{"id":98807,"date":"2015-09-16T12:56:41","date_gmt":"2015-09-16T16:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=98807"},"modified":"2015-09-16T12:56:41","modified_gmt":"2015-09-16T16:56:41","slug":"first-look-ferrari-488-spider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2015\/09\/first-look-ferrari-488-spider\/","title":{"rendered":"First Look: Ferrari 488 Spider"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 488 Spider's drop top was designed to add minimal weight to the sports car.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You already know the Ferrari 488 Spider is going to be fast, but that extends to the new folding hardtop, as well, which will retract in a mere 14 seconds, the Italian automaker announced during the preview of the new cabriolet at this week\u2019s Frankfurt Motor Show.<\/p>\n

The Spider is the open-air version of the only recently launched Ferrari 488 GTB, and with the top up, the two models bear a strong visual resemblance. The good news is that they also share the same basic performance specs thanks to the design of the top which adds only a modest amount of mass to the new model.<\/p>\n

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Plug In with a Free Subscription!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cutting the roof off is always a challenge for Ferrari engineers. It not only risks adding weight, but weakening a car\u2019s chassis and worsening aerodynamics. The maker claims it was able to overcome all three of those potential problems.<\/p>\n

The hardtop\u2019s simple design and aluminum frame added only about 88 pounds compared to the 488 GTB \u2013 about 25 pounds less than a classic softtop would have resulted in \u2013 the 488 Spider coming in at just 3,362 pounds.<\/p>\n

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Active and passive aero systems reduce drag and deliver massive downforce at track speeds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meanwhile, engineers were able to maintain a very low level of aerodynamic drag, while boosting downforce substantially \u2013 to about 660 pounds, in fact, at 150 miles per hour.<\/p>\n

(<\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> to check out the new Lamborghini LP410-4 Huracan.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of the aero changes are readily apparent, including a modified spoiler that helps both generate underbody section while also channeling air to the radiator. There\u2019s also a rear diffuser that both boosts downforce and reduces underbody air turbulence.<\/p>\n

The Ferrari 488 Spider\u2019s engine is a typical marvel of engineering, with such details as an ion-sensing system used to adjust ignition timing, as well as a multi-spark feature that maximizes efficiency under high loads. A flat-plane crank also helps reduce mass, one reason Ferrari was able to boast how quickly the engine responds to a press of the throttle. Another reason is the new twin-scroll turbo.<\/p>\n

The 3.9-liter turbocharged package churns out 660 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque. That will help you hit 100 kmh (about 62.5 mph) in a flat 3 seconds, or 200 kmh in 8.7 seconds. Power is directed to the rear wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission capable of shifting in as little as 0.06 seconds.<\/p>\n

(Porsche on a Mission with 600-hp battery supercar. <\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> for a closer look.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Spider has a tuned exhaust which creates "the perfect soundtrack" even with the top down.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An updated version of Ferrari\u2019s Side Slip Angle Control is said to boost the 488 Spider\u2019s performance coming out of corners, and works in coordination with both its E-Differential and magnetic damping system.<\/p>\n

To make the experience even more appealing, Ferrari officials noted engineers put a significant amount of effort into creating the \u201cperfect soundtrack,\u201d which they described during the Frankfurt preview as \u201cseductive but not invasive with the top down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Incidentally, the design of the new folding hardtop apparently takes a lot less space than a conventional design.<\/p>\n

Other details include a new, ribbed engine cover, a mesh grille. And, for those who measure performance in terms of in-car electronics, the new Ferrari 488 Spider also gets the Apple CarPlay system first introduced on the Ferrari FF.<\/p>\n

The Ferrari 488 Spider is just one of an assortment of new convertibles debuting in Frankfurt this week, a list that also includes the Lamborghini LP610-4 Spyder.<\/p>\n

Look for the Ferrari 488 Spider to land in U.S. showrooms during the first half of next year at a tentative starting price of around $270,000.<\/p>\n

(BMW cancels <\/em>news conference as CEO collapses on stage. <\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> for the latest.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You already know the Ferrari 488 Spider is going to be fast, but that extends to the new folding hardtop, as well, which will retract in a mere 14 seconds. For more about the following hardtop supercar, check out this story on TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":98809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"make":[],"post-state":[],"category_old":[151],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98807"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98807\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98807"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=98807"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=98807"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=98807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}