Do you prefer the Ferrari 458 or the Ferrari 488?

458

 

Easy, 458, especially the Speciale

Why?

Because Pista, F8

Unfortunately the 488 I believe will suffer from 'middle child syndrome'

458 can always point to NA as a unique proposition.
488 will always be the less performing model next to the Pista/F8.

I'm fine with that, because in real life terms, I'm willing to bet most folks out there wouldn't be able to take advantage of Pista/F8 improvements, which would make the 488 a future screaming value.

 

Looks: 458
Sound: 458
Interior: 458
Performance: 488

 

Price: 458

 

F8 Tributo.

I know its cheating but its true

458 ain't bad stuff though!

 

Making your hair stand on end? 458 at 9000 RPM.

 

I’d go f8 for looks and all other aspects.

Otherwise 458 speciale...

Robb

 

I would take a 458, in fact I was at Algar yesterday looking at a red/black one that just came in. I decided to pass because I have had too many red Ferrari's ( I'm keeping my other red/black one). This time I want a blue or a white one. If anyone is looking for a red one, it is there.

 

Between those two, the consistently predictable one without the turbo lag/rush, however "barely noticeable".

 

In terms of 'best super car'

458<488<458 speciale

In terms of 'best supercar you can DD' then I'd have to give the controversial opinion that I choose the 488 all the way!

When I was shopping around for a pseudo DD I could of gotten a 458 for quite a bit cheaper than my 488, but still chose the 488. I didn't like how 'twitchy' the 458 was off the line for every day driving yet at same time loved feeling the G forces of the 488 when you really pushed it. The noise of the 458 was indeed better. But with the valves open I actually like how the 488 sounds, especially at lower RPM's. You can't always live at 9,000 RPM's on the street, at least on my streets you can't.

I know this won't be a popular opinion as the 488 is a car people love to bash.... Which I find odd because when the 488 first came out you could read through countless threads on this forum about how people were drooling over the 488 after their test drives, or how new owners were posting how much better they like the car. It wasn't until around mid 2017 that it seems the 488 has fallen out of fashion and people are getting way more nostalgic about the NA engine.

I think the F8 tributo will also suffer the same fate.. When deliveries start happening, aside from the most hardcore NA purists, I'm sure most people would choose a f8 over a 458. However, once the f8 is several years old I predict people will not like it as much and go back to glorifying the 458.

 

458 all the way. Classic style, better sound. 488 side vents look awful (rounded off fin is ugly). I prefer the singular lines without the vent. 488 should have been an entirely new design. Then they blue it again with the F8 and the new 90 - same basic design. Getting boring.

 

458 without a doubt! It has better lines and soul for days on end. I still remember when that car debuted....EVERYONE was in love, no matter where you went or what company you were with, the overwhelming opinion was that it was the most aggressively beautiful Ferrari made to date. The proportions, the sound, the updated tech, it set the bar for everyone else and years later the Gallardo still had a garbage e-gear single clutch transmission. It took Lamborghini forever to answer back correctly. I still love it and will post likely own one if F12's don't come down to earth more.

 

458 is the hands down winner for me. Next to that I'd choose a 360 coupe over a 488/F8, at least based on looks.

 

Agreed. You know what's funny. I'm 35 now, which means in 2002 when I graduated High School the 360 was THE car. But when the 430 came out I instantly didn't care for the 360. Now that I'm older, I much prefer the lines on a 360 coupe over a 430. I think it's aged better and the lines are just so sexy. They always look wider and better in person than in a photo.

 

An f430 coupe is a beautiful machine.

 

For some reason, I couldn't get excited about the 360 or 430. 360 is nice but lost the sharp lines. 430 just was too mechanical and odd looking. Just didn't work for me. I'm a lot older and prefer the 328, 355 and 512TR over the 360 and 430 with respect to design. Ferrari lost their edge a bit in the 360 to 430 range. But the 458 made up for it in spades. 488 and others are just derivatives of the 458 and have some nice changes, but the 458 is so good in the same way the 328 is a classic. 328 may not be anywhere close to the performance, but it's an icon. I'm holding on to my 458 for a long time unless they come out with another classic design that is the same caliber of the 328. I would love to see the next generation take more from the LaFerrari just like the 458 borrowed from the Enzo. Need those doors (to compete with McLaren) and incredible side air scoops. The 355 had great side air scoop design. The 488 side air scoops look awful. I realize they are functional, but they are small and out of place. Needs to be more bold and integrated in sharper way.

 

I think the turbo 488 ruined the exhaust note, compared to the 458

The sound and overall driving experience of the 458 is far better than the 488, IMO

 

Pull the plugs to open the exhaust note for much better sound at low RPM s. I did this on my 488 and it’s like night and day better. Best , Kirk

 

Also plugged vac hoses on my 488- much nicer and don't have that open/close effect at 3000 rpm.

 

That's interesting. I'm about 10 years older than you, and for me during my high school years it was all 308/Mondial/Testarossa, and of course the 70's cars which were driven much more back then. In 1990 a '71 Daytona wasn't even a 20 year old car. People drove them like regular cars. Or at least more did than they do today.

As Ferrari moved into the 3.2/328 format I started to cool on the new cars. I liked the sharper lines of the earlier 308 versions of all those cars, and didn't car for the integrated bumpers that came with the update. Similarly, I didn't care for the 348/355/360/or 430 when they came out. They all seemed a bit less self defining, more based around what was happening around them at the time. The Ferrari v12's of those eras always looked better to me (especially the 456 and 599). I initially balked at the 458 as well but I think that was just out of habit! Lol. I quickly saw it as a beautiful car and it's the modern Ferrari I'd most like to own. Equal parts mean and beautiful, masculine and feminine. Aside from the 458, of all the mid engine cars of the last 25 or so years the 360 Modena is the only one that I now really like. Luckily it's also the cheapest of all the cars I like so who knows....maybe!

 

little off topic (my apology to the thread starter), I asked my dealer if they could fix the exhaust on my 458 to keep the valve open all the time, they said it would void my CPO warranty

 

That is total BS. Two separate FCAR dealers did it for me at no charge . And both cars were under warranty, one was a brand new 488. Best ,Kirk.

 

wow, well it must vary between dealerships, but I guess I'm stuck since I will be using them for service

 

lol that's a load of BS! It's just a vacuum line to the valve flapper. Find a new dealer my friend.