When we told that the convertible 458 Italia will make the switch from the rag top used on the previous generations to a folding metal roof, we really didn’t expect the car to be so close to production. Yet a post on Teamspeed’s forum says the car was already shown to a select group last week in Maranello before its official debut later this year. Ferrari presented two cars in Maranello: one in a Rosso/Tan combination and one in Nero/Tan.
What’s more, the retractable hardtop is reportedly a work of art and has reportedly only added 50 kilograms or about 110 lbs to the total weight of the 458. The new Spider is so close we can almost touch it: It will go into production at the outset of 2012, while sales in Europe will kick of the end of the first quarter of 2012. The US version of the car will be arriving toward the end of next year, when it will make the very top of every millionaire’s Christmas wish list.
Can you picture it? Red Ferrari, press a button and the metal top comes down to a soundtrack by Verdi, press another button and the engine starts, bringing with it plenty of V8 rumbles that make the dashboard gauges dance. Want one? Well, you can expect to pay about $40,000 over the price of the 458 Italia coupe. You’ll also not be able see the engine, but 570 horse wailing away at 9,000 rpm will make up for it.
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