Does the 488 Spider give its rivals Ferrari-phobia?
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Does the 488 Spider give its rivals Ferrari-phobia?

By DanGoAuto - 13 August 2015

WHEN Ferrari introduced its first turbocharged engine since the iconic F40 under the bonnet of the California T, cynics predicted the beginning of the end for one of the company’s most desirable selling points.

But when the new convertible coupe arrived, it was clear the masterful Ferrari engineers had managed to install two potentially sound-deadening turbos in the exhaust, without losing the sensational prancing horse soundtrack.

Its 3.9-litre flat-plane crank V8 would go on to power the 458-replacing 488 GTB but with power pumped up from 412kW to a mighty 493kW and its stumpier mid-engined exhaust, the classic note went from sparkling to sensational.

While some manufacturers have attempted to increase the enjoyment of an engine note by piping sound through speakers in the car’s stereo, Ferrari took a far more straightforward approach with the 488 – and cut the roof off.

Ferrari's stunning 488 Spider has all of the attributes of its GTB cousin, except the roof.

The result is the 488 Spider – Ferrari’s most powerful mid-engined convertible to date.

Like its GTB sister, the convertible version manages to dash to 100km/h from standstill in a seriously rapid 3.0-seconds, through the benchmark 200km/h barrier in 8.7-seconds and wont stop until the speedo reads 325km/h. Or it rains.

At which point the roof will need to be closed and Ferrari has also worked its engineering wizardry into the Spider’s Retractable Hard Top (RHT). The Italian supercar-maker says its folding design saves 25kg over a fabric option as well as offering better cabin comfort than a rag-top.

Its folding hard-top disappears under a cover above the 3.9-litre mid-mounted V8 engine.

Clever design allows the two-piece roof to nestle snugly on top of the 488’s midship V8 for a very compact solution, and takes 14 seconds to get there.

With the roof down, passengers can reduce cabin turbulence with an electrically operated wind deflector, which is handy when you are covering nearly 100 meters every second, but Ferrari recommends retracting the wind-stop at lower speeds to fully appreciate the V8 at 8000 rpm.

Ferrari says the new model is its most aerodynamically efficient convertible to date allowing the car to pass through the air easier, while producing downforce with “vortex generators” to boost grip.

Carbon ceramic brakes, 20-inch wheels and grey skies are included in the price.

Where some sportscars become flaccid when their roofs are removed, Ferrari says the use of 11 different aluminium alloys for the Spider's spaceframe has ensured the same torsional rigidity as the GTB coupe, while representing a 23 per cent improvement in chassis performance over its predecessor, the 458.

Using the latest version of the SSC2 Side Slip Angle Control System, Ferrari engineers have improved acceleration out of corners by 12 per cent when compared with the 458 Spider, while overall response times are nine per cent quicker than the 458.

A three-way adjustable glass wind stop can be closed to limit cabin breezes when the roof is open.

It is not the first time Ferrari has offered a mid-engined turbocharged V8 and in the 1980s a special version of the 308 dubbed the 208 was produced primarily for the Italian market where engines over 2.0-litres attract more punishing taxes.

The diminutive downsized 2.0-litre V8 was given back some performance with the addition of an intercooled turbo taking power to 162kW, becoming the very first turbocharged road-going Ferrari.

The car that will break cover at the Frankfurt motor show will be presented in Ferrari's Blu Corsa paint with matching highlights throughout the interior.

After that, turbocharging spread to the iconic 288 GTO and, of course, the awesome F40, which for a while became the world’s fastest road car thanks to forced induction.

The newest Ferrari will make its first public appearance at the Frankfurt motor show in September before heading to Australia next year, but before you dash off to your local dealer with your chequebook, you will have to wait a while because the new model is already sold out for a year.

Shown here as the closed roof GTB, Ferrari's 208 of the 1980s introduced V8 turbo power for the prancing horse.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed for the Spider, but it is likely to carry a similar $38,450 premium to that of the 458 Spider over the hardtop 458 Speciale. Given the 488 GTB is priced at $469,888 plus on-road costs, the 488 Spider is likely to come in at about $508,000.

With Porsche continuing to attract a loyal following with its 911 Turbo S cabriolet and a good range of options in the hyper-convertible market such as the Aston Martin Vanquish, Audi R8, Maserati Gran Cabrio and Jaguar F-Type, will the gorgeous Ferrari have its rivals feeling a little arachnophobia?

And could it prompt McLaren into offering a blustery-haired version of its Sports or Super series cars?

Daniel Gardner GoAuto.com.au