Ferrari 488 Spider revealed

Ferrari has released pictures and specs of its new 488 Spider ahead of its official launch at the Frankfurt motor show this September.

Adopting an updated version of the 458 Spider’s retractable hard-top, the new roadster weighs in at just 25kg more than the Berlinetta coupe.

It is powered by the same 500kW/760Nm 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 as the GTB, making the new Spider able to complete the 0-100km/h sprint in “three seconds flat", says Ferrari, and to hit 200km/h from standstill in just 8.7 seconds.

Claimed to be the most aerodynamic convertible Ferrari’s ever made, the 488 Spider gains a modified version of the GTB coupe’s spoiler and trick underbody vortex generators.

A glass rear strip has also been added to boost comfort with the roof down at high speed. It can also be lowered to allow the occupants enjoy the V8’s soundtrack.

The new folding hard-top, meanwhile, takes 14 seconds to fold out of view.

The Italian car-maker claims the new Spider will be significantly better to drive than the old version thanks to 11 different aluminium alloys used in the chassis construction, Ferrari claims that this new technique of mixing alloys has boosted the new 488 drop-top’s torsional rigidity by 23 per cent over the outgoing 458 Spider it replaces.

Finally, Ferrari engineers say the new 488 Spider can accelerate up to 12 per cent faster out of corners compared to the old 458. The increase in traction is down to the latest generation of SSC2 Slide Slip Angel Control system that harnesses features like torque vectoring for greater traction.

Overall, Ferrari claims the 488 Spider is now nine per cent faster than the old 458 Italia.