IMO the air intake should have been narrower and taller similar to Aventador - But a bit slimmer than the Lambo Image Unavailable, Please Login
Have to agree with James May though. The engine does have a "feeble" look to it. Not much to look at with the engine compartment closed.
The other day I looked at a Speciale. If you look under the glass, the engine just takes your breath away. The 488 looks more like the McLaren 12c now. It's just plastic boxes and tubes everywhere -- no engine. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The perfect Ferrari for me would be putting the Speciale engine with perhaps 20-30 more horsepower into the 488's body.
I agree. The N/A 458 engine and the F430 engine is a visual work of art. 488 not so much. But, will make up for it when you press on the loud peddle I am sure. Hard to beat the look of a Ferrari N/A engine.
This is no minor point. No beautiful engine, no beautiful sound and cheap horsepower. Soon silent electric motors with giant batteries with no engine at all. What are they thinking?
There is nothing cheap about extracting ~700HP, and corresponding torque, from 3.9L. They are probably thinking it will outperform everything in its class in a beautiful form. That's what I'm thinking. ; ) I agree the engine compartment looks crap compared to the 360/430/458 though. I think it is to hide the turbo plumbing, but may be more functional also to reflect heat from the turbos away from the block. Cf makes a solid heat shield.
Had to use google translate just to decipher his intent with those rarely seen words from some foreign English dictionary.
I quite like the 488 engine bay. Looks very 'high tech'. The 458 engine bay is very nice also, but I am not the biggest fan of the single large air box. I really liked the twin air boxes dating back to the 355.
after seeing a lot more photos of the car on the streets/tracks, i am starting to like it. i still think some of the details on the speciale are better( the only part i don't like about that car is the horse on the mini pillar section) and the side intakes are still something to get used to ( i still have a hard time liking it especially when looking at it from a 3/4 rear view). i like how the rear end of the roof is more tapered than the 458, making it more sculptural, same goes to the side skirt. i think the carbon flap in the side intake doesn't work well with a lighter color car ( red, yellow or white).
In yesterday's WSJ: Meet Ferrari?s Latest Power Play: The 488 GTB - WSJ The final word is interesting: "And it almost works but, alas, the twin-turbo doesn’t have the feral bark of the naturally aspirated V8 or V12. The Ferraristi will just have to content themselves with gobs more power."
I definitely don't like the sound of this car. You can here the turbo whirring sound for sure. And it's got a more muted sound than the 458. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ijUwKKhGNk
I don't like it either. Let me put it this way: I like it as much as I like the sound of the new turbo V6 F1 engines. And I HATE the sound of the new turbo F1 cars, especially versus the high pitch SCREAM of the previous V8 generation of cars. F1 race attendance is down huge numbers. Many attribute this to the general public's loathing of the new turbo V6 sound. These facts tell me that I'm probably not the only one that will have a hard time warming up to the 488. And this is so COUNTER to what has previously always been the case - i.e. "the best Ferrari is the NEXT Ferrari." Luca always said that, and it was previously always true. At least for me. But then again, Luca is now gone. People can try to deny this fact, but I still think it's true: Part of the appeal of a Ferrari, or an F1 car, is the emotion it creates. Luca understood that. Things like sexy looks and nice sounds go a long way toward creating emotion. Without evoking emotion, where does that leave a Ferrari? Something that has lots of power and has good fuel economy because it has turbos and a smaller displacement engine? Seriously. There are many cars with more power and better fuel economy. I don't buy a Ferrari because it has more power or better fuel economy. I buy a Ferrari for the emotion it stirs. Absent that emotion, I'm probably no longer a buyer. I'll have 3 weeks of wheel time in a brand new 488 next month in Europe, and will look forward to posting my driving impressions versus the Speciale. The Speciale stirs lots of emotion in me, so it will be very hard to beat. Chris Harris left the 488 by saying it is an "interesting machine." Ask any Brit for their interpretation of this statement and they'll tell you that his use of the word "interesting" is code for being polite and not coming right out and saying something negative. Seriously, how many times have you heard Chris get out of a car that he LOVES, and refer to it as "interesting."
I'm sorry, but "Many attribute this to..." does not make anything a 'fact'. Given the amount of time it takes to bring a new Ferrari to market and the fact that something as fundamental as the decision to go turbo would have been made very early in the car's development, this car is Luca's as much as it is anyone else's. The decision to go turbo will have been made under his watch.
Okay, you're right about that. I agree. But here's the bottom line. My opinion of the 488 is that it doesn't look as good, and it doesn't sound as good. The engine doesn't look as good under glass. And I don't like the idea of synthetically created torque curves, nor do I like turbos. I never have. And it feels like I'm not alone in my initial impression of the 488. Nor am I alone in my dislike of the sound of these new F1 cars. And some of the drivers have come right out and said same. Ask Kimi. Hey it's an opinion, and we're all allowed to have one of those. You're entitled to yours, and I'm entitled to mine.
Needs to be revved higher...that was like 3k RPM. But yah there will be turbo sound for sure...2 big turbos on it : )
Not questioning any of your thoughts on the actual car. I'm guessing there's some truth in what you say and I may well agree once I get to see the car. Just that some of your supporting material was a little off the mark.
Agreed. Tell you what, I'll have a 488 on the road for 3 weeks in Europe during August. After that, I'll have plenty of basis and first-hand supporting material on which to base my opinion. I'll share it, along with photos and vids, and we'll see where that leaves us. My basis for comparison will be the Speciale, of which I'm particularly fond.
Some people just don't like progress. The 488 IS progress. A performance car IS about performance and this car has it in spades. This quote from the movie "Other People's Money" is appropriate here: "You know, at one time there must've been dozens of companies making buggy whips. And I'll bet the last company around was the one that made the best ******* buggy whip you ever saw. Now how would you have liked to have been a stockholder in that company?" If you are not moving forward you are moving backward. Ferrari is moving forward. It is innovating. For those who fear or dislike change, yes they will indeed be left behind. I believe it is Ferrari's intention not to be that last great buggy whip company. There is only one way to avoid this folks. Luca knew this all too well and greenlit the turbo on the California T and the 488. He's a very smart guy. If you felt his direction and vision of the past was the right one for Ferrari than maybe you should also trust his decision here. He was smart enough to know the future was in Turbo technology. He also felt the sound tradeoff was WELL worth it otherwise Ferrari would have been left behind its competitors by a wide margin. Luca's decision probably came down to whether or not he wanted to build the best performing and fastest sports cars with the sound they could produce from a Turbo (which is pretty damn good IMHO on the 488) OR watch everyone run circles around them while they build pretty cars that sound great, but get smashed on all the specs as well as on the track. Luca's decision on turbo's was pretty easy here. The 488 is the fastest Ferrari at Fiorano besides the LaFerrari. Even faster turbos are coming and I will bet the 488 successor beats the LaF times at Fiorano and will be turbo. For all those who don't like the looks of the 488 or the sound of the turbos that's not a bad thing. It just means more cars and less waiting for all those who look to the future and embrace these incredible new models. I'm all in on the 488. I've never been one to look to the past. I also am a buyer who has zero desire to drive any of the older cars whether it be the $20M classic F cars or even the 360, Testarossa, 328, etc. To me they are all old and the past. I love today's technology and tomorrow's. I want the absolute best of what is available and I'll leave the cars of the past to all those who enjoy that.
I guess progress and reality are a b*tch I'm going to guess that the Ferrari team isn't real thrilled about meeting Gov regulations,and the corresponding tradeoffs,etc., but if they want to stay in business and sell cars, well then... However, history has always proven that ultimately, technology will find a way to overcome the initial requirements anyone remember the bumper standard cars from the '70's? Or the fuel injected cars from the early '80's? Everyone was wringing their hands at how awful things had evolved today, we have the fastest,highest quality, best handling cars. ever. stay tuned.
Some counter points: This car was developed under Luca. You have a problem with emissions testing and regulation, not Ferrari - so do I. Which car has 700HP and better fuel economy in the, admittedly, absurd and flawed testing they do? ; ) Honestly, if you have the cash, you should go up to an F12. Sounds like the right Ferrari for you. You selected one word from Chris' review. His closing remarks start with, "you can tell by now I think this car is a triumph". Look forward to your thoughts when you drive it!
