new 488 Spider at Auto Guangzhou 2015

【太平洋汽车网 广州车展】November 20th, 2015, Guangzhou — Auto Guangzhou 2015 has again proven that the 68 years of success of Ferrari have been built on a commitment to the finest in product design and the ultimate in exclusivity of ownership – confirmed today with the official China debut of the new Ferrari 488 Spider. Surrounded by the finest automotive creations available, Ferrari demonstrated that the Italian marquee remains the preeminent super car manufacturer in the world – an enviable record of sustainable success built on a global-acclaimed model range only available to a select community of owners.

Front and centre of the highlights at Auto Guangzhou 2015 was the new 488 Spider. Following the astounding worldwide success of the 488 GTB, the global community of Ferrari owners had been asking Maranello to offer the thrills of the new 3,902cc V8 Turbo engine to the open-roof segment. The 488 Spider now makes this possible, and with 80% new components, does so with absolutely no compromise in performance. Not only does the 488 Spider retain the trademark 670 HP of incredible power and zero turbo lag, but also the performance soundtrack that is seductively full across a broad range of throttle inputs, and music to the ears of every automotive enthusiast.

On the exterior, the constant Ferrari commitment to minimise drag and maximise downforce is immediately evident in stunning cutting-edge aerodynamics. The engineers at Maranello have excelled themselves once again with the 488 Spider, by reconciling these two goals – with the resulting aerodynamic efficiency figure of 1.53 creating a new record for a Ferrari production Spider. The undoubted highlight however, is a retracted roof that takes only 14 seconds to convert and uses a mere 100 litres of space, a vast improvement on the 150-200 litres required to stow a conventional hard top. The result is a weight saving of approximately 40 kg on a traditional hard-top canopy and around 25 kg on a soft top. The incredibly sleek solution is absolutely vital to the aerodynamics and styling of the entire rear of the super car.

On the interior, the design underscores Ferrari’s Formula 1-inspired philosophy of seamless symbiosis between driver and car: The commands are not clustered on the steering wheel, but are on wraparound satellite pods angled directly towards the driver, enabling a lighter, sleeker, horizontally more compact dashboard which curves around the cockpit for a driving experience that is thrilling inside and out.

A further highlight at Guangzhou in 2015, came in the form of a bespoke version of the classic front-engine Ferrari California T, featuring Bianco Italia exterior livery with the Italian Tri-Colour for further detail and designed especially for Auto Guangzhou 2015. Serving as the ultimate expression of the ‘Tailor-made’ programme, this showcase of timeless sophistication served as a tribute to the era of 1950’s design that gave birth to the original California T model – and a demonstration of what is possible with the ‘Tailor-Made’ programme. Boasting 450 different homologated materials used for the very first time, the California T on display was rich in materials and custom detail, stating unequivocally why Ferrari has no rival for the exclusivity of each and every design. Via the ‘Tailor-made’ programme, owners have every opportunity to not only demonstrate refinement of taste, but also individuality and personality with every exquisite touch.

Aside the new 488 Spider, and the bespoke California T were the other thoroughbreds currently available from the Maranello production yards, most notably the new 488 GTB. With its twin-turbo 3.9-liter V-8 and sonorous engine song, the 488 GTB has already taken its place at the peak of super car demand. Completing the range was the naturally-aspirated 12-cylinder Ferrari F12 berlinetta, the most powerful and the highest performing road car ever released by Maranello, and the four-door and four-seat Ferrari FF, which makes the thrills of Ferrari driving accessible to four. The full array of models were a clear statement by Ferrari, that the recent success of Ferrari has been built on the most solid of foundations.

The success of the multi-billion dollar global public listing of the prancing horse further confirmed what many analysts have long predicted, that Ferrari supporters hold great confidence in the forecasts of sustained future profitability based on a highly successful Ferrari model range. This model range has not only been created to meet the needs of a valued global community of discerning driving enthusiasts, but also to ensure that every Ferrari owner is treated with the exclusivity for which the brand is famed. Ferrari remain committed to manufacturing only enough super cars to ensure that this exclusivity is never compromised. The unveiling of the new Ferrari 488 Spider at Auto Guangzhou stands as yet another perfect example.

As Mr. Matteo Torre, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari Greater China exclaimed, “The Ferrari 488 Spider is the true definition of extreme performance and the ultimate in top-down driving pleasure. Our latest masterpiece is the highest performing Spider ever built, offering blistering performance, thrilling high revs, razor-sharp responsiveness, and powerful acceleration – and we have unveiled this new model in China because we remain dedicated to offering the Ferrari enthusiasts of this country the most exclusive customer experience available in the world today.”