Simply Abu Dhabi VIII

2 0 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Mr. Pietro Innocenti &Mr. Enrico Galliera along withMr. Stefano Domenicali andMr. Hossam Hosni (General Manager Al Tayer Motors) F or many motor enthusiasts – and lovers of luxury combined with style and speed – driving an open-top Ferrari is one of life’s most exquisite pleasures. The new 458 Spider joins such outstanding predecessors in this category as the Dino 246 GTS and 308 GTS. The 458 Spider is a sumptuous drop-top based closely on the stunning 458 Italia coupé model. And the Spider is just as much fun to drive, particularly with the roof down, as the glorious Ferrari 562bhp 4.5 litre V8 engine can be heard, felt and experienced in every rich detail. It offers stunning performance too: The handsome Spider is a wonderfully agile car that can race from 0-62mph in just 3.4 seconds. That’s only a tenth of a second slower than the Italia, and at 198 mph, its top speed is virtually identical to the Italia’s 202mph. The Spider’s sublime aluminium roof can retract in just 14 seconds. Watching the precision engineering in process is a fine sight. But in truth, this majestic car looks superb from any angle, whether the top is up or down. The fine features of the Spider include wonderful carbon-ceramic brakes, a multifunction wheel, and Alcantara upholstery and carbon fibre seats.