Official Press Release: THE NEW FERRARI 458 SPIDER MAKES ITS WORLD DEBUT The world's first mid-rear engined berlinetta equipped with a retractable hard top debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show Maranello, 23rd August 2011 – The new 458 Spider joins the 458 Italia, widening the range of Ferrari’s mid-rear engined V8s and offering the same uncompromising technological solutions, handling and performance in a refined open-top configuration. It is equipped with a Ferrari patented, fully retractable hard top, a world first for a sports car with this lay-out. The 458 Spider is powered by Ferrari’s naturally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5 litre V8 which was nominated as the 2011 International Engine of the Year for its engineering excellence in terms of driveability, performance, economy and refinement. The power is transferred to the road by Ferrari’s class-leading dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission through the sophisticated E-Diff, itself integrated with the F1-Trac traction control and high-performance ABS for maximum handling dynamics. Certain of the car’s features, such as its accelerator pedal mapping and the damping of the multilink suspension, have been calibrated to guarantee maximum sportiness and absolute driving pleasure with the top down, in line with Maranello’s exclusive spider tradition. Even the engine soundtrack has been honed to ensure that the car’s occupants are completely captivated by the drop-top driving experience. Entirely in aluminium, the hard-top solution adopted for the 458 Spider offers a number of advantages over the traditional folding soft-top, including a reduction of 25 kg in weight and a deployment time of just 14 seconds. Fully integrated into the styling of the car, the hard-top was engineered to fit neatly ahead of the engine bay without compromising aerodynamics or the performance of the car. The small space needed to house the roof enables the designers to include a generous rear bench for luggage behind the seats. The rear of the car is characterised by innovative forms with the buttresses designed to optimise the flow of air to the engine intakes and the clutch and gearbox oil radiators. Formaximum comfort whilst driving top down the 458 Spider features a generously-sized adjustable electric wind stop. The design was perfected to slow and diffuse the air in the cockpit, enabling normal conversation to be held even at speeds over 200 km/h. New technical solutions adopted for the chassis guarantee identical levels of structural rigidity with the roof up or down. The result is a car that is truly exciting to drive, blending extreme performance with the responsiveness that has always characterised Ferrari’s open-top berlinettas. 458 Spider technical specifications: Dimensions Length 4527 mm (178.2 in.) Width 1937 mm (76.3 in.) Height 1211 mm (47.7 in.) Wheelbase 2650 mm (104.3 in.) Dry weight 1430 kg (3153 lbs)* Weight/power ratio 2.51 kg/CV (7.42 lbs/kW) Weight distribution fr/r 42%/58% * With forged wheels and Racing seats Engine Type 90° V8 Displacement 4499 cc (274.5 cu in.) Maximum power 570 CV (425 kW)** @ 9000 rpm Maximum torque 540 Nm (398 lbs/ft) @ 6000 rpm Specific power output 127 CV/l Compression ratio 12.5:1 ** Including 5 CV of ram effect Tyres Front 235/35 ZR20 8.5" Rear 295/35 ZR20 10.5" Performance Maximum speed 320 km/h (198 mph) 0-100 km/h <3.4 s Fuel consumption + emissions Fuel consumption*** 11.8 l/100 km Emissions*** 275 g CO2/km *** Combined cycle with HELE system (ECE+EUDC) Gearbox Dual-clutch, 7-speed F1 Electronics E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high-performance ABS From the official Ferrari website. 458 Spider
Well, don't know what to say! Good es expected. Now if I'd prefere it over the 458 Italia, not sure. I am not into topless cars, but if I were, I would be more attracted by an Aston Martin Volant or a Maserati GranCabrio Sport.
Wow! I don't know why it's so surprising because other than the lack of a roof it's identical to the normal Italia but still I never imagined it would look this hot!
^haha true..i think you might have to be the issuer of the check rather than the receiver to own such a car.. PS Sorry for hijacking the thread..its about the spider
They must have something up their sleeve with the top, or else, they would not settle for a departure from the see-through engine bay.
Oh my God! So gorgeous! I'm literally drooling... Note to self: Rob a bank. Or just settle for the Hot Wheels 1:18 model...
