Ferrari F8 Spider – an enviable beast

The new Ferrari F8 Spider versus the McLaren 720S Spider

The Ferrari F8 Tributo Spider, presented this year at the Geneva fair, has a version without a roof. F8 Spider joins the Italian manufacturer’s offer, and the first deliveries will be made in summer 2020.

15 years ago McLaren was a brand of curiosity in the context of road cars. Only the F1 model was produced in Woking, in a “meager” quantity in the 1990s. Therefore, when the MP4-12C model appeared on the market in 2009, no one expected such a large share of the brand in the class of “common” sports cars. Today, 10 years after the event, McLaren and Ferrari are fighting hard for the crown, and the island brand is making great strides. In the case of the last two models: 650S and 720S, the English were one step ahead of the Italians. The McLaren 720S was presented already 2 years ago, and only this year Ferrari showed the F8 Tributo. A similar story took place with convertibles based on these models. The 720S Spider has been on the road for several months, while the Ferrari F8 Spider will be on display in summer 2020.

Where did the comparison of these two super cars come from?

Well, recent years have changed a lot in the super sports car segment. Both brands have ceased to compete with other cars in real terms. Lamborghini Huracan together with the twin Audi R8 V10 Plus stand out from the rate quite specifically. There is of course the Nissan GT-R, but everyone will agree that despite its excellent performance, it is a car for another customer, and there is no roofless version. The Porsche 911 Turbo S is also a slightly different shelf, despite similar performance. Before I compare the current competitors, however, let’s take a closer look at the new roadster from the Maranello stables.

Ferrari F8 Spider –  what has changed?

The pace of introducing new models from the Italian manufacturer scares me at times. The new VW Golf looks less often than the new Ferrari. The predecessor of the presented model was shown to the world only 4 years ago. So let’s ask ourselves if anything has really changed?

Speaking of design, it would be a sin to say that the 488 Spider is outdated or stale. The successor can be said to have a more athletic, aggressive physique. We find more ribs and a more upturned front. The problem, however, is that it was already in the 488 Pista Spider variant. This is not the only thing that the Ferrari F8 Spider has in common with its most hardcore predecessor. Well, the engine in the new model is the same 3.9-liter unit generating 710 hp, which can be found in the limited version of its predecessor.

Ferrari F8 Spider

The manufacturer himself says that the Ferrari F8 Spider is less extreme than the 488 Pista Spider, but more sporty than the Ferrari 488 Spider. And it probably says what the F8 Tributo and the featured Spider are – a production car of a limited version of the previous model. The car is 44.09 ft lighter than its predecessor and has differently routed air intakes to cool the driveline better. The roof is also better designed. Due to its compact size, it folds into two parts and hides over the engine. The entire assembly process takes 14 seconds.

FERRARI F8 SPIDER PERFORMANCE AND COMPETITION WITH MCLAREN 720S SPIDER

Once we understand that the Ferrari F8 Spider is an improved 488 Spider model, giving the performance of the limited edition 488 Pista Spider, it has to be compared with the McLaren 720S Spider. Currently it is the largest and only real competitor in this class. Both vehicles have alarmingly similar performance, but it should be noted that McLaren with the latest models is one step ahead of Ferrari and releases its new products on the market much earlier.

While in the real world differences of 1 mph or 0.1 seconds mean nothing, let’s take a look at the performance of Ferrari and competing McLaren. The F8 Spider accelerates to a hundred in 2.9 seconds, which is 0.1 seconds faster than the previous model 488 Spider and 0.1 seconds slower than the 720S. We will see 120 mph (190 kph) on the clock in 8.2 seconds (McLaren – 7.9 seconds). Ferrari’s top speed is 211  mph (340 kph), while McLaren’s is 212 mph (341 kph). We are, of course, talking about the results with the roof closed.

A word about Maclaren

The opening time of the McLaren roof is also shorter – 11 seconds versus 14 seconds in the F8 Spider. When you want to fold and unfold the roof of a Ferrari, you can go slow 28 mph (45 kph), or speed the McLaren around 30 mph (48 kph). I know that these are differences that are quite minor and are only relevant on internet forums and during scuffles of brand fans. Ferrari F8 Spider is just 488 Spider model, but with a limited-edition Pista engine into it. It was only to have a competitive car on offer that could compete with McLaren. Nevertheless, Ferrari is losing a little in every field.

It must be said that the Ferrari power seems to be falling into the shadow of McLaren’s excellent engineering. The problem of the F8 model, no matter if Tributo or Spider, is the 488 Pista version. If it had never been created, the appearance of the presented model and the performance would be impressive, and they only leave a bad taste.

See also official website of Ferrari F8 Spider.