Whenever the word “Ferrari” is uttered, most of us would definitely be thinking about high revving naturally aspirated V12’s and V8’s
But some of Ferrari’s greatest hits were in fact turbocharged cars, like the elusive 288 GTO and the era defining F40.
And keeping the turbocharged theme going is the replacement of the brilliant Ferrari 488 GTB, the new and improved Ferrari F8 Tributo. Here are 4
Performance
Though the F8 Tributo shares the same engine with the previous 488, there are some major tweaks resulting in a bump in performance. Although torque is up from 760Nm to 770Nm, the power is up from 670bhp to a whopping 720bhp.
This results in a 0-100kph time of 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 340kph. That’s McLaren 720S power and performance figures in a car that is supposed to rival the McLaren 600LT.
Handling
Just like its predecessors, the F8 Tributo comes with the standard issue Ferrari driving aids that do not nanny the fun out of the driving experience, but help you reign in all those raging 770Nm of torque.
Ferrari’s Side Slip Control manages power distribution via the Limited Slip Differential to aid you in initiating and maintaining a slide.
Ferrari’s Dynamic Enhancer on the other hand handles the brake to ensure your slide remains controllable and you can counter steer into driving fun and not the nearest ditch. These systems are best tested with an instructor in a safe environment, but we have no doubt on the systems capabilities.
Transmission
The F8 TRIBUTO uses the same 7 speed DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) that was used in the 488. Only this time the ratio spacing has been improved to capitalized the improved torque and power band.
On paper figures may not tell you the full story but in-car acceleration is improved, as it gets to 200kph in 7.8 seconds. To put that into context, the F8 Tributo would reach 200kph nearly half a second faster than the time taken for the Honda Civic 1.5 TC to reach 100kph.
That means when the Honda hits 100kph, the Ferrari will be nearly 100 meters out front and still accelerating like it got rear ended by a Tsunami tidal wave. Now that’s fast!
Design
We always maintain that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. But we are sure no one will disagree that the Ferrari F8 Tributo is truly a photographers darling.
Visual changes for the F8 includes a newly re-sculptured hood the S-Duct that makes the car way more streamlined. The headlamps now have become slightly smaller. Finally, something that we have not seen in a long while, the return of those iconic quad tail lamps. It’s a nice homage to the V8 Ferrari’s of old, like the 355, 308 and the F40.
As we hop inside, we get a few more updates such as the instrument cluster and the dashboard houses an optional 7 inch touchscreen display which allows the passengers to manage various things like Audio in the car, or terrify your passengers with engine rev and speed display.
Conclusion
A Ferrari of any era is enough to turn the most conservative heads towards it. The Ferrari F8 Tributo keeps in with this tradition. It’s one of the fastest cars you can officially buy in Malaysia, and for RM1.06 million before taxes, it’s not just a set of wheels you’re buying, it’s a 720bhp status announcement. So what so you guys think? Share your thoughts on the comments section below!
-Deva Hariharan Shanker.
