Ferrari 488 2025 Price in Malaysia, News, Specs, Images, Reviews, Latest Updates

Overview
Exterior
Interior
Features
Powertrain
Driving Performance
Ride Comfort
Fuel Consumption
Conclusion

Overview
Ferrari 488 GTB – Overview
Detractors may rightly say that the Ferrari 488 is just a turbocharged update of the lovely Ferrari 458, but it is so much more. The Ferrari 488 GTB is the marque’s first turbo midship since the venerable F40, and it is the herald for a shift in direction for Maranello towards a future sans atmospheric engines. Thus, the 488 GTB is hugely significant.
The name is derived from ‘unitary displacement’, meaning the displacement of a single cylinder, which is 488 cc, while GTB means Gran Turismo Berlinetta.
This turbo pony was launched back in late 2015, with 3 other variants launching successively as well. They are the 488 Spider, 488 Pista, and 488 Pista Spider. There was also a special edition made to commemorate Ferrari winning the LM GTE Pro class of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2017 called the 488 Pista Piloti Ferrari.
Since then, the Ferrari 488 GTB has been succeeded by the F8 Tributo in February 2019.
Exterior
Ferrari 488 GTB – Exterior
This being a supercar, no surface on the exterior is simply for aesthetics. Ferrari says that the downforce of the 488 has been increased by 50% from the 458, but also lowering the drag coefficient to 0.324. For comparison's sake, the 458 has a drag coefficient of 0.330, while the McLaren 720S has a drag coefficient of 0.41 (estimated).
Part of the reason for these astounding figures is found in front of the car. A new front double splitter performs double duties of forcing air into the radiators for cooling, and channeling air into the underbody vortex generators to create downforce without increasing drag. At the middle of the front bumper is the central ‘Aero Pillar’ that deflects air into the underbody vortex generators too, while two vents on the bonnet provide an exit for air from the dual intakes in the front bumper.
At the rear is a slotted flap that is integrated into the rear decklid and bumper that further increases downforce, again without increasing drag. This interesting design feature takes the place of the regular raised wing, which would have certainly harmed the otherwise homogeneous lines of the car. The rear diffusers increase the velocity of the air exiting the underbody generators, and there are active flaps here to further enhance downforce.
From the side, the scalloped air intakes are definitely a call back to an ancestor – the 308 GTB – and are divided by a central partition. The top intake directs air to the turbocharger compressor intake, while the bottom half points air towards the rear exit next to the rear lights. In short, every surface, every detail is sculpted and chosen for aerodynamic perfection.
Length
4,568 mm
Width
1,952 mm
Height
1,213 mm
Wheelbase
2,650 mm
Interior
Ferrari 488 GTB – Interior
While the evolution from the 458 to the 488 is obvious and certain outside, inside only the thinnest of margins differentiate the two. The same large rev counter dominates the space in front of the driver, with two TFT screens flanking it. The centre tunnel controls are updated too – akin to what you might see in a LaFerrari, one might observe. It looks and feels modern, even today. As with any luxury model, it is configurable in almost infinite ways.
Features
Ferrari 488 GTB – Features
VDA (Vehicle Dynamics Assist) is still available on the 488, and it is a great tool for the track. The screen to the left of the tachometer will display temperatures of key systems like the brakes, engine, and tyres in an easy to understand format: blue means it needs to be warmed up, green means it is good to go, and red means you need to give it a chance to cool off. It will also show the settings for F1-Track and the E-Diff as they are adjusted via the Manettino dial.
The other screen is strictly for non-dynamic stuff, like satellite navigation and infotainment. Interestingly, both screens get their individual controllers, which reviewers have said is not as intuitive as they would have liked. The usual essentials can also be found here, like Bluetooth connectivity and Apple CarPlay.
The 488 GTB comes with four airbags, a multi-stage stability control system (SSC2), and other ‘normal’ safety systems like ABS and EBD.
Powertrain
Ferrari 488 GTB – Powertrain
Half the magic of this Ferrari is found in the sublime 3.9-liter V8 turbocharged power plant. Throttle response is undoubtedly less sharp than its predecessor, but amongst peers, this engine is a technological marvel, not just because of its figures of 670 PS and 760 Nm of torque, but also the immediacy of the available performance.
The direct injection 3902 cc V8 has a compression ratio of 9.4:1, and utilises two IHI twin-scroll turbochargers with ball-bearing shafts to reduce friction by 30%. The wheels of the compressor are made of titanium-aluminide, which increases spool speed by 50% when compared to Inconel. Ferrari says the engine response time, at 2000 rpm in third gear, is 0.8 seconds. For comparison's sake, the 458 is rated at 0.6 seconds.
Mated to the sublime V8 is a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which is an updated version of the one found in the 458. It has a system called Variable Torque Management that smoothes out power delivery all the way to the top, making the acceleration experience more linear. The first three gears receive the same torque mapping, and every subsequent gear has their own. The side effects of this are better traction, and also shorter early gears.
Driving Performance
Ferrari 488 GTB – Driving Performance
The century sprint is complete in 3 seconds, with the second century complete in 8.3 seconds. The 488 will then go on all the way to a maximum of 330 km/h. All reviewers were surprised at the lack of any discernible turbo lag, and equally surprised that Ferrari has managed to retain most of the glorious howl from their older atmospheric V8s.
However, what the figures don’t show is the other half of the 488’s magic. Body movement in all scenarios is well contained by the magnetorheological damping system. It even has a ‘bumpy road mode’ for the worst of roads. It does not have the ultimate hospitality of a McLaren, but it is better than any supercar has the right to be.
However, the main focus of the 488 is, of course, in going fast. The refreshed SSC2 gives greater privileges in dynamic driving, but reviewers say that even with the ESC fully turned off, the limits of the 488 are still as approachable as a Toyota GT86. This is remarkably high praise on the balance and quality of the 488’s chassis.
Ride Comfort
Ferrari 488 GTB – Ride Comfort
As mentioned above, the comfort level of the 488 GTB is surprising. Supercars are known to be harsh – it is a price you pay for the performance – but this is increasingly less true in modern supercars. The 488 GTB is remarkably comfortable, especially in ‘bumpy road mode’.
Fuel Consumption
Ferrari 488 GTB – Fuel Economy
Fuel consumption and CO2 figures follow the WLTP cycle. The 488 GTB is rated at a combined fuel consumption of 12.9 l/100 km (7.75 km/l) and combined CO2 emissions stand at 294 g/km.
Conclusion
Ferrari 488 GTB – Conclusion
The 488 GTB is much quicker than the 458 Speciale, but at the same time even more refined and composed than the 458 Italia. It may not be as powerful as its direct rival, the McLaren 720S, but many agree that the turbocharged engine here is the better recipe. We leave you to judge if a turbocharged engine should feel like a turbocharged engine.
Ferrari wants to bring the scintillating quality of their atmospheric engines into this new turbocharged era, and have succeeded, albeit not completely. Still, it behooves a legendary marque like the Prancing Horse to keep pushing the limits of what is the current acceptable norm and technology, and the 488 GTB is certainly a testament to that.