The new Ferrari and Maserati showroom in Repulse Bay brings Italian luxury cars to the doorstep of the Southside rich, and at a prominent tourist spot frequented by mainland visitors.
Its highlight is the Ferrari 458 Spider, the world's first sports car to have a fully retractable aluminium hard-top.
Launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the 458 Spider (HK$4.398 million) has a naturally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5-litre V8, a nominee for the 2011 International Engine of the Year award for its smoothness, economy and oomph.
Its seven-speed, dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission works through a sophisticated E-Diff, and the car's stability and handling is improved by F1-Trac traction control and high-performance anti-lock braking systems, the marque says. The Spider promises 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 320km/h, Italian Motors says.
The supercar also has class-leading fuel consumption and emissions levels, thanks to Ferrari's High Emotion Low Emission system, which promises 11.8 litres per 100km, and carbon-dioxide emissions of 275g/km. The 458 Spider's aluminium roof weighs 25kg less than folding versions, stows in 14 seconds in front of the engine bay and in minimal space to allow the design of a luggage bench behind the seats.
Innovative buttresses at the rear of the car are 'designed to optimise the flow of air to the engine intakes and the clutch and gearbox oil radiators', Ferrari says.