The Ferrari Superamerica will makes its Australian debut at the 2005 Sydney International Motor Show (from 14-23 October 2005), combing supreme performance from its 375 kW V12 engine with a glass roof that not only folds away in less than 10 seconds, at the touch of a button it is actually possible to turn down the amount of sun coming through the glass.

Also on the Ferrari stand at the Sydney International Motor Show will be the new Ferrari F430 and F430 Spider, alongside the ultimate four seat car, the V12-powered Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

The Sydney show is also the debut event for Australia's new Ferrari importer, Ateco Automotive Pty Ltd, which takes over the distribution of Ferrari cars in Australia and New Zealand on 1 October 2005. At the same time, Ateco is also taking over retail sales of the world's ultimate sports car range in Sydney, further highlighting the importance of this year's Sydney Motor Show to Ferrari.

The Ferrari Superamerica combines stunning Ferrari 12-cylinder sportscar performance with a highly original, innovative take on the ever-versatile convertible. The Superamerica is the first production car to adopt an pioneering rotating roof which transforms it from a coupe to a convertible in jut a few seconds. Derived from the 575M Maranello, the Superamerica is available with either an F1-style or manual gearbox, and is fitted with the latest development of the classic V12 engine which produces 540 hp.

Thanks to the electrically operated rotating roof, which incorporates electrochromic technology, the Superamerica is the world's fastest convertible berlinetta with a top speed of 199 mph. the exclusive and unmistakably Pininfarina-designed Superamerica is produced in a limited series, just like the 1950s and 60s cars it is named after.

Styled by Pininfarina, the Superamerica retains the beautifully balanced proportions typical of Ferrari's V12 berlinettas, cleverly integrating the model's unique Revocromico roof. This innovative feature integrates seamlessly with the car's lines thanks to the two side buttresses, a styling cue taken from some of Ferrari's classic models. The buttresses also provide rollover protection along with the roof structure itself. Muscular curves characterise the whole rear section of the new Ferrari Superamerica and the car's sporting stance is further enhanced by the standard 19" split rims equipped with Bridgestone Potenza RE050 tyres. The Superamerica is just as exclusive inside as out with meticulously handcrafted leather trim and carbon-fibre detailing specific to this model. Additional on-board storage space has been included, with a number of oddments as holders as well as a special compartment behind the seats. Clients may also opt to have the rev counter in either red or yellow.

The Ferrari Superamerica's most important feature is Fioravanti-patented rotating roof. Called the Revocromico roof to highlight its unique rearward rotating movement and electrochromic glass technology, the supporting structure is in carbon-fibre. Once the roof catch has been released, the Superamerica converts from a coupe to a drop top in less than 10 seconds. When opened the roof folds back and rests flush with the boot lid, while the rear window doubles as a highly effective wind deflector.
 

Another advantage that this solution offers is that, even with the top down, the boot capacity in unaffected. The boot can also be opened regardless of whether the top is up or down. For owner's who plan to use their car with the top down for extended periods, a special all-weather tonneau  cover is available which can easily be fitted.

The use of electrochromic glass for the Superamerica's rotating roof is a first in the automotive history. The roof is around one square metre in size and the tint of the glass can be modified using a 5-position switch located on the central tunnel. In fact, the electrochromic glass, manufactured in collaboration with Saint Gobain, contains special electrochemical cells which give a range of five different tint levels. At the very lightest setting, the amount of light coming into the cockpit is the same as a conventional glass sunroof, while at the very darkest setting only 1% of solar rays filter through. It takes just 60 seconds for the glass to go from the darkest setting to the lightest. When the engine is turned off, however, the glass automatically reverts to its darkest setting to protect the cockpit.

The Ferrari Superamerica is based in the most prestigious of all Ferrari's layouts- the V12. It features a 65 degree vee architecture with twin overhead cams per cylinder bank and four valves per cylinder. The crankcase, cylinder heads and sump are all in aluminium alloy.

In finest Ferrari tradition, the V12 also adopts a dry sump lubrication system. The Superamerica's engine has been boosted to deliver 540 hp at 7250 rpm (25 hp more than the 575M Maranello). This extra power was achieved by the use of new higher intake tracts, an improved flow coefficient thanks to the optimization of the fluid-dynamic characteristics of the cylinder head inlet ducts and inlet manifold. Similarly, the new exhaust system design reduces backpressure. The Superamerica has a transaxle layout featuring a six-speed gearbox with multicone synchronisers. With regard to the F1 style gearbox, the introduction of the latest generation electronics not only makes for faster gear changing times in the manual Sport mode (down to 180 ms), but also smoother automatic shifts in F1a mode.

The Ferrari Superamerica chassis is based on the 575M Maranello with additional structural reinforcements for maximum rigidity. Adopting innovative rotating glass roof in fact called for stronger sill members, reinforcements in the chassis tubes around the central tunnel and A-posts, the external skins of which are now I steel rather than aluminium. The rear buttresses add to the structural reinforcements carried out around the roof mechanism, while the rear firewall has been strengthened and additional bracing added around the transaxle area. The Ferrari Superamerica's roadholding has been fine-tuned by adopting active damping with four proportional-valve shock absorbers and six accelerometers. The system "reads" the road surface and adapts the damping almost instantly to suit. The driver can chose from two settings: Sport and Comfort, which govern not only the damping but also the traction control and the F1 gearbox logic.

On request the Superamerica can be fitted with the GTC Handling package which includes a more sporting suspension set-up, a lightweight sports exhaust with deeper rumble, red brake callipers, and CCM (Carbon Ceramic Material) brake discs (398 mm front and 360 mm rear).