Overview

There’s a strong case to be made that the Ferrari 458 Spider is the single greatest modern automobile for sale in all the world.

No, it does not ride with the minx-fur plushness of a Rolls-Royce Phantom. No, it does not brim with the cutting-edge electronic gizmos you’ll find in, say, a BMW 750i. It is not as fast as a few ultra-exotic supercars. This Italian marvel combines beauty, speed, refinement, comfort, quality, livability, character, and sheer sex appeal. Being able to open the cockpit to the world outside at the touch of the button is simply a bravura encore to this Ferrari’s already majestic performance—as if to say, “You think that was great, now try it with the sun shining through your hair.”

The quality of this automobile is simply in-your-face. Wrap your fingers around the fat leather-and-carbon-fiber wheel. Fits like a Ferragamo glove, with a thickness at the 3- and 9-o’clock positions that feels so right you wonder why all steering wheels aren’t designed this way. Buttons for the horn are recessed into the leather above where your thumbs lie; other switches include a big, red start/stop button, turn signals you press at right or left, a shock-firmness button, and, of course, Ferrari’s famed manettino dial for choosing your preferred driving mode. The leather racing seats with carbon shells fit to perfection. Elsewhere, the cockpit fairly gleamed with lusciously polished carbon-fiber trim. No giant central touchscreen in this sporting purebred. Instead, the 488 presents you with a big central tach and, at left, a useful multi-function display.