Having invested so much in aluminium monocoque construction since the 360 Modena, Ferrari isn’t going to abandon it in favour of carbonfibre any time soon – regardless of what its rivals may be up to.
So the 488 GTB continues with an aluminium tub made of various alloys and deployed in varying thicknesses. It’s a decision that costs the car little on claimed dry weight versus its all or part-carbonfibre peers.
The 458 Italia’s dry weight was 1380kg; the 488 GTB’s is 1370kg if you go for all the weight-saving options. A McLaren 650S betters the latter by only 40kg.
Suspension is via front aluminium double wishbones and multiple transverse and longitudinal links at the rear, just as it was on the 458 Italia and Speciale.
The 488 shares its front track width with the latter car and has a wider rear track than both. The steering rack and adaptive dampers make a reappearance after serving on the Speciale, the former working through a ratio of just two full turns between locks.
The 488’s dimensions make it slightly longer and wider than the 458 but identical on overall height and wheelbase.
Designed in Ferrari’s factory studio (gone are the days of Pininfarina’s involvement), its look is intended to be more sculptural than that of the 458 but with no less purity of line. But to our eyes, the Italia was one of the best-looking mid-engined cars that Ferrari has yet made.
