Ferrari 488 GTB

[CBeck113]

Not a fan. I really don't like the rear quarter panel openings. Looks like what some barn tuner would do if he was to fit 2 turbos to a 458. Plus Ferraris always have been screaming engines, I think going the turbo route is a shame. Easy solution to reduce emissions and other green pleasing arguments, but I wish they had kept a N/A base but with some new technology to reduce consumption and CO2 emissions.

Do Ferrari V8 engines feature VVT systems?

People stuck with N/A engines are like people stuck with proper manual transmissions, they want new cars with old technology.

What a poorly thought-through statement. There is a huge difference between N/A and turbo engines, and if I pay 200,000€ or more (or less for that matter, but we're talking about Ferrari here) for a car, then it is very disappointing to be forced into a decision due to regulations, and not because they're better. They are more efficient, but definitely not better.

[santos]

Not a fan. I really don't like the rear quarter panel openings. Looks like what some barn tuner would do if he was to fit 2 turbos to a 458. Plus Ferraris always have been screaming engines, I think going the turbo route is a shame. Easy solution to reduce emissions and other green pleasing arguments, but I wish they had kept a N/A base but with some new technology to reduce consumption and CO2 emissions.

Do Ferrari V8 engines feature VVT systems?

Yeahh, they do have a technology to reduce consumption without having to use turbos. It's the same technology that was used in this one:

[Just_a_fan]

I seem to remember Ferrari made a turbo-engined car before. F40. Hardly a shrinking violet!

[AnthonyG]

I seem to remember Ferrari made a turbo-engined car before. F40. Hardly a shrinking violet!

Also don't forget the 208 GTS/GTB

[rich1701]

It has 50% more downforce than the 458 according to Top Gear. I wonder if those intakes by the rear wheels have anything to do with that.

[Pierce89]

Not a fan. I really don't like the rear quarter panel openings. Looks like what some barn tuner would do if he was to fit 2 turbos to a 458. Plus Ferraris always have been screaming engines, I think going the turbo route is a shame. Easy solution to reduce emissions and other green pleasing arguments, but I wish they had kept a N/A base but with some new technology to reduce consumption and CO2 emissions.

Do Ferrari V8 engines feature VVT systems?

People stuck with N/A engines are like people stuck with proper manual transmissions, they want new cars with old technology.

Or they just want actual control over their vehicle instead of trusting it all to a computer.Some of the Prius stories here in the US will make you feel uneasy about letting a computer control everything.

[Belatti]

Or they just want actual control over their vehicle instead of trusting it all to a computer.Some of the Prius stories here in the US will make you feel uneasy about letting a computer control everything.

Computers aids for road cars are done for average users. A skilled driver will always do better. The exception can be when a skilled driver drives a car he do not know sufficiently well.

[Just_a_fan]

Computers aids for road cars are done for average users. A skilled driver will always do better

Hmmm, except for four channel ABS, traction control etc., etc., etc.,

The old "a skilled driver is better than the electronic systems" myth was put to death back in the 90s when F1 got rid of these systems. Most racing series don't allow these systems precisely because they make everyone the same - the skilled driver can not make a difference.

No matter how skilled a driver is, he can not release a locked wheel whilst keeping the other three at optimum braking. Simply impossible. What a skilled driver can do is keep momentum and steering direction whilst a wheel is locked. F1 drivers are quite adept at doing this of course.

[MadMatt]

It has 50% more downforce than the 458 according to Top Gear. I wonder if those intakes by the rear wheels have anything to do with that.

If you have 50N of downforce to start with, it is not that hard to double that (just an example).

As for the comments above regarding turbo engines, well everybody has its own taste, for me a Ferrari is non a turbo car. When do we get Ferrari diesel engines then?

[Andres125sx]

Computers aids for road cars are done for average users. A skilled driver will always do better.

False. I don´t think the above example is correct, as ABS is not that good, on some situation it could even be a problem. Snow, mud, gravel... here no ABS will be way more effective as locking wheels provide extra drag. And even on tarmac a skilled driver can do as good as ABS

But ESP is definitely something no driver can do. Not even Sebastian Loeb can control a car as ESP does. Breaking single wheels as ESP do provide yaw control, something a driver can´t do no matter how good he is. We´d need to control front and rear brakes separately to do so. And front-rear brakes distribution can´t help here

We have some yaw control with the front wheels, but not even close to what ESP can do braking one single wheel, only the one needed at a time, the difference is huge. Moreover, with front wheels we have control only to some angle, once the car has spun more than that angle, front wheels have no control over the car, while ESP will control the car no matter what angle it is skidding

If you´ve not tested ESP I recommend you to do it. I did once there was a good layer of snow on an empty and wide parking, and it´s awesome how ESP can control the car direction even when it´s skidding the four wheels moving 90 degrees sideways, you just need to move the wheel and the car will spin to that direction the same as if it would be rolling normally. With ESP off you can move the wheel all you want to any direction that the car will continue skidding sideways, no reaction.


It´s a fun and enlightening test

[CBeck113]

Andres is right about the ABS - it actually sacrifices braking performance for control, so that "normal" drivers (aka panic brakers) can stop faster, since the wheels don't lock up. The worse the street conditions, the more predominant the system. ESP makes cars do things that go beyond normal control, which most humans couldn't do while controlling their car (single wheel braking is the best example).

[Powerslide]

I seem to remember Ferrari made a turbo-engined car before. F40. Hardly a shrinking violet!

Also don't forget the 208 GTS/GTB

288 GTO as well. nice things them

[MadMatt]

Yes, this is like comparing the sound of the F1 SF15-T and the Ferrari 412T2.



There is no comparison...

[tomas6791]

from the article:
Unlike most other carmakers, Ferrari hosts exclusive events for select customers to reveal its new models, and one of those took place yesterday for the world premiere of the 488 GTB.

13 pictures and video in the gallery

.

[Belatti]

If you´ve not tested ESP I recommend you to do it. I did once there was a good layer of snow on an empty and wide parking, and it´s awesome how ESP can control the car direction even when it´s skidding the four wheels moving 90 degrees sideways, you just need to move the wheel and the car will spin to that direction the same as if it would be rolling normally. With ESP off you can move the wheel all you want to any direction that the car will continue skidding sideways, no reaction.


It´s a fun and enlightening test

I have tested several cars with ESP: Germans saloons the most. I dont like the feeling when they act and I dont have confidence nor trust them. I feel comfortable in a slidding car... The best vehicle I have ever driven in ice/snow was a 1998 Jeep Cherokee: I can do anything I want with that.