Drove the 488 today.. thoughts, photos and videos

I too saw the 488 and can tell you there are many people who, first of all, have no idea what we are driving (I get asked quite often), and those who know it is a Ferrari often do not know what "model". Then comes the question of "year". It is interesting, given some received their brand new 458 this year, to suggest it is outdated. The 488, like the 348, 360, 430 all had their detractors. I believe the 360 had the cleanest lines, and the 458 is the best "street car" I have driven.

Personally, I know what will happen. I start with "I don't know" (Stage 1) and then one day I get "tired" of driving the same car (Stage 2) and "have to get something new" (Stage 3) . Then starts the rationalization (Stage 4) and finally I give in (Stage 5). Finally (Stage 6) I always find whatever I choose (with rare exception) the right decision, and THIS CAR is better than the last. You are just catching me during the first stage (lol). Best

 

well....I just finished reading the EVO magazine review of the 488 and based on Jethro Bovingdon's article I have decided against finding a nice 458 and instead putting a deposit down on a new 488

 

Many of your responses are incredibly childish. You seem to take it extremely personal when someone has a different opinion to yourself.

Would you care to explain how me temporarily forgetting the difference between turbo and super has any bearing on my ability to critique a design (given that I'm actually a designer)? Your comment is the sort of thing you'd expect to read on YouTube when a 14 year old has had his feelings hurt because someone said something nasty about his favourite pop star.

 

Wow, changed lane at 300+ kmh.
http://driverlols.com/ferrari-488-does-341kmh-211mph-on-autobahn/

 

My point was that turbos generate more heat. So do higher compression engines. This demands that the bodywork (i.e. design) accommodate additional cooling elements (i.e. more radiator surface area and/or intercoolers). In a previous post, you indicated that you didn't understand how a turbo works. If you don't understand how a turbo works, then, by default, you wouldn't understand the huge amounts of heat that turbos retain - and thus the need for the design to accommodate additional cooling elements -- which has a dramatic impact on design.

Similarly, in a previous post, you made the statement: "The Speciale looks 'overworked'. Looks like the brief was "Make the 458 look more aggressive." and the response was, "O.K, let's add a bit here and a fin there and a slat there and a scoop here and a..."

The Speciale has a 14:1 compression engine, which likewise generates more heat - thus the requirement for the design to be inclusive of additional air scoops, for reduction of said heat. So I can assure you, the brief was NOT to "add a bit here and a fin there and a slat there and a scoop here" as you suggested.

Not only is does the Speciale's 14:1 compression engine have additional heat drain requirements (thus requiring additional scoops), the car's more track-focused intent also dictates additional downforce, which explains many of the car's other "fins, slats, and bits."

More often than not, in a car like this, form does follow function. It's not just there for looks, as you seem to imply. It's there to serve a purpose.

I know it's hard for you, but please try to stay on point.

 

IMO, the 488 is definitely very beautiful, very fast, and has lots of new stuff. But there is something missing compared to 458 or other Ferraris, sound passion. Unfortunately this is very important. I don't mind my SUV is turbo, or my big sedan, but super car.......no thanks. This level of car is not only about getting from point A to B, but it's more about giving yourself a smile when driving it. Nobody will smile if their super car sounds like Subaru. Just look at 911, everybody wants GT3 RS more than faster turbo S. For me, I just wont get turbocharged super car, no matter what. If all brands go turbo, then I will stop buying super car. I can live with that. (Or just keep my NA until its completely broken).

 

And, once again, another snide, childish reply. Inaccurate, as well.

 

I don't really understand all the hate for turbo's. Arguably Ferrari's two greatest supercars were turbocharged (288GTO and F40). Pagani sure seems to be doing OK with his new turbocharged Huayra.
What happens when the guy in the new 488 GTB drives around your 458 or Speciale on track or on the road or airstrip? Many new supercar buyers want more power and speed as bragging rights whether they use it or not.

 

Like I said, when I read comments like this I wonder are we getting all-electric Ferrari very soon

 

TT cars are neither all-bad nor all good. For me, since I drive a lot at high altitudes (over 7000 ft) a TT offers far less of a performance debit than NA. (My FF's V12 says "Give me more air" when we are at altitude). The effect is large. I once timed a car of mine at sea level and at 7000 feet, and the debit in medium speed acceleration was 40%.

On the other hand for me the worse thing about TTs is heat soak, not exhaust noise or turbo lag. On a warm/hot day all TTs I have driven have a big performance debit due to the ECU turning down the boost and the timing. The basic problem is that the intercoolers are not big enough to cool the intake air charge sufficiently so the engine is reined in to prevent fuel detonation. The higher the boost the worse the problem. A dyno shop guy told me that their TT Camaro which made 550 road hp was measured below 400 on a 80 degree day.

I don't know how significant the 488's heat soak problem will be. The auto "journalists" don't report on it; for them it is all "gee whiz, what torque!" Ferrari engineers know what they are doing so I assume they would have taken steps to minimize it.

 

Heat soak is much less of a problem with turbos than it is with superchargers. Especially in today's modern turbocharged cars i.e. Mclaren, Porsche et al

 

I think the comment about being able to more readily get at the power with the turbo engine is correct. You can. But part of the Ferrari experience- at least for me- is exploring the different "sub power bands" inside the motor's entire power band over the spectrum of RPMs. That last bit of power that comes on at the higher RPMs is truly thrilling! So now the 488 will deliver different thrills.

For me the issues with turbo motors are the typical ones: lag and sound.

On the lag front, though I have not driven the 488, I have driven the California T and I found the throttle response to be about where many NA cars were in the early 2000s when drive by wire became the standard. And I really didn't pick up much turbo lag, if any.

But for me its the sound. The sound of the motor, especially a Ferrari motor, imparts energy. And that energy is something that I find inspirational and exciting. No matter what you do that will be covered up a bit with turbos and thus, for me that is a real loss.

The counter point to this is that cars are not just one thing, they have many attributes and its really the integration of all the parts into a total package that counts. I'm sure Ferrari has done a masterful job with the 488. I'm not negative on it, I think many will love it. But for this moment right now, I'm sticking with my 458.

 

Great post!

 

Everyone? Not at all the case. Myself and many of my friends all chose the ridiculously fast and comfortable 911 Turbo S over the GT3 rs. Just saying...

 

Hey Arnie let's go for a group drive with some friends late August when I get back in town:
long overdue

 

Yesterday I was passed in the twisties by a 911 Turbo S... on a curve going up hill. Like I was standing still. It was effortless. And I was going as fast as I could... in my 160 hp Abarth! My best laugh of the day.

 

I live up at 5000ft to 7000ft and you are right N/A engines are down on power big. My Turbo cars are much better up here in this thin air.

 

I am certain to illicit a bit of disagreement, but nevertheless. I do not mean to be either argumentative or disrespectful (to anyone). However, I always wonder why people do not prefer superchargers over turbo chargers for the street (no one road races a supercharger for a myriad of reasons)? There is always some turbo lag and sound is (imo) adversely impacted.

I have gone out of my way to purchase "supercharged" street cars, SL 55, Cadillac CTS-V, and have added the new Z-06. I have no problem driving my Bentley GT (turbo charged) but it is a "big" and "luxury" car, although fast and fairly nimble, not a real sports car.

For "instant" power, a supercharger is superior.

The 488 is a nice looking car, different in several respects from the 458. However, the sound has changed, which is important to some, including me, and when you look at this car without passion or prejudice, it looks very similar to the 458 but with a bunch of openings that are only utilized on a race track and detracts from the "flow" of the 458 (as did the 430 from the 360). The interior is virtually the same, save for location of knobs.

However, to be fair and honest, I too, will most likely own a 488 sooner or later because like most here who can afford and like Ferrari's, we just keep buying. But, I have to tell you, I bought the Z 06 because GM (Lord help me) built a quality product that is really FAST. Best

 

The GT3RS are also limited cars with very low production numbers. The last 997 GT3RS are selling for 3-4 times original MSRP. Sure the GT3RS is a great track car but thats not why people want them since 90% of those purchased (at least in the USA) never see the track. For a drivable car the TTS is the far better car, just not as limited. I own a 2015 TTS and have driven the old 997 GT3RS and its not even close, TTS wins every time. Also full disclosure, I sold my 2014 Italia on Monday and have the 488 on order....

 

Hey buddy

So when you say on order, have you actually been giving a live allocation?

 

We love our 2014 supercharged Audi S4. Sounds great (dynamic mode) and no lag. Torque is great at altitude. No heating problems. Days are numbered. Audi seems to be going to turbos like Porsche. 2016 RS5 will be 500 hp turbo vs my na 450 hp RS5.

 

Thats purely for fuel economy reasons. Turbo is more efficient. But Audi is working on a system where they use a battery to power the turbo when the motor is not powering it so there is no lag at all. Kind of a hybrid turbo setup.

 

Superchargers work better on large displacement engines. The parasitic loss kills revs on smaller engines, therfore cutting power.

 

Torque... Without a belabored technical discussion, the one word makes the difference when driving within the U.S., which has a speed limit in (some) places of 75 and driving is characterized buy on/off ramps, occasional open and or curvy roads. Best One way to increase torque is a supercharger. Best

 

The big advantage of an exhaust turbocharger is the dynamic and not static and linear connection to the engine speed. An exhaust turbocharger can support variable a wider speed range and you can combine different turbo-systems (parallel biturbo/twin turbo, sequential biturbo, multistage turbocharging etc.).

At the very end, the efficiency of an exhaust turbocharger is significant better.