Photo: Newspress
Now that Ferrari has used the 488 GTB to show just how brilliant its return to the turbocharged game is, the time has come for the 488 Spider to demonstrate the Italians can match McLaren when it comes to making open-top supercars that are just as good to drive on the road as their fixed-roof siblings.
The Frankfurt Motor Show brings us the 488 Spider, which also happens to be Maranello’s most powerful Spider ever.
We’ll start with the roof - in what has become a Ferrari tradition, the 488 Spider offers a retractable metallic hardtop (RHT), with the carmaker explaining this is 25 kg (55 lbs) lighter compared to a conventional cloth top. The roof can be operated on the move, taking 14 seconds to move from one position to the other.
Maranello engineers have also improved the torsional rigidity of the chassis, so, together with the upgraded roof, this allows the 488 Spider to be 23 percent stiffer compared to the 458 Spider.
At the center of the car, we find the same 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8, which allows the driver to play with 670 hp and (the center piece) a massive 760 Nm (561 lb-ft) of torque.
As a result, the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint sits below the 3-second barrier, while the 0 to 124 mph (200 km/h) run is completed in 8.7 seconds. The carmaker has worked to eliminate turbo lag, with the company explaining the throttle response is as sharp as 0.8 seconds.
While we didn’t get a chance to listen to the engine at work in the Spider, the time we previously spent with a coupe allows us to dismiss any soundtrack fears - the 488 sounds just as good as the 458.
And, from behind the wheel, the pulling power is phenomenal. The sense of urgency given by the loads of instant torque keep you on your toes, but the car is even more agile than before.
Ferrari’s handling electronics now integrate damper control - when the car is at the limit, the shocks are softened up a little so that you get more feedback.
We’ll start with the roof - in what has become a Ferrari tradition, the 488 Spider offers a retractable metallic hardtop (RHT), with the carmaker explaining this is 25 kg (55 lbs) lighter compared to a conventional cloth top. The roof can be operated on the move, taking 14 seconds to move from one position to the other.
Maranello engineers have also improved the torsional rigidity of the chassis, so, together with the upgraded roof, this allows the 488 Spider to be 23 percent stiffer compared to the 458 Spider.
At the center of the car, we find the same 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8, which allows the driver to play with 670 hp and (the center piece) a massive 760 Nm (561 lb-ft) of torque.
As a result, the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint sits below the 3-second barrier, while the 0 to 124 mph (200 km/h) run is completed in 8.7 seconds. The carmaker has worked to eliminate turbo lag, with the company explaining the throttle response is as sharp as 0.8 seconds.
While we didn’t get a chance to listen to the engine at work in the Spider, the time we previously spent with a coupe allows us to dismiss any soundtrack fears - the 488 sounds just as good as the 458.
And, from behind the wheel, the pulling power is phenomenal. The sense of urgency given by the loads of instant torque keep you on your toes, but the car is even more agile than before.
Ferrari’s handling electronics now integrate damper control - when the car is at the limit, the shocks are softened up a little so that you get more feedback.
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