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Ferrari 488 Spider turbocharges the topless life [w/video]

As expected, Ferrari has followed the Geneva debut of the new 488 GTB with the introduction of the 488 Spider convertible. Like the hardtop model, the new Spider builds on the old 458 cabriolet. The retractable hardtop has been retained for the new model, slated to debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. But thanks to the new aluminum spaceframe, the 488 Spider's torsional rigidity has been increased by 23 percent over its predecessor, promising even sharper handling. The powered roof can be stowed in just 14 seconds. Beyond that, the 488 Spider boasts the same goodies as the hardtop model. A 3.9-liter, twin-turbocharged, flat-plane crank V8 sits amidships, sending 661 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Even in this roofless model, 62 miles per hour arrives in just 3.2 seconds, compared to an even three seconds in 488 GTB. The top speed is a toupee-eradicating 203 miles per hour. Prices, not surprisingly, have not been published. You can look forward to much, much more on the 488 Spider when it makes its grand debut in September, at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Until then, check out the launch video for the new droptop, as well as the official press release from Ferrari. The Ferrari 488 Spider: performance and effortless driving for maximum drop-top fun Official unveiling scheduled for Frankfurt Motor Show Maranello, 28 July 2015 – Ferrari announces the launch of the 488 Spider, its most powerful ever mid-rear-engined V8 car to feature the patented retractable hard top along with the highest level of technological innovation and with cutting-edge design. Ferrari was the first manufacturer to introduce the RHT (Retractable Hard Top) on a car of this particular architecture. This solution ensures lower weight (-25 kg) and better cockpit comfort compared to the classic fabric soft-top. Just like all previous spider versions of Ferrari's models, this is a car that is aimed squarely at clients seeking open-air motoring pleasure in a high-performance sports car with an unmistakable Ferrari engine sound. Every area of the car has been designed to set new technological benchmarks for the sector: from the aluminum spaceframe chassis and bodyshell to the new turbo-charged V8, aerodynamics that reconcile the need for greater downforce with reduced drag along with the specific cabin air flow demands of an open- top car, and vehicle dynamics that render it fast, agile and instantly responsive.

The troubled Alfa Romeo Giulia needs serious help [UPDATE]

UPDATE: An Alfa Romeo US spokesman responded to this article with the following statement: The safety concerns expressed in the story are false. The all-new 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia is designed and engineered to meet or exceed all federal safety regulations. The Alfa Romeo Giulia will begin production for the North American market in the late second-quarter of this year. Alfa Romeo will have a full product portfolio of premium vehicles that includes plans for (8) all-new Alfa Romeo vehicles by 2020. The product launches are prioritized by segment volumes starting this year with the Alfa Romeo Giulia production for North America starting in late Q2, followed by the Midsize-UV – the 2nd largest premium segment in North America. Even on the day you dragged them kicking and screaming and gesticulating wildly to a table full of concrete evidence, Alfa Romeo executives will never admit the Giulia program is going through a tough patch. But it is. Reports say the Giulia, on the eve of production, didn't just fail one internal crash test, but failed the front, side and rear impact tests. Alfa denies it. Automotive News published a report last week saying two suppliers had insisted the Giulia, on the eve of production, didn't just fail one internal crash test, but failed the front-, side-, and rear-impact tests. A third supplier source told us the same thing. Alfa is denying it. It was due on sale in Europe late last year and was supposed to be here in the next month or two. But it wasn't, and it won't. It was to be headlined by a twin-turbo V6 that reportedly howled its way around the Nurburgring 14 seconds faster than the BMW M3 could manage. That second part is only true if you believe it's fair to compare a full lap in a standard BMW M3 with a favorable accumulation of sector times to a development prototype Giulia with 220 pounds stripped out of it and rolling on hand-cut racing slicks. No, me neither. A Promising Start The Giulia's all-new architecture was developed in just two years by a skunkworks of young engineers headed by Fiat's engineering prince, Philippe Krief, and (bafflingly) sited inside Maserati's headquarters complex in Modena, about three hours from Alfa Romeo's own Turin HQ.

Ferrari Modulo catches fire driving through Monaco

Accidents happen when you drive a car. The one-off Ferrari Modulo concept is not immune to such a fate, as the spaceship of a car recently caught on fire while out driving. In fact, it's certainly far more likely for an untested concept car to experience more issues than any kind of a production car that's gone through years of testing and development. This particular incident was documented on Twitter by Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus. Jim Glickenhaus and his team recently bought the Modulo concept with the intention of making it road-worthy. The car was originally shown at the 1970 Turin Motor Show. We've since seen videos of it driving around, but this last drive went all sorts of wrong. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. As Glickenhaus details in his tweets, the muffler was responsible for the blaze that damaged the rear of the vehicle. He says that an unnamed firm they're no longer involved with designed the muffler that caught fire. Glickenhaus was prepared for such an occurrence (it does have a Ferrari engine in there after all). Jokes aside, the onboard fire suppression system did its job and extinguished the fire shortly after it began, saving the rest of the car. Unfortunately, it didn't act fast enough to save it from some pretty nasty damage to the rear of the body. Glickenhaus was driving the car through downtown Monaco when the fire began, so we can assume there was an excessive amount of heat building up in there. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Surprisingly, Glickenhaus is continuing to drive about even after the fire. He tweeted a photo just an hour after the blaze showing the scarred Modulo charging up the mountains around Monaco. It's tough to trust a car right after a faulty design just caused it to catch fire, but who are we to doubt Glickenhaus? No plans for restoration were detailed yet, but we imagine the Glickenhaus team will have it looking like new as soon as it can. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. View 19 Photos