March 24, 2015
Posted By : Barrett-Jackson

MORE THAN JUST PLEASING CURVES: Rick Hendrick’s 458 Spider will be a Palm Beach attention-grabber

MORE THAN JUST PLEASING CURVES: Rick Hendrick’s 458 Spider will be a Palm Beach attention-grabber

March 24, 2015
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

Rick Hendrick's stunning 458 Spider (Lot #412) will be crossing the block at the 13th Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction, April 17-19, 2015, at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

Rick Hendrick’s stunning 458 Spider (Lot #412) will be crossing the block at the 13th Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Auction, April 17-19, 2015, at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

Since melting eyeballs at its Frankfurt Motor Show debut in 2009, the Ferrari 458 has continued to transform onlookers into instant fans. The sharp yet swooping lines of the Pininfarina-designed 458 are unmistakably Ferrari, and anyone lucky enough to drive one would have no trouble believing the car is capable of hitting 200 mph.

The 458 seemed hard to top, but in 2011 Ferrari did exactly that — by losing the top. The 458 Spider introduced that year was the first mid-rear-engine car to offer a retractable hardtop. The double-curved aluminum top weighs less than a traditional fabric top and can retract or deploy at the push of a button in just 14 seconds. When the system is engaged, the rear deck automatically rises and the hinged top drops securely into its own compartment.

The 4.5-liter V8 delivers 560hp at 9,000 rpm.

The 4.5-liter V8 delivers 560hp at 9,000 rpm.

Despite the ferocious speed potential of the 458 Spider, the car is engineered for civilized open-air motoring. An adjustable electric wind-stop rises once the top has lowered, keeping turbulence in the cabin to a minimum. The intake and exhaust systems in the Spider were tuned to optimize the V8’s throaty song without overwhelming passengers.

And you’ll want to hear the intoxicating roar that burbles from the tri-tip exhaust pipes. The flat-crank 4.5-liter V8 delivers 560 horsepower at 9,000 rpm. The engine has double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, direct injection, dry sump oiling and a 12.5:1 compression ratio.

The factory rates the 458 Spider’s top speed at 199 mph, with 0-60 times in a brief 3.3 seconds. A seven-speed dual-clutch F1-style automatic transmission is teamed with that engine. Other systems also reflect Ferrari’s racing heritage, such as the E-Diff3 active differential and F1 Trac traction control. The chassis is made from leading-edge aluminum alloys that are lightweight yet deliver exceptional structural rigidity.

Reflecting the Ferrari racing heritage, a seven-speed dual-clutch F1-style automatic transmission.

Reflecting the Ferrari racing heritage, a seven-speed dual-clutch F1-style automatic transmission.

Stopping power is astonishing thanks to carbon-ceramic brake rotors, six-piston calipers in front, four-piston calipers in the rear and high-performance ABS. These artfully engineered pieces are readily visible between the spokes of the 20-inch wheels.

The body is beautiful, but there’s more in play than just pleasing curves. The design takes an active role in the aerodynamic profile. Two aeroelastic winglets are tucked into the nose, generating downforce and, as speed increases, deforming to reduce drag around the radiator inlets. The large buttresses behind the driver and passenger channel air toward the engine cover grilles, but also act as rollover protection.

The driving environment was designed with both comfort and performance in mind. Just as with a Formula 1 car, the 458 Spider clusters almost all major controls on the steering wheels so the driver can perform most functions without taking hands off the wheel. A large centrally mounted tachometer dominates the instrument cluster. And yet the rear bench in the 458 was designed for a regular-sized golf bag for those slower-paced days.

The Corsa Red 2012 Spider (Lot #412) offered for sale at the 2015 Palm Beach Auction is a great representative of the breed. Nearly every interior surface is covered in leather or suede with accent stitching in red. Comforts include power heated seats with driver memory, navigation, carbon-fiber steering wheel, parking camera with front and rear parking sensors, and automatic climate control. The options on the car include eye-catching parts such as the yellow brake calipers, as well as such welcome functional pieces as the Suspension Lifter system and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS).

If anyone knows a thing or two about fast cars, it’s the first owner of this 458 Spider — Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group. “I love the throaty sound and torque of the V8, and the F1 transmission is the fastest and most positive of any Ferrari I’ve driven,” he said. “The car’s handling is unbelievable — like a go-kart. The big bonus is having a coupe or convertible with the push of a button. It’s an incredible car and the best all-around Ferrari I have ever owned.”

Hendrick put nearly every one of the car’s 1,000 miles on the odometer, and overlooked no details in the 458 Spider’s maintenance. The car has undergone an extensive 168-point Hendrick Performance inspection and has a clean CARFAX report. All service and recalls are up to date. RESERVE.

This article by Steve Statham appears in the Spring 2015 issue of The Barrett-Jackson Experience magazine. To order your copy or subscribe, click here or visit www.shopbarrettjackson.com.

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