The Ferrari 458 Spider Italia is the first mid-engine coupe rear with a retractable hardtop.
After California, the 458 Italia is the second Ferrari to abandon the soft top for a solid roof. But a problem arose: how to implement a hardtop in a car whose engine is located in the back? Engineers have found the solution with the top swivel. A solution that Ferrari has already used in the past on the 575 Superamerica.
The retractable roof of the 458 Italia Spider is made of aluminum and have several advantages over traditional retractable roof: it is 25 kg lighter, less bulky and it unfolds in just 14 seconds against a good twenty seconds for a Classic hardtop.
When folded, the roof pivot sits just above the engine compartment. The latter is the same 4.5-liter V8 to 570 hp as the coupe. Ferrari have just reworked the sound of the block.
To compensate for the increase in weight (about fifty pounds), engineers have strengthened the chassis. They also made a lot of work on the aerodynamics to allow passengers to talk normally at speeds far beyond the current limitations on French roads.
Frankfurt Motor Show 2011
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