Official pictures and details regarding the new Ferrari 458 Spider have been released, which marks the first time that the Maranello firm has fitted a folding hardtop to a mid-engined two-seater.
Although it’s commonly perceived that a folding hardtop is a less-speedily deployed and heavier item than a conventional softtop, the 458 Spider’s roof is 25 kg lighter than the equivalent cloth roof – its overall mechanism and bracing adding just 50 kg to the kerb weight of the standard car to tip the scales at 1 430 kg.
The folding hardtop can be deployed in as little as 14 seconds and has been designed to slot into a compartment just ahead of the engine bay without any ill effect upon performance or vehicle aerodynamics. An electric wind stop is fitted to reduce roof-down wind buffeting – a feature that Ferrari claims will allow occupants to sustain a normal conversation at speeds in excess of 190 km/h.
The buttresses behind the seats are more than just an aesthetic appointment – they help channel airflow into the clutch and gearbox radiators, as well as the engine intakes. Occupying a smaller space than a softtop, the new hardtop’s set-up frees up additional room behind the seats where additional luggage can be stowed.
Power is provided by the same 4,5-litre V8 in the Italia. This unit develops 425 kW and 540 N.m of torque, enough to propel the Spider from standstill to 100 km/h in under 3,4 seconds and on to a top speed of 318 km/h – about 7 km/h shy of the Italia’s top whack.
Ferrari engineers have not only fettled the throttle mapping and suspension damping have been specifically tuned for this model, but have also played with the exhaust system to tune the engine note for top-down motoring.
The official unveiling of the 458 Spider will take place at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.