The new 458 Spider joins the 458 Italia to widen the range of Ferrari’s V8 sports car and offer the same technological solutions, handling and performance in a refined open-top configuration. As such, it is equipped with a Ferrari-patented, fully-retractable hardtop.
The 458 Spider is powered by Ferrari’s naturally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5-liter V8. 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 features, such as its accelerator pedal mapping and suspension damping, have been calibrated to guarantee maximum sportiness with the top down, in line with Maranello’s spider tradition.
Even the engine soundtrack has been honed to ensure that the car’s occupants are captivated by the drop-top driving experience.
Entirely in aluminum, the hardtop solution adopted for the 458 Spider offers a number of advantages over the traditional folding soft-top, including a reduction of 25kg 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 performance. The small space needed to house the roof enabled the designers to include a generous rear bench for luggage behind the seats.
The rear of the car is characterized by innovative forms with the buttresses designed to optimize air flow to the engine intakes, the clutch and gearbox oil radiators.
For maximum comfort whilst driving top down the 458 Spider features a generous electric wind stop. The design slows and diffuses the air in the cockpit, enabling normal conversation to be held even at speeds over 120mph.
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 characterized Ferrari’s open-top berlinettas.