Ferrari 488 Spider revealed

This is the new Ferrari 488 Spider – the most powerful mid-engined convertible Ferrari has yet made.  It gets a turbocharged V8 that churns out a massive 660bhp at 8000rpm.

The Ferrari 488 Spider uses a similar folding hard-top seen in the 458 drop-top.  According to Ferrari, the hard-top is 25kg lighter than the conventional cloth roof and takes just 14 seconds to fold up or down.  The roof lies flat on top of the engine when folded down.

Despite the removal of a fixed roof, the 488 Spider is claimed by Ferrari to have the same torsional rigidity as the 488 GTB, thanks to its spaceframe chassis. It is made of 11 different aluminium alloys in conjunction with other metals, such as magnesium. These gains have led to a claimed 23% improvement in chassis rigidity compared with the 458 Spider.

The 488 Spider is marginally heavier than the 488 GTB. With a 1420kg dry weight when fitted with optional lightweight equipment, the open-topped 488 is only 50kg heavier than the coupé and is 10kg lighter than the 458 Spider.

The 488 is the most aerodynamic drop-top that Ferrari has made and has several major visual changes from the coupé. The most notable ones are the large flying buttresses, which sit behind the two seats. They are designed to send airflow to the engine cover and into the air intakes.

The rear spoiler, which channels air through a gap on the rear lip, remains unchanged from the coupé. The Spider also gets the GTB’s adjustable rear diffuser, which varies its position depending on speed and throttle input.

To improve in-cabin comfort, the 488 Spider has an adjustable rear wind stopper in the form of an electric glass window. It can be placed in three different positions to increase protection as desired. It can also be dropped while the roof is in place to increase the sound of the engine in the cabin even in poor weather conditions.

Ferrari has tweaked the 488’s suspension for the Spider, increasing compliance to make it a little more comfortable than the GTB, because Ferrari reckons the convertible model is more likely to be used on the road than on circuits. The exhaust noise has also been slightly detuned, so the noise at speed is less overpowering with the roof off.

The engine itself is identical to that of the GTB and gives the Spider the same claimed 0-62mph time of 3.0sec, although 0-200kph takes marginally longer, at 8.7sec to the fixed-head car’s 8.4sec. The top speed is 327kph.

The Spider is set to come with the same equipment and options as the GTB. Right-hand-drive cars are due to go on sale globally in late spring next year. The Ferrari 488 Spider will get its first public unveil at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show 2015.

Tom Webster (Autocar UK) 

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