Come 2015 and after nearly five years, it was time to replace the stunningly gorgeous 458 Italia. Ferrari knew that it had a brilliant piece of automotive art in the Italia, so they didn’t muck around much when it came to its holy successor - the 488 GTB. The Ferrari 488 GTB was unveiled in 2015, and it became their first turbocharged mid-engine sports car. It also incorporated several major aerodynamic upgrades to allow it to corner harder, accelerate more aggressively, and grip the tarmac like a gecko grips a wall. Ferrari also worked hard to shave more mass off of the GTB by using different, more modern production methods and different alloys in its construction. Competing with the likes of the Porsche 911, Lamborghini Huracan, and McLaren 570S, this Prancing Horse is in a league of its own.
Exterior
While its general design specifications may not appear to be too different from its predecessor, Ferrari has reworked almost every panel and surface of the 488 GTB. The new front splitter works alongside the active air-intake ducts and the heavily-sculpted hood to maximize the air flow over and underneath the car. Meanwhile, the evil grin of the front fascia is hard to ignore and is so, so lustworthy. The sensationally svelte side profile houses the glorious 20-inch alloy rims, hugely flared fenders, illustrious side sills, large rear-mounted air intakes, sculpted doors, and a steeply sloped roof.
The wide rear end features the 488’s distinctive circular LED taillights, flanked by large air exit ducts. There are even more airflow management design tools here, and they come in the form of a flush rear spoiler, centrally-located air channel, bumper-integrated air vents, and a massive rear air diffuser. The Ferrari 488 GTB is 4.568 meters long, 1.952 meters wide, and stands 1.213 meters tall at the roof. Its wheelbase stretches 2.650 meters, and its small frunk (front trunk) can hold up to 230 liters of luggage.
Interior
Somewhat similar to its exterior, the exquisite interior design of the Ferrari 488 GTB isn’t wildly different from its predecessor. Of course, the Maranello-based marque has reworked the design of the dashboard, console, seats, and that of various buttons and switches. There are now also different styles of trim pieces along the dash and doors. However, the multi-faceted steering wheel, digital-cum-analogue instrument cluster, and HVAC controls are all a throwback to the 458. The quality of materials and fit-and-finish are almost faultless, though not exactly sublime.
The driver-friendly cockpit layout is great, and so is the driving position. The 488 GTB’s features list includes adaptive LED headlights, automatic climate control, premium audio system, paddle shifters, computer-controlled active dampers, carbon-ceramic brakes, launch control, configurable driver’s multi-information digital display, and a touchscreen infotainment display with built-in navigation. As for the 488 GTB’s safety equipment, you’ll find an army of standard passive and active nannies, plus active understeer control, an electronic sports differential, active traction management, electronic stability assist program, and a crash-sensing door unlock mechanism.
Engine and performance
Tucked behind the cockpit of the 488 GTB is Ferrari’s F154, 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. It produces an astonishing 670 horses and 760 Nm of glacier-pulling torque. Armed with a super-quick 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox and air-splitting aerodynamics, the 488 will crack through the ton-mark in 3 seconds, flat! This cliff-falling acceleration continues as you rocket past 200 km/h in around 8 seconds or so, whilst that sweet F154 howls away as the speedo finally rests at an indicated 330 km/h.
Verdict
The Ferrari 488 GTB coupe costs just 1,250,000 dirhams in the UAE. Of course, you can go completely haywire with Ferrari’s ludicrous options list - trust me, there are many, many items to tick. As for the basic financing amount for your Prancing Horse, that will be just 19,483 dirhams.
