Ferrari 488 GTB review, test drive

Ferrari forays into turbocharged territory with a smaller, twin-turbo V8 in the new 488 GTB. Hormazd Sorabjee gets in the driver’s seat.

Published on Aug 18, 2015 08:00:00 AM

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Looking the part

The 488 GTB looks like a hero too and that’s to be expected when the starting point is the now iconic 458, with which it still shares a platform and other bits like the roof. Ferrari says 85 percent of the car is all-new, though it has a similar silhouette to the 458.

What sets it apart are purposeful aero bits like the aero pillar in the front bumper, ‘blown’ rear spoiler and massive intakes in the sides for the intercooler. You get the impression that this car was styled more in a windtunnel than a design studio. But that’s no bad thing. The 488 GTB looks stunning from any angle and the looks are sure to win over buyers, especially in India.

The 488 GTB also marks a fresh start for Ferrari in India and will be launched early next year at a time when two brand-new dealers, (Navnit Motors in Mumbai and Select Cars in Delhi) are properly up and running. Both are taking orders and have already started delivering Californias and some F12s too.

Ferrari would like owners in India to put behind the grief many of them suffered in the hands of the previous (and absconding) dealer principal Shreyans, and what better to get them to forgive and forget than the 488 GTB? Potential customers are already queuing up with a cheque of Rs 4 crore without even seeing the car. Such is the power of the brand.