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Ferrari has unveiled the 458 Spider, claiming it to be the first series-production, mid-rear-engine car to be equipped with a folding hardtop roof.
Set to make its public debut at next month's Frankfurt motor show, the 458 Spider forgoes the traditional fabric hood used by the earlier 430 Spider for a newly developed, Ferrari-patented hardtop claimed to automatically fold back and stow ahead of the engine bay in 14 seconds at the press of a dashboard-mounted button.
The aluminum structure, which Ferrari describes as being fully integrated into the styling of the 458, is claimed to weigh 55 pounds, less than the fabric roof arrangement of the 430. It is also said to have been engineered without compromising aerodynamics or performance--although the official photographs released by Ferrari only show the 458 Spider with its roof stowed.
The 458 Spider is distinguished from the 458 Italia by two prominent buttresses incorporated into a tonneau cover that opens and then closes as the hardtop roof is stowed to preserve the styling. They are designed to optimize the flow of air to the engine intakes.
For added comfort when driving with the hardtop stowed, Ferrari gave the 458 Spider an electrically adjustable wind stop. It is claimed to diffuse the air entering the two-seat interior, reducing buffeting to a level Ferrari says allows normal conversation at speeds of more than 124 mph.
The 458 Spider is powered by the same naturally aspirated 4.5-liter V8 as the 458 Italia, producing 562 hp at a soaring 9,000 rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm. The heady reserves are channeled to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and electronic differential.
Ferrari claims a 0-to-62-mph time of 3.5 seconds, or a tenth of a second slower than the fixed-roof model, and a top speed of 198 mph.
Along with its new aluminum hardtop, measures taken in stiffening the 458 Spider's chassis added 110 pounds over the 458 Italia at 3,153 pounds. In a bid to give the car a unique driving character, Ferrari altered damping characteristics of the suspension.
Ferrari is not revealing exactly when it plans to put the 458 Spider on sale in North America but indicates it will be in “early 2012.”
