Ferrari Mailing List: Re: 488 GTB

[Adam Green (FlatCrank]

The horsepower competition or spec sheets or Nurburgring lap times ... all tend to be targeted at different ages and types of drivers (those more susceptible to promises and pretensions) rather than broadly impactful (so to speak.)

There was a time when HP really seems to be a scarce commodity in some Ferraris and Porsches where the vehicle dynamics were begging for more neddies (till about the F430, or somewhere around 10 years ago, I think) but once you're at 500hp+ you're well outside the envelope of anything you can do with the car on public roads and outside what 90% of drivers can do on track.  I used to delight in aftermarket hp upgrades on each new car in the garage, but no more.  For the last 5+ years, my favorite and often only real performance upgrade is brakes (and maybe aerodynamics.)

For the first 10 years of this century I was pretty active on track and had a performance and competition company for privateer track drivers and racers (all Porsche ... sorry.)  My only driver "instruction" service, was to do some laps showing my idea of best braking points, line and apex -- nothing to do with hp upgrades, just suspension and setup.  This would very often be enough for the driver to gain a full second per lap, or even several seconds for rank amateurs.  It used to be a difficult debate, but today I think it's practically settled science and generally accepted race craft knowledge that nothing you do in the engine compartment can yield the same leap in performance as developing an intimate relationship with the brake pedal, unless you're in drag.  (quarter mile, not cross-dressing, I mean, of course ...)

All that said: I'm quite digging the 488 ... though a pity they couldn't improve those headlights or simply discard them and start again.

Adam

On Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 4:34 PM, Fellippe Galletta <fellippe.galletta [at] gmail.com> wrote:

Speaking of the 488 and it's newer competitors (McLaren 650S, Lamborghini Huracan, etc).....

Is it me or is this arms race between the manufacturers a big joke? I see on the forums constant comparing of these machines in pure specs, and how one manufacturer is screwed until it can release an interim car that can keep up, lol. The 488 has taken down its competition as of right now but apparently McLaren will release a 675 very soon to make sure it is above the Ferrari.

Back in the day, when a manufacturer made a bold move it wouldn't get met for quite a long time, if ever. When the Diablo came out in 1991 with 492 hp, Ferrari waited a year and had a tweaked TR put out with 40 more hp, still 70 less than the Lambo (512 TR). It didn't panic and worry about what to do, and just let the Maranello come out when it was ready.

Then when the Gallardo came out again with 500 HP, Ferrari didn't release a turbo kit for the 360. It simply waited until the 430 was out and that was that.

Since then it seems like Ferrari has taken an attitude of not allowing their products to be outshined in technical specs -- now it seems like others have played catch up.

Only thing that sucks is all of these cars are accused of being soulless machines. And its comical most of the prospective customers couldn't take advantage of these elevated performance levels except in a straight line.

FG

On Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 2:02 PM, Erik Nielsen <judge4re [at] gmail.com> wrote:

Still a new lump, I'm talking in high level terms.

 

Cool car.

On Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 12:59 PM, francis newman <francisnewman [at] mac.com> wrote:

I think it is a bit more than that Erik. 

Similar shape but a radical change under the engine cover. I was at a California T technical presentation by Ferrari North Europe on Saturday and the technology they are using with the turbo is awesome. And they have apparently taken it a step further with the 488.

And before anyone starts moaning about the lack of sound with a turbo car, they have gone to great lengths to engineer in some great sounds. Ferrari apparently take sound as part of their DNA not to be lost. The T sounds immense.

Francis

On 24 Feb 2015, at 18:38, Erik Nielsen <judge4re [at] gmail.com> wrote:

Think of the change from the 308 QV to the 328.

On Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 12:34 PM, George <ygpz4re [at] hotmail.com> wrote:

So help me out here - it's still totally no clear to me if the 488 GTB is an all new car, or just another iteration (i.e. gussied up, hot-rodded version) of the 458???

Thanks.

gp

_________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options, please visit:
http://lists.ferrarilist.com/mailman/options/ferrari/judge4re%40gmail.com

Sponsored by BooyahMedia.com
and F1 Headlines
http://www.F1Headlines.com/

_________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options, please visit:

http://lists.ferrarilist.com/mailman/options/ferrari/francis.newman%40fntn.co.uk

Sponsored by BooyahMedia.com
and F1 Headlines
http://www.F1Headlines.com/

_________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options, please visit:

http://lists.ferrarilist.com/mailman/options/ferrari/fellippe.galletta%40gmail.com

Sponsored by BooyahMedia.com
and F1 Headlines
http://www.F1Headlines.com/

_________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options, please visit:
http://lists.ferrarilist.com/mailman/options/ferrari/flatcrank%40gmail.com

Sponsored by BooyahMedia.com
and F1 Headlines
http://www.F1Headlines.com/