Ferrari revealed its new super car, the Ferrari 488 GTB at the Geneva motor show, in February. The Ferrari GTB 488 is successor to the 458 Italia Ferrari. It is only the second car, in the Ferrari stable to have a turbocharged V8 engine (did we stay turbochargers? on a Ferrari…heresy!).
Don’t ask me why it’s called the 488 – it seems to confuse most people how the folks at Maranello, pick up random numbers to assign to beautiful cars. Well, if it’s something which will keep you awake at night, the best explanation I’ve heard is that 488 is the capacity of each of its 8 cylinders rounded up to the nearest whole number.
If you are one of those petrol-heads who gasped when Ferrari announced their decision to turbocharge the California T (which was a departure from their penchant for naturally aspirated engines), we have bad news for you – the Ferrari engineers seem to like the turbos & they are here to stay!
The 488’s stunning curves are inherited from two Ferrari cars; the 458 Italia and the 2014 LaFerrari. Jaw dropping looks are not the only highpoint the Ferrari 488GTB boasts, on its resume. Powered by a 3.9Litres V8 engine with two turbochargers, the 488 makes a fiercely fast car with some spectacular figures.
The engine generates 661 bhp & 561 lb-ft which is a significant increase over the 4.5L naturally aspirated V8 of the 458 Italia & 458 Speciale (597 bhp & 398 lb-ft). The output of the 488 compares it favorably against its rival, the McLaren 650S & even the Ferrari 590 GTO. Torque generated by the engine is even higher than the V12 that Ferrari uses in its F12 Berlinetta!
Given what we have told you about the engine, it’s no shocker that the Ferrari GTB 488 is a mean machine, on track. The car cracks out a 0-62mph is 3.0 seconds. Top speed is 205mPh. Lap time record of the Ferrari 488 GTB, on Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit is quicker than those made with Ferrari 458 Speciale & even the awesome Enzo.
Not only is the new engine faster, stronger & better than its predecessor – it’s also greener. If the fuel economy of the Ferrari 458 was your pain point in making that wonderful purchase, the 488 has combined fuel economy of 24.8mpg (a 3+mpg improvement over the 458), imagine all that money you could save on gas! *Chuckles *
Aerodynamics play crucial role in enhancing the performance of the Ferrari 488 GTB. The conspicuous rear spoiler adds 50% more downforce as compared to the Ferrari 458 Italia. The car also sports an aggressive double front spoiler & an aerodynamic underbody. The interior has also been redesigned with a new instrument panel & the infotainment system has an upgrade on the interface & graphics.
Ferrari claims that the 488 is “the most responsive production model, there is” & its engineers have “dedicated great attention to perfecting the car’s sound creating a soundtrack that is full, clear & totally distinctive”. The second claim is something you expect Justin Beiber’s manager to rant to overrate his upcoming album. When it comes to Ferrari making those claims, it’s hard to disagree.
Availability of Ferrari 488 GTB starts September 2015.
