Ferrari 488

The Ferrari 488 (Tipo F142M) is a mid-engined sports car produced by the Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari, introduced in 2015 to replace the previous 458.

It is powered by a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8, smaller in displacement and higher in output than the 458's naturally aspirated engine. The 488 GTB was named "The Supercar of the Year 2015" by car magazine Top Gear.

Specifications

Engine

The 488 GTB is powered by a 3902cc (488cc per cylinder, thus the name) all-aluminium dry sump unit of the Ferrari F154 engine family. Turbocharged with two parallel ball-bearing twin-scroll turbochargers supplied by IHI/Honeywell and two air-to-air intercoolers, the compressor wheels are made of low-density TiAl alloy often used in jet engines to reduce inertia and resist high temperatures within the turbocharger. The engine produces 670 PS (493 kW; 661 hp)Template:Convert/test/Aon at 8,000 rpm and 760 N·m (Template:Convert/lbft)Template:Convert/test/Aon of torque at 3,000 rpm. This results in a specific power output of 126.3 kW (Template:Convert/PS hp)Template:Convert/test/Aon per litre and specific torque output of 194.8 N·m (144 ft·lbf)Template:Convert/test/Aon per litre, both records for a Ferrari car.

Transmission

The only available transmission for the 488 is an automated manual dual-clutch 7-speed F1 gearbox manufactured for Ferrari by Getrag, based on the gearbox used in the 458.

Handling

Improved carbon-ceramic brakes are supplied on the 488, derived from technology used in LaFerrari, constructed with new materials that reduce the time needed to achieve optimum operating temperature. Disc sizes are 398 mm at the front, and 360 mm at the rear. These advancements reportedly reduce stopping distances by 9% over the 458.

A new 5-spoke alloy wheel was designed for the 488, measuring Template:Convert/LoffAoffDflipSoffTemplate:Convert/test/A front and rear. Front tires measure 245/35 with rears 305/30.

Variants

488 GTB

Ferrari 488 GTB

The first 488 to be introduced was the 488 GTB 2-seat berlinetta, successor to the 458 Italia. It was launched on 3 February 2015, in advance of its world première at the March 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

Claimed manufacturer performance for the 488 GTB is Template:Convert/Dual/LoffAonDbSoffTemplate:Convert/test/Aon in 3.0 seconds, Template:Convert/Dual/LoffAonDbSoffTemplate:Convert/test/Aon in 8.3 seconds, covering the quarter mile in 10.45 seconds and continuing to a top speed in excess of 330 km/h (205 mph)Template:Convert/test/Aon.

488 Spider

Ferrari 488 Spider

The Ferrari 488 Spider is a 2-seat roadster variant of the 488 with a folding hardtop, like the 458 Spider it replaces. Ferrari released pictures of the 488 Spider at the end of July 2015, and the car debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2015.

The Spider's drivetrain is the same of the 488 GTB, including the 670 PS 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8. The 488 Spider is only 50 kg heavier than its coupé sibling, and 10 kg lighter than the 458 Spider. The 100 km/h sprint is unchanged at 3.0 seconds, while the 200 km/h acceleration takes slightly longer at 8.7 seconds, and top speed is likewise slightly lower at 325 km/h. UK sales are expected to begin in late spring 2016.

488 GTE and 488 GT3

Design and Competition

488 GT3

The racing versions of the 488 GTB are the successors to the 458 Italia GTC and GT3. They have a more aggressive bodywork compared to the GTE and GT3 specs of the 458 Italia thanks to the new 2016 FIA GTE and GT3 regulations, while their engine is the same 3.9 litre V8 turbo used for the 488 GTB. In 2016 the 488 GTE was entered by AF Corse in the FIA World Endurance Championship, competing also in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, while Risi Competizione lined it up in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Both the 488 GTE and GT3 were unveiled at the 2015 Finali Mondiali Ferrari which took place at Mugello.

488 GTE

The 488 GTE made its competition debut in Round 1 of the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at the 24 Hours of Daytona on 30–31 January. The 488 GTE run by Scuderia Corsa finished 10th outright and 4th in the GTLM class. At the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans, the car took second place, ran by Risi Competizione.

The 488 GTE in 2017 took to the track with the first race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the 2017 24 Hours of Daytona, where the car finished 3rd place the GTLM class, run by Risi Competizione.

488 GT3

The 488 GT3 made its world competition debut in Round 2 of the 2016 Australian GT Championship at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on 17 March (the round was run as a support category to the 2016 Australian Grand Prix). Italian Andrea Montermini and Danish driver Benny Simonsen shared the car for Australian team DeFelice Homes. Over the 4 races that made up the round, Montermini finished 5th in race 1 and 14th in race 3 while Simonsen finished 2nd in race 2 and 6th in the fourth and final race.

In February 2017, the 488 GT3 won the 2017 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, ran by Maranello Motorsport. The car took the race from the pole position and for the most part stayed up in the front for most of the race, and did not fall out of the top 5 throughout the race. This was the second victory for Ferrari at the event, both won in 2014 and 2017 by Maranello Motorsport.

Ferrari J50

The Ferrari J50 is a 2-seat roadster variant of the 488 Spider. It was designed by Flavio Manzoni and was built to celebrate half a century of Ferrari's presence in Japan.

Design

The body of the 488 has been designed to increase downforce by 50% over the 458 while reducing aerodynamic drag. A new front double splitter serves two functions: increasing radiator cooling by forcing air into them and also channeling the air over the underbody vortex generators to create ground effect without adding unwanted drag. A newly designed blown rear spoiler (actually a slotted flap) integrated into the rear decklid and bumper increases downforce without requiring a raised wing. The central "Aero Pillar" deflects air under the flat body of the car while two vents in the bonnet provide an exit for air from the dual intakes of the front bumper, further reducing air pressure over the front of the car.

Underbody vortex generators work to reduce air pressure beneath the car thereby increasing overall downforce. A larger rear diffuser works to increase the velocity of air exiting the underbody to further lower air pressure, in conjunction with active aerodynamic variable flaps that both reduce drag and increase downforce as controlled by a microprocessor. The increased size of the diffuser over the previous 458 requires the twin exhausts of the 488 to be positioned higher in the rear bumper for clearance.

The scalloped side air intakes are a homage to those found on the 308 GTB and are divided by a central partition. Air entering the top intake is partially directed into the turbocharger compressor intake, while the rest is directed through the rear of the car and exits alongside the rear lights, increasing air pressure behind the car in order to reduce aerodynamic drag. Airflow entering the lower intake is directed towards the intercoolers in order to cool the intake charge. Even the door handles - dubbed 'shark fins' - are shaped in a way which improves airflow by cleaning and funneling air into the large intakes above the rear wheels

The Ferrari 488 was designed by Flavio Manzoni and won the Red Dot "Best of the Best" awards for Product Design in 2016