Thanks to an eager car fan camping outside Ferrari’s gate (is there anything else to do in Maranello?), we’re treated to see the 488 GTB roll out for road testing. Though we’ve seen the replacement for the 458 Italia already in the metal, it remains under a fair bit of car camo for whatever trials it’s setting off for. When it drives past the videographer, the driver takes off through a roundabout, opening up the exhaust for us to savor.
The 488 is the latest run of Ferrari’s mid-engined V8s, acting as a mid-cycle refresh of the 458 Italia. This wasn’t a simple facelift, either. The 488 replaces the previous car’s naturally aspirated 4.5-liter V8 with a brand new twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V8. This new power plant produces 660 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque. Power flows to the back wheels by way of a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox and is said to sprint off the line in 0 to 60 in less than 3.0 seconds.
Excitingly, we’re also treated to a teasing glimpse of the convertible model, also in camouflage. If it follows Ferrari’s standard nomenclature, then it should end up being designated as the 488 GTS (S for spider). We’re not sure about this drop-top form, but the Ferrari 488 GTB is expected to hit the streets sometime this fall. We’ll be eagerly wringing our hands together until then.
