Aside from previewing the Ferrari 812 GTS for the first time in South East Asia over at the Ferrari Kuala Lumpur showroom recently, Naza Italia, official importer and distributor of the Ferrari brand in Malaysia, made another South East Asia debut. The Ferrari F8 Spider is also in town. The V8 Ferrari Spider is the latest generation of drop-top sports car equipped with the most successful mid-rear-mounted V8 in history. It also shows that Malaysia is quite an important market for the Prancing Horse as we get to preview the supercar first.
The Ferrari F8 Spider was designed in parallel with the F8 Tributo berlinetta and features the Prancing Horse’s compact and efficient RHT (Retractable Hard Top) which influences the lines of a model that leads its category. This gorgeous looking droptop is the latest addition to an exclusive and prestigious bloodline of open- top V8 cars that begun with the 308 GTS in 1977. It is Ferrari's V8 open top that comes from the more 'entry level' range of their V8 engined supercars. Again, if you could call this RM1,178,000 (before duties, customization options, taxes and insurance) price tag as entry level.
According to Ferrari, the F8 Spider is less extreme than the 488 Pista Spider, but sportier than the 488 Spider which it replaces in the range. Consequently, the F8 Spider sets a new benchmark for the “en plein air” sports car in terms of usable performance and exceptional handling, providing an incredibly rewarding driving experience.
This Ferrari spider combines the characteristics of the famed Ferrari 8-cylinder engine with unparalleled driving pleasure. After all, a Ferrari V8 is an experience of its own. Much like their V12, but on a different level. Which is why some owners actually have one of each in their garage. And with a Spider, you have a lot of headroom. Limitless, which is also quite appreciated by some.
The V8 has raised the performance bar to unprecedented new heights, not only for turbo engines but power units of all types. The engine is a development of the V8 that won the “International Engine of the Year Award” for four consecutive years (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) and that was also selected as the best engine of the last two decades. An incredible feat unmatched in the history of the Awards.
The F8 Spider’s greatest achievement is the fact that it unleashes its power instantaneously with zero turbo lag, whilst retaining this V8’s unique and very special soundtrack. This astonishing performance and the car’s disarmingly effortless handling were made possible by integrating a series of innovative, track-derived aero solutions into its design.
The mission of every new model produced by Maranello is to introduce new design features and outperform its predecessors on all fronts. The challenge the engineers and designers always face is to push their own creative limits and the boundaries of technology by introducing new, leading-edge solutions and setting new levels of excellence. This is something they have done to brilliant effect once again with this new model.
The F8 Spider replaces the 488 Spider and improves on all aspects of its specifications: aside from the fact that its engine delivers an extra 50 cv (hp as the Italians like to use cv ratings in their press release), the new Ferrari is 20 kg lighter than its predecessor. It weighs just 20 kg more than the more
extreme 488 Pista Spider. The F8 Spider is significantly more aerodynamically efficient, too and features the new 6.1 version of the Side Slip Angle Control system.
It has 720hp, 770Nm torque. 0-100km/h in 2.9seconds and 0-200km/h in 8.2seconds. Top speed is 340km/h. Actually that is all you need to know. But if you want to know more, the summary of the F8 Spider is down below after the photos. Lots of reading stuff if you are into detail.
ENGINE
The Ferrari V8 engine is seen as the very epitome of sportiness and driving pleasure.
This is particularly the case when it is mid-rear-mounted in a two-seater. Ferrari has
been honing the scope of this architecture to perfection for over four decades as it
optimally balances weight for perfect handling dynamics.
The V8’s technical specifications are truly exceptional. The 3902 cc unit unleashes
720 cv at 8,000 rpm and also has an impressive specific power output of 185 cv/l. Its
maximum torque is now higher at all engine speeds, peaking at 770 Nm at 3,250
rpm.
Today, Ferrari V8s incorporate solutions so refined they are effectively masterpieces
of engineering. This power unit in particular further enhances the typical traits of all
Maranello engines with smoothly progressive, limitless acceleration and zero turbo
lag, combined with a unique soundtrack courtesy of a new exhaust system.
The new car offers drivers pure emotions. Instantaneously accessible power is
matched by exceptional handling thanks to advanced vehicle dynamics solutions.
These include a new version of the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer (FDE+) which can now
be activated in the manettino’s RACE position, a move designed to make
performance on the limit easier to reach and control.
To achieve the 50 cv increase in power compared to the 488 Spider, the new intake
line is derived directly from the 488 Challenge. In the F8 Spider, the air intakes have
been moved from the flanks to the rear where they are located on either side of the
blown spoiler and are directly connected to the intake plenums. This drastically
reduces losses and ensures greater air flow to the engine, thereby increasing the
power. The air flow also benefits from increased dynamic pressure created by the
shape of the rear spoiler.
Adaptive Performance Launch analyses grip as the car accelerates and then uses
electronic controls to optimise the torque delivered to suit the road’s grip level,
reducing wheel slip to a minimum which, in turn, maximises acceleration.
The rev limiter’s “Wall Effect” strategy is another leap forward in terms of extreme
engine performance. Rather than gradually limiting the revs towards the limit, it cuts
off right at the 8,000 rpm red-line, maximising the amount of power available in
power-on dynamic driving situations and consequently improving lap times.
Adopted once again on this model is the hugely successful Ferrari Variable Torque
Management strategy for all gears. To adapt it to the car’s extreme sporty spirit, all of
the torque curves were redesigned to deliver a feeling of consistently smooth,
powerful acceleration all the way to the red line. Maximum torque is 10 Nm higher
than on the 488 Spider and is available even at lower engine speeds.
The F8 Spider’s engine also inherits highly efficient weight-reduction solutions from
the 488 Pista which have cut the power unit’s weight by 18 kg compared to that of the
488 Spider. Reducing the weight of rotating and non-static masses, such as the
titanium con-rods, crankshaft and flywheel, allows engine speed to rise very rapidly,
so much so that the driver can see the rev counter needle flying, particularly in rapid
transitions, such as gear shifting and scorching low-gear acceleration, making the car
feel even sportier still. These reductions in the weight of the rotating masses yield a
17% reduction in inertia.
Inconel exhaust manifolds derived from the 488 Challenge alone contribute 9.7 kg to
the lighter engine weight. The exhaust layout has been extensively modified across
the board from the turbos to the tail pipes to produce a sound absolutely unique to
this particular car. The result is an unmistakable engine timbre that is superior in
terms of both the intensity and quality of the sound. The exhaust line also features a
new Gasoline Particulate Filter (GPF) to comply with new homologation
requirements.
DESIGN
Designed by the Ferrari Styling Centre, the F8 Spider continues the direction
embarked upon with the F8 Tributo which acted as a bridge to a new design
language that will continue to emphasise Ferrari’s key characteristics of high
performance and extreme aerodynamic efficiency.
When designing a spider, the choice of the top will always play a fundamental role in
the car’s overall look. For some years now, Ferrari has been adopting a hard top
because of the comfort it provides. As a result, the design of the F8 Spider’s lines
was crafted around its RHT (Retractable Hard Top).
The key to the whole design was the shifting of the separation line between the car’s
body and the roof from its conventional position at the belt-line (occupant shoulder
level) to above the B-pillar. The top itself is thus more compact and two-dimensional,
with the result that it can be divided into two parts and stowed on top of the engine.
The RHT takes just 14 seconds to deploy or retract and can be closed or opened
while the car is on the move up to 45 km/h.
EXTERIOR
The goal the Ferrari Styling Centre set with the F8 Spider was to design a stylistic
tribute to the Ferrari V8 engine, by evolving the contents of the F8 Tributo and taking
inspiration from the most iconic mid-rear-engined V8 sports cars in Ferrari history.
The result is a car with a strong personality of its own through an even sportier
design clearly inspired by the car’s advanced aerodynamics.
The front view of the car is characterised by the S-Duct around which the entire front
end has been redesigned to highlight the extensive aerodynamic modifications made
to this area of the car. The clearest example is new, more compact, horizontal LED
headlights.
The rear spoiler has been entirely redesigned. It is now larger and wraps around the
tail lights, visually lowering the car’s centre of gravity and allowing a return to the
classic twin light cluster and body-coloured tail, another styling cue from the early 8-
cylinder berlinettas like the very first in the legendary series, the 308 GTB.
The treatment of the engine cover is one of the F8 Spider’s most distinctive
characteristics. The manta-like look of the cover is created by a central spine that
starts from the rear screen and disappears under the wing of the blown spoiler,
following the air flows themselves.
The two wings that emerge from the central volume meld harmoniously with the
bodywork, lending a sense of visual continuity from all angles. These wing elements
are suspended creating an air vent below them which helps improve dissipation of
the heat coming off the engine. The three sculpted strakes on the side elements of
the engine cover also make their own contribution to this, in addition to referencing
the iconic styling of the rear screen of the coupé version. The strakes are finished in
black to reduce weight low and to lend a sense of visual clarity to the design.
The crests that emerge from the prominent volumes of the tonneau cover fins flow
sinuously rearwards and into the spoiler in an interpretation of the F1 “swan neck”
(the pillars supporting the rear wings) which, in turn, enhances the already-powerfully
sporty personality of the car.
COCKPIT
The F8 Spider’s cockpit retains the classic, driver-oriented look typical of Ferrari’s
mid-rear-engined berlinettas. A concept that creates a symbiotic relationship between
driver and car, very much as happens in F1, with all controls mounted on the new
generation steering wheel. The sporty seats are also new.
The dash incorporates an aluminium sail panel supporting the central satellite and
continuing into the dash itself. Also to create a sense of visual lightness, a sliver of
carbon fibre divides the upper and lower parts, streamlining the whole look. This
section also incorporates the optional 7” touchscreen passenger-side display and the
dash is completed by the classic instrument cluster with its central rev-counter.
The tunnel is clearly separated from the dash and set beneath it, once again to
enhance the sensation of lightness that the car’s interior exudes. It features a new
bridge, a prominent sculptural creation that seems to float and thus further
streamlines the cabin.
AERODYNAMICS
The F8 Spider has taken state-of-the-art aerodynamic solutions and innovations from
Ferrari’s GT and Challenge racing experience, and moulded them into the production
mid-rear-engined drop-top that makes the highest level of performance accessible to
drivers of all abilities.
In the F8 Spider, the position of the front radiators - which, unlike the 488 Spider, are
rearward-angled - is beneficial in cooling terms but simultaneously shrinks the
underbody surface area that can be used to generate downforce. Thus the geometry
of the channels used to dissipate hot air had to be redesigned to ensure that
maximum downforce was generated whilst cutting drag thanks to the positive
interaction between the flows exiting the radiator and the front wheels. The result is a
10% improvement in the car’s overall efficiency compared to the 488 Spider.
VEHICLE DYNAMICS
Overall performance levels are significantly higher than those of the 488 Spider,
thanks to the increase in power, weight reduction and improved aerodynamic
coefficient. That performance is also now accessible to a larger number of drivers
thanks to vehicle dynamics systems that make driving on the limit an easier and more
confidence-inspiring experience. These include a steering wheel with a smaller-
diameter rim and the introduction of the new Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer Plus into the
integrated SSC concept, now in 6.1 guise.
To achieve their goal of making the car’s impressive performance easy to access and
control, Ferrari’s engineers worked on integrating engine and aerodynamics
performance with the latest iteration of the vehicle dynamics control systems. The
Side Slip Control system, which improves drivers’ control on the limit for an even
more engaging behind the wheel, has been further evolved. The transition from
version 6.0 to 6.1 reflects the fact that the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer system (FDE+)
now also activates in the Race position of the manettino.
The FDE is a lateral dynamics control system that uses Ferrari software to adjust the
brake pressure at the callipers. It debuted on the 488 Pista and was later adopted on
the 488 Pista Spider. The F8 Tributo then featured the new FDE+ version with
extended functionality which is now also being used on the F8 Spider. The control
system, which is operational through and exiting corners (but not under braking), now
also extends to low grip conditions and to the Race setting of the manettino.
7 YEARS MAINTENANCE
Ferrari’s unparalleled quality standards and increasing focus on client service
underpin the extended seven-year maintenance programme offered with the F8
Spider. Available across the entire Ferrari range, the programme covers all regular
maintenance for the first seven years of the car’s life. This scheduled maintenance is
an exclusive service that allows clients the certainty that their car is being kept at
peak performance and safety over the years. This very special service is also
available to owners buying pre-owned Ferraris.
Regular maintenance (at intervals of either 20,000 km or once a year with no mileage
restrictions), original spares and meticulous checks by staff trained directly at the
Ferrari Training Centre in Maranello using the most modern diagnostic tools are just
some of the advantages of the Genuine Maintenance Programme.
The service is available on all markets worldwide and from all Dealerships in the
Official Dealership Network.
The Genuine Maintenance programme further extends the range of after-sales
services offered by Ferrari to satisfy clients wishing to preserve the performance and
excellence that are the signatures of all cars built at the factory in Maranello which
has always been synonymous with leading-edge technology and sportiness.
The F8 Spider is being introduced at the base price of RM1,178,000 (before duties,
customization options, taxes and insurance) and is available for private viewing in
Malaysia from now until 31 May. To make an appointment or for further details,
contact the Ferrari Malaysia Showroom.
FERRARI F8 SPIDER
Technical Specifications
Engine
Type V8 - 90° - turbo – dry sump
Overall displacement 3902 cc
Max. power output* 720 cv (530 kW) @ 8000 rpm
Max. torque* 770 Nm @ 3250 rpm
Specific power output 185 cv/l
Max. revs 8000 rpm
Compression ratio 9.6:1
Dimensions and weight
Length 4611 mm
Width 1979 mm
Height 1206 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm
Front track 1677 mm
Rear track 1646 mm
Dry weight** 1400 kg
Weight distribution 41.5% front – 58.5% rear
Boot capacity 200 l
Fuel tank capacity 78 l
Tyres
Front 245/35 ZR 20 J9.0
Rear 305/30 ZR 20 J11.0
Brakes
Front 398 x 223 x 38 mm
Rear 360 x 233 x 32 mm
Transmission and gearbox 7-speed, dual-clutch F1 gearbox
Electronic controls E-Diff3, F1-Trac, high performance ABS/EBD with
Ferrari Pre-Fill, FrS SCM-E, FDE+, SSC 6.1
Performance
0-100 km/h 2.90 s
0-200 km/h 8.2 s
Max. speed 340 km/h
Fuel consumption and emissions
Under homologation
* With 98 octane petrol
** With optional contents
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