be available in limited numbers only, "aimed at dedicated clients and collectors."
The first models in Ferrari's new Icona series, the two Monzas draw inspiration from the automaker's open-top barchetta-style race cars of the 1950s and late 1940s – particularly the 1948 166 MM, the 750 Monza and the 860 Monza.
Claimed to offer "the best weight-to-power ratio of any barchetta," the new road models feature full carbon fiber body shells, compact upward-opening doors, and a front-hinged one-piece carbon fiber hood that lifts up to reveal a V12 engine. Reportedly the most powerful engine ever built in Ferrari's Maranello factory, it has a maximum power output of 603 kW (810 cv) at 8,500 rpm, and produces 719 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm.
These specs translate into acceleration figures of 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.9 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 7.9 seconds, and a top speed of over 300 km/h (186 mph).
Needless to say, drivers and passengers will need a good set of goggles at those speeds. That said, the cars do have a "Virtual Wind Shield" in the form of a fairing located ahead of the instrument panel and steering wheel. This deviates some of the incoming air flow away from the cockpit, keeping the occupants from getting completely wind-blasted.
Both vehicles are 4,657 mm long, 1,996 mm wide and 1,155 mm high, with the SP1 weighing 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) and the SP2 coming in at 1,520 kg (3,351 lb). Those weight figures are for cars with optional lightweight components.
Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are still being determined, and pricing – well, you know, "If you have to ask …"
Source: Ferrari
The other car makers should be scrambling to their studios to pick and choose stylistic elements to copy from this design.
...I was hoping to see how the doors open "upward".