Ferrari 458 Spider 4.5 Review: On days like these
The mind blowing 458 Italia loses its lid to become an even more complete and compelling supercar choice as Raymond Lai found out when he spent the day in one of these topless Italian beauties.
Another major benefit of the space saving roof design is the useable space behind the seats that Ferrari says is big enough to store a golf bag. Up front, the Spider retains the same driving environment as the Italia coupe, which means a Formula 1 cockpit-style driver layout which is designed specifically to minimise the driver’s hand movements for complete concentration and focus on the road at all times. The double curvature roof and seating are also ergonomically designed so that even very tall occupants can be easily and comfortably accommodated. The driver is greeted by a unique instrument panel, which consists of a large rev counter flanked by TFT screens on either side. The screens display speedometer readings, parameters for the different manettino modes and so on.
Just like in recent Ferraris like the FF, there are no indicator and wiper stalks on the steering column. Instead, these controls (and the horn as well) are integrated onto the steering wheel, which is an instant connection to the racing world according to Ferrari. Operating the indicators from the wheel takes some getting used to though and is hardly intuitive at first. The Spider offers several seat options including the carbon fibre racing seats that not only looks good but also offer a nice blend of comfort and support as fitted to the car in the pictures here. Other seat options include the Daytona style ones and so on.
In addition to the storage space behind the seats, the Spider offers a front boot with a 58-litre capacity. Bespoke luggage sets are available for the boot and storage space behind the seats and feature a stylish motif inspired by the six air intakes of the engine cover.
Just like any high end super car, the 458 Spider can be further customized on the inside by the type of stitching on the seats, the colour scheme, materials on the surfaces and so on. Externally, the wheels and calipers can be had in different shades while the sills, front spoiler, rear diffuser can be specified in carbon fibre.
The hype of the 458 that you’ve read everywhere and heard on TV is certainly real – it is one car that can out corner your senses and swap gears faster than you can blink your eyes. So is the 458 Spider one of the more epic Ferraris out there? Most definitely - despite losing its roof and a small degree of stiffness in its structure, the Spider is no less entertaining and sublime in the way it performs and eats corners. Moreover it looks even sexier than the coupe and with the top down, the sensational sounding V8 can be enjoyed at maximum volume.
Credits: Story and photos by Raymond Lai
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