The Ferrari Monza SP1 is a rare breed, even for Ferrari’s standards. It’s limited to just 500 units with the equally audacious Monza SP2, the Monza SP1 is a proper Ferrari speedster that carries 799 horsepower from its 6.5-liter V-12 engine. It’s properly powerful as all speedsters should be, but there really is no such thing as too much power, is there? German tuning firm Novitec swears by that motto, and the Monza SP1 benefits from it. What kind of aftermarket program did Novitec create for the fanciful Monza SP1? Let’s find out.

What kind of upgrades did Novitec add to the Monza SP1’s exterior and interior?

The Ferrari Monza SP1 is one of those cars that’s singular in its appearance. The same can be said for the Monza SP2. Either way, nothing Novitec does to the exterior of the SP1 that can be considered an upgrade. Nothing. Fortunately, Novitec didn’t try to outsmart anyone here. The tuner understood that exterior upgrades on the Monza SP1 — and Monza SP2 — served no real purpose other than to ruin the low-slung, retro-inspired carbon fiber bodywork. So Novitec left the exterior alone, opting instead to focus on the set of wheels that the speedster was sitting on.

The center-locking wheels — they’re among the lightest in the entire industry — measure 21 inches at the front and 22 inches at the back. They can also be ordered in a variety of colors and finishes.

The interior, as many might expect, is subject to an endless list of customization options. Since there’s not a lot of space to work with, Novitec is opening the proverbial catalog with fully bespoke leather and Alcantara options that you can score in any color or combination that suits your taste. Since the Monza SP1 already looks like the amount you have to pay to buy one, a fully customized interior is your chance to make your SP1 into your own. Novitec’s options in this department are endless. Runaway with it.

What kind of engine upgrade are we looking at?

A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sends power to the two rear wheels, allowing the SP1 to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds and 0 to 124 mph in only 7.9 seconds. The speedster’s top speed peaks at 186 mph.

All these figures paint a clear picture of what the SP1 Monza’s naturally aspirated V-12 engine is capable of. Still, Novitec was determined to coax more power out of the SP1 Monza, and it did so without doing anything to the monstrous V-12 unit. Instead, the tuner set its sights on upgrading the speedster’s exhaust system. We’re not just talking about a typical aftermarket exhaust here. We’re talking about a bespoke exhaust system that’s finished in 999 fine gold plating. It’s been established that gold dissipates heat more effectively than bare metal. That’s the rationale the tuner went with for this upgrade. It’s the same rationale Gordon Murray used when he designed the McLaren F1 with an engine bay that was lined in gold. Great minds think alike.

The exhaust is still made from stainless steel, though there is an option to get the INCONEL exhaust, made from the same nickel-chromium superalloy that’s commonly used in Formula One race cars. By its nature, INCONEL is highly resistant to the kind of oxidation and corrosion that stainless steel exhausts are subjected to over long periods of time. With a car like the SP1 Monza and the kind of heat and pressure it generates, this is the only exhaust system setup that needs to be considered.

For what all that’s worth, the results speak for themselves, too. With the novelty exhaust in place, a significant reduction in engine back pressure allows the engine to breathe a little more freely. That results in more power and torque coming out of the engine. How much more power, you ask? It’s not much, but gains of 34 horsepower and 45 pound-feet of torque on an engine that already produces a wallop count as a significant rise in power. We’re talking about 844 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque on a car that weighs just 3,307 pounds.

That bump in power should also translate into faster acceleration times. Novitec didn’t divulge the figures, but it’s reasonable to expect the SP1 Monza to be able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and 0 to 124 mph in 7.7 seconds.

How much damage to the checkbooks are we looking at here?

Novitec didn’t say how much its program for the Ferrari Monza SP1 costs. Considering the personalized nature of the interior upgrades, the price tag is flexible, depending on the buyer. At the end of the day, it probably doesn’t matter. The Ferrari Monza SP1 costs around $1.8 million, and only around 500 units are going to be made. If you somehow managed to score a seat at that table, Novitec’s aftermarket program for the speedster is a drop in the bucket to you.

Final Thoughts

Final thoughts? We don't have any. We don't even have initial thoughts. This is an upgrade for one of the most exclusive and most expensive Ferraris of all time, developed by one of the premier Ferrari tuners in the world. Nothing about this upgrade counts as "normal." It's excessive in all the ways the Ferrari Monza SP1 is excessive. And we love it. Absolutely love it.