| Published
on 18
Jul
2015 |
All rights reserved.
|
|
|
|
It is difficult to imagine
how Ferrari could improve on the mighty 458 Italia, especially the last
Speciale edition. It was jaw-dropping sexy, lightning fast, razor
sharp to handle yet comfortable to live with. In my opinion, the 458
was the most remarkable Ferrari in modern ages, one easily eclipsing
the already incredible 430 Scuderia, F355 and F40. Even at this day it
still beats newer rivals like McLaren 650S or Lamborghini Huracan. Does
Ferrari really need to replace it? I doubt. Actually, I am a bit worry
that its replacement might lose some of its magic, especially when I
heard it
would switch to turbocharging…
Yes, turbocharging is often the cause of troubles on many modern
performance cars. The latest BMW M3/M4 and Renault Clio RS are victims
of
turbocharging as they have lost the razor sharp throttle response,
linear power delivery and
exciting sound of the past. The
next generation Porsche 911 Carrera is likely to follow suit
(fortunately the GT3 and RS remain normally aspirated). It goes without
saying that manufacturers switch to turbocharging because they need to
cut CO2 emission to satisfy new
regulations, in particular the strictest ones mandated in European
Union.
Emission,
emission... not even Ferrari could escape
Under the latest EU regulations, the average fleet emissions of mass
production manufacturers shall not exceed 130 g/km from 2016 and then
95 g/km from 2020. Medium size manufacturers which sell between 10,000
and 300,000 cars a year in EU, such as Porsche, shall have their
average emissions reduced by 25% by 2016 and 45% by 2020 from the level
of 2007. Niche manufacturers selling fewer than 10,000 units may
propose their own reduction targets, but those should be consistent
with the development of technology and subjected to the approval of
European Commission, thus no way to avoid drastic reduction measures.
Nevertheless, some are not influenced as much. Lamborghini, for
example, is part of the Volkswagen group thus its high
emission level may be offset by millions of fuel-sipping VWs, Skodas
and
Seats. No wonder it can keep using normally aspirated V10 and V12
engines.
Ferrari is not so lucky. Although it is part of the FCA group, boss
Sergio Marchionne is working to spin it off to raise capital. Once the
IPO is completed, Ferrari will be seen as an independent car maker thus
needs to take care of
itself. It has 2 options to reduce emissions: electrification or
turbocharging. The former is adopted on LaFerrari, while
the latter is to be used on its production models,
starting from California T and then 488 GTB.
|
The first thing you
notice about the 488 GTB, even before seeing it, is its name. This is
the first new model launched since the exit of Luca di Montezemolo, no
wonder it reverts to the traditional nomenclature preferred by Enzo
Ferrari – 488 is the cylinder capacity in c.c., while GTB stands for
Grand Turismo Berlinetta. I love it.
Evolved styling,
polished aero
Despite the new name, the 488 is unmistakably an evolution from the
458. It is not exactly a mid-life facelift, as some 85 percent of parts
are new, but it is not a clean sheet development either, unlike the
458. This has to be predictable, because Ferrari’s V8 line always
alternates between full redesign and
heavy modification. Just like the relationship between 308 and 328, 348
and F355 or 360 and F430, the 488 shares much the same styling,
(aluminum spaceframe) body structure and suspension with 458. Its
windscreen, side glass and roof are carried over intact, while
wheelbase is identical to its predecessor. Other dimensions are close
to the old car's, though the rear track is widened by 40 mm to make
room for turbos and intercoolers. The nose and tail are restyled mainly
for
improving aerodynamics and enhancing cooling to satisfy the hotter
engine.
Visually, the biggest difference between the 488 and its predecessor is
a pair of huge intakes opened at the rear fenders. Each of them is
split
half-half by a
carbon-fiber flap. The air streams passing above and below the flap
feed the engine intake and intercooler respectively. To pay homage to
the classic 308 GTB, scalloped air
channels are sculpted on the doors, though their XL size is a bit over
the top. Is the new Ferrari still sexy? Yes, definitely, if
not quite as
pure as the 458 it replaces.
|
As you would expect, Ferrari improved its aerodynamics
again. Its drag coefficient is lowered slightly from 0.330 to
0.324, while downforce is increased by 50 percent at 155 mph, amounting
to 325 kg. I can't think of any other standard road cars generating as
much downforce. For instance, the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS, even with
racing style aero kits, needs 186 mph to produce the same downforce.
Brilliantly, the Ferrari achieves that without using any
visible
wings. It goes without saying Maranello is still leading the sports car
industry in aerodynamics.
So what did Ferrari modify? The front bonnet of 488 GTB now
incorporates a pair of air channels
to enhance downforce. The whole rear end has been redesigned,
replacing the Italia’s centrally-mounted triple exhaust with 2 higher,
side-mounted exhaust. Less aesthetically satisfying might be, they
do make space for larger diffusers which help sucking the car to the
ground. As in LaFerrari and 458 Speciale,
active movable flaps are
added to the diffusers to vary downforce according to speed. Finally,
the new car introduces a patented aero design called "blown spoiler" – air
stream coming from the roof enters a small intake at the base of rear
screen and exits the tail through an outlet located just above the rear
bumper. This generates downforce without needing to raise the rear
spoiler, thus cuts drag compared with conventional spoilers.
Turbocharged V8 that pretends to be
atmospheric
The highlight is the 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8, of course. As usual,
Ferrari’s V8
runs dry-sump lubrication to lower center of gravity and flat-plane
crankshaft to enable higher revs. It also employs full variable cam
phasing, direct injection and ion current sensing knock control like
its predecessor. However, the
similarity ends there. Derived from the F154 family that started life
in California T, this engine shares cylinder block with the latter,
whereas
cylinder
heads, pistons, con-rods, camshafts, intake system, exhaust and turbos
are all bespoke. It keeps the 86.5 mm bore of its sister (vs 94
mm in 458) while increasing stroke by 1 mm to 83 mm (vs 81 mm in 458),
resulting in a swept volume of 3902 c.c. The bore/stroke dimensions are
much less “oversquare” than the past but this is usual for turbocharged
motors. Note that the new engine has lost titanium connecting rods, a
feature used by every generation of Ferrari V8 since F355. It doesn’t
need them because the turbocharged engine is not as high-revving
anyway. While its predecessor was good for 9000 rpm, the 488 engine
gives up revving beyond 8000 rpm. This inevitably robs it some thrills,
especially aurally.
|
On the plus side, it is a lot more powerful than the old naturally
aspirated unit. Maximum power is 670 horsepower at 8000 rpm, a full 100
ponies more than before and even eclipses the last Enzo supercar!
Expectedly, the
maximum torque is even more impressive, lifting from 398 lbft / 6000
rpm to 560 lbft / 3000 rpm, or an increase of 40 percent at half the
rev! Thanks must go to a pair of IHI twin-scroll turbochargers. They
are
larger than the ones used on California T so that they can boost at
most
1.5 bar instead of 1.3 bar. Meanwhile, they are also faster to spool up
as their turbines are now made of titanium-aluminum alloy (50%
lighter), and their shafts are mounted on ball bearings. In a typical
response test, Ferrari found the turbo takes 0.8 second to respond to
throttle input, compared with 1.1 second in the case of California T.
Of course, it is no match with the 458 Italia’s 0.6 second, but the gap
is narrower than expected, very close to “lag-free”.
Ferrari found most turbocharged motors fail to impress keen drivers
because their torque curves are simply too flat. As peak torque arrives
early, there is no reward to squeeze the engine to sky-high rpm. To
address this issue, the ECU on 488 deliberately limits the torque
output at lower revs to replicate the characteristic of naturally
aspirated motors. At the first 3 gears, the torque curve rises linearly
across the rev like a larger NA engine. It keeps rising until 6250 rpm,
where it peaks at a regulated 516 lbft. In this way, it encourages you
to chase higher rpm and make use of the lightning gearshifts of its
Getrag 7-speed twin-clutch transmission.
Now you might ask,
isn’t it a waste of turbocharging then? Well, even though the torque
curve is
artificially suppressed, it is still easily stronger than that of 458
at any
rev. Moreover, at higher gears the limitation is progressively reduced.
The higher the gear, the faster the torque curve rises at low revs and
the more they look like typical turbocharged curves. However, those
curves still rise steadily, if at a slower rate, from 1750 rpm to the
peak at 6250 rpm / 516 lbft. Only at top gear the curve is completely
flat from 3000 to 6000 rpm, where the full 560 lbft is released. Thanks
to this variable torque management, the Ferrari V8 feels
closer to an NA engine, albeit with superior
punch and reduced emission. The latter is rated at 260 grams per km,
down 15% from 458
Italia or 5.5% from Speciale. It might be modest,
but think of that extra 100 horsepower and 40 percent more torque
simultaneously and
you have to admit only turbocharging can deliver.
 |
Turbochargers tend
to suppress exhaust note and downgrade sound quality. Ferrari avoids
this by employing unusually long, equal-length exhaust manifolds to
amplify the harmonics before the gas reaches the turbos. It also
employs a freer, louder muffler, reduces sound insulation and even
cuts holes in the firewall to let the engine sound penetrating into the
cabin. We shall see whether it works later.
Rest of the package:
built on the strength of Speciale
The rest of the car is developed from the Speciale. Its Getrag 7-speed
twin-clutch gearbox is carried over, just fitted with longer ratios to
match the torquey engine. Gearshift is significantly faster than that
of 458 Italia as a result, i.e. upshift and downshift are 30% and 40%
faster respectively. The aluminum spaceframe chassis is mostly
unchanged except a new rear subframe to carry the wider engine. The new
engine accompanied with intercoolers is 16 kg heavier, so the car’s
front-to-rear balance is marginally worsen by half a percentage point
to 41.5:58.5. On the plus side, the new engine’s center of gravity
drops by 5 mm. Thanks to some weight reduction elsewhere in the chassis
and body shell, the whole car weighs 10 kg less than its direct
predecessor.
The steering rack is carried over from the 458. It keeps the
super-quick ratio of 2.0 turns lock to lock, and its servo remains
hydraulic. The suspension basics remain unchanged, too, but the 3rd
generation magnetorheological adaptive dampers promise to react faster.
To deal with higher performance, both the front and rear Michelin Pilot
Super Sport tires get 10 mm wider, although they might not be as sticky
as the Cup 2 tires on Speciale. The Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes are
derived from LaFerrari. They measure the same size as before (398 mm
front and 360 mm rear), but the new materials warm up faster and new
calipers improve cooling, so Ferrari claims braking distance is
shortened by 9 percent.
As in the case of Speciale, traction and stability is managed by
F1-Trac and SSC (Side Slip Control), but the latter is now the second
generation. It not only alters the electronic active differential and
traction control but also firms up or softens the suspension damping to
control power slide more accurately. Overall, Ferrari said the new car
achieves 12 percent faster acceleration out of corners and with 13
percent less body roll.
|
On the Road
Get on board, you will find a familiar environment. Yes, the main
instrument gets a second display and there are more storage cubbies,
but the design and architecture are just the same. Forward and lateral
visibility remains excellent for a super sports car.
Push the start button, it is a relief to hear the turbocharged V8
starts with a gruff snarl typical to Ferrari’s flat-crank V8s. Its
pitch is lower, bassier, but the exhaust note is just as loud in normal
driving. The throttle response is quick. Prod the throttle and you will
see the rev rises and falls immediately. It is almost, if not exactly,
as sharp as the 458’s. If you have never driven the old car or the
equally mighty F12, you might be hard pressed to tell if it is a
naturally aspirated motor. Driving at legal speed through the first 3
gears, the power delivery is remarkably linear. Turbo lag? What turbo
lag? It makes a McLaren 650S feels laggy, almost like an
on-off switch.
The ride quality feels even better than its predecessor. It glides over
broken pavement without much complaint, and soaks up bumps on
mountain roads with ease, maintaining excellent composure. The easy
going manner of 458 is retained. The hydraulic steering remains super
quick, incisive and communicative, but it gains a little bit more
weight to feel more confident to handle the extra power. Despite a lot
more torque to cope with, the twin-clutch transmission shifts even
faster without losing smoothness. It is a work of wonder. Ditto the
phenomenal braking.
Out on open roads and start pushing it, the 488 responds with violent
thrust and acceleration that is a whole level up from the 458. Thanks
to the superior torque, it gathers speed in a mind blowing manner.
There is no doubt that it can sprint from rest to 60 mph under 3
seconds, 124 mph in 8.3 ticks and ultimately reach 205 mph –
Subjectively it feels even faster! Maybe forthcoming road tests could
prove. When it accelerates, the noise gets increasingly frenetic across
the rev, and every corner is accompanied with turbo whooshes and
exhaust crackles. However, as you stretch the twin-turbo V8 closer to
its 8000 rpm redline, it is also obvious that it is not quite as
sensational as a 458 howling at 9000 rpm. It might be the best sounding
turbo engine we have ever heard, but not good enough to replicate
Maranello’s best atmospheric engines. What a pity.
|
That said, the absolute performance is more than enough to
compensate for the slight loss of emotion. The 488 is not only fast on
straight but equally capable in bends. Its best time in Fiorano is 1
min 23 sec, i.e. two seconds faster than 458 Italia or half a second
quicker than Speciale – the latter is a lightweight track special
fitted with semi-slick tires, remember.
Despite of much stronger power, the new car is not fearsome to handle
in any means. In fact, its chassis is as razor sharp as Speciale.
Perhaps a bit more forgiving at the limit. Its traction and balance are
phenomenal. When its power overwhelms rear tire grip, it breaks lose in
a more progressive manner. The softer throttle response of turbo seems
to smoothen the transient response of oversteer and make it easier to
control. For sure the SSC2 guarantees that it slips beautifully, but
even with traction control switched off you will find a superb inherent
balance. Meanwhile, the stronger low to mid-range torque gives you more
options to induce oversteer anytime, anywhere. This car is both sharper
and calmer than 458 Italia. Very close to 458 Speciale for precision
and feel, but more friendly on roads.
However, the 488’s power and performance are probably too much for the
road. Yes, they don’t come at the expense of drivability or emission,
but they are hard to exploit on
public roads. The beauty of 458 is that it feels right at the limit for
road use, no matter the sharp handling, lightning acceleration or crazy
sound. As I said from the beginning of this review, even today I don’t
think it needs to be replaced. The 488 is undoubtedly a better car, but
it doesn’t come close to 458 as a masterpiece. Its existence is not
driven by art and emotion but by emission and the threats of McLaren
650S. This will make it a bit less memorable from the perspective of
history.
|
Verdict:  |
Published
on 23
Aug 2018
|
All rights reserved.
|
|
488 Pista
|
|
|
|
458
Speciale set a very high bar, but 488 Pista lifts its further.
|
|
Since F355, the Ferrari V8
line was rarely challenged. Sometimes Porsche 911 GT3 or GT2 could
give it some headache, but Maranello struck back convincingly with a
lightweight
special called 360 Challenge Stradale in 2003. It was followed by 430
Scuderia in 2007 and 458 Speciale in 2013. The latter was particularly
impressive. Until today we still can't quite understand how it could be
so
fast, so thrilling yet so obedient. Unquestionably, the 458 Speciale
is destined to be a future classic.
However, since the launch of Speciale, the market segment has changed a
lot. McLaren developed so fast that even Maranello could be shocked.
Most recently, its 720S produces 50 more horsepower than the 488 GTB,
weighs less and sprints from 0-124mph half a second quicker,
accompanied with an untouchable top speed of 212 mph. Moreover, there
are now a very good 911 GT2
RS, a Lamborghini Huracan Performante and a Ford GT to challenge the
Ferrari,
and the list will grow further when the upcoming mid-engined Aston
Martin
Vanquish and Corvette C8 arrive next year. Fans of Maranello cry for a
strong response, and they get the answer called 488 Pista.
 |
|
Ferrari’s
track-oriented machine is not overly hardcore. It is nearly as useable
on normal roads as the GTB.
|
|
Pista is the Italian word for Track, but unlike the growing numbers of
track specials from other makes these days, Ferrari’s track-oriented
machine is not overly hardcore. It is nearly as useable on normal roads
as the GTB, as we shall see later. On the other hand, it has all the
performance figures dialed to 120 percent. This car is 90kg lighter
than the GTB (exactly the same reduction from 458 Italia to Speciale).
At 1280kg dry, it undercuts the McLaren by 3 kilos! which is remarkable
considering its aluminum spaceframe chassis is inherently heavier than
the McLaren’s carbon-fiber tub. Its engine produces 50 more horsepower
than the standard car at 720hp, and it gains 7 pound-foot of torque to
568 lbft. They are released at the same 8000 rpm and 3000 rpm,
respectively, so the performance gain is real: 0-60 mph now takes 2.75
seconds, 0.05 less than the McLaren. Top speed runs neck to neck as
Ferrari quotes 211 mph-plus. Most important, the Pista needs 7.6
seconds to go from 0-124 mph, 0.2s quicker than the McLaren. By the
way, it also beats 911 GT2 RS by 0.7 second. Mission accomplished.
In terms of aerodynamics, the Pista is heavily revised from GTB. Its
front end is sculpted massively to take advantage of an F1-inspired
S-duct, which draws air from the front splitter to the bonnet,
generating downforce. The sides of the front overhang have new winglet
extensions which incorporate air outlets. At the rear fenders, the huge
intakes of the GTB have been made smaller because they need to feed
only the intercoolers now, whereas engine intakes have been moved back
to the top of the fenders near the rear spoiler. The fixed rear spoiler
has been enlarged and curved further. When viewing from the back, it is
now clearly separated from the body, although its "blown spoiler"
function remains. The sides of the rear bumper have opened new air
outlets. Overall, downforce is lifted by 20 percent, amounting to 240kg
at 124mph. Meanwhile, drag is increased by merely 2 percent.
 |
|
It
brings back the exotic feel we have lost so long...
|
|
Magically, the aggressive aero treatment does not downgrade its beauty.
On the contrary, I found the pointier nose, sharper skirts and wings
bring back the exotic feel we have lost so long – remember when all
boys had a poster of Lamborghini Countach, DeTomaso Pantera GT5, Koenig
512BB or Vector W2 on the wall of their rooms? I like the styling of
McLaren 720S, but it doesn't arrouse your emotion quite like the 488
Pista. Maybe this is the difference between British and Italian
designs.
Predictably, the engine is still that marvellous 3.9-liter twin-turbo
V8, but it gets new carbon-fiber intake plenums, lightweight Inconel
exhaust manifolds, lighter crankshaft and flywheel and the return of
titanium con-rods. Inertia of its rotational parts is reduced by 17
percent, while the entire engine cuts 18kg. There are also new hollow
valves, friction-reducing DLC-coated piston pins and stronger cylinder
heads. Compression ratio is lifted slightly from 9.4:1 to 9.6:1. The
turbos now incorporate rev sensors to ensure identical charge pressure
on both cylinder banks. Variable boost management remains as the peak
torque is available only at the top gear.
Apart from a lighter engine and exhaust, the Pista cuts weight by
adopting traditional tricks, e.g. more carbon-fiber body panels such as
bonnet, bumpers and rear spoiler, a lithium battery, deleted sound
insulation, carpets and glovebox, lightweight seats and Ferrari’s first
carbon-fiber wheels – the latter is a £14,000 option that saves
you 10kg.
 |
|
Compared
Speciale, its exhaust note is gruffier and bassier, more bark than
scream.
|
|
On the road, the Ferrari twin-turbo V8 is sensational. As before, it is
remarkably responsive for a turbocharged unit. Throttle response is the
sharpest you can get in the turbocharged world. Turbo lag is almost
non-existent – you need to concentrate to feel it. Floor down the
throttle and its power surges at an insane rate, 8000 rpm is hit in an
eye blink and the twin-clutch gearbox upshifts as fast as a shotgun.
Despite all that low-down torque, the Ferrari V8 doesn’t feel any
boosty, because of its wide power band and its keenness to rev. Its new
exhaust brings a louder and harder-edged noise than the GTB. However,
compared with the old naturally aspirated unit of Speciale, it is
gruffier and bassier, more bark than scream. Purists still moan the end
of naturally aspirated era.
On the Fiorano track, the Pista is faster everywhere. It does a lap in
1:21.5, two seconds faster than both the GTB and Speciale.
Surprisingly, the chassis is altered only slightly. Springs are only
8-10 percent stiffer, while the magnetorheological dampers are left
untouched, ditto the ultra-quick electric power steering. The brakes
are unchanged, too, although the pedal is recalibrated. The Michelin
Cup 2 tires keep their sizes but get new bespoke compounds. Ferrari
updated the software of Side Slip Control, which can now adjust brake
caliper pressure through a new function called FDE. These mods sound
modest, but in addition to the reduced weight and added downforce, you
can feel the difference. It feels lighter and more agile. Its steering
seems to gain more weight and precision, now fast without feeling
nervous. The brake pedal is firmer, with a shorter travel and faster
response. There is more front-end grip generated at higher speed
corners. The car not only can corner faster, but also more progressive
in big, 30-to-40-degree power slide. With traction control switched
off, you can decide your angle of attack at will. Its chassis response
is so fast yet so controllable. Even when you step beyond its limit, it
won’t bite you. Just a quick counter-lock and back off will settle the
car. We have yet to see another supercar so sharp yet so docile. There
is no character change from the GTB, just better in every direction.
|
|
The
car not only can corner faster, but also more progressive in big power
slide.
|
|
What you would not expect for a track special like this is, it feels
comfortable to thread through mountain roads, too. The
2.0-turn-lock-to-lock steering makes cornering hairpins easy. The
suspension, in bumpy mode, is absorbent enough to tackle the worst
bumps. Even on the firmer setting, it is hardly punishing. Save the
louder cabin, it is no more demanding to drive than the GTB. The Pista
is not a track-oriented version of 488 GTB, but a road-going supercar
that can be taken to enjoy track days, do some impressive laps and beat
some track cars, all the while retaining the style and desirability of
the best mid-engined Ferrari. At £253,000, it is pricier again
than the 458 Speciale (£208,000), but it is definitely worth so
much.
|
| Verdict: |
Published
on 20
Mar 2020
|
All rights reserved.
|
|
F8 Tributo
|
|
|
|
Another
refresh of the 458 proves how great its genes are.
|
|
308, 328, 348, F355, 360,
F430, 458 and 488. What patterns do you find from this series? Yes, the
Ferrari V8 line always alternate between a new generation and a
mid-life update. New generations were 308, 348, 360 and 458, while the
others were modified from them. This tradition is finally broken by the
latest F8 Tributo, which is the second update of the 458 series.
Why is the change? There are speculations that Ferrari could kill the
V8 line, replacing it with a mid-engined hybrid V6. The fact that F8
Tributo means “tribute to Ferrari V8 line” made this story more
credible. However, I never believed. Just like believe in God, if you
worship the Ferrari V8 line like me, you shall have faith in it. Don’t
believe in heresy, just trust the V8! Trust the Prancing Horse! Trust
Maranello! Eventually, the God of Maranello replied to my prayers,
pointing me to read a news: Maserati is to launch a mid-engined hybrid
V6 supercar called MC20. Now the picture is getting clear. The rumored
car under development was actually a Maserati. While hybridization is
still highly possible to Ferrari in the future, as demonstrated by the
SF90 Stradale, Ferrari is not going to kill its most successful product
line. I am pretty sure the V8 line will live forever, because there is
no reason to kill it.
So why is no all-new generation? My guess is, the hybrid technology
today is not matured enough to use in the production model. Think about
this: the hybrid parts on SF90 adds as much as 270 kg, requiring a lot
of carbon-fiber parts to offset the weight gain (yet the car is still
135kg heavier than the F8 Tributo). For a high-end model selling at
£750,000, that may not be a big problem, but for the production
V8 line, the hybrid technology is not ready yet. If it takes another 4
years to mature, what would you do now? Extend the life of the 488
series further, of course.
|
|
Pista
performance at GTB's money.
|
|
In this way, the F8 Tributo is an evolution of the 488GTB and 458
Italia. It shares the same chassis, the same glass, the same doors and
the same roof with its predecessor. Other body panels have been
reshaped to enhance either aerodynamics or style. Its sharper nose
section is definitely better looking than the 488GTB. Ditto the
quad-circular taillights, which pays tribute to the original 308GTB.
Meanwhile, the louvered polycarbonate rear screen is inspired by the
mighty F40.
Aerodynamics have been improved. It might be too boring to describe how
this is achieved, but I can tell you that its downforce is increased by
15 percent, while aerodynamic efficiency, or downforce-to-drag ratio,
is improved by 10 percent. This means the drag coefficient goes up a
little bit. Like 488 Pista, its front end sports an S-duct that draws
air from the nose to the top of front bonnet. The tail has enhanced
blown spoiler and diffusers with movable flaps. The middle of the
underbody has vortex generators. Many of these tricks are learned from
the Pista.
Compared with its predecessor, the F8 has slashed 40kg of weight,
thanks to using polycarbonate rear screen, carbon-fiber rear spoiler,
lighter bumpers, optional carbon-fiber wheels and a Pista-spec engine
that is 18kg lighter. The Pista engine saves weight by titanium
conrods, lighter crankshaft and flywheel, an Inconel exhaust manifold
and carbon-fiber intake plenum. Despite the addition of particulate
filters to pass latest emission standard, this engine produces the same
720 horsepower and 568 pound-foot of torque, 50 ponies and 8 bft more
than the old car. This allows the car to do 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, a
tenth quicker than 488 or half a tenth slower than the 50kg-lighter
Pista. It hits 124mph in 7.8 seconds, half a second faster than before
but trails Pista by 0.2s. Top speed is lifted from 205 to 211 mph.
Incidentally, all figures are identical to its arch-rival McLaren 720S.
Undoubtedly, the existence of that car drove the development of this
car.
The suspension hardware is basically unchanged, but Ferrari
reprogrammed its adaptive dampers to provide a bumpy road setting,
upgraded its SSC control and adding FDE from the Pista (see above for
details). No changes to the ceramic brakes or P-Zero road tires, though
this time Michelin Cup 2 tires are available for track abuse.
|
|
What
makes it so special is how approachable it is on the road.
|
|
On board, the cabin is changed a little, mostly cosmetic, like the
jet-style air vents, the instrument housing and a smaller steering
wheel, which is handy. The view forward and sideway remains excellent
for a super sports car, but now the rear view gets poorer, distorted by
the Lexan rear screen.
The only way to forget that is to drive faster, and this car is so
good at doing so. Ferrari’s turbocharged V8 is still by far the best of
its kind in the world. It has virtually no turbo lag, a great
achievement for an engine with such a high specific power. Its delivery
is so linear that you could mistake for a high-revving naturally
aspirated engine. And the power it offers at high rev is simply
incredible. If there is any weakness, it must be the noise, which is
muffled by turbochargers initially and then the particulate filters.
Fortunately, Ferrari’s engineers have added a resonating duct to feed
the high frequency harmonics from the engine into the cabin. It is
still not good enough to match the 458’s naturally aspirated engine,
but at least it is true sound, more natural than the electronic
synthesized sound of some German cars.
The rate the F8 gathers speed on a public road is incredible. Floor
down the throttle and it takes just a blink of eye to hit the 8000 rpm
limiter. Gearshifts come at lightning speed yet smoothly. Its straight
line performance has the equal measure of McLaren 720S and easily beats
any production Lamborghinis or Porsches. However, what makes it so
special is how approachable it is on the road. You don’t need a racing
circuit to have fun, because its handling is so sharp and precise that
you can place the car accurately on a twisty mountain road, and usually
at a pace unimaginable on other cars. The steering is still very quick,
but now it has added weight, so it feels more natural and confident,
easy to get used to. The traction afforded by its rear tires is
remarkable. The ride is more absorbent than the Pista, and its bumpy
road mode even deals with cobble-stone streets with ease. For maximum
excitement on a track, it is not quite as outstanding as Pista. That
car is sharper, faster and noisier still. We know the Pista is still
highly usable on the road, but the F8 Tributo is easier to live with.
On a cruise, its cabin is much quieter. The gearshift is a bit
smoother. The steering feels more natural. The leather seats and
interior are more comfortable. Moreover, it is also considerably
cheaper at £204,000.
|
| Verdict: |
|
