Ferrari has officially
previewed the new 458 Spider which will debut at next
month's Frankfurt IAA, joining the 458 Italia to widen
the range of Ferrari’s mid-rear engined V8s and offering
the same technological solutions, handling and
performance in an 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. Apart
from a small rise in weight, virtually nothing
mechanically and technologically has been changed from
the coupé bodied 458 Italia. The
power is thus 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.
The accelerator
pedal mapping and the damping of the multilink
suspension, have been recalibrated to guarantee maximum
sportiness and absolute driving pleasure with the top
down, in line with Maranello’s spider
tradition. The engine's soundtrack has been honed to
ensure that the car’s occupants have an impressive note
to hear during drop-top driving experience.
Entirely made from 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. For maximum 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.
Ferrari 458 Spider Technical
Specifications
ItaliaspeedTV:
Ferrari
458 Spider
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