458 Italia

Make
Ferrari
Segment
Coupe

Thanks to the guys over at the Cheers and Gears website, the first photos of the Ferrari 458 Italia Spider have begun to surface on the web just before its Frankfurt debut. Official details haven't been revealed yet, but we can expect the Spider to feature the same 4.5-liter V8 engine with direct-injection technology that powers the coupe version. It produces 570hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. Power will be sent to the rear wheels through Ferrari's seven-speed F1 dual-clutch transmission.

Without official confirmation, it looks as though there's a retractable hard top located behind the passenger area. In other words, reports of a more traditional cloth top are now apparently false. Due to the loss of a fixed roof, there's also extra chassis strengthening that will add some weight and will likely lower performance a bit compared to its coupe sibling. But still, the Spider looks absolutely gorgeous and we can't wait for the matchup between it and the Lamborghini LP560-4 Spyder. Expect the 458 Italia Spider to make its official debut next month at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show.