Ferrari 488 Spider

Everything in the Spider is designed solely for the driver. The leather seats are designed for comfort and are equipped with heaters. There are numerous buttons in the cockpit and on the steering wheel and it will take some time to know your way around these buttons. Almost every major thing about the car can be controlled by the buttons on the steering wheel. You can change the driving modes of the car, put the turn signals on, switch the wipers on, flash the lights, control the suspension system etc, all just at the push of a button. The sporty steering wheel is also equipped with red LED’s which light up when you upshift. The infotainment system is placed near the instrument cluster. You can view the turbo efficiency and turbo response on the screen adjacent to the tachometer and can adjust the vehicle dynamics as well. The weird thing about the Spider is that the power lock button is situated on the ceiling rather than on the door panel.  The passenger side gets its own screen on which he/she can view the important readings about the car’s performance.

The 488 Spider has all the classic features of an ideal sports car. The muscular front end is characterized by a single grille opening. The bonnet is centrally raised and houses a quite spacious trunk underneath. The scalloped side air intakes are an important asset in increasing the car’s performance and stability. Even the doors are designed in a way that the air is funnelled into these large air intakes above the rear wheels. The retractable hardtop is the main feature of the 488 Spider that makes it so unique. The top folds back on itself rather than retracting like the roof on conventional convertibles. At the rear, you get a reverse camera and an F1 style braking light at the bottom.

This car was engineered with only one purpose – speed. The powerful V8 generates a distinctive soundtrack which is a treat to your ears. The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is very smooth and the gear shifts are lightning fast. You have the option of selecting between three drive modes - Sport, Race, and Wet. The steering is very precise and lets you effortlessly control this beast. To steer clear over the speedbumps, you have the option of raising the front axle by simply pressing a button.

The 488 has a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that can generate a monstrous 670 hp at 8,000 rpm and a peak torque of 760 Nm. This is the Ferrari’s most powerful and high-performance engine ever with zero turbo lag. This engine delivers more horsepower than the naturally aspirated engine, yet it has lower CO2 emissions. The Spider sprints from 0-100 kmph in just 3 seconds. It also has a very low throttle response of just 0.8 seconds even while hosting a twin-turbo engine.

The Spider has not fallen short in terms of safety either. It has airbags for the driver and the passenger, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, vehicle stability control system, and traction control. It also has crash sensors, rear end camera, and tyre pressure monitor for added safety.

With a price tag of Php 20.02 Million, the Spider is definitely priced lower than its competitor Lamborghini Huracan. However, it is by no means on the lower end when it comes to performance. The sporty appeal and overall personality of the 488 Spider definitely make the heads turn and its raging soundtrack gives the owner a sense of pride while driving it. This is something that can delight everyone and is meant for every racing enthusiast who wants to go chasing the winds.