If a V12 convertible strikes you as the quintessential Ferrari layout, it may come as a bit of a surprise to realize that Maranello hasn’t made one since 2006. That’s when the bizarre flip-top 575M Superamerica finished its limited run of 559 units. And Ferrari hasn’t made a V12 convertible since.
That’s all about to change, however, as early as two months from now, according to a report from Autocar magazine. In a recent conversation with the British publication, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has confirmed that a roadster based on the 599 GTB Fiorano is set to make its debut later this summer at Pebble Beach. Coupled with the 599XX, HGTE, HY-KERS concept, GTO, China edition and the one-off P540 Superfast Aptera, that will make quite an array of Fiorano variants over the course of four short years.
Like the Superamerica (and the 550 Barchetta Pininfarina before it), the 599 roadster will be an limited-edition affair, and we don’t mean “limited to however many we can produce and sell.” No word on whether the convertible Fiorano will adopt the same sort of rotary top mechanism as fitted to the Superamerica, or a more conventional softtop like the F430 Spider or a folding hardtop like the California.
While Montezemolo wouldn’t confirm the name, he said it won’t be called the Superamerica, but “will have an emotional, romantic name such as Italia or Fiorano”. If we had to guess, we’d go with “599 GTS Monza”, but we won’t guess too loud. Legend has it that when he learned the press had already dubbed the 365 GTB/4 as the “Daytona”, Enzo himself dropped the official moniker. Not that it stopped anyone from calling it that, or that Il Commendatore is still around for that matter, but we hear they’re reading Ferrari News in supercar-magnate heaven these days.