The Ferrari LaFerrari 
made its first public appearance at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, taking center stage in spite of massive competition from the McLaren P1 and the Lamborghini Veneno. Not only the fastest road-legal supercar to come out of Maranello, the LaFerrari is also the first Ferrari to carry a hybrid powertrain. Developed as a successor to the almighty Enzo and the F50, the LaFerrari is the first Ferrari not to be designed by Pininfarina since 1973.
Built in just 499 units and priced from $1.7 million, the LaFerrari became an instant hit with deep-pocketed enthusiasts, who rushed to pay the hefty sticker and help Ferrari close order books in a matter of months. Although both the standard supercar and the highly exclusive, track-only FXX K are already sold out, the LeFerrari saga is set to continue with a convertible version.
Rumors about a LaFerrari Spider have been flying around since 2014, when we rendered the model based on the coupe version. Come 2016 and Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne finally confirmed that the Spider is in the works. “The only future product connected to LaFerrari is the Spider,” Marchionne told Automobile Magazine when asked about a less extreme version of the supercar. He also noted that “potential customers have already been approached,” which means that the Spider is well underway and could be unveiled as soon as 2017.
Updated 05/04/2016: During a recent interview with Automobile Magazine, Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne finally confirmed that the Spider is in the works and that it will be unveiled sometime in the near future.
Continue reading to find out more about the LaFerrari Spider and stay tuned for updates.
Exterior
Note: Ferrari LaFerrari Coupe pictured here.
Although we have yet to see any prototypes on the Fiorano test track, the design of the LaFerrari Spider isn’t much of a mystery. Like seen in our rendering below, we expect the Spider to be identical to the coupe below the waist and feature the same aggressive lines that makes the LaFerrari unique not only among other Ferraris, but modern supercars as well. Only a handful of features will set the drop-top apart from its coupe sibling. Arguably the most important styling feature will be the revised roof, which will be redesigned to accommodate a removable panel, likely made from carbon-fiber.
With the panel removed, the LaFerrari will gain a different, sleeker appearance
With the panel removed, the LaFerrari will gain a different, sleeker appearance, mostly because the slightly bubbled roof that gives the standard LaFerrari its Le Mans prototype-inspired look won’t be there. Also, the C-pillars will transform into flying buttresses, which will sit a tad lower behind the seats.
With the top up, the Spider will be almost identical to the coupe when seen from the sides. The revised rear window and engine hood will be visible around back, but we don’t expect huge modifications as Ferrari will want to keep LaFerrari design as close to the original as possible.
The Spider could also feature new wheels and a revised aerodynamic kit to compensate for the additional drag that comes with a drop-top design, but don’t look for more than just a mildly tweaked front splitter and rear diffuser.
Interior
Note: Ferrari LaFerrari Coupe pictured here.
Like the coupe, the drop-top will have a cabin that blends the already traditional Ferrari luxury with race-inspired elements.
Inside, the Spider will mirror the coupe as far as design and features go. Like the coupe, the drop-top will have a cabin that blends the already traditional Ferrari luxury with race-inspired elements. The same steering with flat top and bottom will sit in front of the three-piece, customizable instrument cluster, while the center console will have the same clean design. Nearly every surface will be wrapped in either soft Italian leather or Alcantara, with the dashboard, door panels, and seats featuring two-tone finishes in virtually endless combinations.
All these niceties are joined by impressive amounts of carbon-fiber. The lightweight material can be seen on the center console, steering wheel, door panels, and the floor, but Ferrari also used it in the seats in order to save more weight. The missing roof will enable the driver to enjoy unlimited headroom and the enhanced roar of the V-12 powerplant.
Drivetrain
Note: Ferrari LaFerrari Coupe pictured here.
Motivation will come from the same hybrid drivetrain that brings together a 6.3-liter V-12 and a HY-KERN unit that provides short bursts of extra power. The conventional engine will crank out 789 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, while the KERS unit will add 161 horses and 148 pound-feet for a total output of 950 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of twist.
Due to the slightly altered aerodynamics that come with a convertible body style, the Spider will most likely be slower and reach 60 mph in about three ticks.
In this exact specification, the LaFerrari needs around 2.8 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start on its way up to a top speed of 217 mph. Due to the slightly altered aerodynamics that come with a convertible body style, the Spider will most likely be slower and reach 60 mph in about three ticks. Also, top speed will probably decrease below the 210-mph mark. Charging from 0 to 124 mph and 186 mph should take around seven and 15 seconds, respectively. Furthermore, we expect the drop-top to need more than the LaFerrari’s 1:19.70 minutes to lap the Fiorano test track.
Fuel consumption — as if it matters when it comes to supercars — should be similar to the coupe at 16 mpg on the highway, 12 mpg in the city, and 14 mpg combined. Ferrari claims that the LaFerrari emits 330 grams of carbon-dioxide per km. Despite having a lithium-ion battery and regenerative braking, the LaFerrari doesn’t have an official all-electric range. The supercar is known to operate on electric power only, but Ferrari for some reason didn’t release any specs.
Prices
Unlike the coupe, which was built in 499 units, the LaFerrari Spider will hit the streets in very limited numbers, as only 50 examples are expected to leave the Maranello factory. They will also be much more expensive, rumored to cost as much as two LaFerrari hard-tops. That’s about $3.4 million, which is a few Californias more than a Bugatti Chiron. Not that this is going to be a problem with deep-pocketed Ferrari enthusiasts.
Competitors
Pagani Huayra Roadster
With supercars such as the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport and the Koenigsegg Agera RS already discontinued, we have to look at future vehicles to find a proper competitor for the LaFerrari Spider. One of them is the Pagani Huayra Roadster. Essentially a topless version of the fast and expensive Italian supercar, the Roadster is scheduled to arrive sometime in 2017 using the same drivetrain as its coupe sibling. Power will come from a 6.0-liter V-12 rated at 720 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, which should enable the Huayra to hit 60 mph in around three seconds and a top speed of more than 210 mph. The Roadster will probably be a little more affordable than the LaFerrari Spider, as its sticker should go beyond the $2 million mark before options.
Find out more about the Pagani Huayra Roadster here.
Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport
By the time the Chiron Grand Sport arrives in 2019, the LaFerrari Spider will already be sold out, but this French car will definitely be benchmarked against Maranello’s fastest road-going drop-top. Set to receive the uber-powerful drivetrain from the newly launched Chiron, the Grand Sport will hit the streets with a quad-turbo, 8.0-liter W-16 rated at 1,479 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of twist. That’s an extra 296 horses and 74 pound-feet compared to the previous model. We expect it to hit 60 mph in around 2.7 seconds and reach a top speed of around 240 mph. With the coupe set to fetch €2.4 million (about $2.76 million) before options, the Grand Sport will most likely cost in excess of €2.8 million (around $3.22 million). Only 200 will be built.
Read more about the Bugatti Chiron Grand Sport in our speculative review here.
Conclusion
To be honest, the LaFerrari Spider is nothing more than yet another clever way for Ferrari to offer an exclusive product and make a huge profit with each example sold. Maranello simply waited for the LaFerrari, which was still creating a massive stir years after its official unveiling, to sell out and it is now using the Spider body style to get back into the spotlight. That’s how the supercar industry works nowadays, with most companies relying on very exclusive models to keep their business going. And, needless to say, Ferrari is doing the right thing here. Sure, the LaFerrari Spider isn’t for anyone and most of us probably won’t see one in the metal anytime soon, but it’s yet another wild supercar that we’ll grovel at. And we all know we just love doing that…