Italia vs. Spider - Differences

There is a difference in price too !
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One, I know for sure, the windshield is a little wider (vertically) in center) on the Spider compared to the coupe.

 

I love the carbon fiber rear window showing the engine...very nice touch!

 

HVAC = pitiful in spider.

 

Cowl shake on anything other than smooth & straight roads. All you need is a typical B road in california, ie hiway1, driving the speed limit…

 

Spider has INFINETLY MORE HEADROOM with the top down.

You can hear the engine & exhaust better in the spider with the top down/rear window down compared to the coupe.

And the spider is two cars in one...a coupe ... and a convertible. Best of all worlds.

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Spider=cowl shake. If that doesn't bother you, either car is awesome.

 

Bob, you've mentioned this several times.

My understanding is the HVAC between the cars is identical (or, is it not?). The HVAC in our 458 (and FF, and F12) are all...surprisingly better than I had thought.

Just curious, was there a specific issue, was your particular car not working, was it life in Vegas, or with the roof down?

Just curious. If you want to sample bad A/C, try the 458C....

thanks

 

My spider heat works great. Plus I have heated seats.

A/C works about as good as my 360 Spider. Not really much use with the top down which is 90% of the time for me. 85-90F is hot here. Nothing like 115-120F in Vegas.

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After 14 months of spider ownership and after having owned an Italia, I can give you my impressions/thoughts. For whatever that's worth!
If you can drive a car like Chris Harris does the spider in the on line video and can feel the subtle differences, then you have your answer. Buy an Italia.
If you drive your car in maximum attack only - like my buddy with an Italia with exhaust valve in open position 24/7 - buy an Italia.
If you live in an area where top down driving is rarely possible, you also have the best answer - buy an Italia.
If you live in an area where top down driving can be done a good 50% or more of the time, then choice becomes a little more gray than black and white.
My biggest problem with any car is the ultimate feeling of sameness that sometimes creeps into the equation. The spider gives you 2 1/2 distinct different experiences: roof up, roof down, and back window down. The character of the car changes enough, that it really does feel like you are in an albeit slightly, different car. Top down really gives a nice sense of occasion that is fun to experience. There is a price however. Top down you actually get more of a little squirm in the wheel more so than the body flex everyone *****es about. You have to ask yourself if you can get past that. If you can't, you need the Italia.
Roof up, you will be hard pressed to tell cars apart. It is uncanny how tight it becomes. The car feels wonderful and alive in your hands. You just have to drive it enough to learn its language.
In the McLaren 650S review by Autocar's Sutcliffe, he talks about the engine sound being loudest with roof up. Despite what you read elsewhere on Fchat about spider, I would argue the same effect occurs in the spider. Roof down, I believe the noise around the car "fights" with the pure sound of the motor/exhaust. You need the interior to act as a "baffle" of sorts. So, when you put the rear window down you get the best of the intake AND exhaust sounds that you don't get with the Italia.
In sport mode and at lower RPMs, spider is a little mellower in exhaust note. I am about to put in an exhaust valve controller to have a little more variation in that area. Make no mistake, car is not quiet. It is just a fraction more mellow before you get into the most upper rev range.
Net, the spider gets me so mad some times as it is near perfect save for the slight steering feedback gremlin. But, I still enjoy it more than my Italia.
Decide what is non-negotiable/most important. Think about how car will be used most of the time. All the "facts" about the differences don't count until you decide the emotion you want from the driving experience. Until you do that, there is no right answer to your question. But, your question does allow guys to go off on how much better their car is than the other one!
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Randy I agree except the 458 spyder roof is not a structural element, I believe its built into the buttresses which remain the same whether the top is up or down. I could feel the frame flex with the top open or closed. It did seem worse with top open for some strange reason.

 

I know the roof plays no structural role in terms of torsional rigidity. That is what makes the steering wheel shimmy- as I like to refer to it- changes with roof position so bizarre. It is that more stable feel through the wheel with roof up that I am referring to. Had dealer hot shoe tech drive with me to verify my experience. He wasn't aware of this difference until I brought it to his attention early in spider experience learning curve.
I was raising the roof position (no pun intended) effects in regards to affecting car feel. I wasn't specifically talking about changing the structure/function of torsional rigidity based on roof position.
Thanks for bringing this important point up.
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That's not strange. The roof up, while not a full structural element, does ties the car together a little and therefore damps the shakes a little. I've had lots of open cars and this is always the case.

 

Makes sense mhh, thanks. I tend to have top down when weather is good, and drivng harder than when top is up and weather is bad. Mostly top is down so was more apparent vs coupe.

 

They made the HVAC tubes smaller in the 458 spider than the 458 coupe. Why I have no idea but I know they did. Something to do with packaging under the dash.

The amount of air flow is reduced. What they needed is MORE airflow from the coupe because it's a spider and by their own admission supposed to be more of a "GT".

In addition, we all know the direction blades do not face the driver. So, you cannot focus the little stream of airflow to where you need it with the top down. I actually thought of redesigning the blades myself at one point to make it acceptable.

Lastly, the condenser fan upfront is obnoxiously noisy and it's on all the time making an annoying high pitched noise while you're sitting in traffic. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! It's worse in the spider because with the top down, you hear it more than the coupe.

And, it's no surprise to anyone that the 458's blower motor is extremely loud in compared to what I would consider industry standards. We've all mentioned that. If you want the fan on full, forget using the phone or listening to music.


Remember that I live in a hot climate. If the HVAC is marginal, then it's not much of a car for me. (I'm not the only LV customer to have the same issue). I wish I could buy an interior in black but its impossible for Vegas to have a convertible interior in that color without baking to death.

I don't see the point of paying 30 grand more for a car that you can only put the top down on just perfect days --- not too hot and not too cold. If this car were in Southern Cal, I would say it would not be a big deal. But, in a desert, it's just not worth 300+ grand.

They can do better --and I think they know they can do better.

I have driven the F12 on a hot day and I would say the HVAC is very good. The 458 coupe wasn't a problem I noticed aside from the blower motor being so loud and the fan blades being unable to point at you. The 458 spider though is not as good as the 458 coupe. Some may not mind, but for those who live in hot climates, we do.

I'm not picking on the car. I think it's only fair to bring up it's flaws so others know what to expect and except it or reject it before they buy. At least you know what to look for. Everyone can have their own idea if it's acceptable or not.

For me, it wasn't.

 

The spider is always an eye catcher , conversational piece and womanizer . The latter alone should help any prospective buyers make their decisions .

 

This is the same reason I now buy Italian coupes only. The Germans make convertibles comfortable/drive-able in hot climates for some reason

 

Also very worthy of mention is the decrease in legroom in the spider, at 6'5" 37" inside leg I fit ok in the italia , but I was a bit aggrieved when I picked up my spider to find that the seat won't go as far back as it has the shelf behind. Both cars had the racing seats. I just found the spider too cramped because of it, so it's a differance worth mentioning for the big fellas out there

 

If a 458 Italia coupe doesn't do this too, you must be driving wonderwoman's car.

 

Holy crap...really? Wow...that is disappointing. Anyone have a set of official measurements?

 

I do not live in the desert. Quite the opposite. Chicago. But I am 6'3". I love my 458. Put 9k on it in the first year. I'm considering a spider. Went and tried one yesterday. White one. Beautiful. BUT it felt tight inside compared to my 458 which has great head and leg room. The spider did not, so I have a concern. Any data on the reduced interior room. I saw an opinion from a fellow long-legged person who said only with sports seats is there sufficient leg room.

Any thoughts? Thanks everyone