RE: Folding Hard-Top For Ferrari 458 Spider

[10 Pence Short]

Did Ferrari buy the system in for the California, as a lot of manufacturers do, or did they/have they built their own proprietry system?

[kambites]

ZesPak said:

Did I miss something? Is the MX-5 a folding hard top??

It's an option, yes. Has been for years.

[ZesPak]

kambites said:

ZesPak said:

Did I miss something? Is the MX-5 a folding hard top??

It's an option, yes. Has been for years.

Sorry, already deleted my post, went to look for images .

So you can get a soft top or a hard top? I always thought that the hard tops were just that, add-on hard tops you had to put over them

[kambites]

ZesPak said:

So you can get a soft top or a hard top? I always thought that the hard tops were just that, add-on hard tops you had to put over them

With the mk3, there are two distinct models. One with a folding hard-top and one with a soft-top. I don't know if you can buy a removable hard-top for the soft-top one, but I can't imagine that they'd have bothered.

[ZesPak]

kambites said:

ZesPak said:

So you can get a soft top or a hard top? I always thought that the hard tops were just that, add-on hard tops you had to put over them

With the mk3, there are two distinct models. One with a folding hard-top and one with a soft-top. I don't know if you can buy a removable hard-top for the soft-top one, but I can't imagine that they'd have bothered.

Just read up on it, apparently you could, but when they introduced the folding hard top the premium on that was LESS than what you would pay extra for a removable hard-top.
Can't find anything on whether you still can though.

[hornetrider]

Separate hard tops are still available, but I don't really see the point. The combined weight of soft top + hard top is more than the weight of the coupe.

[epom]

ZOLLAR said:

tom felty said:

sounds good, im guessing its going to be something like the

Christ man I can't take the suspense!!!!, like the what???????

ah its ok i have it.....

[mikebrownhill]

It will follow the now familiar Ferrari V8 model roll out schedule I suspect - coupe first which raises the bar in the performance dept significantly over the last one to get everyone excited, then the Challenge race car in the one make series for the gentlemen drivers (but not for the road of course) then the spider (fabric to date but who knows) but usually more for the rich folk who care more about the bling factor; pause as that's where we are about now - then the street version of the Challenge (which is usually the dogs what-nots like the 360 CS or 430 Scuderia and the one to look forward to) then the spider version of that for the less bling, more performance focused folk but to date still heavier than the proper one, and then a few special editions of each maybe to finish the 5 years off till the next one.

Brilliant in my opinion, works a treat at catching a broad range of wealthy punters and gives us lot something the write about on PH, and watch on TG - whats not to like about Ferrari. And they still build production V12's for real men (599 and FF) and collectors specials like the Enzo, F50, F40 and 288 GTO, and run an F1 team to entertain us on a Sunday afternoon now and again.

What a legacy old Enzo left us eh.

[ZesPak]

hornetrider said:

Separate hard tops are still available, but I don't really see the point. The combined weight of soft top + hard top is more than the weight of the coupe.

Problem is that once you bought the soft top, you're stuck with it, so that's maybe why they still sell the hard top.

[M666 EVO]

tom felty said:

sounds good, im guessing its going to be something like

... a Dime bar. Soft on the outside and crunchy on the inside?

ARMADILLO!

[alock]

Maybe the loss of the glass engine cover is a clue. How about a system like on the 575

[cayman-black]

ajprice said:

To be continued....

i,am dying, cant stand the suspense!

[mikebrownhill]

alock said:

Maybe the loss of the glass engine cover is a clue. How about a system like on the 575

Well OK yes - but the 575 still had the engine in the front did it not?

[MogulBoy]

I predict that it will be known as the 458 il Sole as an hommage the to greatly missed (opportunty) that was the Honda CR-X del Sol.

edit: I think I meant to say 458 R Sole

Edited by MogulBoy on Thursday 14th July 15:47

[alock]

mikebrownhill said:

Well OK yes - but the 575 still had the engine in the front did it not?

It did, but does that matter?

The glass area is currently about the same size as the roof area. It just seems obvious to me that you want to move the roof section to where the current glass engine cover is. the only problem would be width as the glass cover tapers towards the rear.

[vetteheadracer]

Ferrari 458 Tetto Piegante then.........should be a PH favourite with Pie in the name

[PaulFontaine]

This car was undoubtedly designed to take a convertible top from the onset

[ajprice]

PaulFontaine said:

This car was undoubtedly designed to take a convertible top from the onset

What gave that idea?

[xto]

Would this not take purchasers from the hardtop.

i doubt the driving difference between the two would be so large to make a person choose the coupe and not the convertible.

i think anyone looking to purchase a 458 is able to extend to purchase a convertible also.

[V8A*ndy]

I can't wait to see this.....

I just hope it's a clever yet simple solution as this car might just make it to my own shopping list in the future.

Now to find a decent Ferrari dealer outside NI.