No more wait for 'Ferrari 488 Spider', just stay tuned till September 2015

Kuala Lumpur: Cabriolet and still pushing 670 horsepower, isn't it interesting? This is new Ferrari launch, 448 Spider by the Italian automaker that is acclaimed to be the brand's most powerful convertible. Hot on the heels, this running feast ends long time await of so many car enthusiasts and mechanical fanatics. Ferrari 488 Spider of which physical debut is going to held in September at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show looks attractive and impressive through being richly colorful and sumptuous with an equally new shade of Blu Corsa, as per pictures revealed online.

Deploying the same engine beneath, things are more familiar. The Ferrari 488 Spider is actuated by twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre (3,902 cc) V8 engine that effectively churns out 670 HP at 8000 rpm and 760 Nm of torque at 3000 rpm. Coupled with a seven-speed Getrag dual-clutch transmission, maximum power is sent to the rear wheels. Performance wise, Ferrari 488 Spider sprints through the traffic towards gushing speed limits exaggeratedly from 0 to 100 kmph in just three seconds. Top speed is counted as 325 kmph.

Talking about its aesthetics, there is not much difference which you can perceive structurally in its layout comparing with its coupe sibling, the Ferrari 488 GTB. Although, there are changes in other areas, major being the adoption of a “patented retractable hardtop” that transforms the 488 Spider coupe into a convertible style in just 14 seconds. Fabricated with number of materials, 488 Spider's torsional rigidity and beam stiffness remains same to the fixed-roof model. The roof itself folds backwards in two overlapping sections to rest flush on the engine in a very compact solution. Strikingly, as claimed by Ferrari, the entire assembly is said to weight about 25 kg less than an equivalent soft-top setup. All in all, the Ferrari 488 Spider weighs just 1420 kg (10 kg more than the coupe).

The Ferrari 488 Spider has a spaceframe chassis which is manufactured from 11 different aluminium alloys united with other elements like magnesium. Other than this, several aero elements have been integrated in the body to smoothen the Ferrari ride. Including a brown spoiler fitted alongwith an aerodynamically honed underbody with vortex generators. As a result of which, there is boost in downforce combined with a reduction in drag.

Insides of this speeding car is same with the sister variant, 488 GTB that is carried over for the new launch. In addition, the 488 Spider is equipped with 20-inch wheels all round wrapped in tyre size of 245/35 for front and 305/30 for the rear.

You can see this 'astounding performance' vehicle in September at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show as mentioned earlier. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but expect to pay a premium over the 488 GTB’s base price of £183,974 (RM1,097,943).