This Is The New Ferrari 488 GTB: 660 HP Of Turbocharged V8 Madness

As anticipated, Ferrari has unveiled its 458 Italia replacement - the all-new Ferrari 488 GTB. Forty years after the first-ever mid-mounted V8 model, the 308 GTB, comes the first turbocharged variant. The latest Gran Turismo Berlinetta gets the '488' element of its name from its eight cylinders that each boast a 488 cc capacity. The powerplant is a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 rated at 660 hp and 560 lb-ft of torque. That's a significant jump from the 458's 562 hp and even the 458 Speciale's 597 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque.

That monstrous torque figure also eclipses the 509 lb-ft generated by the Ferrari F12's naturally aspirated V12. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic box derived from the 458 featuring a Variable Torque Management system. Gear ratios, say Ferrari, have been tuned to "deliver incredibly progressive acceleration when the driver floors the throttle." The Ferrari 488 GTB goes from 0-62 mph in 3.0 seconds, 0-124 mph in 8.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 208 mph. It also lapped the Fiorano test track in 1 min 23 sec, two seconds faster than the 458 and half-a-second quicker than the Speciale. Engineers have perfected the new supercar's soundtrack to be "full, clear and totally distinctive."

As well as being more potent, the new V8 turbo is also more economical than the Italia, delivering 26.8 mpg, helped in part by Ferrari's HELE stop-start system that features on the car. Styled at the Ferrari Styling Center, the 488 GTB has very similar dimensions to the 458 and weighs just 1,370 kg. It comes with a host of new aerodynamic features, the most obvious of which is the 'blown' spoiler coupled with active aeros at the back, which help increase downforce by 50%. Also note the double front spoiler, a large front air intake that nods to the 308 GTB, newly styled lights, a diffuser sporting active flaps, an aerodynamic underbody with "vortex generators," and newly positioned exhaust flaps.