| Rev To The Limit |
Ferrari 488 GTB
LOVE IT
LEAVE IT
- Redesigned shell with classic and LaFerrari-inspired cues
- Improved performance, fuel economy and reduced emissions
- Outstanding aerodynamics
- Incredibly quick on the track
- Crazed performance, superb response despite switch to turbochargers, chassis balance
LEAVE IT
- Likely the most expensive of the bunch
- The McLaren 650S remains the quickest
- Engine feels less exciting than Speciale and GTB only truly comes alive at very high speeds
The fact that the 488 GTB comes to replace the 458 Italia is visible from every angle, even though Ferrari redesigned most of the styling features of its entry-level supercar. Take a quick peek at the headlamps and the overall shape of the fenders, the bumper, and the hood, and it become quite obvious why the 488 keeps the 458 flame alive. However, with these features reshaped and a host of other details completely redesigned, the 488 is as fresh as it gets on top of having a styling of its own. The front bumper is divided into three distinct sections with massive grilles at the sides. Making the 488 unique among other Ferraris is the bumper’s mid-section, which incorporates a pair of vertical struts similar to those connecting an F1 car’s front wing to its body. The feat continues onto the nose and the front bonnet, the latter sporting subtle LaFerrari cues. Down below there’s also a new splitter design that enhances not only the 488’s downforce, but its aggressive appearance as well.
The side view also reminds me of the 458, from which the 488 inherits the side skirts, the sculpted shoulders and the beefy front fenders. What sets the 488 apart from its predecessor, though, is the large air intake scallop and the triangular carving on the handle area of the door. The feature is a nod to the original 308 GTB of 1975. Also powered by a V-8, the 308 GTB replaced the Dino 246 and marked the beginning of a new styling era for Ferrari. Getting back to the 488, the scallop is divided into two sections by a splitter-like piece that aids with the cooling process.
The 458’s shadow is present around back as well by means of similarly designed taillight/grille layout, spoiler, and diffuser area. There are certain differences though, as the taillights are slightly larger, while the grilles connected to them are hollow pieces with black surrounds. A trapezoidal dent now resides above the license plate, adding further character to the rear fascia. Down below, the split-diffuser has been replaced by a full piece with an F1-inspired light in the center. The three-pipe exhaust layout is also gone, replaced by two large outlets placed on each side of the diffuser’s center section.
Styling aside, the 488 sets a new benchmark in terms of aerodynamic efficiency, thanks to its 1.67 drag coefficient. There is 50-percent more downforce compared to the 458, as well as reduced drag. Achieving these two goals simultaneously was "the greatest challenge" when designing the 488 GTB, according to Ferrari. Contributing to these massive improvements are the double front spoiler, the 308-inspired side intakes, active rear aerodynamics, and the redesigned diffuser. A highly sophisticated, aerodynamic underbody with vortex generators brought significant improvements in this department as well.
Much like the 458, the 488 GTB’s interior was tailored around the driver, blending both luxury and the sportiness, with racing-inspired features here and there. Overall, changes in the dashboard area are far from dramatic, with the 488 featuring the already familiar control clusters, angled air vents, and multifunction, three-spoke steering wheel. However, the dash feels more refined with the mild update, especially in the two-tone, black-over-red, layout seen above. The red contrasting stitching does a great job at highlighting the purposeful cockpit.
Of course, there are features that are completely new and in no way related to the 458. The center console is one of them, now featuring a simpler, cleaner design with less buttons to distract the driver. Ferrari also focused on creating a clear separation between the dashboard and the tunnel. The seats are also brand-new, while the door panels sport a simpler design, most likely a nod to the 458 GT, which holds the World Championship title in its racing class as of 2015.
Other enhancements include new graphics for the infotainment screen and a key designed to resemble the car’s cylinder banks. As usual, Ferrari takes pride in its powerplants, no matter the displacement or the number of cylinders.
Speaking of displacement and cylinders, Ferrari crafted an all-new powerplant for the 488 GTB. Replacing the award-winning, naturally aspirated, 4.5-liter V-8 is a brand-new, 3.9-liter eight-banger with forced induction. Rumored since 2014, the new turbocharged mill, likely related to the California T’s 3.8-liter unit, cranks out a whopping 660 horsepower at 8,000 rpm (the 458 had a 9,000-rpm redline) and 560 pound-feet of torque from 3,000 rpm. That’s a significant 66-pony and 162-pound-feet improvement over the 458 Italia, which translates into never-before-seen performance specs for Ferrari’s entry-level supercar.
The most important feat of the 488 GTB in this department is its Fiorano lap time of 1:23 minutes. This benchmark makes it the second-fastest Ferrari on the company’s test track, second only to the mighty LaFerrari, and significantly quicker than the 458 Italia, which lapped the course in 1:25 minutes. The 488 GTB is also 0.5 seconds faster than the 458 Speciale and as quick as the 730-horsepower F12berlinetta. I find it equally exciting that the GTB is nearly two seconds quicker than the Enzo on the same track. Ferrari also tells us the 488 GTB takes only 8.3 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 124 mph, making it exactly 1.2 seconds quicker than the 458 Speciale. 0 to 62, on the other hand, comes in three seconds, a figure that’s identical to the 458 Speciale’s. Still, I’ll be waiting for a comparison between the two for precise measurements because the 488 should be about two tenths quicker. Top speed has increased 199 to 205 mph with the new engine and aerodynamic improvements.
But it’s not just the turbo mill that’s responsible for these impressive figures. The updated gearbox with variable torque management and revised gear ratios contributes as well. As usual, drivers can shift their own gears using the paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel.
Ferrari won’t release actual pricing information at least until the 488 GTB debuts at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show in March, but if I were to take a guess, I’d say it will be only a tad more expensive than its predecessor. With that in mind, Ferrari’s new entry-level model should retail for less than $300,000 before options.
It’s sad to see the 458 Italia go away, even though it’s already seven years old as of 2015, but Ferrari has reached a point where it needed to update its entry-level supercar to 21-century emission regulations. Sure, replacing the all-motor 4.5-liter with a turbo V-8 will leave a few enthusiasts feeling rather disgruntled, but the fact of the matter is that the 488 GTB is both more efficient and greener than its predecessor. What’s more, it’s also a lot more powerful. Definitely a win-win situation unless you simply can’t get over the fact that this Ferrari sports a turbo under the hood. But you’d be crazy no to get over it really. Just think about it, the 488 GTB delivers F12berlinetta-like performance with all the benefits of a mid-ship layout and for less moolah.
The side view also reminds me of the 458, from which the 488 inherits the side skirts, the sculpted shoulders and the beefy front fenders. What sets the 488 apart from its predecessor, though, is the large air intake scallop and the triangular carving on the handle area of the door. The feature is a nod to the original 308 GTB of 1975. Also powered by a V-8, the 308 GTB replaced the Dino 246 and marked the beginning of a new styling era for Ferrari. Getting back to the 488, the scallop is divided into two sections by a splitter-like piece that aids with the cooling process.
The 458’s shadow is present around back as well by means of similarly designed taillight/grille layout, spoiler, and diffuser area. There are certain differences though, as the taillights are slightly larger, while the grilles connected to them are hollow pieces with black surrounds. A trapezoidal dent now resides above the license plate, adding further character to the rear fascia. Down below, the split-diffuser has been replaced by a full piece with an F1-inspired light in the center. The three-pipe exhaust layout is also gone, replaced by two large outlets placed on each side of the diffuser’s center section.
Styling aside, the 488 sets a new benchmark in terms of aerodynamic efficiency, thanks to its 1.67 drag coefficient. There is 50-percent more downforce compared to the 458, as well as reduced drag. Achieving these two goals simultaneously was "the greatest challenge" when designing the 488 GTB, according to Ferrari. Contributing to these massive improvements are the double front spoiler, the 308-inspired side intakes, active rear aerodynamics, and the redesigned diffuser. A highly sophisticated, aerodynamic underbody with vortex generators brought significant improvements in this department as well.
Much like the 458, the 488 GTB’s interior was tailored around the driver, blending both luxury and the sportiness, with racing-inspired features here and there. Overall, changes in the dashboard area are far from dramatic, with the 488 featuring the already familiar control clusters, angled air vents, and multifunction, three-spoke steering wheel. However, the dash feels more refined with the mild update, especially in the two-tone, black-over-red, layout seen above. The red contrasting stitching does a great job at highlighting the purposeful cockpit.
Of course, there are features that are completely new and in no way related to the 458. The center console is one of them, now featuring a simpler, cleaner design with less buttons to distract the driver. Ferrari also focused on creating a clear separation between the dashboard and the tunnel. The seats are also brand-new, while the door panels sport a simpler design, most likely a nod to the 458 GT, which holds the World Championship title in its racing class as of 2015.
Other enhancements include new graphics for the infotainment screen and a key designed to resemble the car’s cylinder banks. As usual, Ferrari takes pride in its powerplants, no matter the displacement or the number of cylinders.
Speaking of displacement and cylinders, Ferrari crafted an all-new powerplant for the 488 GTB. Replacing the award-winning, naturally aspirated, 4.5-liter V-8 is a brand-new, 3.9-liter eight-banger with forced induction. Rumored since 2014, the new turbocharged mill, likely related to the California T’s 3.8-liter unit, cranks out a whopping 660 horsepower at 8,000 rpm (the 458 had a 9,000-rpm redline) and 560 pound-feet of torque from 3,000 rpm. That’s a significant 66-pony and 162-pound-feet improvement over the 458 Italia, which translates into never-before-seen performance specs for Ferrari’s entry-level supercar.
The most important feat of the 488 GTB in this department is its Fiorano lap time of 1:23 minutes. This benchmark makes it the second-fastest Ferrari on the company’s test track, second only to the mighty LaFerrari, and significantly quicker than the 458 Italia, which lapped the course in 1:25 minutes. The 488 GTB is also 0.5 seconds faster than the 458 Speciale and as quick as the 730-horsepower F12berlinetta. I find it equally exciting that the GTB is nearly two seconds quicker than the Enzo on the same track. Ferrari also tells us the 488 GTB takes only 8.3 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 124 mph, making it exactly 1.2 seconds quicker than the 458 Speciale. 0 to 62, on the other hand, comes in three seconds, a figure that’s identical to the 458 Speciale’s. Still, I’ll be waiting for a comparison between the two for precise measurements because the 488 should be about two tenths quicker. Top speed has increased 199 to 205 mph with the new engine and aerodynamic improvements.
But it’s not just the turbo mill that’s responsible for these impressive figures. The updated gearbox with variable torque management and revised gear ratios contributes as well. As usual, drivers can shift their own gears using the paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel.
Ferrari won’t release actual pricing information at least until the 488 GTB debuts at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show in March, but if I were to take a guess, I’d say it will be only a tad more expensive than its predecessor. With that in mind, Ferrari’s new entry-level model should retail for less than $300,000 before options.
It’s sad to see the 458 Italia go away, even though it’s already seven years old as of 2015, but Ferrari has reached a point where it needed to update its entry-level supercar to 21-century emission regulations. Sure, replacing the all-motor 4.5-liter with a turbo V-8 will leave a few enthusiasts feeling rather disgruntled, but the fact of the matter is that the 488 GTB is both more efficient and greener than its predecessor. What’s more, it’s also a lot more powerful. Definitely a win-win situation unless you simply can’t get over the fact that this Ferrari sports a turbo under the hood. But you’d be crazy no to get over it really. Just think about it, the 488 GTB delivers F12berlinetta-like performance with all the benefits of a mid-ship layout and for less moolah.
What is it? The 488 GTB is a big deal for Ferrari. Not only because the 458 Italia and Speciale have been so successful but because it marks a change of philosophy.
Gone is the naturally aspirated 4.5-litre V8 and in its place is a downsized direct injection 3902cc twin-turbocharged flat plane crank V8. It’s more efficient but also massively more potent. Power is up from 562bhp in the Italia and 597bhp in the Speciale (both at 9000rpm) to 661bhp at 8000rpm, and torque jumps from 398lb ft at 6000rpm to as much as 560lb ft at 3000rpm. The 488 GTB costs from £183,974
Technical highlightsFerrari know that adopting turbochargers is controversial and many of the engineers will quietly admit that if it wasn’t for CO2 pressures they’d never go down the forced induction route. However, to their credit they’ve left no stone unturned to create a very special engine indeed.
The twin IHI turbochargers are twin-scroll units and are mounted on ball-bearing shafts to reduce friction by 30-percent. The compressor wheels are TiAL, a lightweight titanium-aluminium alloy that ensures faster spool-up speed by 50-percent compared to Iconel and, according to Ferrari, ‘zero lag’. They rate the engine response time at 0.8-seconds measured at 2000rpm in 3rd gear.
Like the California T the 488 GTB uses different torque maps for gears 1-3 then 4,5,6 and 7 – only giving the maximum 560lb ft in 7th. This gives the feel of an engine building and building to the 8000rpm power peak just as a normally aspirated engine would. It also means the 488 can use shorter gearing (only around 5-percent longer than an Italia) than rivals and it enhances traction. Ferrari are at pains to explain how the noise and ‘emotion’ of this new drivetrain had to match up to Ferrari standards.
Of course there’s much more. The new Side Slip Control 2 is refined still further and now uses the magnetic dampers as well as the e-diff and ESC to help maintain the perfect cornering slip angle, the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox is 30-percent quicker on upshifts and 40-percent quicker on downshifts than an Italia (and a match for the Speciale) and the Michelin Super Sports now offer almost Cup 2 levels of dry grip but much better wet weather performance.
The manettino with Wet, Sport, Race, CT Off and ESC Off modes remains. Aero has been another area of improvement, vastly increasing downforce whilst reducing drag… As a technical exercise it’s mind-blowing.
What’s it like to drive? The short answer to that is pretty simple. It’s brilliant. The GTB is outrageously fast. The figures say 0-62mph in 3-seconds, 0-124mph in 8.3-seconds and atop speed of over 205mph but it feels even faster than that. Like the McLaren 650S it simply devours a road on a mighty wave of torque but retains a real sharp edge at the top end. The rush from 6-8000rpm, accompanied by a ferocious hissing from the turbos, is almost violent.
More impressive still is that the chassis not only copes with the power but actually allows you to exploit all of it whenever you so choose. Traction is staggering (the roads were dry for our test) and like the 458 Italia the GTB’s balance is so responsive and yet so calm that you feel free to really enjoy exploring its massive limits. The SSC2 works seamlessly and in CT Off mode you can play with the balance of the car at will and never feel like the fun is being shut down. Furthermore the ride is compliant and although there appears to be body roll when you look at the cornering photos, inside all feels controlled and flat.
As ever the steering is super quick but there’s enough weight and feel to ensure the GTB doesn’t feel darty or unnatural. In fact the whole car has an intuitive feel to it – with razor sharp responses but a calm stability. It really is very impressive. A step on from the Italia and nearly a match for the Speciale… There’s a shade more understeer and the car isn’t quite so predictable beyond the limit but we’re talking tiny margins here.
The engine is more of a puzzle. It offers frantic performance, superb response for a turbocharged car and it even sounds pretty good when you’re wringing it out. However, the sharpness and sense of drama is diminished slightly and the 488 sometimes has that McLaren 650S trait of only really feeling exciting at ridiculous speeds. On the track it’s fantastic but on the road there’s no question that it isn’t quite as immersive as before. It’s a leap on in terms of absolute performance but a slight regression in terms of involvement.
How does it compare?Ferrari and McLaren – once so different – take a step closer with the launch of the 488 GTB. The Ferrari has better throttle response and the turbos wake up sooner and it’s more adjustable, too. I suspect it remains the more exciting car to drive. The Huracan is an interesting comparison, though. It’s big normally-aspirated V10 drivetrain is simply way more exciting, sharper and more intense, despite being down on power and torque. It’s going to make for a fascinating group test.
Anything else I need to know? The 488 GTB laps Fiorano in 1:23, half a second quicker than the Speciale and 2 seconds up on a 458 Italia. The Enzo needed 1:24.9 to complete the same lap
EngineV8, 3902cc, direct injection, twin turboPower661bhp @ 8000rpmTorque560lb ft at 3000rpm (7th gear)0-62mph2.8-secondsTop Speed205mph+On SaleNow
Gone is the naturally aspirated 4.5-litre V8 and in its place is a downsized direct injection 3902cc twin-turbocharged flat plane crank V8. It’s more efficient but also massively more potent. Power is up from 562bhp in the Italia and 597bhp in the Speciale (both at 9000rpm) to 661bhp at 8000rpm, and torque jumps from 398lb ft at 6000rpm to as much as 560lb ft at 3000rpm. The 488 GTB costs from £183,974
Technical highlightsFerrari know that adopting turbochargers is controversial and many of the engineers will quietly admit that if it wasn’t for CO2 pressures they’d never go down the forced induction route. However, to their credit they’ve left no stone unturned to create a very special engine indeed.
The twin IHI turbochargers are twin-scroll units and are mounted on ball-bearing shafts to reduce friction by 30-percent. The compressor wheels are TiAL, a lightweight titanium-aluminium alloy that ensures faster spool-up speed by 50-percent compared to Iconel and, according to Ferrari, ‘zero lag’. They rate the engine response time at 0.8-seconds measured at 2000rpm in 3rd gear.
Like the California T the 488 GTB uses different torque maps for gears 1-3 then 4,5,6 and 7 – only giving the maximum 560lb ft in 7th. This gives the feel of an engine building and building to the 8000rpm power peak just as a normally aspirated engine would. It also means the 488 can use shorter gearing (only around 5-percent longer than an Italia) than rivals and it enhances traction. Ferrari are at pains to explain how the noise and ‘emotion’ of this new drivetrain had to match up to Ferrari standards.
Of course there’s much more. The new Side Slip Control 2 is refined still further and now uses the magnetic dampers as well as the e-diff and ESC to help maintain the perfect cornering slip angle, the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox is 30-percent quicker on upshifts and 40-percent quicker on downshifts than an Italia (and a match for the Speciale) and the Michelin Super Sports now offer almost Cup 2 levels of dry grip but much better wet weather performance.
The manettino with Wet, Sport, Race, CT Off and ESC Off modes remains. Aero has been another area of improvement, vastly increasing downforce whilst reducing drag… As a technical exercise it’s mind-blowing.
What’s it like to drive? The short answer to that is pretty simple. It’s brilliant. The GTB is outrageously fast. The figures say 0-62mph in 3-seconds, 0-124mph in 8.3-seconds and atop speed of over 205mph but it feels even faster than that. Like the McLaren 650S it simply devours a road on a mighty wave of torque but retains a real sharp edge at the top end. The rush from 6-8000rpm, accompanied by a ferocious hissing from the turbos, is almost violent.
More impressive still is that the chassis not only copes with the power but actually allows you to exploit all of it whenever you so choose. Traction is staggering (the roads were dry for our test) and like the 458 Italia the GTB’s balance is so responsive and yet so calm that you feel free to really enjoy exploring its massive limits. The SSC2 works seamlessly and in CT Off mode you can play with the balance of the car at will and never feel like the fun is being shut down. Furthermore the ride is compliant and although there appears to be body roll when you look at the cornering photos, inside all feels controlled and flat.
As ever the steering is super quick but there’s enough weight and feel to ensure the GTB doesn’t feel darty or unnatural. In fact the whole car has an intuitive feel to it – with razor sharp responses but a calm stability. It really is very impressive. A step on from the Italia and nearly a match for the Speciale… There’s a shade more understeer and the car isn’t quite so predictable beyond the limit but we’re talking tiny margins here.
The engine is more of a puzzle. It offers frantic performance, superb response for a turbocharged car and it even sounds pretty good when you’re wringing it out. However, the sharpness and sense of drama is diminished slightly and the 488 sometimes has that McLaren 650S trait of only really feeling exciting at ridiculous speeds. On the track it’s fantastic but on the road there’s no question that it isn’t quite as immersive as before. It’s a leap on in terms of absolute performance but a slight regression in terms of involvement.
How does it compare?Ferrari and McLaren – once so different – take a step closer with the launch of the 488 GTB. The Ferrari has better throttle response and the turbos wake up sooner and it’s more adjustable, too. I suspect it remains the more exciting car to drive. The Huracan is an interesting comparison, though. It’s big normally-aspirated V10 drivetrain is simply way more exciting, sharper and more intense, despite being down on power and torque. It’s going to make for a fascinating group test.
Anything else I need to know? The 488 GTB laps Fiorano in 1:23, half a second quicker than the Speciale and 2 seconds up on a 458 Italia. The Enzo needed 1:24.9 to complete the same lap
EngineV8, 3902cc, direct injection, twin turboPower661bhp @ 8000rpmTorque560lb ft at 3000rpm (7th gear)0-62mph2.8-secondsTop Speed205mph+On SaleNow
|
|
|
|
|
|
