Times are tough for Ferrari right know. McLaren managed to offer the whole lineup of models not so long ago, Aston Martin is entering technological renaissance in partnership with Mercedes, while Lamborghini… Well, Huracan Performante just broke the world record at Nurburgring, while Aventador is preparing to take things even further. So, no time for rest and honestly Maranello-based supercar maker hardly ever does that, and something in the form of 2018 Ferrari 488 Special Edition is on the way.
WHAT IS IT?
It is more track oriented variation of Ferrari’s most important model. It carried different names through generations, with 458 Italia it was Speciale, with F430 it was Scuderia, with 360 it was Challenge Stradale and so on. Precise name for the special version of 488 GTB is still unknown, but Special Edition can serve the purpose for now.
STARTING GROUND
Things start from regular 488 GTB, and that means 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 which delivers 661 hp at 8,000 rpm and 561 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm. The engine is paired with a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission that, off course, has manual controls, space frame is made of aluminum and car reaches 60 mph in 3.0 seconds.
We already know that Ferrari somehow managed to create linear power delivery despite turbocharging and that regular GTB is faster than 458 Speciale around tracks, so the base is quite an outstanding one. Naturally, there will be more…
MORE, MORE!
With every generation, track oriented beast have less weight and more of everything else. Expect substantial use of carbon fiber and loss of some luxury amenities, which could lower the weight by at least 200 pounds.
In the previous generation, Speciale brought 35 hp extra, so in this case filling with turbochargers, maybe intake manifolds, and similar actions could produce that sort of results. Power will go up definitely, the question is just by how much. More power with less weight will presumably drop acceleration time below 3 seconds, at least for one tenth.
Expect the whole car to be evidently stiffer, the suspension will be tuned for more aggressive driving, and electronic gizmos will try to avoid colliding with your driving style. Since apart from weight and luxury, we will have more of everything else, that would include price which could rise as high as $100k from base one of $250k.
2018 Ferrari 488 Special Edition Specs
| 2018 Ferrari 488 Special Edition | |
| Dimensions And Weight | |
| Wheelbase | N/A |
| Length | N/A |
| Height | N/A |
| Width | N/A |
| Weight | N/A |
| Engine And Transmission | |
| Engine type | V8 |
| Displacement | 3.9-liter |
| Power/torque | 661 hp/561 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 7-speed dual clutch automatic |
| Performance | |
| 0-60 mph | 3.0 seconds |
| Top speed | N/A |
| PRICE RANGE:$100k – $250k |
|
| Competitors: McLaren 720S | |
WORTH IT?
Adding $100k in order to get 2018 Ferrari 488 Special Edition might trigger deeper thinking. GTB is already beautiful and fast car with sublime manners on the track, both in aggression and driving enjoyment, but as all other successors, it can do better. Let’s take 458 Italia for example. The regular model took 1:25:00 around Fiorano track, while Speciale version took 1:23:50.
That is full one and half second difference, and if your mind is track oriented, that difference is vast. Plus, spending $250k on a car will never be reasonable, so why not spending another $100k for something even greater. That will also buy you some exclusivity as you are definitely not going to witness it on the streets as much as regular ones. In conclusion, the answer is yes and just wait for its debut during this year.
