Test Drove the 488 Today. Cancelled my Order, Sticking to my 458

Did you watch the video at all? It appears you did not.

Don't they tell that the 488 has the No.1 turbo engine in the world and that the turbo is definitively not the point here? It's just the point that the "special editions" appear to rank in this kind of test in front of the "normal" cars and they are very much looking forward to the 488 speciale?

 

... not too much longer now and the latest Ferrari will drive itself, otherwise they won't be able to sell a new car.
Pete

 

Does that mean in 2015 Ferrari has the best turbo in the world and Porsche has the best car in the world?

 

Got the impression that the 488 even with more power just did not measure up to the 458 S driving experience.

I agree the Porsche Cayman GT4 and Boxster versions are drivers cars. No turbo. No paddles. Great handling. If you can get by the looks. Not a fan of that boy racer rear wing.

 

If your basis is that Evo test: yes, that's what say, don't they?

 

EVO car of the year almost always goes to the compromised lightweight versions of cars. The 458 didn't win the year it was released and whilst the speciale did, a Jag F-Type came second that year - so hardly the calibre of this years competition. All 3 on the podium this year are the most hardcore drivers focused version of each car.

Jethro has mentioned before that the speciale is a little sharper than the 488, but why you'd compare the 458 speciale to the 488 is beyond me, it's going to be softer it's designed this way. It's like comparing a 997 GT3 to a 991 carrera s - there are things that the Carrera S does better than the GT3 but if the test is just a windy mountain pass of course the GT3 will be the sharper and faster tool. Despite the softer compromise the 488 is still faster around a track than the speciale. The same couldn't be said in the Porsche example.

Autocar had their car of the year as well - results below.
1. 488
2. GT3RS
3. Nomad
4. GT4
5. Aventador SV

 

Over the last week, there was a Ferrari dealer meeting in Florida where they gathered to take the new 488 GTBs out onto the Palm Beach Int. Raceway. Neither of the dealer reps here in AZ had driven the car before and I just got back from talking to them about their experience.

In a nut shell, WOW! They were blown away by the new electronics, brakes, and engine. Engine sounds?...well. It is what it is.

They went on to further explain that the had 458 Italias there and had a chance to do laps in both back to back, and drag race the 458 against the 488. The 488 "Smoked the 458s every time"

 

Same like Mclaren also smoked the 458 in drag race, but found it very very difficult to sell the car. IMO, few things involved, and one of those is sound aka passion.

 

Who cares about tenths of a second increments in a street car?
It's all about the SOUND, and for the GNP of a small country I want lots of it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHgD0wJGcR0

 

Not sure about the candle but totally different present day engines actually. Performance and sound quality aren't near each other at all. Both are magnificent but not comparable IMO.

 

Wow, that was from 1964. My dad was only 18 by that time, and his "car" was a bicycle.

 

In my opinion the problem here is we have reached a point where everyone appears to be chasing headline numbers as opposed to a headline driving experience, yes 661 bhp is fantastic but where in the 1st world can one actually use that power?

Sure down here we can, there are empty roads and the cars can be enjoyed but even then when is it too much? When do we start chasing lighter cars like the Alfa 4C and the unique driving experience they offer.

Undoubtedly the 488 is a super car, as is the 458 but when you are cruising around at 35 mph you want some drama and based on that I have read the 458 provides more of that drama that the 488 does, maybe in the new year I will have the opportunity to experience this first hand.

The success of the Cayman GT4 is telling, demand is far outstripping supply, the indication is clear, here is a car that doesn't trade on numbers so much as it trades on experience, yes the gearing should be shorter but 380 bhp is manageable and usable.

I for one am hoping the new Dino walks in the GT4's footsteps in the sense that numbers are not chased but usable driving joy is chased.

 

Well said......long live the Scud !

 

Loved my 430,Loved my 458,Love my 488 and am sure I will Love my next car what can I say I am a Ferrari whore.

 

Agree, 488 scuderia will destroy every competitor, and also change completely ideas and negative feedback of all the magazines and so on. I bet this. Best emotional Ferraris are always special editions. Pure passion. 488 I not a competitor of 675, 488 speciale will be competitor to this, although not in carbon fiber

 

You are talking about something that you don't even know the name yet. It could be 488 Scuderia, 488 Speciale, or.... 488 Extra Boost. For sure it's still 3 years away, and this is the ECOTY 2015. I also think that it is going to be a very good car, but it's not happening yet.

 

Ferrari can easy build their own GT4 with 3.8 liter NA V8, around 500 hp and low weight it will be most wanted machine

 

I think once the 488 starts getting delivered to customers on a larger scale opinions will change. I think it'll be an awesome car. Different than the 458 of course but still awesome. Too soon to even consider track edition of 488 as no one knows anything about it yet. We are prematurely reviewing the 488 based on a few people that have driven the car at events for short periods of time. Most people on this forum who have actually taken delivery of the new 488 are very pleased thus far.

The Mclaren 675LT isn't direct competition with the 488, the 650s is. Mclarens next platform P14 will be on a performance level ahead of the 488 and even the 488 track edition imo. They are really coming on strong and will become major competition one day for Ferrari.

Numbers are important and tenths of a second don't convey the real performance differences in these cars (458 vs 488). Anyone who thinks these numbers are meaningless is fooling themselves. But feeling, sound and visceral experience are important too . Why can't we have both for these prices ??

 

What makes the numbers important? I'd far rather have a more visceral experience at low speed and sacrifice 0.5 to 60 mph than have superb figures but a car which feels unexciting at low speeds.

Honestly I cant tell the difference between 3.5 to 60mph and 4 seconds to 60 mph, can you?

 

And I think they will do just that.

Ferrari today loves money. The dealers need more sales because quotas are limited. Not doing it loses sales to Porsche, Honda, McLaren, Audi and now even Lambo.


IMO investing in the FF was a mistake. They wanted to crack a different market so they made a 4 passenger 4wd car. Imagine how much more sales they would have if they built something like you are suggesting. I think a lot of FFs were forced into the market so people could get on "lists". That is not a self sustaining strategy.

Ferrari knows to. The question is are the bold enough to do it and not screw it up by protecting 488 sales.

 

The massive amount of torque in the 488 makes low speed driving (ie. short bursts) a visceral experience in its own way. Perhaps less so in terms of sound, but no one can deny the thrill of that sensation. Just ask 911 turbo owners.

 

The following I have read about the planned "sub 488 mid engine car", called "Dino V6", launch at the begin of 2018: a new V6 tt will be installed in the Dino, it will use the architecture of the 488 successor (!!) which will be launched in 2021. Main characteristics: a 120mm shorter wheelbase, very short overhangs, an especially flat roof and a super clean design without any spoilers. One speaks of two performance levels, 450hp and 600hp.

 

sadly they will build another turbo but this time with V6 and it will be 570S competitor not GT4/GT3




.

 

Interesting to read all the posts, many of which are thoughtfully written. Thanks!

For reasons that are imposed by governments and which are beyond the company's control, this is the turbo era.

I have no doubt that the new car outperforms the old. And I have no doubt that the 488 has its own unique flaws. It may not sounds as good to your ear as the NA. It still might be beaten in a drag race. But boring to drive? Nope.

I'm sure that Ferrari will improve upon the 488 platform in the future.

But it is what they are selling now and it seems quite good.