Ferrari has unveiled the new 488 Pista Spider at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, the roofless version of the hardcore 488 Pista coupe. Set to rival the Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder, the 488 Pista Spider shares its powertrain with its coupe sibling – the award-winning 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 720hp and 770hp.
Performance figures have changed slightly – 100kph comes up in 2.85 seconds (0.05s slower than the coupe) though the top speed is still 340kph. This could be attributed to the increase 100kg weight difference between the coupe and the Spider, with the latter tipping the scales at 1,380kg.
The designer’s main brief during the development of the convertible supercar was to stay as true to the coupé’s aerodynamic efficiency as possible, so as to not alter the car’s performance. The Spider, hence, possesses the same Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer system as the regular 488 Pista, which adjusts brake pressure at the calipers to improve cornering.
Lightweight materials have helped keep to keep weight down, including the usage of straps instead of traditional interior door handles. The carpets are also stripped out and replaced with aluminium foot plates.
Besides the lack of the roof, the Spider gets new 20-inch alloy wheels to differentiate it from the coupe and the model showcased at Pebble Beach was finished in an exclusive new livery.
Uday Singh
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