Test drove the 488 GTB today in Abu Dhabi

Fellow Ferraristas.

Unfortunately for my wife, I live a block away from Al Tayer Motors (Official Ferrari Dealer in UAE). I get a call rom my salesman to notify me of a 488 GTB demo in the shop. Apparently it was shipped in specially for one of Abu Dhabi's royalty to drive to an occasion this evening.

Disclaimer: I own a 2014 Argento Nurburgring 458 Spider

I promptly left a M&A bid document I was working on and hopped down a couple blocks to see the controversial car. As I approached the showroom, I saw the car sitting upfront under the hot Abu Dhabi sun. It looked like a 458 from the distance but the side scoops betrayed it instantly.

My first reaction was hmmmm. It took me a while to decide exactly what to feel. I was instantly transported to last summer when I first set my eyes on the 458. Then my reaction was instant and visceral .... I was like "what the f--k is this? I have to have it. I absolutely had no such impulse in seeing the 488 for the first time.

I surveyed the car over and again under the 50 degree sun hoping that if I walked around it enough times I would come to appreciate the finer points of the car. After 3 laps, the hot sun won and I retired into the showroom where a red 458 Spyder was just being driven off and a yellow 458 Speciale was taking its place. Still on the same floor was the same exact car that stole my heart over a year ago (last summer) - a red 458 Italia.

Even with my own 2014 458 Spider sitting in my garage, I couldn't stop staring at the Italia and the Speciale. I spent more time oogling the Italia and Speciale than I did interrogating the new car (488). At some point, the salesman had to literally drag me off the showroom floor to go test drive the 488 GTB (of course he wants me to trade up to a 488).

He let me take the wheel right away. Keyless, I punched the start button and it responded in the affirmative. The roar was certainly there but it didn't sound like my 458. I asked the salmon if he could wind down the rear window as I often to in my spider and he said can't be done. He suggested we leave the windows open despite the punishing heat. I complied.

First thing I noticed pulling out onto the road was the left and right front fenders when sitting in the car are really, really high to the point of obstructing ones view of the road. I pointed this out to the salesman and he said, yeah I noticed too. I drove a few yards in auto and said f--k it, hit the auto button and were in manual.

I took it easy initially and the biggest difference i noticed was the shifting - way smoother on this car than my 458. Even in Race mode, it was smoother and the ride felt more supple that wet mode in my 458. The steering also felt very soft compared to the 458 - not sure if this is good or bad. You just didn't feel the road as much as you do in the 458 (steering/road feedback I suppose it is called)

We got to an open stretch and he gave me the obligatory nod. I tapped the left paddle twice (downshifted) to 1st gear and punched the throttle. The thing took off like a thief in the night. I have often raced my 458 on this stretch of road so I have a sense of how and when to shift. To my shock, while I was still trying to floor the car, I hit the rev limiter and the car was pulling back. I was like what the hell is going on?? I thought it was losing power and the salesman reminded me to shift up.

I was a bit shocked because with my 458 on same road I'm able to stretch the gear longer before an upshift. So I began to pay attention to the shift LED on the steering. It seemed the gears were much shorter and I needed to shift more quickly in manual in this car (488) than in my 458. But fast, it was. There was an SL 500 sitting next to me at the light - frankly I don't think he knows what happened cos he didn't show up at the next light for a while. I don't know much about turbo's so I couldn't detect any turbo whir or swoosh.

On a positive note, when sitting inside and look in your side mirror, you see the mammoth side vents as they emphasize the wide hips of the car (very cool).

I took the car a few more laps on that stretch of road and each time same thing happened - stopped short by the rev limiter from raving it out. As we drove back to the store I kept saying hmmmm in my head. One thing was definitely out of the question - trading my car plus circa $100k for the 488.

But it did feel much more comfortable to drive and felt like something one could drive daily or on a long trip without a sore back. My wife complains about the noise and discomfort of the 458 - I will not let her near the 488 otherwise I might have to trade my 458.

So there you go, lots of pluses and some minuses. But never for a moment did I wonder if I would trade my 458 Spider for the 488 GTB. We'll see what happened when the 488 Spider gets here.

Sart

 

Thank you for sharing this experience with us... Well written and very insightful

 

Great sum up and here in lies the challenge when you just evolve one of the greatest cars to ever be mass produced versus completely REDO it (not sure what a REDO would be). Anyhow back to my point, you will have many owners that can't justify the extra $$ for so many reasons. Ferrari, just like Microsoft (aka Office 2010 to 2013), will be their worst enemies and their biggest competitors.

 

I will enjoy the local dealers calling up with some special 'deals' on 488's, just like 1989 all over again...!

 

great review Sartoria

 

Good review. It confirms my worry that the lower redline will dumb it down a little. I am very excited for the shifting though.

 

I am sure that the car revs to the limit much more quickly than the 458 and that's what you were feeling when you describe the gears being "shorter". When I floor my 911 Turbo S in first gear I have to pull the right level almost immediately to avoid going over the redline.

 

I personally like the rougher shifting of the earlier 458s. It conveys a more raw sporty sensation. And that is not to mention the crackle and burbles of the exhaust.

 

Thanks Sartoria!

 

And I forgot to add this ....

The senior sales manager at the Abu Dhabi store mentioned almost absentmindedly that since the 488 demo was made available in Dubai, the demand for the 458 has gone through the roof. In his own words "we just can't find cars (458) for our customers who are demanding them".

Right now they are entirely out of stock and sold their last untitled spider to a guy who bought it from Egypt (sight unseen). Says he's been looking everywhere in the middle east for a new 458 Spider and couldn't find one.

I asked them how the order book for the 488 was doing and he tried to keep straight face saying they were booking orders but his body language betrayed him. And this is the UAE where the Sheikhs must have the newest and bestest (my emphasis).

I have a silent feeling I might have lucked into a classic having purchased a late model 458 Spider. May not be a collectible but listening to the market, perhaps a classic.

Interesting days ahead for Ferrari .....

Sart

 

458 shifts are rough? that made me lol.

 

Precisely

 

Yeah, try shifting in a Scud at 8500 RPM. Then let's talk about rough.

 

Opinions regarding the show aside, this review mirrors the difference in reviews between the 458 and 488 by the Top Gear crew. Clarkson reviewed the 458 on the show and lost his mind over it, especially in comparison to the 430. James May recently reviewed the 488 for the Sunday Times online and basically shrugged in comparison to the 458, but he did note the cleaner shift.
Links-
Ferrari 458 Review | Top Gear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgKjp1pq7iI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcWtAa5gGAo

 

Interestingly addendum. Thank you for your excellent unbiased review Sart. Wanted to ask you a couple of questions. Every time I drive my 458 Italia it just keeps getting better. Superior power, shifting and handling. Feel like I'm connected to the car. Did you feel that way with the 488? I know it's supposed to be faster but did it provide the same visceral feel one gets when driving the 458?

 

Reminds me of attending the unveiling locally, the tarp comes off the 488 and then....nothing. Sat inside and....nothing.

I feel like I have this car already, albeit with a different engine. Not better nor worse, but too similar. And I like the scream and jerkiness of the 458.

I hear what you are saying about grabbing a Spider 458 now...I am in position to do that too and perhaps bypass the entire 488 run.

 

I feel it's a bit unfair to expect the 488 to be as big of an improvement over the 458 as the 458 is to the 430.

The 488 is basically a refined 458 with turbo's while the 458 and 430 are two totally different cars.

 

I think if you go from any other car than the 488, you will be amazed with this car.

Going from a 458, you may scratch your head trying to figure out if it's better or not.

 

A nice dream but it won't happen!!

 

Thanks for the info, Sartoria. Helps me to reinforce my plans. I have a new Speciale arriving within the next few weeks and am on the list for a 488 Spider, likely for about 18-24 months out. I'll keep the Speciale and will replace my California with the 488 Spider.
I haven't seen the Spider in the flesh yet, but I did go to the premier of the GTB here in Detroit a few weeks back. I think the car is beautiful in the flesh and will be even better in the Spider configuration.

 

Gotta a feeling you'll be getting one

 

Guys or girls who love turbos will love this car.

Guys or girls who don't know the difference from a NA engine, will love this car.

Guys or girls who don't object to the side vents will love this car.

Ferrari will have no problem filling a twenty month waiting list for the 488.

After all the 488 is still better than a Lambo Hurican, Porsche turbo s, or MClaren entry car.

And IMO, the MB AMG or BMW hybrid or M3 inhabit a less competitive stratos and compete against each other more than with the 488.

 

Thanks for the writeup...well done.

Steering is softer. I wish the 458 steering was stiffer. Like my 2011 Boxster S and RS5 with dynamic steering.

Rides smoother. Watch out Cadillac...Ferrari is coming!

Shifts smoother. Try flicking the paddles on the 458.

Quieter. I disconnected the baffles to make my 458 Louder. It pops, gurgles, farts and growls in any mode (race, sport, wet) and all revs especially under 3000. Heaven.

Still a 488 skeptic. Hope I get to drive one.

PS. I drove the Cali and didn't think it was as much fun to drive as my 360 F1 Spider despite Cali having a ton more hp.

 

I'll know by the end of this weekend.

I just can't see myself in a Mac and I can't get excited about the Hurracan so... what to do?

 

This has served me well: when in doubt...do nothing.

If not excited, wait until something excites you. Life is too short.

From your posts it sounds to me that you are more excited about your old F430 Spider...where is the perfect onefor you?