Ferrari 488 Spider launched today in Phuket

By CARSIFU | 27 November 2015


PHUKET: Thailand’s tourist haven of Phuket was the island of choice for the regional launch of the Ferrari 488 Spider and members of the media from the South East Asian region converged at the five-star resort of JW Marriott Phuket, the launch venue.

Managing dierctor of Ferrari Far East Dieter Knechtel was present to officially launch the 488 Spider in the new Blu Corsa livery.

The 488 Spider is the droptop version of the Ferrari 488 GTB coupe, which was introduced in Malaysia back in July.

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As such, the 488 Spider features a retractable hard top (RHT) which can be raised and lowered in 14 seconds while the car is on the go up to 45kph.

What’s jaw-droppingly amazing though is that the 488 Spider is the most high performance Spider to come out of the Prancing Horse’s stable.

It shares the same 3,902cc twin turbo-charged V8 engine as the GTB and produces 661hp and  760Nm at 3,000rpm.


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The 488 Spider comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch F1 gearbox.

Despite being an open top, the 488 Spider maintains the same torsional rigidity and beam stiffness of the GTB with a chassis that is 23% stiffer.

It’s no wonder it takes the Spider only 3.0 seconds flat to go from 0-100kph and 0-200kph in 8.7 seconds.

When compared to the GTB, the Spider stands out with its flying buttresses to meet the aerodynamic demands of the car. There is ribbing on the engine cover and air intakes with sculpted mesh grilles as well.

The 488 Spider also features the new SSC2 Side Slip Angle Control driver assistance system.

 

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Malaysians who want to get their hands on this car will have to be patient as it is expected to arrive sometime in the middle of next year.

As for the price, the word from Naza Italia, the official Ferrari distributor in Malaysia, expects it to be around RM1.15-RM1.2mil (excluding import duty and options).

After the launch, the media were then treated to take the Ferrari California T for a little spin around the island. The California T, launched last year, is less aggressive power and style-wise than the 488 but it has a retractable hard top and a turbo-charged 3,855cc V8 engine.

 

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It’s not slow by any means though as the engine pushes out 552hp and 755Nm of torque and despite being turbocharged, the Ferrari soundtrack is plenty loud, which always make for a thrilling ride.

The California T is priced at RM888,800 (excluding duty and options) and you are welcome to check it out and other Ferraris at the Naza Italia showroom in Petaling Jaya.

 

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Ferrari 488 Spider

Engine: 3,902cc V8, turbo-charged
Maximum power: 660hp at 8,000rpm
Maximum torque: 760Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: 7-speed F1 dual-clutch
Acceleration (0 to 100kph): 3.0 seconds



 

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