Ferrari’s most rapid rag-top arrives

THE Scuderia Spider 16M is not the most expensive new Ferrari ever sold in Australia – that honour goes to the 60th anniversary Sessanta edition of the 612 Scaglietti coupe, which arrived here in May 2008 priced at a staggering $790,000.

But with a recommended retail price of $675,250, Ferrari’s quickest ever convertible is more expensive than every other version of the Italian supercar-maker’s entry-level F430, as well as the ‘regular’ Scaglietti GT ($670,250) and even the Prancing Horse’s flagship 456kW 6.0-litre V12-powered 599 GTB Fiorano coupe ($650,300).

The topless Scuderia Spider is also more than $100,000 pricier than the Scuderia coupe ($573,700) with which it shares its mechanicals and more than $200,000 more expensive than the F430 Spider upon which it is based ($472,950). The F430 Scuderia coupe, meantime, commands only a $139,550 premium over the most basic F430 coupe ($434,150).

But that hasn’t deterred 10 well-heeled Australians and two New Zealanders from snapping up European Automotive Imports’ entire allocation of the rapid roadster, the first of which was presented to customers last night (April 2).

The remaining 11 lightweight rag-tops will be delivered over the next four months.

Unlike the series-production F430 Spider, production of the limited-edition Scuderia Spider 16M, whose name marks Ferrari’s 16th Formula One world championship win in 2008, will be limited to 499 examples globally.

As we’ve reported previously, the most exclusive F430 variant (there won’t be a 16M-badged Scuderia coupe) is powered not by a 360kW/465Nm 4.3-litre V8 but a 375kW/470Nm version from the F430 Scuderia coupe, for which 63 orders were received following its local debut at the 2007 Sydney motor show.

Combined with a weight reduction of 80kg over the standard Spider, the 1440kg Scuderia Spider brandishes a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.7 seconds – the same as Porsche’s flagship 911 Turbo.

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