A symphonic premiere
Stretching the legs of the Ferrari 488 Spider in its first drive on Australian soil.
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Ferrari has been pulling sections of roof off its mid-engined V8s for nearly 40 years. The half-million-dollar 488 Spider, however, marks the first time that the experience has been as much about whooshing turbochargers as it is rushing air.
And arguably more pertinent to the Spider than its GTB hardtop twin is the effect of those titanium twin-scroll turbines on the 488’s aural experience.
PHOTOS: Thomas Wielecki
Open-top Ferraris are as much, if not more, about the driver being exposed to evocative engine noises as they are the elements.
Robb Report Australia, first to drive the new Spider locally, feels compelled to lower the roof immediately – especially as the weather gods have obliged with a sky coloured to match our 488’s optionally exclusive Blu Corsa double-layered paintwork.
While the 488 looks quite different in detail, if not silhouette, to its predecessor, the clever retractable roof is actually a carryover from the 458 Spider. In an elegant three-stage process, the two-piece roof performs a neat backflip into the space created by the rear hatch, which has first arched backwards before lowering to complete the operation in just 14 seconds.
As we descend the Illawarra Escarpment south of Sydney, taking the scenic route to Wollongong via the postcard-primed Sea Cliff Bridge, stretching the Spider’s legs reveals how the new, force-fed V8 doesn’t plateau quite like the atmospheric one it replaces.
The 3.9-litre – the size is no longer related to the model name – maxes at 8000rpm; impressively high for a turbo engine, though one-thousand revs shy of the 458’s shrieking 4.5-litre.With only relatively minor improvements in fuel economy (three per cent) and emissions (five per cent), plus a 45km reduction in theoretical range due to the 488’s slightly smaller fuel tank, it could beg the question of whether the sonic sacrifice is sacrilegious.
Yet the sounds emanating from the 488’s wide-diameter exhaust pipework and flatplane-cranked eight-cylinder still stir emotions. And then you contemplate the performance. Reaching 100km/h from standstill four-tenths of a second quicker than the 458 Spider in a flat 3.0 seconds is impressive enough, but the work of the turbochargers is most stunningly demonstrated in the 0-200km/h test, where an 8.7-second time surpasses the 458 Spider, and almost plausibility, by 2.1 seconds. The quarter-mile marker is dissected in 10.4 seconds.
Where the 458 Spider would develop its momentum rapidly but progressively, the 488’s speed grows exponentially – from fast to expletively quick. Via the rapid-fire seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, you paddle through successively larger tidal waves of torque as Ferrari’s engine management system staggers available Newton metres through the ratios.
It’s designed this way to both manage traction and mimic a normally aspirated engine, so the maximum torque of 760Nm isn’t actually unleashed until seventh gear (from 3000rpm).It’s still easy to get addicted to holding onto gears, even with the knowledge that high revs are no longer necessary and that short-shifting will deliver huge responsiveness in the higher gears.
Turbo lag? If it exists, it’s throttle delay measurable by electronics rather than consciousness. This turbo V8’s more instantly accessible performance is arguably a better match for the Spider, which we’re told is driven more regularly than the average GTB – in fact, typically double the annual distance.
Ferrari also says the typical GTB driver is racier than the average Spider owner, though this time the V8 twins are not just matched in performance, but also share chassis stiffness and spring and damper rates. Traditionally, the Spider has trailed in rigidity and run a slightly softer suspension set-up to compensate.
This has been achieved by the faster-acting dampers of the 488’s magnetorheological suspension, borrowed from the 458 Speciale and now integrated into the Einsteinian electronic aids that put the Ferrari into another dimension dynamically.
The magnetorheological suspension applies an electric charge to magnetic particles suspended within the damping fluid, altering the particles’ alignment and thereby changing the viscosity of the fluid.
Now ascending another Illawarra region landmark, the hairpin heaven of Macquarie Pass, the Spider’s handling is nothing less than razor sharp and never overwhelmed by the immense performance on tap. The front end darts between corners, completely obedient to turns of the weighty and communicative steering wheel. The traction out of first- and second-gear bends is particularly remarkable as the E-Diff and F1-Trac systems work their magic.
Selecting Race or CT Off on the steering wheel’s manettino switch also permits more lateral movement from the rear end, courtesy of the Side Slip Angle Control 2 system. They might otherwise have named it the Go-Sideways Assistant.
A carbon-ceramic braking system derived from the LaFerrari hypercar reduces stopping distances – which is necessary considering the Spider’s newfound speed between corners.
All the while, the airflow around the cabin is less violent than that going under and around the car (though being guided by intricate aerodynamics to pin the 488 to the ground).
While the occupants’ hair is in no danger of becoming dishevelled even with the side windows down, the Spider itself can still be ruffled. Strike more prominent bumps in the road and the steering wheel and windscreen will spasm momentarily, as energy is dispersed through the lid-less structure. We also had to secure the seatbelt on the passenger side to stop it from rattling against the (optional) Goldrake carbon-fibre racing seat.
This is unlikely to dissuade a buyer intent on choosing the $526,888 Spider over the $469,888 GTB – especially as closing the Spider’s roof provides similar coupé-like cocooning and welcome isolation (and not just from wind and noise).
Cruising back to Sydney via the Hume Highway, there’s minimal wind and road noise, and the ride is firm but comfortable, even in the midst of the suspension’s determinedly disciplined wheel control. This is also a good time to appreciate the 488’s cabin, which may be an evolution of the 458’s yet emphasises again how far Ferrari interiors have come in the past few years, even compared with the previous-generation California of 2009.
Driver-oriented control pods exemplify the exemplary ergonomics, while the dominantly leather cockpit was further embellished in our test car with optional Extracampionario stitching to match the blue exterior.
Your mood is unlikely to ever match this car’s colour. While Ferrari’s latest mid-engined V8 sun-worshipper may no longer be about reverentially stratospheric revs, it smashes through another performance ceiling while remaining a highly useable supercar package.
FERRARI 488 SPIDER
Engine: 3.9-litre V8, twin turbos, mid rear-mounted
Power/torque: 492kW/760Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed, dual-clutch manual; rear-wheel drive
Weight: 1525kg
Performance: 0-100km/h in 3.0 sec; 0-200km/h in 8.7 sec. Standing 400 metres in 10.4 sec
Price: $526,888
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Forget a Bow Tie. Here Are 3 Black-Tie Accessories to Rock Instead
Stylist Tom Stubbs on ditching the bow tie this festive season—and what to wear alternatively.
Black tie, that essential marker of an increasingly rarefied ceremonial style, is inspiring. Nothing coaxes men into upping the sartorial ante quite like reading those words on an invitation. I say amen to raising the bar, but I can’t bear wearing a traditional bow tie—and haven’t done so for over a decade.
Around the turn of the millennium, I was enthusiastically dress-code obedient, but two unstoppable forces put me off: Fashion moved on, and I got old. Where abiding by hallowed traditions once felt exalted, it suddenly began to seem restrictive and stuffy. And while it was extraordinary to be a bow-tied 30-something, in my 40s, the convention made me feel like a pompous, conservative square. Now, menswear has changed so much that bow ties register as pedestrian garb better suited to waiters than to revellers.
Fortunately, there are several black-tie alternatives that excite and inspire me now that I’m well into my 50s—many espoused by stylish guys on the red carpet and innovative designers in London, Paris, Florence, and Milan. And though I might take a bow on nonconformism as I step into my 60s, I still plan to steer clear of the bow tie, that ultimate symbol of gentlemanly customs, for as long as I can. Here’s what I’m replacing it with.
Form and Function
I got excited seeing Lemaire’s slim metallic modernised bolo ties in the house’s fall 2024 show. A favourite of men as varied as Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, and Snoop Dogg, the bolo is perhaps best remembered as the chosen neckwear of John Travolta’s surly hit man, Vincent, in Pulp Fiction. Originally, Native American tribes including the Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo used these accessories used to fasten bandannas with plaited-leather cords. High-end versions double as a bit of jewellery, with silver slides set with turquoise and often engraved with animal motifs, including buffalo skulls and eagles. Contemporary takes abound, but vintage sleuthing can turn up some particularly beguiling options.
Gambling Man
Varying in size, flounce, and attitude, ribbon ties—also called gambler or Kentucky neckties—have long been a legitimate black-tie alternative. Actor Cillian Murphy has worn Saint Laurent’s take to various award shows, looking stand-alone chic and authentically cool. They have a distinct Western energy—Kirk Douglas donned one as Doc Holliday in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, as did Robert Vaughan in The Magnificent Seven. But they’re as much rock star as they are gunslinger: The late Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls and Bauhaus front man Peter Murphy (style role models of mine) also wore them with panache. Take a note from the runway and wear them with a pair of boots—cowboy, Chelsea, or with a Cuban heel—to really step away from the standard.
Fit to Be Tied
Getty Images/Courtesy of Lemaire
If you want to give yourself some breathing room, consider scarves and neckerchiefs. This fall, Tom Ford proposed a louche take on evening style, using black, slim-plaited, or delicately sequined scarves whose long tassels provocatively dangle at the hips. For maximum effect, the brand styled them with open satin shirts, recalling rockers Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart. London’s La Bowtique also does beautiful outsize bows. On a smaller scale, the Twilly—a short silk scarf pioneered by Hermès—works in much the same manner. The French maison makes gorgeous options with angled ends for extra verve, whether hanging loose or more discreetly knotted.
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Show Stoppers
The Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance—a beauty pageant for priceless classic cars—returns for another instalment at the city’s most intriguing, and unlikeliest, venue.
The logic behind staging a prestige automobile show on an island may, at face value, seem warped—history tells us that cars and water do not play nicely. The rationale twists further when said piece of land is a former shipyard that is, aesthetically, more workhorse ute than classic Ferrari.
Scratch beneath the surface, however, and the decision to plant the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance on Cockatoo Island for the second year running begins to make locational sense: the steel arch of the emblematic bridge acting as photogenic backcloth; the UNESCO World Heritage site’s previous guises as 19th-century penal colony and eminent boat-building facility fleshing the show’s historical bones; the theatre of watching collectors delicately coaxing their four-wheeled artworks off a rusty roll-on/roll-off barge in the islet’s wharf before showtime. (After all, if owning a car in this stratosphere isn’t about projecting drama, then what’s the point?)
Throw in an endless endowment of free Champagne for guests and VIP transport from the mainland via superyacht, and it barely matters that the three-day jamboree is, in the words of founder and curator James Nicholls, “a logistical nightmare”.
“People love the energy, the adventure” says the Anglo-Italian, a broadcaster, writer and photographer whose extensive resume includes various stints as a concours judge across the world. “There’s a great contrast between the luxurious motor cars and the industrial environment. The Turbine Shop [a timeworn, hanger-like space used to display the vehicles] is where ocean-going liners and propellers were built. People interested in cars are also interested in that kind of thing but it’s just a backdrop. Cars are the main focal point.”
The concours d’elegance concept (“concours” means “competition” in French) can be traced back to 17th-century Paris, when aristocrats would flaunt horse-drawn carriages in local parks during summer months. Animals eventually gave way to automobiles, and the gatherings mutated into more organised contests in which these new-fangled contraptions were, in somewhat prescient fashion, judged solely on the appearance. The trend spread throughout European high society, before reaching America in 1950 with an inaugural pageant at Pebble Beach, California—a concours which has since evolved into a behemoth of the species, now billing itself as “the world’s most prestigious car show” and drawing 214 vehicles and spectators in the low five figures at the last annual meeting. Other concours are thriving globally, from spectacles in Lake Como in Italy (the longest running event, launched in 1929) to Udaipur in India. Vanity, it seems, remains in vogue.
Among this storied company, Sydney’s interpretation is playing catch-up. But Nicholls insists the local variant—launched in 2019, having occupied three other citywide locations—has no intention of locking horns with competitors. Not numerically, at least.
“In 2024, we had 500 people over the three days; this year we’ll aim for 750. But we’re never going to become a 20,000-people show,” he says. “We want it to be bespoke and beautiful, so people don’t have to queue for a glass of Champagne. You can talk to the car owners, and everyone feels like a VIP.” The overarching aim is to become a “destination event” on the socialite calendar, on par with the Melbourne Cup or the Australian Grand Prix.
While keen to keep paying visitors guessing, Nicholls offers Robb Report a sneak peek into some of the 44 objets booked to occupy the coarse, exposed-brick viewing hall, ranging from turn-of-the-century rarities to modern-day exotics: a 1905 Eugène Brillié 20/24 HP Coupé Chauffeur, believed to be the only one of its ilk left; a 1955 Porsche Speedster 356 “Pre A”, examples of which are valued in excess of $750,000; a Lamborghini Miura 3400, a model famed for its starring role in the opening sequence to 1969’s The Italian Job movie; a 2021 Audi R8 Spyder, an iteration that is no longer being produced and thus quietly accruing kudos.
Up to seven “classes” will be open, including categories solely for Porsche Speedsters and pre-war Australian coachbuilt cars. Two 1930s Bugattis are slated for appearance, one of which is, as this article is being written, on a boat somewhere, on its way to Australia. A panel of seven judges, led by the first ever female concours head assessor, who also adjudicated in 2024, will select the overall “Best in Show” winner—scored last time out by a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, a model line with a $24 million price tag attached. And in a progressive play designed to lure the oil-shunning generation, an “electric elegance” section will debut. Nicholls estimates the combined value of all this precious metal at around $80 million.
While it would provoke an illicit thrill to discover that frenzied super-collectors were slyly puncturing rivals’ tyres or keying priceless bodywork—skulduggery has plagued other pageants, from dog show Crufts (canine poisoning) to Miss World (rigging allegations)—the entrants are, in keeping with the show’s refined, English-garden-party profile—a gentlemanly bunch. To a point. “They like meeting up, the community that’s here, but they do get competitive,” says Mark Ussher, the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance managing director, and on-the-ground organiser. “They care about their cars but they’re investors as well as collectors. If they win a concours anywhere around the world it adds value to the car.”
Which makes it doubly important that, surrounded by all that deep Harbour water, everyone remembers to put their handbrake on.
The Sydney Harbour Concours D’Elegance runs from February 28th-March 2nd 2025; sydneyharbourconcours.com.au
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Jannik Sinner Is the First Tennis Player to Take a Luxury Bag Onto Wimbledon’s Centre Court
The 23-year-old Italian flaunted a custom Gucci duffle bag on center court.
Jannik Sinner aced the style game at last year’s Wimbledon Championships.
The Italian tennis star turned up to his match against Juan Manuel Cerundolo with a custom Gucci duffel bag on his shoulder. It marks the first time a designer bag has been carried onto centre court in the history of the prestigious, centuries-old tennis tournament, as reported by Women’s Wear Daily.
The duffel, which Sinner describes as a “timeless classic,” showcases the house’s signature beige and ebony colorway, the iconic GG monogram, and a contrasting green and red web stripe. It also features the athlete’s initials near the straps. Ironically, the rather traditional design has called into question a 150-year tradition.
“For sure this will create a conversation,” Sinner told WWD before defeating Cerundolo in straight sets. “Bringing sport and luxury fashion together in this way is something that’s never been done before and I feel extremely proud to be a part of it. I hope people will love it as much as I do.”
Wimbledon’s dress code is extremely strict: Players have been required to wear white at the event since 1877, with not even off-white or cream permitted on the court. Tennis whites were originally instated as it was believed the ensemble showed less sweat, as reported by Time. The tradition has continued out of respect for the sport’s history and a desire to maintain formality.
The rules are enforced, too: Our own player Nick Kyrgios was allegedly fined $25,000 for rocking red Air Jordan trainers at 2023’s tournament. Interestingly, the decidedly non-white Gucci accessory was reportedly given the all-clear by the powers that be. A spokesperson for Gucci told WWD the house worked with Sinner’s team “for the approvals from the ITF (International Tennis Federation), ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals), and Grand Slams, including Wimbledon, to ensure the bag met the necessary requirements.”
The 23-year-old, who turned pro at age 18, became a Gucci ambassador in 2023 in his first luxury fashion endorsement. “Gucci for me represents Italian excellence around the world, excellence which is rooted in tradition as much as in innovation,” Sinner said. “This is the kind of message I am proud to convey when I represent my country wherever I am in the world.”
The Italian player was capture in action last week during his 1st round men’s singles match against Nicolas Jarry (from Chile) on day two of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park with more Gucci gear. Sinner carried a custom duffle bag crafted by HEAD and designed by Gucci to the men’s singles match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.
Sinner will play Australian Alex de Minaur tomorrow 22 January at the Australian Open.
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We Cherrypicked the Best Elements of Luxury Resorts to Create the Ultimate Fantasy Hotel
Everyone has a favourite hotel—but what if you could create your own? We envision the ultimate place to stay, combining elements of the world’s most noteworthy openings.
Forget fantasy football—what about a heavenly hotel? Imagine you could create one from scratch, cherrypicking the best aspects of the world’s most noteworthy recent openings and reopenings, combined into the perfect, impossible property. That’s what we’ve done, from the best rooftop restaurant for supper to the only beach club where’s it’s truly worth basking in the sun, this is the world’s ultimate hotel. The only thing we can’t arrange: the chance to check in.
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It took seven years to turn this local landmark—the building once housed the departments of education and agriculture—into a luxury hotel. A honey-coloured jewel in a precinct awash with appealing sandstone facades, its crowning glory, literally, is the gleaming, four-storey glass addition that perches atop the structure like an architectural tiara.
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The Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel
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RESTAURANT
Le Rooftop at Royal Mansour Casablanca
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LOBBY
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Hong Kong’s Peninsula hotels are renowned for their fleet of high-end classic cars—a personal passion of billionaire owner Sir Michael Kadoorie. No wonder he struck a deal with Surrey’s Brooklands Museum for his latest opening in London: not only is the Claude Bosi-operated restaurant named in its honour, but the institution also makes available a rotating selection of outstanding vintage vehicles—most recently, a Bentley Blower and a Napier-Railton—for display in the eatery’s dedicated lobby, close to the Concorde nose installed overhead, sourced from Kadoorie’s personal collection.
BEACH CLUB
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The dearth of standout beaches is the Amalfi Coast’s dirty secret, so this is a remarkable asset: walk down through the terraced, lemon-tree-filled gardens of this Gio Ponti-inspired hotel bolted to the steep cliffs by Conca dei Marini, and you’ll stumble upon its own beach club attached to the property. The restaurant sits in a renovated boathouse; feel free to snip some herbs from the mismatched pots filled with sage and basil.
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Hole In One
The Citizen Kanebridge VHG Golf Open Returns to The Southern Highlands This February.
The third annual Citizen Kanebridge VHG Golf Open Day is happening again this year at Citizen Kanebridge Lodge in the Southern Highlands on Friday, February 21. Players will tee off from 8 am for a day of unrivalled bucolic hospitality in the spirit of friendly competition.
The Open unites forces with the operators of Mount Broughton in Sutton Forrest to stage the popular day, in which teams of four enter to enjoy 18 holes of unadulterated fun.
Players will meet at the clubhouse, where—golf aside—they will be served breakfast, lunch and liquid refreshments throughout the day before heading back to Citizen Kanebridge Lodge for a special dinner, fun awards ceremony and more drinks.
Located just 10 minutes from the Citizen Kanebridge Lodge in Berrima, the stunning Mount Broughton course gives players—male and female, and ranging from amateur to semi professional—the chance to compete in a golf day with plenty of high-jinks and food along with way.
The event is part of the new offering from Citizen Kanebridge, a private membership club based in Sydney. Citizen Kanebridge allows members to have access to the Robb Report Club(RR1) based in the United States of America, Citizen Kanebridge Lodge in the Southern Highlands of NSW, and The Royal Automobile Club of Australia (RACA) in Circular Quay, Sydney.
Members interested in Golf Open Day, may enquire by reaching out to leanne@citizenkanebridge.com.au. For more information on Golf Open day, you can download the information brochure here.
Love golf? jump to our golf connoisseurship package from the Spring 2024 issue of Robb Report ANZ.
