Unbelievable if that's true. Convertible roof is an enemy of a sports car (chassis not so rigid) and what is a more serious sports car than the MacLaren?!
MacLaren can put a soft top and do it with no additional chassis reinforcement. Carbon fiber tub offers enough stiffness to do it easily (as they did in the SLR).
I picked up my California from service this morning and was told by the dealer the spider will have a "different look" as compared to the coupe. He was told it will not just be a coupe that is modified for a folding hard top. It will be interesting to see the spy photos when they come out.
that could be the 612 replacement..front engine car...the long headlights like 458...and a hatch back type rear...all the things that have been rumored so far..
612 prototype. If you look at the 246 GTS, 3X8 GTS, etc, and imagine the removable fiberglass roof section rotating/retracting behind the seats, you could make a pretty practical spider. The car would be attractive top up or top down and have little loss of rigidity. GTS sales did affect sales of the GTs/GTBs. In all of those cars, I thought the GTB was more attractive, but I had a GTS instead of a GTB, so the open air draw was still there. Taz Terry Phillips
THAT would be cool. I've always like targa top Ferraris. It'd be neat to see them bring it back; and I can sorta see a 458 being a targa top...I think it'd look really nice. -G.B.
+1 Same here. I am a huge fan of the targa-top. A dose of open weather driving when you want it while keeping the good looks and ridgid body of the coupe. Since the F355 and NSX left us years ago, I'm pretty sure the Corvette is the only production targa-top car on the market? When I first became a car guy, hardtops were just making it big, and I was never a huge fan. To tell you the truth when I hear the words "Hardtop convertible" I still think 'Targa'.
How much space is between the seats and the engine? Perhaps they will use narrower roof panels that "stacK" on top of each other in that space?
The rumors of its death may be highly exaggerated. I've read that it may yet be a ragtop. I sure hope so!
I really find it really hard to imagine how could they fit a hardtop convertible onto a mid engine car. ??? Ignacio
I didn't think they could squeeze 127 bhp/liter out of an engine either, but they found a way. Never underestimate the resolve of engineers to try and do the impossible. It's why they do what they do.
+1 Same here. I am a huge fan of the targa-top. A dose of open weather driving when you want it while keeping the good looks and ridgid body of the coupe. Since the F355 and NSX left us years ago, I'm pretty sure the Corvette is the only production targa-top car on the market? Well...let's hope it's not like the old 308 and 328 GTS cars. The difference between a GTB and a GTS in those models pursuant to chasis rigidity is staggering.
If people liked Targa tops, they'd still be making them. With modern technology and engineering, there is no difference in rigidity anymore between a targa and full convertible. Targa's are sooooooo 80's.
being in the car buisness , its the other way around 05-07 spiders will always be worth $150-$175k 1st reason 458 spider is almost 2 years away , 2nd 458 spider loaded up will be close to $350k , 3rd guys after delivery trying to sell them for$400k , 4th the 430 spider is a great car right from the beginnig , and 5th no more cambelt changes unlike 360 with alot less power and beauty , and most people i know wont spend close to $400k on a car you use maybe 10 times a year , when you can buy a 430 for less then half the money and very close in performance to the 458 , and you can buy a used 599 for around $225k for a loaded car . i think ferrari is pricing themselfs where out of the market with such a unstable world economy.
