It’s hard to believe the Ferrari 458 is already a thing of the past and standing in front of us here in Geneva is the all-new Ferrari 488 GTB. Ferrari’s iconic first-ever mid-rear-engined V8 berlinetta, the 308 GTB was launched 40 years ago now and the Ferrari 488 GTB opens a new dimension in the history of cars with this particular layout. The major difference is the engine and its configuration. Powered by mid mounted turbo charged V8 some Ferrari fans will be disappointed to hear the engine is no longer normally aspirated but in the same breath Ferrari done a cracking job with the California T last year and proved that turbo charging has come a long way from the days of the F40. All future V8’s will be turbocharged and naturally engine displacement will drop. The new 488 has a 3.9 litre block that produces 660hp meaning its some 55hp up on its predecessor. This power is delivered by a state of the art 7-speed dual clutch gearbox and haven’t heard it start at the Geneva Show you can rest assure its still a typical Ferrari V8 screamer that redlines at 8000rpm. On the performance stats the 488 will see hit 200 kp/h in just 8.4 seconds.
Electronically the 488 is super advanced as you would expect featuring Ferrari’s Slide Slip Control set up which allows you to have fun but still keep you in check. When you run out of talent the 488 should correct things to bring you back in line. The car also develops a staggering 50% more down-force meaning lap times set by the 458 are soon to be obliterated. Beauty is definitely the other key word as we stand here looking at the 488. The 458 was by no means an ugly car in fact it was beautiful but somehow Ferrari have went one better and made something staggering. There simply isn’t a bad angle and inside Ferrari have again raised the bar by creating a cockpit of purposeful luxury that will no doubt be filled with drama and passion at every touch of the go pedal!
Alongside the 488 sits an F12 and the California T coupé-cabriolet in a beautiful two-tone Nero Stellato and Grigio Brunito livery complemented by a Tortora cabin. Show attendees will also see a four-seater, four-wheel-drive FF in modern Bianco Italia with a Sterling interior combination. Both models feature CarPlay, the easiest, safest and most fun way to use your iPhone in the car. CarPlay is Ferraris’ latest in car tech that’s incredibly intuitive and offers phone, map, music and message access by either voice control or a tap of the central display. Finally racecar fans will be happy to see the Formula One single-seater, which looks even prettier up close. Hopefully with the start of the season just days away the prancing horse will once again race to the front! We will give a more detailed review of the 488 GTB in the future and many thanks to Charles Hurst for their hospitality at this years Geneva Show.
