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Ferrari has unveiled a turbocharged successor to its best-selling 458 Italia, promising that the new 488 GTB will continue to deliver “extreme driving thrills”.
Powered by a new 3.9-litre V8 that makes 492kW of power and 760Nm of torque, Ferrari promises that the addition of forced induction will not corrupt the driving performance of its exotic midship coupe.
Those outputs comprehensively shade the outgoing 458 Italia’s naturally aspirated 419kW and 540Nm, though the previous car carries an advantage in that it produces maximum power at 9000rpm, a figure few machines in history can match.
Nevertheless, Ferrari promises the new car’s “response times, nimbleness and on-the-limit driving guarantee a unique sense of exhilaration
Similarly, Ferrari says the car will be an auditory delight as “engineers have dedicated great attention to perfecting the 488 GTB’s sound, creating a new soundtrack that is full, clear and totally distinctive, as expected from any Prancing Horse engine”.
The Italian marque lists an official 0-100kmh time of 3.0 seconds for its latest model, along with a 0-200kmh time of 8.3 seconds and a top speed in excess of 330kmh.
The coupe has a dry weight of 1370 kilograms, a full 10 kilos less than the 458 Italia carried even when optioned with expensive forged wheels and ultra-light racing seats. That’s enough for it to slice around Ferrari’s Fiorano test teach in one minute and 23 seconds, a time that matches the V12-powered F12 Berlinetta, shading the regular 458 Italia and hardcore 458 Speciale by two seconds and half a second respectively.
Ferrari claims that the new 488 delivers 50 percent more down force than its predecessor, despite wearing a broadly similar shape to the previous model.
New jewellery in the form of split five-spoke wheels and revised LED lighting joins thoroughly revised aerodynamics starting at the front of the car, where the 458 Italia’s malleable aero whiskers that deformed at speed have made way for a wide, conventional splitter with twin central supports that draw parallels with recent formula one cars and the LaFerrari super car.
At the side, subtle intakes tucked into the corners of the 458’s windows have been replaced by gaping scalloped apertures intended to feed and cool that new turbocharged engine.
Other aerodynamic toys include a blown spoiler at the rear that uses hidden active flaps to direct air toward a small aerodynamic blade mounted between the brake lights.
Ferrari says the solution allows it to build down force without paying a penalty in drag. High-mounted exhausts similar to those of the 458 Speciale allowed designers to build a larger diffuser at the rear, sucking the car towards the earth at speed.
A mildly revised interior features new graphics for infotainment screens along with a smart key.
Online Reporter