The boys at Maranello have just given those looking into the McLaren 720S Spider something to think about with the new Ferrari F8 Spider; dubbed “the less extreme version of the 488 Pista Spider”.
Compared to the 720S Spider, the F8 Spider makes an identical 720 hp and 770 N with a 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 but as an improvement from the 488 Spider, it makes extra 50 hp, 10 Nm and is lighter than its predecessor by 20 kg (18 kg of which were from the weight reduction of the engine).
To achieve the 50 hp increase from the 488 Spider, the new intake 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 for better air flow to the engine.
As a result, the F8 Spider is 0.1 second faster from 0 to 100 km/h than the 488 Spider at 2.9 seconds and tops out at 340 km/h.
If these details excite you; despite weighing just 20 kg more than the 488 Pista Spider, it is only 0.1 second slower than one of the fastest open-top Ferrari ever.
The F8 Spider’s Retractable Hard Top (RHT) takes just 14 seconds to deploy and retract at speeds of up to 45 km/h.
The 720S Spider on the other hand, takes 11 seconds at speeds of up to 50 km/h – figures that could offer insignificant bragging rights at the golf course or whatever outdoor activities owners can indulge with just 200-litres of cargo space offered.
The F8 Spider’s state-of-the-art aerodynamics were adopted from Ferrari’s GT and Challenge racing experience. Repositioned front radiators not only meant better cooling but also improved the F8 Spider’s downforce.
The result is a 10% improvement in the car’s overall air-flow efficiency compared to the 488 Spider.
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