Naza Italia launches Ferrari 488 GTB

Hot off the re-opening of the refurbished showroom, Naza Italia introduces the Ferrari 488 GTB on Malaysian soil.

Move over Ferrari 458 Italia, there is a new Ferrari in town and it is set to impress the crowd. Naza Italia, the official importer of the Ferrari brand in Malaysia, today introduced the Ferrari 488 GTB to our shores and it’s turbo-powered. Naza is proud to point out that the launch of the 488 comes just a few months after the model’s international debut at the 2015 Geneva Motorshow.

So why is this Prancing Horse so special? This is the first time in 40 years since Ferrari has introduced a mid-rear V8 engine, therefore the moniker GTB, stands for Gran Turismo Berlinetta, a nod to the 308 GTB. The 488 is also special as the car is the second turbocharged Prancing Horse of the modern era following the California T.

The 488 was designed to imitate the 308 with the scalloped shape of the air intake on the side of the car albeit on a much larger scale necessitated by the new turbo engine’s cooling requirements. The nose reminds enthusiasts of the LaFerrari, that was designed to channel air towards the underside of the car, while the double profile front spoiler adds to the aerodynamic efficiency of the radiator.

That twin-turbo V8 on show under the glass housing at the rear of the car generates 661bhp and 720Nm at its highest gear. That turbocharged engine is mated to a seven-speed F1 dual-clutch transmission that powers the car from 0-100kph in just three-seconds. The car has a recorded top speed of 200kph and Ferrari also saw fit to tell us that the 488 takes only 8.3-seconds to get there!

Ferrari is also proud to say that the 488 is the most slippery car that has rolled out of the factory in Maranello. The 488 GTB’s revolutionary aerodynamics incorporate patented solutions such as the blown rear spoiler, the design house has also transferred the 458’s aerodynamic underbody with vortex generators to the 488 as well contributing to an increase in downforce to 325kg when the car is travelling at 250kph. The Ferrari 488 GTB comes to you with an introductory base price of RM1,068,800.00 excluding duty and options. Naza Italia is confident that the Ferrari will turbocharge its way into the Malaysian Tifosi’s hearts.

The 488 GTB is the replacement of the 458 Italia and the car has big wheels to fill. The car already has numbers that shows how much improved it is compared to the previous car but will it beat out the well-loved Italia? We will see.

Jerrica Leong