Emiratis look at a Ferrari 458 V8 Spider on display at the Dubai International Motor Show November 10, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

The 458 Spider, Ferrari's exclusive new 8-cylinder, debuted Monday at the 2011 Guangzhou International Auto Show. The 458 Spider is a mid-rear-engined two-seater featuring a fully retractable aluminium hard-top, a world first for a sports car with this layout.

The premiere of the 458 Spider at Guangzhou underlines the importance for Ferrari of the Greater China region which, in the first nine months of 2011, became Ferrari's second largest market worldwide.

The prestigious sports car manufacturer also recently signed a three-year agreement that will ensure the permanent presence of Ferrari in a large exhibition area inside the Italian Expo hall in Shanghai. Furthermore, next year will mark the 20th anniversary since the first Ferrari car was ordered in China and, to celebrate this important occasion at the Guangzhou auto show Ferrari and Hublot, Ferrari's official watch partner, unveiled a limited edition watch dedicated to the 2012 anniversary.

458 Spider Greater China debut

Edwin Fenech, president and CEO of Ferrari Greater China, attended the press conference and unveiled the new 458 Spider which joins the 458 Italia, widening the range of Ferrari's mid-rear engined V8s and offering the same uncompromising technological solutions, handling and performance in a refined open-top configuration.

The 458 Spider innovative new hard-top is not only 25 kg lighter than a traditional folding soft-top, but is also quieter and thermally more efficient when raised. Aside from taking just 14 seconds to open or close, the hard-top was engineered to occupy a very small space when stored so that the designers were able to include a generous rear bench for luggage behind the two seats.

The rear windscreen doubles as an effective wind-stop which is electrically adjustable. When the hard-top is folded away the wind-stop opens to the height that guarantees the most efficient aerodynamics, reducing buffeting in the cockpit.

The 458 Spider is powered by Ferrari's 570 CV 4,499 cc V8 which was named International Engine of the Year 2011. This is coupled with Ferrari's class-leading dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission which delivers 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in under 3.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 320 km/h.

The all-aluminium chassis incorporates new alloys and castings, also adopted on the coupé, which ensure the 458 Spider already conforms to 2020 safety legislation.

Its category-topping performance aside, the new car also boasts class-leading fuel consumption and emissions levels. Thanks to the HELE (High Emotion Low Emission) system, in fact, fuel consumption on the combined urban cycle stands at 11.8 l/100 km with CO2 emissions of 275 g/km.

"Ferrari is proud to announce its first-ever Greater China regional premiere of a brand new model at Guangzhou International Auto Show in recognition of the importance that the southern Chinese market signifies for the Prancing Horse brand," Fenech said. "Today, Greater China is already Ferrari’s second largest market worldwide, indicating how an increasing number of Chinese car enthusiasts embrace our brand values and DNA."

FF's first official appearance in South China

FF, Ferrari's first ever four-wheel drive four-seater, was also officially shown to the public at Guangzhou auto show for the first time in South China. Equipped with Ferrari patented 4RM system, FF is the most powerful and versatile GT car with a mid-front V12 Ferrari has ever built.

Every single area of the FF brims with innovation, not least its engine, the first GDI V12 to be coupled with the seven-speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox. The V12 unleashes a massive 660 CV at 8,000 rpm, and maximum torque of 683 Nm at 6,000 rpm with 500 Nm already available at just 1,000 rpm. This ensures the performance figures of an extreme sports car, with the 0-100 km/h sprint covered in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 335 km/h. Efficiency has been significantly boosted too, with fuel consumption now standing at just 15.4 liters per 100 km, and CO2 emissions at 360 g/km, a 25 percent reduction compared to the previous V12s, thanks in part to the HELE (High Emotions- Low Emissions) System which incorporates Stop & Start technology.

Uniquely, the FF also guarantees this exceptional performance on terrain with very low grip coefficients, thanks to Ferrari's own patented 4RM four-wheel drive system. The FF intelligently distributes torque to each of the four wheels individually, thanks to the fact that all of the dynamic vehicle controls (E-Diff, F1-Trac and PTU) have been integrated into a single CPU.

Styled by Pininfarina, the FF's lines effortlessly reflect its signature uncompromising balance of sportiness and versatility. It can comfortably accommodate four in its body-hugging seats and spacious cabin. As the rear seats fold down independently, the 450 liter boot can be extended to 800 liters, which means the FF offers more luggage space not only than any other car in its category, but also many four-door saloons, too.

Line up with the 458 Spider and FF were the two signature V8s that stands for the milestone of Ferrari, including the 458 Italia, the maximum expression of an extreme, high-performance driving experience; and California, Ferrari's first convertible GT with retractable hard top that melds performance, versatility and driving pleasure.