Ferrari 458 Spider

Ahead of its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Ferrari has revealed the 458 Spider, its mid-rear engined berlinetta equipped with a retractable hard top.

The special, patented roof is entirely in aluminum and allows a weight reduction of 25 kg compared to a conventional soft top.

It is fully integrated into the styling of the car, and was engineered to fit neatly ahead of the engine bay without compromising aerodynamics or the performance of the car.

The small space needed to house the roof enables the designers to include a generous rear bench for luggage behind the seats.

The new rear of the car is characterized by innovative forms designed to optimize the flow of air to the engine intakes and the clutch and gearbox oil radiators.

For maximum comfort whilst driving top down the 458 Spider features a generously-sized adjustable electric wind stop.

According to Ferrari, “the design was perfected to slow and diffuse the air in the cockpit, enabling normal conversation to be held even at speeds over 200 km/h.”

The chassis was modified so that it guarantees identical levels of structural rigidity with the roof up or down.

The 458 Spider is powered by Ferrari’s naturally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5 litre V8 which was nominated as the 2011 International Engine of the Year.

The power is transferred to the road by the dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission through the sophisticated E-Diff, itself integrated with the F1-Trac traction control and high-performance ABS.

Certain features, such as its accelerator pedal mapping and the damping of the multilink suspension, have been calibrated to guarantee maximum sportiness and absolute driving pleasure with the top down, in line with Maranello’s exclusive spider tradition.

Even the engine soundtrack has been honed to ensure that the car’s occupants are completely captivated by the drop-top driving experience.

458 Spider technical specifications

Dimensions

• Length 4527 mm (178.2 in.)
• Width 1937 mm (76.3 in.)
• Height 1211 mm (47.7 in.)
• Wheelbase 2650 mm (104.3 in.)
• Dry weight 1430 kg (3153 lbs)*
• Weight/power ratio 2.51 kg/CV (7.42 lbs/kW)
• Weight distribution fr/r 42%/58%

Engine

• Type 90° V8
• Displacement 4499 cc (274.5 cu in.)
• Maximum power 570 CV (425 kW)** @ 9000 rpm
• Maximum torque 540 Nm (398 lbs/ft) @ 6000 rpm
• Specific power output 127 CV/l
• Compression ratio 12.5:1

Tires

• Front 235/35 ZR20 8.5”
• Rear 295/35 ZR20 10.5”

Performance

• Maximum speed >320 km/h (>198 mph)
• 0-100 km/h <3.4 s
• Fuel consumption + emissions
• Fuel consumption* 11.8 l/100 km
• Emissions* 275 g CO2/km

Drivetrain

• Gearbox: Dual-clutch, 7-speed F1
• Electronics: E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high-performance ABS