Ferrari 488 – Automobiles Review

Ferrari with a touch of MEC Design Magic: a rather satisfactory result!

2016 MEC Design Ferrari 488 Spider We all love Ferrari vehicles and we all love fine-tuned Ferrari vehicles, do not we? And because of our unconditional love we will tell you about a special 488 Spider model. So, sit down, relax and enjoy!

As you might know, the latest 488 Spider made its debut some years agosince then is one of Ferrari’s proudest moments. But, there are some people who still want more and know that can push the boundaries even further. Indeed MEC Design team decided to take a closer look to the vehicle and tweak it a bit.

The Berlin-based studio has just rolled out a special styling and technical program for owners that look for something more than stock power and visuals. There a lot of exclusive tweakable features and tons of improvements, but the design team makes it clear of one thing: to keep the looks and performance as close as the original without changing the nature of the 488 Spider too much.

So, what did they do?

2016 MEC Design Ferrari 488 Spider

First of all, there is a three-piece “Scossa Rossa” body kit with new spoiler lip, dive planes on the corners, side sill panels and multiple-section rear diffuser with under-run protection. Also, there is a matt-black theme that covers the air intakers, grille and other body components.

This stylish black theme leaves its presense on the rear light cluster and door lock and then finally covers the darkest of hues. At the same time the in-house meCCon CCd5 alloys contribute to the visual styling with sweet five-spoke design in matte black. Cool.

In terms of performance and drivetrain system, MEC Design team adds sporty suspension kit that lowers the overall ride height by 60mm and further improves handling. The engine itself hasn’t undergone any notable changes, but on the other hand, MEC Design offers a special sport exhaust system, named “Apocalypse”. Badass.

2016 MEC Design Ferrari 488 Spider

The interior is dominated by exclusive leather and some MEC Design-exclusive components: there is a whole carbon-fiber interior package fitted in that brings carbon-fiber inserts for the doors, dashboard and central console, including heater control panel. Also, there are sweet MEC Design floor mats and LED lightning set.

So, what do you think?

Source: MEC Design

September 7, 2016

When exclusivity meets style: Novitec Rosso Ferrari 488 GTB

Novitec Rosso Ferrari 488 GTB side view Novitec Rosso has released yesterday on their Facebook page an exclusive Ferrari 488 GTB project. All of you who follow us there have already seen the images , but still do not know the details around this special car. And there is a lot! Basically, the sophisticated refinement program is based on new aero components, shiny wheels and output conversion.

How to Make the 488 GTB Produce 772 HP?

Obviously, the tuners are on the opinion that “even a top-notch sports car can never have enough power”. Hence, the performance kits for the 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine of the 488 GTB were born! The most surprising moment here is that there is a special feature, which allows the engine tuning to be activated and deactivated in a flash. This happens with the help of a Manettino dial on the steering wheel.

Through the installation of two in-house made N-TRONIC control modules, which control the eight-cylinder, the specialists achieved new programmed mapping for injection and ignition and modified the electronic boost pressure control. Additional optimization of the power output is due to the new high-performance exhaust system that comes with optional electronic sound management.

The result is exceptional: the V8 adds 102 hp (76 kW) and 132 Nm (97 lb-ft) of torque, making it a total of 772 hp (568 kW) and 892 Nm (658 lb-ft) at a low 3,250 rpm. The gains also influence the performance. The updated Ferrari can sprint from rest to 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 342 km/h.

Seductive Naked Carbon Fiber

Novitec Rosso Ferrari 488 GTB rear view

All of the components featured here come in a variant made from naked carbon. The designers have created out from it front spoiler lip and side flaps mounted to the bumper (they aid the speed too), an additional surround for the central air intake, rocker panels, subtle carbon surrounds for the door mirrors, new air deflection components in the side air intakes, new large rear airfoil, diffuser attachment for the rear bumper and carbon surrounds for the two tail lamps and the air outlets.

Other exclusive benefits are the new lighting elements: the black turn signals and reflectors as well the black-tinted third brake light featuring LED technology. The wheels have a decisive influence on the looks, so NF4 21-inch forged wheels fit perfectly. They are mounted with Pirelli P Zero high-performance tires of sizes 255/30 ZR 21 at the front and 325/25 ZR 21 on the rear axle.

This 488 GTB also benefits from the in-house made hydraulic suspension system, which lowers the ride height of the sports car by about 35 millimeters. Besides this function, the hydraulic front lift system can also raise the sports car by 40 millimeters at the touch of a button in the cockpit.

At last but not least, the interior of the sports car has also been updated by Novitec Rosso. Here have been included from longer carbon paddle shifters to an exclusive leather and Alcantara interior finishes.

Source: Novitec Rosso

June 8, 2016

Capristo Automotive Shows the Real Capability of Ferrari 488 GTB

Capristo Automotive Ferrari 488 GTB Side view Ferrari 488 GTB is hell of a car. But Capristo Automotive has ways of bringing out even more from it, without adding too much extra equipment. Hence, the company has developed innovative twin flow catalyst and carbon styling parts for the Italian sports car. Oh, and as a matter of fact they will pull out way more than the standard (but impressive) 670 hp from the twin-turbo V8 engine it uses.

At the core of Capristo Automotive’s Ferrari 488 upgrade is the high quality sports exhausts that delivers more power and a far greater sound. The system also features valve control and a unique twin flow catalyst.

In this project the development engineers set goals to achieve including to bring out maximum performance and best possible sound, as well as to make the changes fully compatibility with the factory electronic systems.

Capristo Automotive Ferrari 488 GTB front

When the engine is started, the twin flow catalyst system sends a portion of the exhaust gases through a high-density catalyst field. In addition, there is a Lambda sensor taking measurements for the ECU. The rest of the exhaust gases are routed through the integrated catalytic converter replacement pipe, which optimally tunes both gas flow and soundtrack.

Furthermore, the Ferrari underwent a development program, including 2,000 km of road and track testing. With some other modifications, the dynamometer recorded 740 hp coming out from the tuned 488 GTB, which is an addition of 70 hp!

Besides the performance update, the supercar also received styling kit. It is entirely made of carbon-fiber and it serves in means of differentiating the Capristo Ferrari 488 from the standard ones. There is for example a front splitter, which gives the nose a more aggressive appearance. In addition, it provides more downforce at speed. At last, the carbon fiber side sill extensions, the aerodynamic exterior mirrors and fuel cap round out the tuning of the Ferrari GTB.

Source: Capristo Automotive

April 19, 2016

Ferrari 488 GTB Debuts in Tokyo

Ferrari 488 GTB is a new model we have seen debuting in the beginning of February. The good news is that it has made it in Japan and now can be officially purchased there. The premiere happened in Tokyo and this is actually the second time the car is shown after Geneva. The event was held in a very special location along the waterway in the city, in the Isle of Tennozu.

Red laser beams expressed the pulse of the 488 GTB. This color wasn’t accidental. It was actually in harmony with the exterior paint scheme of the beautiful sports car, covered in Rosso Corsa Metalizzato.

Special about this car is that it sets a significant benchmark for the sports car field. It is actually exactly 40 years from the launch of company’s iconic mid-rear-engined V8 berlinetta, meaning that now the 488 GTB enters a new chapter in the history of cars due to its architecture.

Speaking of which, the body of this Ferrari is made in such way that it offers optimal weight distribution for sportier driving. In addition, the unit that drives the car is the twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre (3902cc) engine, producing 660 hp (485 kW) at 8000 rpm and 759 Nm (560 lb-ft) of optimum torque at 3000 rpm.

The 0-62 mph acceleration happens in 3.0 seconds while the 0-124 mph sprint is covered in 8.3 seconds. The top speed is more than 205 mph. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via an updated seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, which unleashes the engine’s massive torque smoothly and powerfully right across the rev range.

And if you still wonder what the GTB stands for, well here’s the “deal”: it is an acronym for Gran Turismo Berlinetta, which is comes to pay homage to its deep roots in company’s history.