F8 - Ferrari F8 Tributo Review | FerrariChat

F8 Ferrari F8 Tributo Review

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by nickorette, Aug 15, 2020.

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  1. nickorette

    nickorette Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 19, 2017
    375
    Canada
    I received an Invite from Ferrari of Toronto to drive the new F8 Tributo. On a sunny Saturday afternoon I made my way to the showroom where I’m greeted by Louie. He turns out to be a real car guy that knows his stuff, friendly and good vibes.

    Walking up to the F8, the first thing that hits you is how visually striking it is. There was a 488 GTB in the showroom that I spent some time looking at while I was waiting for the paperwork to be done and the car to be pulled out, the F8 is instantly more striking and modern. It has more presence. Design language also looks more coherent, the boxy shapes on the 488 bumper never looked right in my opinion with the swooping curves used elsewhere. The S duct hood adds drama and presence to the front end that matches what is going on elsewhere in the car.

    The car in question was finished in classic rosso corsa with a blacked out roof. I opened to door and made my way into the optional carbon seats which were well supported and felt comfortable the whole time I was in them. The cabin is a very nice place to be and everything feels very high quality and special. This car had all of the carbon accoutrements and was well equipped with alcantara accents amongst the rosso stitching and nero leather. The yellow tach is large and well detailed. I’m glad they held out on this generation before moving to screens, to me physical dials feel more timeless and special.

    You sit low in the car with a high scuttle. Rear visibility is small but side mirrors are nice and large and give good visibility. The car felt easy and effortless to maneuver out of the tight parking area and onto a busy street.

    On the road and in race mode, the first things I noticed was how well damped the car is. The F8 felt very smooth and easily tackles road imperfections. Steering was light but very precise; I never felt lacking in confidence.

    With a few stretches of road cleared up I had a chance to open her up and run through some gears. The way this car picks up pace is incredible, you literally feel your organs getting pulled back. You can get to crazy speeds not only in a short amount of time, but in a short amount of space as well. The car feels like it’s doing a mini launch control between gears, when you’re giving it the beans and change-up it feels like you’re just flooring it from a stop. The brakes felt good, with good modulation and not bitey. I gunned it on a side street and had to throw out the anchors shortly thereafter for a hidden speed bump and had no issues giving the exact amount of braking I needed to get the car where I wanted it to be.

    It doesn’t take long to get confidence in the F8. The steering is accurate and the way the car pulls is addictive. It feels planted. The car goads you to go faster and fling it into corners.

    Ferrari has done well to make the engine feel NA. Often turbo sportscars that gave you so much low down torque that it doesn’t really feel like there is a point to revving out the engine, you have so much torque you can just change gears whenever. This pulls hard to the redline and makes you want to keep going. Throttle response is not as sharp as the best NA motors but for a turbo it is top notch.

    Ferrari engineered a “hot tube” over the driver’s shoulder to pipe engine noise into the cabin to give the driver more noise that was taken away from the GPF and turbos. You can definitely tell it is a turbo with the accompanying sounds that go with it. Overall the sound was good and you can hear the V8 noise well and I’m happy to report none of the contrived over-engineered burbles and pops any time you lift the throttle. Not comparable to the best in NA engines but I don’t think there is any expectation as such.

    I pulled into the dealership after the drive, having spent about 45 mins behind the wheel. Overall I felt like the F8 is a hugely capable machine. It is very easy to get comfortable with and feels easy to use. It is very easy to drive very fast and feel comfortable doing so. I think the F8 is the best looking version of the 458 platform and feels very special to be in. It is a supremely well engineered and built machine that would make even the most discerning enthusiast happy.

    Special thanks to Ferrari of Toronto and Louie for the drive. It was a pleasure to take the F8 out, they are friendly, knowledgeable and I would highly recommend anyone in the market in Toronto to get in touch.

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    I did a F8 vs F430 comparison write-up that can be found here:
    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/ferrari-f430-vs-f8-tributo-comparison-test.627292/
     
    ArchiveZFF, TR007, doc76 and 9 others like this.
  2. uhn2000

    uhn2000 Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2011
    2,128
    Toronto
    Full Name:
    Joe
    Thank you for that.. so whats your spec going to be :) BTW great guy, I have known him for years.
     
  3. PhilNotHill

    PhilNotHill Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jul 3, 2006
    27,855
    Aspen CO 81611
    Full Name:
    FelipeNotMassa
    Thanks for posting. Well written and informative. Caio
     
  4. Coincid

    Coincid F1 Rookie

    Dec 9, 2014
    3,605
    Canada
    A test drive with a salesman around the dealership gives you very little insight to how enormously capable and compelling the F8 is. If you were still impressed, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
     
    Drson likes this.
  5. nickorette

    nickorette Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 19, 2017
    375
    Canada
    Hmmm dream spec would probably be an F8 Spider in Rosso Fiorano with nero alcantara interior and sports seats

    But have a EVO RWD Spyder on order so should probably get that first :)
     
    bwshihtzu likes this.
  6. uhn2000

    uhn2000 Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2011
    2,128
    Toronto
    Full Name:
    Joe
    EVO will be fun .. I have an old school 2014 Performante Gallardo Spyder - I love it for the sound and the single clutch. I heard the new ones are a win!
     
  7. Manda racing

    Manda racing Formula 3

    Feb 25, 2015
    1,270
    Bakersfield, Ca
    Full Name:
    Mark
  8. racerdj

    racerdj F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jan 19, 2003
    6,952
    Indianapolis
    Full Name:
    DJS
    Thanks for a very accurate write up!
     
  9. dustman

    dustman F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2007
    11,433
    I for one would love burbles and overrun.
     
    MANDALAY and Ash Patel like this.
  10. Lesia44

    Lesia44 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 5, 2009
    17,894
    Got my test drive coming up shortly. Can't wait.
     
  11. Coincid

    Coincid F1 Rookie

    Dec 9, 2014
    3,605
    Canada
    The EVO RWD is a thrill machine. It is all about excitement and involving driving dynamics.
     
  12. nickorette

    nickorette Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 19, 2017
    375
    Canada
    Single clutch is part of the reason I like my F430 so much, the shifts have feel and character compared to modern dual clutch!
     
  13. Jo Sta7

    Jo Sta7 F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 13, 2015
    5,913
    Scottsdale/Pittsburgh
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    Jon
    I agree but I don’t like how Lambo has synthesized the burbles on the overrun. The 3 pops each lift gets old. I’d rather have the charm of not knowing when and how many burbles I’ll get.
     
    ScrappyB likes this.
  14. dustman

    dustman F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2007
    11,433
    This is why I sold the Perf. Brilliant car but got too predictable. I do hope they solve this for the Evo Perf.
     
  15. Jcmd

    Jcmd Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2017
    337
    EMA
    F8 is a GT experience, Lambo is a GT+ for me(less comfy, stiffer, noisier--more fun for some?)
     
  16. Surfah

    Surfah F1 Rookie

    Dec 20, 2011
    3,144
    On a regular Huracan you can try pulling the vacuum lines. In Strada mode this will give you the loud exhaust without the pops and overruns since that is ECU programmed excess fueling in Sport mode and not Strada.

    Won’t work on a Perf as exhaust gas bypasses muffler I believe.
     
  17. Surfah

    Surfah F1 Rookie

    Dec 20, 2011
    3,144
    Good feedback. I am contemplating going from my H to my friend’s newer 488 GTB next year although I’m not a huge fan. The stock exhaust is much quieter than my H but the loaded spec, low mileage, attractive price and buying from a friend are compelling. Having owned 458 spider and 2 Huracans perhaps EVO RWD is better option.
     
  18. Coincid

    Coincid F1 Rookie

    Dec 9, 2014
    3,605
    Canada
    So I sold an otherwise brilliant super car because the 3 pops on the downshift were excessively predictable? If it would pop eradically, I would have kept the car. And for another, those predictable 3 pops removes the mystery of the number of pops that would occur in the future? Funny but I did not pay that much attention to the number of pops but I do vividly remember the popping.
     
  19. Jcmd

    Jcmd Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2017
    337
    EMA
    Like riding a bull.. the H, it is so much fun until you reach a certain point, then it starts to annoy you. The F8 is comfy, then you ask, is this it? Thats why i have both lol. It really depends how much "work" you want to put in a drive. The burps, gurgles never get old... and BTW is an on demand feature if you know how to work the throttle release properly.
     
  20. Jcmd

    Jcmd Formula Junior

    Feb 1, 2017
    337
    EMA
    The front of the 488 GTB got uglier and uglier for me, though its sounds better than the F8, the revised aesthetics of the F8 makes the 488 GTB almost look like a mistake by F production team.
     
  21. Surfah

    Surfah F1 Rookie

    Dec 20, 2011
    3,144
    I never knew it was 3 pops until reading this thread despite putting 3500 miles on my H. I like the pops and overruns, never gets old.

    Modulating the throttle response allows me to be conductor of my own Italian symphony. Love it.

    Once I saw the buck teeth of the 488 front, I could never unsee it.
     

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