ferrari 488 GTB

The latest Ferrari 488 GTB is the first turbocharged mid-engine V8 sports car from the Maranello factory since the Italian builder ended production of the Ferrari F40 more than two decades ago. Obviously, media outlets will compare the new 458 successor to the classic Ferrari icon. But what if we stacked the 488 GTB against something slightly more contemporary?

To this date, the Ferrari Enzo is still considered one of the greatest modern hypercars on the planet. In fact, its top speed still bests the current Lamborghini Aventador. Call us crazy, but we are about to put the specs of the latest turbocharged Ferrari 488 GTB up against one of the greatest naturally aspirated V12 machines Ferrari ever built.

Let's begin at the very heart of the two Ferraris: the legendary Ferrari Enzo boasts a 6.0-liter V12 engine producing 660 horsepower and 485 lb.-ft. of torque. The Enzo can rocket from 0-62mph (100 km/h)  in just 3.3 seconds, continue to 124 mph within mid-9 seconds, before finally reach a top speed of 218 mph (351km/h).

The numbers from the Enzo are cosmic, but the latest entry-level mid-engine Ferrari introduces a brand new turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 engine that delivers 661 horsepower and 561 lb.-ft. of torque. That's exactly 1 more pony and a heck of a lot more twist. The power unit is mated to a refined seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox that delivers all the power to the rear wheel.

According to Ferrari, the new 488 GTB is capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3 seconds flat, 124 mph (200km/h) in 8.3 seconds, and finally reach a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h).

As for physical dimensions, the Ferrari 488 GTB may look similar to the 458 Italia, but its body is 1.6 inches longer, 0.6 inches wider, and identical in height. According to Ferrari, the 488 GTB only weights 3,020 pounds (1,370kg) dry, 22 pounds less than the outgoing 458 Italia. However, the V12 Enzo still manages to slot just under the GTB's weight at 3,009 pounds (1,365kg).

While the numerical figures can offer a general idea of where the old king and the young prince stand, it takes a race track to truly reveal the intangible nuances that shed light on how well each car performs.

According to the latest test figures from Ferrari, the 488 GTB can lap the Fiorano test track in just 1:23.0. Shockingly, the mighty Ferrari Enzo only clocked a 1:24.9 during a test in 2002, nearly two whole seconds slower behind the 488 GTB.

The results are rather unexpected, but the underlying truth is clear: the deeply passionate Ferrari company will still place technology and performance far above its illustrious history and heritage. Ten years is all it takes for an entry Ferrari V8 sports car to surpass what was once the greatest Ferrari ever built.

We now know that the Ferrari 488 GTB is quicker than the Ferrari Enzo, but is it better?

In the eyes of the Tifosi, the Enzo is not only a Ferrari that bears the name of the company's founder, but it is also an embodiment of one of the must successful eras at Ferrari. Under the leadership of Formula 1 technical director Ross Brawn and the immense talent of racing driver Michael Schumacher, Ferrari enjoyed winning consecutive constructor championships from 1999 through 2004 and driver's championships from 2000 through 2004. The Enzo was born during a time when Ferrari dominated the pinnacle of motor racing and was absolutely untouchable.

There are only 400 examples in total of the Ferrari Enzo and each were sold at $660,000 when new. Today, the Enzo enjoys steady appreciation and an immaculate example can now command as much as $2.8 million, more than four times its original price tag. Despite the 488 GTB's modern performance, one simply cannot deny the pure emotions associated with the vicious V12 beast. There will always be a faster Ferrari, but there will never be another Enzo.
Unlike most other carmakers, Ferrari hosts exclusive events for select customers to reveal its new models, and one of those took place yesterday for the world premiere of the 488 GTB.

Gumball racer Josh Cartu, who was invited to the happening that took place at Ferrari's factory in Maranello, shot some pictures and a short video of the presentation, which he shared on his social media pages.

Perhaps the most interesting part about these 'live' images is the appearance of the new 488 GTB in a gunmetal grey color.

As a reminder, the 488 GTB is a heavily updated version of the 458 Italia that it replaces - much in the same way that the 328 was based on the 308, and the 430 on the 360. The biggest change occurs in the engine bay where the 458 Italia's naturally aspirated V8 gives its place to a new turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 that churns out 670PS (661hp).
As stated in a recent email from a friend who owned a Ferrari 458 Italia for several years, “Twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V8, approximately 660 horsepower. A 0-60 mph time that should be a shade under 3.0 seconds. And 0-125 mph (that’s 0-200 kph) in 8.3 seconds. The new Ferrari 488 is stunning, too. And thank God it’s not a hybrid! Gasoline-burning performance lives! I might need yet another Ferrari in my life.”
For those sensitive to the Ferrari myth and intrigued by business development, it’s important to note that the 488 GTB name follows the ancient pattern of V12 Ferraris, derived from the capacity of one cylinder: 488cc.
That’s a break from a numbering tradition going back to the first Dino Ferrari 206 and 246 road cars built between 1968 and 1976, and running up through the Ferrari-branded “Magnum, P.I.” 308 GTB, 348, and 458 Italia. In the Dino Ferrari tradition, the model number denotes overall displacement, and the number of cylinders. For the 458 Italia, that’s 4.5 liters, 8 cylinders. For the Dino 246, that’s 2.4 liters, six cylinders.

We wonder if this shift indicates a possible future sub-brand of smaller-engined Ferraris, which would allow Ferrari to expand production numbers without jeopardizing the profitable heart of the franchise, the mid-engine V8 cars.
If so, it’s a tricky line Ferrari would need to walk. It’s the Italia, and now the 488, that generates those much-publicized Ferrari wait lists, with residual values propped up by a pool of eager second-hand buyers who have not made “the list.”

For those not fully schooled in Ferrari lore, here’s the background. The Dino line of cars was named in honor of Enzo Ferrari’s son, Alfredo, who died of muscular dystrophy at age 24. “Dino” is the Italian diminutive of Alfredo, as is Alfredino. From his hospital bed, Dino described a small-displacement V6 to famed engineer, Vittorio Jano, who  created the glorious  Alfa Romeo sports cars before World War Two, and Lancias after the war. When the “Dino” engine was production-ready, Ferrari created the Dino line of small-displacement and lower-cost sports cars. When the Dino name was dropped in 1976, subsequent V8 mid-engine cars were simply branded as Ferraris, but they retained the Dino numbering system. For better or worse, Ferrari has dropped consistent of the old numbering system, and at times adopted confusing naming systems. I for one love the purity of the old numbering system combined with an evocative name.

We wonder if this subtle change signals what might be a clever expansion of the Ferrari brand that would not greatly disrupt the business dynamic built around the V8 mid-engine cars. It’s important to remember that the business built around the mid-engine V8 cars is the envy of the sports car business.

The blend line for a new “Dino” line might be somewhere near current Maseratis in the $150,000 range, and above whatever might come from Alfa Romeo. Imagine either one bank of the 488’s V8 sliced in the computer to create a hot four-cylinder, or a V6 based on the 488’s combustion chambers, though perhaps with the Vee angle narrowed in the miracle of computer-aided design. Either engine would bring something new and different to the sports and performance market, an experience that the Germans, English and other Italians could not match, and which would certainly give pause to the folks at Honda, who would not be able to introduce a new Acura NSX and then ignore its development for years.