Why does "everyone" prefer the 458 over the 488? | Page 11 | FerrariChat

Why does "everyone" prefer the 458 over the 488?

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by amazingtrails, May 28, 2025.

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  1. KnifeEdge2k1

    KnifeEdge2k1 Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2022
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    Dominic Leung
    That's the thing though, a 3.9l on twin parallel turbos is equivalent to a 2liter on a single turbo. This is mechanically identical.


    Yeah sure, but turbo manufacturers, automobile manufacturers, etc. all of them will tell you the advances are in metallurgical and geometry, not in "using two turbos instead of one" especially when in multi bank engines using two turbos is usually easier to do than using a single for packaging (with or without cross bank charging). You can literally just look at a turbo from the 80s and one from post 2000s and see how much more complex the blade geometry is. Twin scroll turbos and VTG also plays a role but the latter is still relatively rare while the former is quite common.

    BMW turbo sixes are probably the best example of a large displacement single turbo ICE. The N54 used twin parallel setup and was abandoned for a single twin-scroll setup in the N55 and all their turbo sixes since.

    Porsche Boxster/Cayman uses a single turbo with a 2.5L flat 4 and the new GTS uses a single turbo as well (this is a bit of an unfair comparison given that's using electric hybrid/split turbo like that used in F1)

    Does the 3.9l on two turbos work better than it would on a single turbo ? absolutely it does but it would be disingenuous to say that this is the reason why it's good. V8s lend themselves to using a single turbo on each bank, a flat plane crank v8 even more so. So Ferrari using twin turbos on the 488 isn't so much something that should be lauded as something that should be EXPECTED. That makes it NOT praiseworthy. The default should not be praised.

    The "lore" behind twin-turbos all pretty much came about from small displacement engines using sequential turbos (small+big). \

    V8s, V10s, V12s naturally lend themselves to using more than one turbo, it would be "strange" to see them using anything less than two.

    4pots lend themselves to using a single turbo, it would be "strange" to see them using more than 1, which is why a twin-turbo 4 is "interesting"/"cool" because it's not obvious, it signifies the engineers/designers are placing a strong desire for both high end output AND response (generally a twin turbo 4 is going to be of the big + small variety)

    6's are in a weird middle ground where it's conceivable to run either the twin parallel or big+small variety and for it to legitimately make sense, in a multi bank (v or flat) probably a twin parallel makes sense and a big+small wouldnt (for packaging) and for an inline 6, anything goes (although with modern turbos you can still get very good response with good top end without having to use a twin setup as every single BMW since the N54 has shown)
     
  2. vjd3

    vjd3 F1 Rookie
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    Jun 3, 2005
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    I suspect there are fewer DCT issues on the 458/488 cars because the California and California T are more apt to have higher mileage as they are GT cars and probably get driven more than weekend blasts in the midengine car. I'm not sure of the sales numbers but I would guess they sold more California than 458s/488s overall.

    Keep in mind that the sensor issue (early wiring harness in particular) is not the inherent flaw that lurks in all the Ferraris with that gearbox. Although a sensor can go bad for other reasons, which is why it makes sense to replace them all whenever the gearbox is opened.

    Informative video from Micah at the Hollywood Mechanic (and he has a much more in depth one as well on his channel) ...

    Irregardless, the gearbox issue is just as apt to strike any Ferrari from that era so it's not a consideration between the two unless it's a very early 458 before they changed the clips on the internal wiring.

     
    mdrums likes this.
  3. KnifeEdge2k1

    KnifeEdge2k1 Formula Junior

    Jun 1, 2022
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    Dominic Leung

    That leak seems to be a different issue to the dreaded (losing an entire 'bank' of gears) but yeah, it wouldn't be a ferrari if it didn't have a hidden time bomb "somewhere" right ?
     
  4. Twosherpaz

    Twosherpaz Formula Junior

    Feb 25, 2014
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    Thermal, CA
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    You know the reason, blah blah, last NA is not trivial.

    I do grab the key more often for the Pista than the Speciale largely due to speed/torque. Not so much the case on the 296 but I think that is because the seat just doesn’t treat my back so well.

    Speciale A, Pista Pilota, Speciale, Pista spider, Pista are the top five collectibles from 458/488 era. F8 only true collectible is SP48 Unica.
     
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  5. MacNugget

    MacNugget Formula Junior
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    Aug 12, 2007
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    Tejas Hill Country
    This invites the question -- what percentage of the marketplace is shopping for a "collectable" vs shopping for a "car"?
     
    mdrums and up4speed like this.
  6. dustman

    dustman F1 World Champ
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    Jun 12, 2007
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    At the right price, everyone.
     
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  7. BuyHighSellLow

    BuyHighSellLow Karting

    Mar 18, 2025
    129
    Alberta Canada
    Looks like a Ferrari on top and a Nissan on bottom
     
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  8. MacNugget

    MacNugget Formula Junior
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    Tejas Hill Country
    I'm not sure I follow. What do you mean?
     
  9. dustman

    dustman F1 World Champ
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    It’s all good.
    Exiting this thread.
     
    Eilig likes this.
  10. Eilig

    Eilig F1 Rookie
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    Tänzelndes Pferd
    Me too. Talk about beating a dead horse (of the turbo persuasion)
     
  11. Ash Patel

    Ash Patel Formula Junior

    Dec 12, 2015
    549
    Stockholm, Sweden
    I’ve owned several 458s and would never go back. The styling hasn’t aged well, and it’s slow. Get the 488—it looks much sharper and is faster, even though some people claim the opposite, which is hilarious.
     
    Shark01, mdrums, blkdiablo33 and 3 others like this.
  12. d16dcoe45

    d16dcoe45 Rookie

    Aug 4, 2024
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    Jay Justin Lestingi
    Wow the blinders are REALLY on
     
  13. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Dec 1, 2000
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    OK big guy, tell me how a Ferrari 458 is new and specifically what is better about a C8?
     
  14. Gattiman

    Gattiman Rookie

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    Allen Drewe
    I like the 488 better but I’m a younger, speed matters kind of guy. Not that the 488 is king of the road but the 458 is slow slow.
     
  15. Eric C

    Eric C F1 World Champ

    Mar 20, 2009
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    C8 is about as cool as a 83 vette
     
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  16. Eric C

    Eric C F1 World Champ

    Mar 20, 2009
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    In stock form, I think 488 looks better. Throw some mods at it and its anyone's game.
     
  17. BuyHighSellLow

    BuyHighSellLow Karting

    Mar 18, 2025
    129
    Alberta Canada
    My favorite year corvette, hands down.
     
    Eric C likes this.

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