Significance
When it came time for Ferrari to develop the successor to the 458 Italia, their work was cut out for them. Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and best-driving Ferraris of the modern era, the 458 was being referred to as a future classic before it even went out of production. The 4.5 liter naturally aspirated V8 was about as highly tuned as it could get, so Ferrari elected to return to forced induction. This marked the first use of turbocharging in a mid-engine Ferrari since the legendary F40, and it became the go-to method for creating power that Ferrari relies on today. The car, which became known as the 488, was an evolution of the 458 from a design standpoint but was a tremendous step forward, increasing downforce by 50% while cutting down on drag simultaneously.
About this vehicle
This 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB is finished in Rosso Corsa over black leather and benefits from nearly $80,000 in factory options. Sold new through Miller Motorcars in Greenwich, CT, this 488 shows just 4,159 miles and has been under the care of two owners since. Anybody who has ordered a Ferrari or looked at a modern Ferrari spec sheet knows that additional carbon fiber pieces are not cheap. This car’s options list features in excess of $31,000 in optional carbon alone, including the rear air ducts, side air splitters, and front spoiler- as well as even more on the interior. A beautiful set of split-5 spoke wheels are fitted and sit in front of a set of yellow calipers situated around carbon ceramic brakes. Scuderia Shields are fitted to the front fenders and both nose lift and adaptive headlights (AFS) have also been optioned.
Moving inside this 488 GTB, you are met by a set of black comfort seats upholstered in black leather with red accent stitching throughout the cabin. The seat centers have been optioned with the desirable Daytona Style inserts, which are reminiscent of Ferrari’s ultimate 1970s grand touring car, and look fantastic with the red stitching. Sitting in front of the driver is a combination leather and carbon fiber steering wheel with the “Carbon Drivers Zone,” which fits LED shift lights along the wheel's top rim, illuminating as you get closer to redline. The carbon fiber “bridge” sits between the two seats and controls the gearbox, and more carbon fiber has been optioned as an accent strip across teh passenger’s side of the dashboard.
The 488 GTB is powered by a 3.9-liter all-aluminum V8 with twin-scroll turbochargers. It produces 661 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 561 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. This means that the 488 has nearly 100 horsepower more than the 458, and thanks to the turbochargers, has torque on tap nearly anywhere in the rev-range. Backing up this engine is a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox built by Getrag that is very similar to the unit found in the 458, just with slightly different gear ratios to account for the turbocharged powerband. The carbon ceramic disc brakes fitted to this car utilize technology from the LaFerrari hypercar and offer both shorter stopping distances than the 458, while also achieving optimal stopping power sooner.
Although the 458 is the car that gets lauded as a modern classic, many people who like to use their cars say that the 488 is actually a far better road car. Thanks to its torquier powerband and a throttle that isn’t quite so razor sharp, the 488 is a supercar that is comfortable to road trip, yet will constantly blow you away with its performance when you plant your right foot.