Car News

Ferrari 488 Spider revealed

Ferrari has unveiled renders of its new 488 Spider overnight, which is little more than a 488GTB with a retractable folding hardtop. Not that this is boring though, in fact, it’s quite the opposite..

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Behind the passenger compartment sits the 488GTB’s 3.9L V8, developing an astonishing 492kW’s at 8000rpm, and thanks to being turbo-charged, a huge 760Nm of torque at just 3000rpm. But now thanks to the 488 Spider’s retractable roof, you’ll now have full access to the sun and the stars, and more importantly the glorious note coming out of the large twin pipes at the back.

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Put your foot to the floor and all that power and torque will channel through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, launching the 488 Spider from 0-100kph in 3 seconds flat, and on to a top speed of 325kph. Slower than the GTB, yes, but hardly hanging around!

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The retractable roof folds down in just 14 seconds and slots into a shallow nacelle behind the seats. Ferrari says it weighs 24kg less than an equivalent soft top, and though we’re not sure exactly how this is possible, it sounds fantastic if true. Even with the top up, there’s a small glass window behind the rear seats which you can lower independently to let the exhaust sound enter the cabin, or leave it raised as a wind blocker with the top down.

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The 488 Spider looks more dramatic than the 488GTB, too, thanks to speeder-style rear-deck humps behind the headrests, and as per the 458 Spider and 458 Italia, the 488 Spider isn’t expected to carry much of a weight penalty.

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Expect the 488 Spider to appear sometime next year after making its debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

 

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