430 What do u prefer: coupe or spider?

I also can understand opinions from both camps.

Bought my first motorcycle about 10 years ago now and love the open road thrill that is completely different from any car.

My first "sports car" was a BMW M4. Amazing car and probably still the best bang for the buck I've owned. "Car people" wanted me to go on "drives" in curvy fun roads, but anyone that has owned a great bike and can really ride will tell probably agree with me that it is very boring doing that in ANY car (Ferrari included) compared to the bike.

Then got into Porsche. 986 Boxster was my first "fun" weekend convertible car. Fell in love with the top down experience. Sold it after making 250+ videos and needing more content

Then got a Cayman S, my track car. More track suited, more fast, less fun in great weather.

Time to step up to Ferrari and had the internal debate on Spider or Coupe. Missed the open top experience and much prefer the looks of the F430 open top with the speed humps. No brainer for me to get one cheaper because it was an F1 and the top needed to be replaced knowing I wanted to do a manual conversion for the content as well as figuring replacing the top would make for a good video series as well. Just finished replacing the top this weekend and it was NOT fun, but it's done and I'll have another super helpful video for you guys in the next day or two

 

Now that I have a spider, there is no turning back. The looks are exceptional, especially on a darker color where it's difficult to tell the year of the car by the average person. Most people think it's a 2025. Plus, the the stark white interior only does itself justice with the top down against the blue pozzi. A coupe would rob it of that contrast. Finally, you haven't heard the magic of Capristo until you've driven a spider equipped with it. It's a life changing experience.

 

Most spyders/convertibles are not designed from the ground up . The coupe is designed and then as an afterthought how do we make a sypder version.
I think the Mercedes 190SL, 300SL roadsters are great as convertibles however the Ferrari sypders, Lamborghini convertibles and most Porsche spyders(except some from the 1950s and 1960s) I'm not enamored with.

 

No disrespect, but I'm failing to see your point. Don't matter when or how the Spider was conceived, the topic is 'what do you prefer'. Folks who bought Spiders did that by choice and not because one is better than the other.
My wife and I went to look at a Modena but when she saw the Spider, she said we have to buy that one. I love the open top driving also.

 

One thing about the 360 and 430 Spiders. They are not an afterthought like is typically the case with convertibles. These Ferraris were designed from the start to be convertibles and don't suffer the weight gain and chassis flex that bedevil other designs.

Here's a Gemini summary...

The 360 Spider: An Open-Air Masterpiece from the Start

Unlike many convertibles that are afterthoughts to their coupe siblings, the 360 Spider was conceived and designed alongside the Modena from the very beginning. This integrated approach ensured that the open-top version would not suffer from the typical compromises in rigidity and performance.

The Spider's chassis was specifically engineered to compensate for the absence of a fixed roof. Ferrari's engineers reinforced the sills, stiffened the front of the floorpan, and redesigned the windscreen frame to maintain the car's structural integrity. The result was a convertible with exceptional handling and minimal chassis flex, a testament to the foresight of its designers.