Today marks the official debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show of the 488 Spider, the latest chapter in Maranello’s ongoing history with open-top V8 sports cars. The new car’s 3902cc turbo-charged V8 unleashes a maximum of 670 CV and delivers smooth progressive torque up to a maximum of 760 Nm at 3,000 rpm, courtesy of the Variable Torque Management system. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3 seconds and 0 to 200 km/h in 8.7. Even more significant is its razor-sharp throttle response time of just 0.8 seconds which essentially eliminates the turbo lag typical of this kind of engine.
The Scaglietti facility’s skills have produced a light, high performance spaceframe chassis with the same torsional rigidity and beam stiffness figures as the coupé improving its performance by 23% over that of the 458 Spider. The RHT (Retractable Hard Top) has rendered traditional soft-tops obsolete as it is not only lighter (- 25 kg) but also provides better protection from noise and elements even when lowered. The RHT can now also be raised or lowered in 14 seconds even when the car is moving.
The hard-working Ferrari Design Centre has brought a sculptural beauty to the modifications made to meet the aerodynamic demands of the car. The 488 Spider also debuts a new colour created to enhance its forms: metallic Blu Corsa was designed to meld with the sky overhead with two-layer paintwork creating an unusual iridescent effect.