Ferrari’s CEO, Luca di Montezemolo, pulled the wraps off the latest addition to Maranello’s stable, the 458 Spider, at the 64th Frankfurt Motor Show. The open-top version of the acclaimed 458 Italia sports an innovative hard-top folding roof that offers better insulation from noise and heat in the cabin and is even 25 kg lighter than a traditional fabric roof.
The opening or closing operation takes just 14 seconds and, when open, the hard top occupies a very small space, leaving room for a storage bench behind the seats. Additionally, when the roof is stored, the rear windscreen rises automatically and acts as an air deflector, reducing buffeting in the cabin.
Naturally, the 458 Italia is, in every other respect, identical to its fixed-roof sibling. It uses the same aluminium chassis and a 570HP 4.5-liter V8 which is coupled to a dual-clutch F1 transmission and provides a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time in less than 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 320 km/h (200 mph).
