Ferrari 488 GTB debuts in Manila

THE SIDE intake ports of the 488 GTB is a direct homage to the Ferrari 308 GTB.

Text and photos by Alvin Uy

AUTOSTRADA Motore, the official distributor of Ferrari in the country, recently unveiled the new Ferrari 488 GTB.

Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the 488 replaces the Ferrari 458 Italia as its successor. “It is an honor to be part of this milestone event. Ferrari has once again raised the benchmark for ultraluxury sports cars and continues to pave the way for the future of automotive engineering,” said Wellington Soong, chair and president of Autostrada Motore.

The Ferrari 488 GTB made its debut in a new Rosso Corsa Met livery with black and red technical fabric cabin trim at the Ferrari showroom in Bonfacio Global City. A very rare and historic Ferrari 340 America Barchetta and a V12 engine Ferrari 330 GT were also on display.

Penned by the Ferrari style centre, the Ferrari 488 GTB’s sculptural forms are reminiscent of the 308 GTB. It has been 40 years since the launch of Ferrari’s first-ever mid-rear-engined V8 308 berlinetta, as the Ferrari 488 GTB’s scalloped side air intake design is a direct homage to the 308 GTB.

But unlike its naturally-aspirated predecessor, this GTB’s airflow is partially directed into the turbocharger compressor intake, while the rest of the air is sent through the rear of the car and goes out alongside the rear lights, increasing air pressure behind the car do reduce aerodynamic drag.

Part of the airflow on the lower intake is diverted to the intercooler. The word berlinetta was introduced in the 1930s, but the term, which means “little saloon” in Italian, was popularized by Ferrari in the 1950s. The acronym for GTB is Grand Turismo Berlinetta.

The comparatively smaller displacement engine of the 488 is the highlight of Ferrari’s new powerplant strategy. The 3,902-cc, all-aluminum dry sump engine is part of the Ferrari F154 engine family.

Forced induction is made by two parallel ball-bearing twin-scroll IHI turbochargers, and two air-to-air intercoolers.

Its compressor wheels are made of low-density alloy often used in jet engines to reduce inertia and to resist high temperatures inherent in turbocharging.

The resultant output is a horsepower rating of 661, with 760 Newton-meters of torque. Ferrari was able to squeeze 169.4 HP per liter and 194.8 Nm of torque per liter, breaking previous records for a Ferrari road-going car.

The engine is mated with a seven-gear F1 dual-clutch gearbox featuring Variable Boost Management, which optimally distributes torque (a maximum 760 Nm in seventh gear).

AUTOSTRADA Motore chair and president Wellington Soong and Ferrari Far East Hub managing director Dieter Knechtel unveil the Ferrari 488 GTB.

There were significant and sophisticated dynamic vehicle controls introduced in the new 488 for drivers to be able to handle its massive power, and to give owners a unique and dynamic driving experience that only a Ferrari can deliver.

Further design innovations for the Ferrari 488 GTB’s revolutionary aerodynamics include a blown rear spoiler, as well as innovative features like the 458 GT-derived aerodynamic underbody with vortex generators, resulting in a new efficiency record for a Ferrari.

Its air-cutting aerodynamics have increased downforce to 325 kilograms at 250 kilometers per hour.

The Ferrari 488 GTB’s dynamic vehicle controls sports a new version of the Side Slip Control System (SSC2) which, aside from just integrating with the car’s F1-Trac and

E-Diff, now also controls the active dampers, thus giving a more stable and flatter dynamic behavior even for novice drivers.