Tuesday 12th December 2017

Ferrari 488 'GTO' spied testing

The successor to the Speciale? Or something more special yet?

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Here we have some spy shots for you to peruse, and peruse them you'll have to to spot any differences. They are, of course, of a partially disguised Ferrari 488, one with mildly breathed on front and side intakes.

Aside from that, there really appears to be very little difference between this and the standard car. So what is it? Well, several outlets are branding it as a new GTO, although that seems like quite a leap to us. It's more likely to be a replacement for the 458 Speciale and as such - following on from the Challenge Stradale and 430 Scuderia before it - could use a different name all together.

It would certainly seem like an appropriate time for Ferrari to remind the automotive world who's boss, what the Porsche's GT2 RS and Lamborghini's Huracan Performante currently making a lot of noise in the segment that the 458 Speciale once held dominion over.

To that end we should expect this car to receive a power bump of around 35hp, taking its total output to just shy of 700hp, while its kerb weight will obviously be reduced too - thanks to the removal of non-essential creature comforts and the installation of lightweight parts such as thinner glass, ceramic brakes and forged wheels - to less than 1400kg. Performance-wise that should leave it hitting 62mph in under 3 seconds and outrunning just about any other production car on road tyres.

As for when we can expect it, the 458 was unveiled in 2009 with the Speciale not appearing until 2013. So with the 488 having been revealed in 2015, a Geneva or Paris launch seems likely for the go-faster variant, depending on how far along in its development it is. Certainly one to keep an eye on as we head into the new year...

[Photos: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien]

[saxy]

Tbh, the normal 488 is already all the performance any supercar needs. The only thing it lacks was the NA engine from the previous gen. Any more performance is negligible for road use.

[TwinExit]

saxy said:

Tbh, the normal 488 is already all the performance any supercar needs. The only thing it lacks was the NA engine from the previous gen. Any more performance is negligible for road use.

700 HP is the minimum you can get away with and be branded a supercar in today's standards.

And it's a 'GTO', the more power it has, the more it makes sense...

[Rawwr]

TwinExit said:

And it's a 'GTO', the more power it has, the more it makes sense...

I'm pretty sure this isn't a homologation car, so GTO would make zero sense.

[subirg]

No one cares what it’s called. All that counts is how much of a premium it can be flipped for.

[TwinExit]

Rawwr said:

TwinExit said:

And it's a 'GTO', the more power it has, the more it makes sense...

I'm pretty sure this isn't a homologation car, so GTO would make zero sense.

A Ferrari with a GTO designation always draws the most keen Ferrari collectors, halo model whatever you want to call it.

[Rawwr]

TwinExit said:

A Ferrari with a GTO designation always draws the most keen Ferrari collectors, halo model whatever you want to call it.

There have only been two true GTOs and I very much doubt there will be another.

[johnnyreggae]

Does this look any different to a standard car ? Also the trees look autumnal at best not wintery

[Ares]

700bhp & 1400kg.

180bhp/litre & 500bhp/tonne.... in Ferrari's baby.

[WCZ]

will no doubt underperform in terms of track times vs its rivals but be more fun to actually drive, that's where Ferrari win

[TwinExit]

Rawwr said:

TwinExit said:

A Ferrari with a GTO designation always draws the most keen Ferrari collectors, halo model whatever you want to call it.

There have only been two true GTOs and I very much doubt there will be another.

I don't think Ferrari care what you think if it is a true GTO or not.

They will be snapped up, driven for 150 miles at leisure then sold on to the next balding playboy @ zero depreciation, that's what Ferrari cares about.

[Funkstar De Luxe]

WCZ said:

will no doubt underperform in terms of track times vs its rivals but be more fun to actually drive, that's where Ferrari win

Has that ever been true?

[WCZ]

Funkstar De Luxe said:

Has that ever been true?

imo yes, the game has moved on now

[Gameface]

TwinExit said:

700 HP is the minimum you can get away with and be branded a supercar in today's standards.

Without being rude, that's nonsense.

[TwinExit]

Gameface said:

TwinExit said:

700 HP is the minimum you can get away with and be branded a supercar in today's standards.

Without being rude, that's nonsense.

Whatever you may think behind that computer of yours, there is a factual trend with rated horsepower on new supercars, and that it goes UP.

[Gameface]

TwinExit said:

Gameface said:

TwinExit said:

700 HP is the minimum you can get away with and be branded a supercar in today's standards.

Without being rude, that's nonsense.

Whatever you may think behind that computer of yours, there is a factual trend with rated horsepower on new supercars, and that it goes UP.

That's not what you said though is it.

Stop moving the goalposts.

[Rawwr]

TwinExit said:

I don't think Ferrari care what you think if it is a true GTO or not.

I don't think I suggested they would? This is a discussion forum. We discuss things.

Friendly word of advice: I can see you're new here and your posting style is coming over as pretty aggressive so far. It's often best to stick by what you're saying rather than flit from point to point in a directionless haze. It's also a good idea not to make ridiculous, unfounded statements. You'll find it annoys people and the knives will soon be out. Possibly for the best to take it back a few notches for everyone's sake.

[Gandahar]

I get the feeling it has been named GTO by the journalists because 488 comes before it which is a bit like 288. If it had been the 478 GTB ? No doubt they will stick an Italian name on the end which sounds fandabydozy. 488 Fantisimodabydozi ..

There does seem to be a bit of an arms race at the moment on the V8 front between England and Italy, power and 0 to 124mph wise. Not sure if that is a good thing. Nobody complained the 650S or 488GTB was slow.

It's quite nice to watch from a distance. Porsche being the left field alter ego....

Ding ding, round 3.

PS Bet Ferrari are worried about the new Mclaren Homer and what sort of figures it will put up .....

[FN2TypeR]

Rawwr said:

TwinExit said:

A Ferrari with a GTO designation always draws the most keen Ferrari collectors, halo model whatever you want to call it.

There have only been two true GTOs and I very much doubt there will be another.

That doesn't make what TwinExit said any less true

[WCZ]

Gandahar said:

There does seem to be a bit of an arms race at the moment on the V8 front between England and Italy, power and 0 to 124mph wise. Not sure if that is a good thing. Nobody complained the 650S or 488GTB was slow.

not actually true, a fair amount of people have complained that the 488 is too smooth and feels slower than the 458/spec when in reality the numbers don't lie

[isaldiri]

WCZ said:

not actually true, a fair amount of people have complained that the 488 is too smooth and feels slower than the 458/spec when in reality the numbers don't lie

Serious? Almost everyone I know who has driven a 488 says it's a shedload faster than any 458 (speciale inclusive) albeit not necessarily more fun.