MELBOURNE - 400 VIP guests gathered at Melbourne’s newest venue URBNSURF to witness the Australasian premiere of the Ferrari F8 Spider, the new generation, drop-top convertible powered by the most successful mid-rear-mounted Ferrari V8 engine ever. 
Special guests included Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal, Mattia Binotto and Formula 1 Driver, Charles Leclerc.

“We are extremely proud to bring the much anticipated Ferrari F8 Spider to Melbourne shores on the opening night of the Australian Grand Prix. This vehicle pays homage to our history. The Ferrari F8 Spider brings the exhilarating performance of the best 8-cylinder in the world to all drivers, with unprecedented handling and superior ride comfort.” - Dieter Knechtel, President Ferrari Far East and Middle East Hub.

Ferrari has unveiled the F8 Spider, the new generation drop-top sports car equipped with the most successful mid-rear-mounted V8 in history. 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.

The F8 Spider is the latest addition to an exclusive and prestigious bloodline of open- top V8 cars begun with the 308 GTS in 1977. It 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. 

In fact, it excels in merging handling dynamics with surprising in-car comfort. This Ferrari spider thus combines the characteristics of the most lauded 8-cylinder engine in history with unparalleled driving pleasure.

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, 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.

ENGINE

In the automotive world, Ferrari’s 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. 

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.

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. The design of the F8 Spider’s lines was crafted around its RHT (Retractable Hard Top). 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.

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.

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. 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.

SEVEN 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 Ferrari F8 Spider is on sale in Australia now. Prices start from $536,888.