We've known this game for a while now. Whoever brings enough money to Maranello gets practically anything they want - including a car that's unique. And we're not just talking about a special paint color. The latest result of such an effort has now taken center stage in Texas, specifically at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA): Say hello to the Ferrari HC25.
It is the latest member of the “Special Projects” program and in a sense marks the end of an era. While the brand has long since embarked on new, electrified paths with models such as the 296 or the F80, the HC25 revives the classic mid-engine V8 design without any electrical support.
If you look under the distinctive bodywork, you will discover the proven architecture of the F8 Spider. That means: a 3,9-liter V8 biturbo with 720 hp, which transmits its power to the asphalt exclusively via the rear wheels. But while the F8 Spider is known for its more organic, almost soft lines, the HC25 takes a much more technically oriented path. Here you can already recognize the design language that Flavio Manzoni and his team last implemented with the flagship F80 model - sharply defined edges are complemented by muscular tracks.
The biggest difference compared to the regular F8 Spider is the visual division of the body. The HC25 appears to be made up of two separate parts, connected by a round, glossy black strip. This strip is not just a decoration, but cleverly incorporates the air intakes and heat sink for the eight-cylinder engine. Another special feature is the door handles integrated into massive aluminum blades - a solution that looks almost too ordinary compared to the F8 Spider.
Ferrari is also breaking new ground with its lighting signature. The headlights use modules that no other model has had before, and the daytime running lights form a boomerang shape on the front edges of the wings. This unique car is painted in “Moonlight Grey”, a matte shade that contrasts sharply with the yellow brake calipers and monochrome accents in the interior. There, a gray high-tech fabric dominates, emphasizing functionality.
The HC25 joins an already extensive list of unique models from the recent past. Let's remember the 2023 SP8, also based on the F8 Spider, but without a roof. Or the SP51, a roadster based on the 812 GTS that celebrates the tradition of front-engined V12 sports cars. The KC23, based on the 488 GT3 Evo race car, also showed how far Ferrari will go for its most loyal customers.
The HC25 differs from its predecessors in its role as a “bridge”. It took the mechanics of the last pure V8 Spider and dressed it in a new image that visually already indicates the future of the brand. For this named client, the journey from the first sketch to the presentation in Austin took about two years.
