Mansory Tempesta Celeste is heavenly in name only

Somewhere Ferrari’s brand management has to be fuming. The Italian luxury automaker has a long history of taking action against customers who modify its cars in ways they deem problematic to the Prancing Horse’s image.

Pop singer Justin Bieber’s bright blue, vinyl-wrapped Ferrari 458 with flared fenders, large wheels, and heavy tint got him blackballed from future purchases. DJ Deadmau5’s full wrap illustrating the Internet meme “Nyan Cat” was worthy of a cease and desist letter.

Can German tuner Mansory’s re-envisioned SF90 Spider be far behind those two in drawing the ire of the legendary Italian marque?

The recently debuted, one-of-three hypercar named “Tempesta Celeste” takes radical styling to the next level. Its name translates to “heavenly storm” but many will likely believe the look is more hellish than angelic. As with nearly all Mansory products, the Tempesta Celeste highlights the tuner’s, how shall we say, “liberal” design approach. Mansory describes its Ferrari SF90 kit as having “visual charms — crystal clear and free of any doubts and compromises.” That’s certainly one way to look at it. 

The Mansory body kit is far more, um, eye-catching than Ferrari’s standard SF90 Spider. In addition to extreme aerodynamics, the Tempesta Celeste has been tuned to have 200 horsepower more than its stock counterpart. It also has no shortage of carbon fiber. 

Carbon fiber usage is a Mansory signature and sets it apart most from its stock counterparts. The abundant carbon present throughout the Tempesta Celeste is forged and gives the vehicle what some might call a tacky look versus the typical, non-forged carbon fiber’s woven appearance. The forged carbon is all but inescapable on this redone SF90 Spider. No matter where you look — the front fascia, hood, side mirrors, and the YT.5 Air ultra-light wheels (21 inches in the front, 22 in the rear) and intricate side skirts, there it is. And not necessarily in a good way.

Mansory didn’t merely drown the Tempesta Celeste in carbon and call it a day. An entirely redesigned front and rear bumper use enlarged vents for increased airflow, sharper styling, and more downforce components. Canards and a longer spoiler up front, a colossal double diffuser and winglets in the rear combine to turn a powerfully elegant sports car into a “tarted up” track car. 

The over-the-top redesign is debatable on many levels. Still, it’s hard not to be intrigued by the work by Mansory’s engineering team which tweaked the stock SF90 Spider’s twin-turbocharged V8 from 780 to nearly 980 horsepower. The three-motor hybrid setup, unchanged from the SF90 Spider, boosts this to over 1,100 ponies.

That power and all-wheel-drive enable the Tempesta Celeste to rip from 0-62 miles per hour in 2.4 seconds, much like the stock counterpart. The Tempesta Celeste is no faster to 62 mph but it tops out at over 220 mph giving it a 10-mph advantage over the stock SF90 Spider.

Those who may be grossed out by the exterior design may find the interior more likable where a vibrant sky blue colorway can be found inside the cabin. 

Carbon fiber usage has been slowed inside to make way for “the finest leather” and other luxury materials. Carbon fiber, however, still covers most of the center console and is the material of choice for Mansory’s many interior logos. White leather upholstery covers additional panels along the door and only the passenger seat, not the driver’s seat. Don’t like it? Don’t worry. Mansory’s “One-of-One Philosophy” allows customization so that every vehicle in a production run is unique.

Only three Tempesta Celestes will leave the Brand, Germany workshop and no price has been announced. It won’t be a shock if these vehicles carry a heavy premium over the $570,000 SF90 Spider. Those interested in acquiring a Tempesta Celeste can visit Mansory’s website.

Just note that it’s not for the faint of heart.

Mason Bloom is a reporter for TheWeeklyDriver.com. When he is not writing about industry news, new car reviews or covering live motorsport events, he is a sophomore at Aptos High School on the California central coast.