Debuting at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show this September, the ’458 spider’ by Ferrari is a retractable hard top Berlinetta coupe, modeled as a convertible version of the ’458 Italia’.
With a direct-injection 4.5L V8 engine producing 570-horsepower and a maximum torque of 398 lb-ft, the vehicle reaches a maximum speed of 198mph (320km/hr), attaining 0-62mph (0-100km/hr) in 3.4 seconds. A dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift seven-speed transmission features Ferrari’s racetrack-honed ‘e-diff’ technology for improved performance.
The vehicle’s hard-top is composed entirely of aluminum, reducing weight by 25kg as compared to a traditional folding soft-top, and raising and lowering in 14 seconds. An adjustable electric wind top around the car’s cockpit diffuses air and thus reduces noise, reportedly capable of enabling normal conversation at speeds of up to 200km/hr (124mph).
The ‘Spider’ measures 14.5 feet long by 6.3 feet wide and 4 feet tall (4527 x 1937 x 1211 mm), sitting on 20-inch wheels. the rear of the car features buttresses that guide airflow to the engine intakes and clutch radiator.
Sales of the ‘Spider’ begin in Europe in September of 2011 and in the US in early 2012. Ferrari is also designing ’458 Scuderia’, designed as a sportier version of the vehicle, for expected release in 2013.
