The Ferrari 458 Italia, hailed by many as the world’s greatest (current) sports car, has just gone topless. The convertible version features a retractable hard top, no mean feat for a car with its engine just behind the seats.
The hardtop is made from aluminum, for a 25-kg weight reduction over a traditional folding soft top. It can unfold in just 14 seconds, and tucks into a compartment just ahead of the engine bay. A small luggage space is still retained within the cabin. Structural rigidity has been maintained, implicitly via chassis reinforcements. Buttresses on the rear pillar direct air flow to the engine and oil coolers. An power-actuated wind stop helps diffuse cabin air, “enabling normal conversation to be held even at speeds over 200 km/h.”
Still powered by the 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 that was on the short list for International Engine of the Year, the 458 dishes out 570 bhp at a wild 9000 rpm and 540 Nm of torque. A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox takes care of the shifting duties. The E-Diff and F1 traction control system help manage the car’s driving dynamics. Top speed is in excess of 320 km/h, while the 0-100 km/h is 3.4 seconds. Ferrari promises that even the engine sound has been recalibrated to take the open top into consideration.
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