The only Ares S1 Project Spyder is being sold at auction in aid of UNICEF

This past spring, the Italian company Ares Modena, formerly known as Ares Design, unveiled the spectacular Ares S1 Speedster to the public, a supercar coupé with an open-top version that was born from sketches taking the Corvette C8 Stingray as a starting point, which became a prototype named S1 Project Spyder.

The Ares S1 Speedster is a truly exclusive model, not only because of the technology it features and the materials used in its construction, but also because of the number of units to be built: just 24 worldwide, with an estimated price of around half a million euros. But the Ares S1 Project Spyder we are discussing today is even more special, as it is a one-off that has been built and sold through an auction with a very special purpose: all the money raised will go entirely to UNICEF.

The Ares S1 Project Spyder is similar to its production sibling, the S1 Speedster, except for a few details that make it unique. Its carbon-fibre bodywork differs from the production version through its barchetta-style design, meaning it does not include a front windscreen in favour of small deflectors that direct the airflow so that it does not strike the occupants’ heads directly. At the rear, instead of a uniform slope down towards the tail, the body is split into two sections, creating two humps behind each seat, which also serve to protect the occupants in the event of a rollover.

Beneath the engine cover behind the humps sits an engine of the kind we can already consider endangered: a naturally aspirated V8 mounted mid-engine. The brand still provides no concrete figures, but it is expected to produce around 715 CV, which should allow it to complete the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in roughly 2.7 seconds. This engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which sends all the power to the rear wheels.

The interior of the Ares S1 Project Spyder is simply spectacular. Its two seats are divided by a central tunnel painted in the same colour as the bodywork, on which sits the centre console, which includes a large touchscreen with which we can operate practically all of the vehicle’s functions. Both its seats and the upholstered areas feature high-quality materials, such as Napa leather combined with Alcantara, together with a driving position that could almost be considered futuristic, partly thanks to the design of the steering wheel.

As I mentioned earlier, the Ares S1 Project Spyder was auctioned at a charity event held on 30 July in Italy, reaching a price of 1.2 million euros, money that will be donated in full to UNICEF to fight for children’s rights around the world.