FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Ferrari 488 Spider debuts

Lamborghini sent its Huracan Spyder to Frankfurt full of power and promise, but the naturally aspirated roadster was upstaged by a familiar rival – Ferrari.

The Prancing Horse took the wraps off its convertible version of the 488 GTB, complete with the same monster twin-turbo V8 engine, the same 492kW of power and the same 760Nm of torque.

The end result is a car that is more powerful, stronger in the mid range and faster at every acceleration mark than the Lamborghini.

Even its two-piece folding roof tucks away faster, deposited into its 100-litre cubby hole in 14 seconds, where it takes 17 seconds in the Lamborghini.

Where it takes the Lamborghini 3.4 seconds to hit 100km/h, the Ferrari does it in 3.0. When the Huracan Spyder reaches 200km/h in 10.2 seconds, the Ferrari has been waiting there already for 1.5 seconds. And, with a top speed of 325km/h, it's a prove-a-point 1km/h quicker than the Lamborghini, too.

While its fuel consumption is rarely an issue with its buyers, it uses 11.4L/100km on the NEDC cycle, emitting 260g/km of CO2.

It still revs to 8000rpm, carrying the same engine tune as the coupe version and also using the same SSC2 side slip angle control system to allow its drivers to drift it easily and safely, even in treacherous conditions.

The most powerful mid-engined convertible Ferrari has ever built, the 488 Spider chassis is based around 11 different alloys in a search for greater torsional stiffness, which Ferrari says resulted in a car 23 per cent stiffer than the 458 Spider.

Just 50kg heavier than the 488 GTB, the Spider is 10kg lighter than the gorgeous convertible it replaces, even with the rear buttresses that travel from the roofline down to the rear haunches. Yet it remains only 1211mm high, even though it's 4568mm long and 1952mm wide. With the boot at the front, it retains the coupe's 230 litre stowage capacity and its 78 litre fuel tank.

Ferrari has given it a softer suspension tune than the GTB, in recognition of the lower likelihood of the convertible spending much time on the racetrack and, instead, being used on the road more often.

Inside, the 488 Spider features Apple's Carplay system as a standard feature and now has keyless starting.

With right-hand drive cars on sale in Europe from around March next year, expect the car to arrive in Australia sometime soon after that.

Full coverage from motoring.com.au at Frankfurt motor show here

More photos from Frankfurt motor show in motoring.com.au gallery