2016 Car of the Year runner-up: The astonishing Ferrari 488 GTB
The 488 GTB arrived on a damp day in spring. The color is new: "Rosso Corsa Metallizzato," which is Ferrari red with what appears to be a touch of orange. It's a $12,500 option.
The 488 isn't a major departure from the 458, seen here. But Ferrari's in-house designers made a few tweaks.
The family of mid-engine Ferrari sports cars, starting with the 308 GTB on the far left and moving through the 348, the 360, and the 458.
Ferrari debuted the 488 for North America in New York last year.
The main design challenge related to the new 3.9-liter turbocharged V8, which required some additional ducting and space for the twin turbos.
This altered the back end, making it more bulbous than the 458. And yes, that is a carbon-fiber diffuser under the tailpipes. You won't need it on the road, but it's nice to have if you ever get an itch for the track.
The front end was also slightly made over to be a bit less fine-lined than the 458 and a bit more in tune with the fascia on the LaFerrari.
The upshot, surprisingly, is that the 458 to my eye has better balance between the front and the rear.
And, as you can see, it has more of a "snout" than the 458. But a royal snout!
A pair of modest scoops was added to the hood, which conceals not an engine but rather the 488's "frunk." There's enough room in there for an overnight bag and maybe a cooler of Campari.
The sweeping headlights aren't much changed from the 458. Because really, why?
The biggest new detail is on the rear haunch. The deep cut-in that extends through the door-line has been called an homage to the 308. A nice wedge of carbon fiber bisects a gridded intake scallop.
Up close.
The engine has eight cylinders, each displacing 488 cubic centimeters — hence the "488" designation. Add that up and you get 3.9 liters. It's all housed beneath a transparent hatch, so you can gaze upon the glory of what Ferrari can do with a motor whenever the urge strikes, which should be often.
Aerodynamic side-view mirrors are actually pretty big, by supercar standards, and provide good visibility.
Note the Ferrari badge: "SF" stands for "Scuderia Ferrari," the original name for Enzo Ferrari's race-car atelier. It's an option ($1,700), but so is almost everything else on a well-appointed Ferrari.
Where the magic happens.
The twin-turbo V8 cranks our 661 horsepower, a huge increase over the 458's 570. But the 488 doesn't substantially better the 458's zero-to-60-mph time. Both cars can do a Ferrari-claimed three seconds.
A Ferrari is supposed to be automotive sculpture — as is a Ferrari engine.
The hatch lifts for pure viewing of the 488's throbbing heart.
Big Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes all the way around keep a car with a 205-mph top speed under control. They are astonishingly effective.
Let's slip inside.
Well, this is pleasant. As with the Ferrari 458, the cockpit is roomy for a two-seater. It feels open and airy.
An abundance of carbon fiber and stitched black leather, in both the red and the black.
The Ferrari knows its name.
The instrument panel combines analog and digital features. The two small screens on the left and right can be reconfigured, but front and center is the tachometer — because on a car like this, you want to know exactly what your engine is doing.
And the Ferrari "Prancing Stallion" is also front and center, on the famous Ferrari steering wheel with its Formula One-derived features. The engine start-stop button can't be missed. And the turn signals do take a get a bit of getting used to.
These controls allow you to customize one of the instrument displays. For example, you can monitor how much turbo boost is being generated in the engine.
Climate controls — uncomplicated. The large wheel on the control cluster to the right of the steering wheel manages the infotainment and navigation systems, and it's angled toward the driver.
Basic transmission stuff: "R" for reverse, "Auto" to switch of the full manual mode on the dual-clutch gearbox, and "PS" ("Partenza Sportiva"), a performance-start mode that prevents wheelspin on quick launches.
There isn't much storage in the cabin, but the 488 has a few cubbies, a cupholder, a USB port, and ...
... a slot for the key fob.
The seats are Ferrari-branded and racing-derived — but exceptionally comfortable! They were a real standout feature of the 488.
Not a polo pony — this horse chases other supercars, not a little ball.
Lightweight pedals, and you might notice that there's no clutch. It's been a long time since a Ferrari had one of those on the floor. The transmissions are all now F1-type units; the 488's a seven-speed setup.
OK, so it's basically friggin' gorgeous! I couldn't stop looking at it. I might have drooled once or twice. But at some point, you gotta stop lookin' and start drivin'.
Let's switch the manettino into "Sport" mode. (We won't be turning off the traction control or the electronic stability control.) But bear in mind that "Race" (Ferrari's stock-ticker symbol, by the way, after it went public in 2015) is where you want to be to get the full 488 experience.
The paddle shifters — in carbon fiber, natch — are impeccable. You can rip through the gears with ease.
And rip through them I did. As with all Ferraris, there's a learning curve, but the 488 is remarkably easy to drive, in any of its modes, from docile cruising to spirited motoring. Heck, in "Sport" with Auto engaged on the transmission, a relaxing road trip might be in order. The steering is also perfectly balanced: not too quick, but never slow.
Many, many Ferrari fans were worried that a turbo V8 would mean two things: the end of that amazing, wild, screaming engine note, and the dreaded turbo-lag. I'm here to tell you that the turbo doesn't lag, though Ferrari acknowledges that it is routed to the rear wheels a nanosecond or something slower than in the 458. And the engine sounds less maniacal than the 458's, but you can now hear the sweet high-pitched whistle of the turbos, which never gets old. The Ferrari orchestra has added a new instrument.
Brilliant in a straight line, brilliant in the curves, just brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Fast and tight, the 488 fills you with confidence and makes you a better person. It's a worthy successor to the 458. There, I said it. I have a new die-behind-the-wheel car.
What a machine! No one thought Ferrari could top the 458. Too much compromise in going to a turbo V8, even if the horsepower pop was massive. The doubters were wrong. So, so wrong. The dawn of the new era for Ferrari is bright. Bright red.
2016 Car of the Year runner-up: The astonishing Ferrari 488 GTB
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