A new addition to the GTP Coupe and equipped with a 660 bhp, V8 engine, the 488 Spider is able to sprint from 0-62mph in an astounding three seconds. Ferrari has just revealed the second and latest entry into the 488 family – the Spider, which is a V-8 open-top supercar that the company claims to be the most powerful drop-top ever to step foot out of its Maranello hangar. All set to be unveiled at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September and in dealers next summer, the GTB is the close rival of the McLaren 650S Spider and arrives just six months after the GTB Coupe was first introduced.

Just like its predecessor – the 458 Spider, the 488 GTB Spider is fitted with a two-piece retractable hard top except that it boasts a 25kg lighter footprint compared to the fabric roof mated with the old F430 Spider. In an effort to maintain superior safety and a common characteristic of the entire Ferrari drop-top range, the roof of the 488 Spider can only be operated when the car is stationary, but takes just 14 seconds to electrically and neatly stow it under the new flying buttresses.

Further, the extra strength required to replace the missing fixed roof means that the 488 Spider is 50kg healthier than the 488 GTB Coupe. But good news is that the body construction and aluminum chassis help the 488 Spider retain the same torsional rigidity as the coupe. The 488 GTB Spider is fitted with a 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 mated with a class leading F-1 seven speed dual-clutch transmission, which is the same as the powerhouse in the GTB Coupe. The engine of both the Ferrari 488 GTB Coupe and Spider are able to produce 760Nm of torque at 3,000rpm and 660bhp at 8,000rpm, allowing both models to bolt from 0-62mph in a remarkable three seconds. The bad news is that you will no doubt need specialist high performance insurance for this vehicle.

The stupendous timing of three seconds makes the Ferrari 488 Spider 0.4 seconds faster than the 458 Spider, which houses a V-8 562bhp 4.5-litre engine. In an effort to enhance the aerodynamics of the Spider, the rear glass window of the 488 Spider can be adjusted in three different positions to optimize wind flow when the top is down. This glass section can be lowered even with the roof in place to provide the driver and passenger unobstructed access to the sound of the robust V-8 engine.

The top speed of the 488 Spider is clocked at 203 mph, and apart from being the company’s fastest ever drop-top, the 2016 GTB Spider is also the most aerodynamic drop-top offering from Ferrari. Other features carried forward from the GTB Coupe are sport seats, a two tone dashboard, high end materials and standard Ferrari buttons.

The turbocharged drop-top Ferrari GTB Spider delivers unrivalled performance figures across the board, and competes directly with the likes of the 2016 Lamborghini Huracán Roadster and 2015 McLaren 650S Spider. But the Spider’s 3.9-liter V-8 engine and its ability to achieve 0-62 in just three seconds will certainly help it score well in this fierce battle of topless car supremacy.