Paris motor show 2010: Ferrari SA APERTA

Ferrari has unveiled its Paris show star - although this open-top version of the 599 has sold out before making its public debut.

Called SA APERTA, the new model is designed as a tribute to styling house Pininfarina, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. The S and A in the car's name stand for Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina.

Unlike Ferrari's 575M Superamerica, which had a folding hard-top, the SA APERTA features what the firm calls "a light soft-top designed to be resorted to only if the weather gets particularly bad".

It also has a lower-slung windscreen and lower ride height, and two aerodynamic fins that are integrated into the rollover hoops.

Ferrari says the car is powered by a 670PS engine, giving the car 661bhp. That puts it desperately close on power to the ultra-extreme 599 GTO. The firm also claims that despite the loss of the roof, the SA APERTA has "a standard of stiffness comparable to that of a closed berlinetta", and that there is "a negligible weight difference" after the work on the chassis structure.

Just 80 examples of the car will be built, but Ferrari says they're all sold, following the SA APERTA's appearance at a private viewing at the recent Pebble Beach Concours in California. A final price will be announced at Paris, but Ferrari sources say the figure will be north of 400,000 euros (£340,000).