Finally, the Ferrari 458 Spider is here. Although the official launch of the new convertible Ferrari 458 will be held at the Frankfurt motor show, Ferrari has unveiled the very first official images of the car. Along with the images, the Italian prancing horse has also showcased a video which shows the newly developed retractable roof mechanism. The Ferrari 458 Spider is Ferrari’s fastest ever drop-top with a top speed of 320 kph.
2012 Ferrari 458 Spider
The addition of the retractable roof mechanism has increased the weight of the car. But, Ferrari engineers have succeeded in the limiting it to just 50 kilograms. Thus, the top speed has dropped from 325 kph to 320kph, a very small price to pay then, for the joys of open top motoring. The new roof mechanism has been patented by Ferrari and fits snugly between in the engine bay. Ferrari designers have had to add the buttresses to optimize air flow and direct it towards the radiators.
2012 Ferrari 458 Spider
The suspension too has been tweaked to offer the sportiest experience with the roof down. The exhaust note has also been worked on to make it more sonorous and audible with the rood off. The engine in the new Ferrari 458 Spider is the same naturally aspirated 4.5 litre V8 which puts out 570 bhp and 540 Nm of maximum torque. The added weight has also taken its toll on the performance. The Ferrari 458 Spider completes the sprint from 0-100 kph in 3.4 sec.
2012 Ferrari 458 Spider
Power is seamlessly transferred onto the tarmac via an F1 derived dual-clutch, paddle-operated automatic transmission. An electronic differential takes care of directing the power to the wheels while the F1-Trac traction control system works overtime to stop the rear wheels from spinning. The Ferrari 458 Italia was praised by aficionados for being one of the sweetest handling machines. Some even went on to name it among the best Ferraris ever built. The added weight must’ve taken a toll on the handling of the car but, how much is the question which needs to be answered.
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