• Carbon composite brakes from LaFerrari ensure 488 Spider can haul itself to a stop quickly and safely

• Four airbags standard, alongside sophisticated electronic stability control systems

• Side Slip Control (SSC-2) stability system allows you to explore car’s limits in safety

First and foremost a thrill-inducing sports car, Ferrari 488 Spider safety is also high on the company’s priority list – appearances on one of the many crashed exotics website isn’t a good look. So fundamentally the new Ferrari 488 Spider does its best to help you avoid any incidents in the first place.

Should you need to haul the car to a halt in a hurry, brakes from the firm’s 789bhp LaFerrari hypercar will do the job. They weigh 2.7kg less than the stoppers on the 458, with the carbon composite discs giving a stopping distance some nine percent shorter than its predecessor, or just 122 metres from a speed of 124mph.

This is allied to a second-generation ABS system and the firm’s latest Electronic Stability Program. E-diff with Side Slip Control Two (SSC2) reacts eight percent faster than before, to ensure that drivers can still enjoy the limits of their 488 Spider without taking an unexpected trip into the scenery.

Of course the 488 Spider also benefits from a full complement of airbags, in this case a pair of front and a pair of side items. The car hasn’t, and won’t be, put through any standard Euro NCAP tests.

• At the front the 488 Spider has a 230-litre boot that is square, deep and well-trimmed

• Behind the seats there’s a storage shelf for soft bags, and cabin has better cubbies than before

• Folding hard top opens or closes in 14 seconds, all while travelling at up to 30mph

It’s unlikely buyers will be purchasing this car solely for everyday use, but should they wish to, Ferrari 488 Spider practicality will likely surprise them. The 230-litre bootspace in the nose is deep and well shaped, though its dimensions mean you’ll still struggle to fit a large suitcase in there. Of course Ferrari will sell you a set of tailored luggage to make up for that.

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Where the Ferrari 488 Spider does score on the practicality front is with its retractable hard top. This roof can be opened and closed in 14 seconds, all while travelling at up to 30mph, which means there’s little excuse for getting caught short by a rainshower.

The rear window between the buttresses, which acts as a wind-deflector when the roof is lowered, means there’s little buffeting when travelling at speed. And should the weather take a turn for the worse, you can lower this with the roof in the closed position and still enjoy the aural delights of the V8 engine.