Ferrari 458 Spider (2012)

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Ferrari 458 Spider (2012) first official pictures

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

23 August 2011 11:00

The new Ferrari 458 Spider is an obvious, and inevitable, extension of the 458 Italia sports car range. Ferrari has always offered a fresh-air alternative to the junior V8 and we all knew it was coming.

But the lack of surprise didn't stop the tongues drooling and eyes goggling when we clapped eyes on the new 458 Spider ahead of its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show.

The Italia remains our favourite junior supercar, having swept the board at the 2010 Performance Car of the Year test and fought off a challenge from the McLaren MP4-12C. And we fancy now it'll sound even better, with less sound deadening between your ears and the 4499cc flat-plan crank V8 and its angry 562bhp at nine thousand rpm.

Ferrari 458 Spider: the details

Interestingly, the 458 roadster is the first mid-engined supercar in the world to offer a folding hard top. Sadly, no photographs are available of the flop-atop roof yet - they're saving that for the Frankfurt show.

The all-aluminium roof will roll out from below the flying buttresses; we presume there will be a pop-up rear glass window too. The metal hood is 25kg lighter than a canvas roof, says Ferrari, and it'll take 14 seconds to flick between coupe and convertible.

It's said to be compact, too: Ferrari says there is a small luggage bench behind the front seats to carry a few bags.