I don’t think sound is the only thing but it’s a big thing. The looks of the 488 just haven’t grabbed me yet. The lines of the 458 all work together to make a work of art. 488 seems to be sending mixed messages to me. There is no real tie in with the front, rear and side views. They could be three different cars. The 458 on the other hand all remind you that it’s a 458. IMVHO it is the prettiest fcar since the 360. The sound and looks are drawbacks that l would never pay $100+k more for trade to a 458. The 488 should be a better car considering technological advances. Keyless entry and the top can go up and down under 30 mph. These and “drives better” just don’t add up to $100k for me. The 458 is plenty fast. IF l had never seen and heard the 458 perhaps the 488 would be an option. But l have heard and seen both. Don’t think l would do the trade if l could swap EVEN. The fact that we even have a thread where this is even debatable shows that many think the 458 is more fun to own than the 488. I rest my case.
So if I was to start a thread that compared a Camry to a 488, all of a sudden that makes the Camry a legitimate sports car? Got it.
That’s cause 70% of the people on this site are smoking crack. Lol lol. Just kidding. 458 is a great car but I’ll be the minority and say the 488 is a better car.
Reality is, the 458’s legacy is being the last NA car in the series. It’s balanced, it’s raw, it’s powerful, it shifts crisply, and it’s a bargain for what you get. The 488 is an improved vehicle, but lacks the soul of the 458, the audible shriek, it’s more refined, nicer..,but that nose is eh, and I dig the rear of the 458, the center exhaust is my preference. To be clear, the Pista....on another level, vehicle. Next level. Comparing my personal take on italia/spider vs gtb/spider.
That’s an insult. Why would people smoke illegal crack when they can smoke LEGAL pot. Confused in Colorado.
Loved the 458 years ago, it was great. But it has aged. The 488 is much more fun to drive, not even close. The 488 has so much more usable power and the handling is improved. The 488 is more fun to drive on the street or a track, just a better overall performer. Looks are even more subjective, but the 488 has the more aggressive stance, the 458 looks great, but it is not as strong looking. The 458 will always hold a special place in Ferrari history, but it has been improved upon.
To each his own. To be fair, the 488 is quite quicker than the 458, but I don’t see where it is so much more fun to drive. Nor to a point that justifies handing over your 458 with all the goodies + 100k or so, to get a GTB. To me, fun doesn’t always mean faster, and vice-versa. And a 488 is not fun to drive on the street or city center: one slight flick on the gas pedal and you’re immediately glued to the car ahead. Now, if you’re talking about track racing, it’s another matter completely and I completely understand what you mean. Kind regards, Nuno.
Every single person that hears my stock 458 Spider exhaust loses their mind at the sound. That cannon shot "boom!" and the gradual build from growl to howl at redline is singular. It is bonkers fun to drive and that sound is so much of the experience for me that I think the 458 is the pinnacle of the Ferrari 8-cylinder experience. I appreciate the 488, but have no interest in trading.
Drove behind labmans 2011 458 with no flash - forgot how amazing that sound is. Def worth a 20 percent premium over a flashed car. Insane!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
458 for me. Yes the 488 is by all objective measures a better car but subjectively it just isn't for me. Extracting speed from a 488 is easy, you can do that and change gear at 4500 rpm, you can drive along on this wave of torque and make rapid progress. With the 458 you have a much more intense experience, get the revs up and you get to savour an engine what rewards and excites to a degree the 488 just cant. You want to rev the 458 to 9000 rpm and you need to in order to extract the performance, you don't need to rev the 488 to 7000 rpm. The rewards the engine in the 458 give are to me greater, the sound changes with revs and to my ear at least the 488 doesn't really. You cant go wrong with neither but in the 458 you get the pinnacle of Ferrari NA V8 goodness.
Yes, sir! Been saying that to everyone who asks me about post-2012 458s for years! 7 year “free” maintenance is nothing compared to that exhaust sound and backfire bliss. My 2011 is unflashed. I scare the living hell of toddlers and old ladies. Although it’s very audible inside, it’s on the outside that it gets mesmerizing. Kind regards, Nuno.
Every 458/488 should have aftermarket exhaust IMO, should be mandatory. If you dig those you’ll go nuts over a proper IPE/Novitec/etc setup. Mandatory for 458 because it enhances what’s already great, mandatory for 488 bc stock it sounds like an Impreza
I’ve seen some of those on Youtube. Not only they sound out of this world, but they also shoot flames out of the exhaust on deceleration... Magic stuff if you ask me. Kind regards, Nuno.
All that tells us is that 48 people prefer the 458 and 21 prefer the 488. It tells us nothing about the cars, only something about those who vote.
Then what’s the purpose of the poll? More people prefer the 458 by a factor of more than 2 to 1. That’s a significant difference.
Maybe a case of you " have the right to not vote ." Maybe this site has more 458 owners. To make any sense of statistics one would first have to determine how many on this site have a 458 and how many have a 488. Then you add the others that have neither car
The poll is absolutely indicative of what enthusiast thing. You dont need 2000 votes for something like 458 vs 488 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Are you saying that one is less of an enthusiast if one prefers the 488 over the 458, or am I misreading your post completely?