Description
Ferrari 488 GTB
The Ferrari 488 GTB name marks a return to the classic Ferrari model designation with the 488 in its moniker indicating the engine’s unitary displacement, while the GTB stands for Gran Turismo Berlinetta. The new car not only delivers unparalleled performance, it also makes that extreme power exploitable and controllable to an unprecedented level even by less expert drivers.
Designed by the Ferrari Styling Centre, the Ferrari 488 GTB features very sculptural flanks which are the key to its character. Its large signature air intake scallop is a nod to the original 308 GTB and is divided into two sections by a splitter.
With a mid-mounted twin-turbo 3.9-liter V-8, the 488GTB generates a sonorous wail and ferocious acceleration all the way to 8000 rpm, where it makes 661 hp. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is the sole transmission; we estimate a zero to 60 time of 3 seconds. Ferrari’s adaptive suspension is relatively compliant without sacrificing handling. The Pista version makes 710 hp. For those who want more V-8 music, the Spider offers a retractable hardtop that raises or lowers at speeds up to 25 mph.
Ferrari isn’t so much an automaker as a hedge fund guaranteeing absurd returns. The 2019 488 Pista—the name means “track” in Italian—is Maranello’s most extreme V-8 supercar to date, and it very well may be the safest way for your bank account to experience 211 mph.
Ferrari has undeniable expertise at crafting trick aerodynamics and electronic controls. Compared to the 488GTB, the Pista sits 0.3 inch lower, is 0.9 inch wider, and is 1.5 inches shorter overall. The carmaker also promises a 198-pound weight reduction that puts the Pista within 44 pounds of the 488GTE and 488 GT3 race cars (as measured dry, without any fluids). As if the standard 488 weren’t sticky enough, the Pista adopts the GTE’s front splitter angle and reshapes the entire bumper, revises the rear diffuser, adds a dolphin-tail spoiler, and cuts additional air-exiting holes into the rear fenders. The Pista’s greatest piece, however, is the steep channel carved into the hood. Known to racing and aerospace engineers as an S-duct, this design increases downforce on the front axle by funneling air from the bottom of the diffuser and directing it upward in an S pattern, which creates a suction effect between the channeled air and the body surface.
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