Apart from grand tourers such as the California T and exotic hypercars such as the LaFerrari Aperta, Ferrari builds mid-engine supercars. The latter is the bread and butter of the Italian manufacturer and, for what it’s worth, the 488 GTB embodies the go-faster warrant of the best name in the biz.
As a successor to the beguiling 458 Italia, the 488 GTB is not that different from its foregoer, save for a very different powertrain. Of course, the biggest variance of them all can be found under the hood, where the naturally aspirated 4.5-liter F136 F V8 of yesteryear has been exchanged for a force-fed engine.
But when all is said and done, the 3.9-liter F154CB V8 with its twin-turbo and twin-scroll technology is a thrilling piece of hardware, as in the essential feature of the wonderfully exuberant and drop-dead gorgeous Ferrari 488 GTB.
The retro styling cue is no coincidence because the old-school 208 series started the turbocharged revolution for road-going Ferrari models. Compared to the F40-inspired triple exhaust system of the 458 Italia, the 488 GTB sports two tips that are flanked by a third brake light located bang in the middle of the rear bumper, reminiscent of the rain light on a Formula 1 car.
Through the midsection, the air channels are completed by intakes that are partitioned across the middle. That’s not the typical Italian flair most of us expect from a car, but a design concept dictated by the 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 engine’s needs.
The upper partition has two roles: feed air to the twin-turbo system’s intake, as well as to direct air alongside the taillights to increase air pressure behind the car in order to reduce drag. The lower partition, on the other hand, is used by the engine’s intercoolers for the sole purpose of cooling the intake charge.
Despite the high-tech paraphernalia incorporated into the 488 GTB’s exterior design, this Fezza oozes sexiness. From an automotive designer’s point of view, that’s a hard trick to pull off.
The area where the Ferrari 488 GTB differs most from other cars, as well as other supercars, is the infotainment system. Fortunately, there’s no tacked-on touchscreen like those one might find in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, CLA, and the GLA.
Instead, the designers decided to integrate the infotainment system into the instrument cluster, thus furthering the driver-focused feel you get from the 488 GTB. Even though that translates to no touch-sensitive screens whatsoever, the user interface for the system is effortless.
When it comes down to roominess, the 488 GTB is as good as a mid-engine supercar can be. There’s enough space for a couple of soft bags behind the seats. In addition to the padded shelf inside the car, the forward trunk offers 8.12 cubic feet (230 liters) of cargo capacity. By comparison, the McLaren 650S prides itself on 6.9 cubic feet (195 liters).
The Italians have revised the infotainment system as well, albeit Ferrari has kept the display integrated into the instrument panel, like it used to be on the 458 Italia. A new graphic interface will greet the user of the Harman-developed infotainment system, which features Digital Audio Broadcasting, Bluetooth audio streaming, Apple CarPlay, and speech-to-text or text-to-speech functions. For the audiophile inside every one of us, a premium JBL sound system can be specified. It features 12 speakers and a 1280-watt, 16-channel amplifier, plus QuantumLogic Surround.
Borrowing some tech from the LaFerrari, the 488 GTB is fitted with carbon-ceramic brakes. This means a reported reduction of nine percent in stopping distances compared to the 458 Italia. The 488 GTB also uses active magnetorheological dampers and variable torque management to keep things nice and steady when the going gets twisty. Using the patented Manettino switch on the steering wheel, the driver can adjust the behavior of the vehicle. Wet, Sport, Race, CT Off, and ESC Off are the available modes.
To whom it may concern, a mid-engine supercar with a twin-turbocharged V8 under its hood likes to drink high-octane jungle juice. A lot. As per the EPA, gas mileage for the 488 GTB is 18 mpg combined (15-16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway). According to the New European Driving Cycle, that’ll be 11.4 liters per 100 kilometers on 98 RON ultra premium unleaded. Then again, does fuel economy really matter when blasting down a twisty road, riding as one with an 8,000 rpm orchestra?
But first, the bad news. The only area where the 488 GTB feels retrograde compared to other vehicles, including econoboxes like the Volkswagen up!, is active safety. Automatic emergency braking? Not available. Forward collision warning? Nope, not available. But on the upside, adaptive cruise control is a standard feature.
Dual front airbags and front side airbags are also on the menu, as is brake assist and brake force distribution, traction control, and stability control. That’s about it on the safety front, to be honest.
The rowdy sound produced by the naturally aspirated engine in the 458 Italia is dearly missed, but on the flip side, the engineers have done their very best to create an intoxicating soundtrack from the force-fed V8. The harmonics, the tonality, everything has been masterfully calibrated
to create aural delight.
And in typical Ferrari fashion, the 488 GTB is a pussycat at low speeds, a gentle cruiser that doesn’t miss a beat when pottering around town. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s an exhilarating driving machine that can wiggle its tail like an overexcited puppy.
As an overall package, the 488 GTB isn’t just a sea change meant to upset purists. It is an interweave of substance and style. The eminence of this Ferrari comes from how the team behind it melded brand attributes with the newest automotive engineering marvels to create one of, if not the best supercar on sale today.
