Exotic cars and armored cars can often be found in the same garage, but they are at opposite ends of the car spectrum. AddArmor used the latest advances in armor technology to build a Ferrari 458 Speciale that can survive a 0.44 Magnum impact while sprinting from zero to 100 km / h in less than three seconds.
Founded by military and police veterans, the California-based company explained that it wanted to build an armored Special without sacrificing the model’s performance or handling. It is much more difficult than it sounds because the easiest and most straightforward way to bulletproof a car is to add heavy metal plates to it. Brabus, for example, unveiled an armored G63 earlier in 2020 that weighs a whopping 8,400 pounds.
“Heavy vehicles are usually slow, and a slow target is an easy target. In situations where customers need to be protected, speed is always an advantage,” reasoned company chairman Jeff Engen.
AddArmor has upgraded the 458 Speciale with a type of light armor that is 10 times stronger and 60% lighter than ballistic steel. It achieved B4 armor, meaning the mid-engined supercar can withstand bullets fired from a gun. It offers relatively simple protection; an AK-47 or a powerful rifle can pierce right through it. It adds 156 pounds to the weight of the Speciale, so AddArmor made up for it by ticking every carbon fiber option Ferrari offers, including exterior and interior parts plus bits in the engine bay. It also fitted a modified Capristo exhaust system that further reduces weight and adds 40 horsepower and 65 pound-feet of torque.
All told, the armored 458 weighs 67 pounds more than the stock. It still records a 2.8-second sprint from zero to 100 km / h, and it can still reach 202 km / h. We have been told it also acts as a non-armored model. If you lose the heat, all armored extras can be removed to end up with a lighter 458 with a 40 horsepower bump.
AddArmor emphasized that the 458 Speciale is a one-off prototype built to show just how far armor technology has come and what is possible in the exotic auto segment. If it sold it, it would charge about $ 625,000 for it.
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