New Ferrari 488 Spider

The newcomer is called the 488 Spider, and promises to turn the driving thrills up to 11 by adding visceral wind-in-the-hair thrills to the standard car’s scorching performance and balletic handling. More importantly, with the roof down the Spider places the driver even closer to the brand’s latest turbocharged V8 engine.

Like its 458 predecessor, the Spider uses a folding metal hard-top, which means that whether the roof is up or down, the drop-top 488 looks every bit as gorgeous as the coupe. Above the waistline, a pair of sharply creased flying buttresses replace the coupe’s clear glass engine cover, but elsewhere the Spider looks virtually identical.

At the front there’s the same low nose, gaping air vents and slim, swept-back headlamps, while the heavily sculpted rear wheelarches feature vast inlets that force air to the car’s twin-turbochargers. And as we’ve come to expect with modern Ferrari models, the Spider is much more than a pretty face. Careful sculpting of the panels and tweaking of the car’s underside have helped engineers perform the neat trick of both boosting aerodynamic downforce and reducing drag. The car is lighter, too, weighing in at 50kg less than the 458 Spider.

That’s impressive, but for many Spider owners the really important figure is the 14 seconds it takes to stow the roof. Prod a button on the dash, and the aluminium panel flips gracefully up and over, before sliding unobtrusively beneath a panel ahead of the engine cover. Despite its clever mechanism, the folding roof actually weighs around 25kg less than a traditional fabric covering. Plus, neat packaging means that even when the hard-top is stowed, there’s still space for a handy luggage tray behind the front seats.

More importantly, opening the 488’s strikingly styled cabin to the elements puts the driver at the centre of the action when they press the bright red starter button and the mid-mounted V8 yelps into life.

The 3.9-litre engine is carried over unchanged from the GTB, which means you get the same race-derived flat crank design, twin IHI turbochargers and monstrous 660bhp power output. Yet it’s the thumping 760Nm torque figure that dominates the performance.

The old 458 was fast, but the 488 is on another level. Peak torque arrives at just 3,000rpm, which means the Spider explodes out of corners with real violence. It doesn’t matter what gear you’re in or what speed you’re doing, the Ferrari pins you into your seat and fires you down the road. What’s really surprising about this display is that torque delivery is actually limited in the lower gears to help deliver a smoother and more linear acceleration. And it works, because there’s absolutely no turbo lag – the engine responds to the throttle with almost the same scalpel sharpness as the old naturally aspirated 4.5-litre unit, but with far more mid-range muscle. The 0-62mph sprint is demolished in an astonishing 3.0 seconds flat, while the top speed is a heady 203mph.

And then there’s the noise. Any fears that the addition of turbos would have diluted the traditional Ferrari V8 soundtrack are banished the moment you squeeze the throttle and the needle on the rev counter races around to the 8,000rpm redline. From a deep bark through to a spine-tingling, hard-edged howl that’s overlayed with a subtle whistle from the turbos, the 488 never fails to keep your ears entertained. This mechanical orchestra is conducted beautifully by the faster-acting seven-speed gearbox, which rips up and down ratios with every pull of the large, column-mounted paddles.

Of course, there’s more to the Spider than beautiful looks and brute force. Head down a twisting back road and you’ll discover it's every bit as involving and agile as the coupe.

Chopping the roof off any car normally weakens the chassis, which has an adverse effect on handling. However, Ferrari’s engineers have added plenty of strengthening to the Spider’s structure, with the result that it boasts the same torsional rigidity as the coupe.

The upshot is that you get the same ultra-quick and direct steering, staggering grip and deliciously neutral balance. The standard adaptive dampers serve up rock-solid body control, while twisting the steering wheel-mounted manettino controller unlocks ever more focused driving modes, including the latest-generation Side Slip Control that allows you a little sideways slide before the electronic stability control smoothly intervenes. Yet even with the safety net switched off, the Spider is beautifully balanced and approachable. A further highlight is the LaFerrari-sourced carbon ceramic braking system, which is perfectly progressive and provides eye-popping stopping power.

Slow things down a little and the Spider turns into a perfect cruiser. A powered glass wind deflector helps keep buffeting to a minimum, the adaptive dampers soften to smooth out bumps and imperfections in the road, while the effortless turbocharged torque allows rapid yet relaxed progress.

Key specs

• Model: Ferrari 488 Spider
• Price: £204,400
• Engine: 3.9-litre V8 twin-turbo
• Power/torque: 660bhp/760Nm
• Transmission: Seven-speed dual clutch, rear-wheel drive 
• 0-62mph: 3.0 seconds
• Top speed: 203mph
• Economy/CO2: 24.7mpg/260g/km

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

The F12 Berlinetta is an incredible car and a real technical achievement – but it’s not the best Ferrari you can buy. For handling, the 458 Italia is better; for covering long distances, the larger all-wheel-drive FF is more capable; and for those wanting the ultimate supercar from the brand, there’s the forthcoming hybrid LaFerrari. Still, the F12 is a gorgeous-looking car and there’s a tangible thrill you get from driving it that makes us glad that it exists.

Is there really any need for the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta? It’s a question you could be forgiven for asking of this £240k supercar when there are so many other exotic models on the road. But when we fired up the big V12 for the first time on British soil, we had another, more pressing question: exactly how ferocious is it?

Anyone who says supercars are no longer intimidating hasn’t seen the F12’s performance stats, and then signed a form agreeing to pay Ferrari for any damage.

The engine is a development of the 6.3-litre from the FF, only here power is up from 660bhp to 730bhp. And it’s all sent to the rear wheels. So for the first few minutes in an F12, most people will tread on the throttle pedal as if it’s glass.

Pottering around in this car highlights a few things: the steering is light, the gearbox is smooth in fully automatic mode, the powerful carbon ceramic brakes aren’t too grabby and, with the adaptable suspension set to “bumpy road”, the ride is supple for a supercar.

Aside from the way it wants to follow cambers, this Ferrari is very easy to drive slowly. But what’s the point of blowing £239,317 on a thoroughbred prancing horse if you’re never going to venture beyond a trot? So there’s only one thing for it. Grip the wheel, clench your teeth and nail it!

The very moment your right foot squeezes the pedal, the F12 squats down on its haunches and catapults you towards the horizon, with the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox shifting as quickly as you can snatch at the steering wheel paddles.

It’s a testament to Ferrari’s excellent electronic differential and perfectly judged driver aids that unleashing the 690Nm of torque doesn’t annihilate the rear tyres in an instant. But there’s no smoke; just a sense of rocket-like thrust, a blurring of the scenery and a loud, rasping, metallic howl from the exhausts.

The way the F12 builds speed is truly incredible. It would probably be even more incredible if you could tell just how fast you were going. As if your brain didn’t already have enough to cope with, Ferrari has given it the added challenge of deciphering the F12’s tiny speedometer – although you can switch the display to a digital readout.

With 0-62mph taking just 3.1 seconds and 0-124mph a barely believable 8.5 seconds, the chances are if you’ve pushed the accelerator all the way in, then you’re already over the speed limit anyway.

Interior quality is excellent, but there are some Italian foibles. Having the controls for the windscreen wipers and indicators on the face of the steering wheel is annoying, while it doesn’t make much sense that sat-nav, infotainment and in-car displays are all on two small TFT screens either side of a huge rev counter. And who knows how you access all the car’s available menus?

Thanks to the Audi influence, a Lamborghini Aventador’s interior is more logical. Yet arguably, it’s more flamboyant. Amazingly, driving the F12 through London failed to draw quite the attention we were expecting. People weren’t quick to notice the exquisite details like the ‘aero-bridge’ above the front wheelarch, which channels air smoothly down the sides of the car and over the rear wheels, or the active aerodynamic vanes in the front intakes.

Still, it’s touches like these which make the F12 twice as aerodynamically efficient as its predecessor – the 599. It’s 70kg lighter as well, and when you combine that with a lower centre of gravity than the old car’s, the newcomer feels far more agile.

Some may find the steering a bit quick and light, but it soon begins to feel natural. There’s just so much traction and grip that eventually even the most faint-hearted will turn the steering wheel-mounted manettino switch from Sport to Race mode, which limits the assistance from the car’s computers. But there’s no getting away from the fact this is a 730bhp supercar, and you need to treat it with respect.

By comparison, the Ferrari 458 feels tame, meaning you can exploit more of its brilliance more of time, which ultimately makes it a better supercar. Okay, so with a boot bigger than a Volvo V40’s, the F12 is better for crossing continents. But if you want a practical Ferrari, there’s the four-seat, four-wheel-drive FF.

 Key specs

• Price: £239,317
• Engine: 6.3-litre V12, 730bhp
• Transmission: Seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
• 0-62mph: 3.1 seconds
• Top speed: 211mph
• Economy: 18.8mpg
• CO2: 350g/km
• Equipment: Carbon brakes, leather trim, 20-inch wheels, sat-nav, adaptive suspension

Ferrari FF

Ferrari deserves credit for trying something different. The shooting-brake looks will divide opinion, but there’s no arguing with the acceleration and exhaust note. Four-wheel drive makes the performance even easier to access and the FF isn’t as intimidating as a 458, plus it carries four and their luggage in comfort. The only problem is the huge price.

Ferrari’s road car line-up has never been in such good shape. The 458 continues to sweep the competition aside, the California has recently been refreshed, while the spectacular F12 Berlinetta and a replacement for the Enzo are due before the end of the year. And now the mould-breaking FF has arrived in the UK.

This is the first production Ferrari to use four-wheel drive, the first to feature a shooting-brake body and the first to combine Ferrari’s superb seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox with a V12 engine. And what an engine.

It’s related to the Enzo’s 6.0-litre, but its capacity has grown to 6.3 litres. It offers the same 651bhp output but even more torque – so you have truly explosive performance on tap whenever you feel the need.

The engine also serves up the most extraordinary cacophony of sounds, ranging from a sharp bark when you fire it up to a hollow howl at low speeds and an F1-style shriek as you approach the 8,000rpm limiter.

Yet it’s not just neck-snapping straight-line pace that sets the FF apart: it’s the fact that it’s so ridiculously easy to drive quickly. The four-wheel-drive system sends maximum power to the rear tyres until it senses them beginning to slip. At that point, a separate gearbox mounted at the front of the engine (called the PTU) sends power to the front.

It sounds complicated, but it’s a much lighter solution than a traditional four-wheel-drive set-up involving prop shafts and differentials. On the exit of corners, you can feel it clawing at the tarmac and boosting grip.

Flick the steering wheel-mounted Manettino switch to Sport mode and the ESP safety net ensures safe and predictable understeer if you take too much speed into a corner. Turn the electronics off altogether and you’ll get the slightest hint of oversteer before the FF locks back on to your intended line.

The steering is light but always twitching away in your hands, and the FF has the same super-quick turn-in as the 458. But the rest of the package couldn’t be any more different.

Although taut enough to control the body brilliantly, the suspension cushions where a 458’s would crash, and besides some road roar from the massive cross-section tyres, refinement is on par with a Porsche Panamera’s.

The interior isn’t perfect, but still manages to feel sporty and luxurious at the same time. Our main criticisms concern dated sat-nav graphics, the random smattering of buttons around the cabin and paddles that feel a little flimsy compared to those of a Porsche 911 PDK box, but the fit and finish is top-notch.

Two usable rear seats, complete with entertainment screens, and a 450-litre boot (800 litres with the seats down) bolster the FF’s family car credentials.

There’s no ignoring that astronomical price tag, though. And remember, £227,077 is just the base price – our car came with a huge list of extras (such as triple-layer Rosso Maranello paint for £11,040), taking the total up to a staggering £275,827.

Key specs

* Ferrari FF
* Price: From £227,077
* Engine: 6.3-litre V12
* Power/torque: 651bhp/683Nm
* Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch, four-wheel drive
* 0-62mph: 3.7 seconds
* Top speed: 208mph
* Economy/CO2: 18.3mpg/360g/km
* Equipment: Stop-start, sat-nav, cruise control, USB port, 20-inch alloys, leather/suede upholstery, rear entertainment screens

Ferrari 599 GTO

Stripped-out Ferrari 599 GTO road racer is the pinnacle of the 599 range, and uses track-inspired technology.

GTO stands for Gran Turismo Omologato, and the letters are reserved for the most extreme roadgoing Ferraris. In fact, there have been just three in the company’s history - the classic 250 GTO from the early sixties, the Group B-spec 288 GTO of the eighties and this 599 GTO, which is a stripped-down version of the 599 GTB Fiorano grand tourer. It uses the same 6.0-litre V12, but it has been tuned to make 661bhp, while extensive use of carbon fibre and other lightweight materials sees weight drop by 100kg over the standard 599 GTB. This stripped-down supercar uses technology honed from the 599XX track car, and gets a complex array of electronics, as well as improved aerodynamics and efficiency. If you’re in the market for an exclusive £300,000 racecar with number plates, not a lot comes close.

The Ferrari 599 GTB is an elegant looking machine, and the GTO additions only help to enhance an already exciting car – both visually and dynamically. Changes include thinner aluminium and carbon fibre panels, plus lightweight carbon coloured alloy wheels which shroud a set of mighty carbon ceramic brakes. Inside, the car has a pair of figure hugging race seats and matching dashboard trim. The controls are simple but exquisitely finished, and the steering wheel is simply a piece of art. There's a set of F1-style gearshift lights along the top to alert the driver when the rev limit is approaching – as if the sound of the 6.0-litre V12 wasn’t enough. 

The Ferrari 599 GTO takes the standard 599 GTB’s 200mph performance and turns it up to 11. It takes 3.4 seconds to accelerate from 0-62mph – three-tenths of a second quicker than the GTB – and can continue on to a top speed in excess of 208mph. If lap times are more your thing, the 599 GTO can lap Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in 1 minute 24 seconds, which is 2.5 seconds faster than the GTB. Rivals are few and far between at this end of the performance car spectrum, but the 599 GTO is easily faster and sharper than the Lamborghini Murcielago SV. Of course, the payoff for this performance is that it's very difficult to drive gently – you'd only want to drive it if you knew you were going to a track to exploit its full potential.  

No one expects a roadgoing racecar to be practical, and the 599 GTO is no exception. It's a trackday special, and this is reflected as much in terms of comfort and space inside the cabin. Saying that, the GTO does get air conditioning and a stereo, so the dashboard isn’t completely bare. The race seats are firm and figure hugging with little cushioning, but aside from this, the 599 GTO is everything you’d expect it to be – a raw, aggressive and involving racer. 

The £300,000 price tag will buy a decent house, but the 599 GTO is a relative bargain compared to the 250 and 288 GTOs, which command seven and eight-figure sums when they come up for auction. The exclusivity of the GTO badge should ensure that 599 buyers have invested wisely, and they have a collector's item that should rise in value. In terms of economy, the GTO is actually marginally more economical than the standard 599, due lightweight materials and a clever automated manual gearbox. The 599 GTO manages 16.1mpg and 411g/km, compared with 15.9mpg and 415g/km. Consumables are likely to leave a hefty dent in the bank balance, although Ferrari servicing costs are surprisingly reasonable for a prestige brand. 

Ferrari California

 

The Ferrari California is a 2+2 hard-top convertible designed for boulevard cruising more than the race track.

 

The Ferrari California takes on cars such as the Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Bentley Continental GTC V8, with its combination of a powerful V8 mounted up front, a 2+2 seating layout and a folding metal hard top. It has a more relaxed character than the mid-engined 458 Italia, but it's by no means slow. A mid-life refresh raised power from its 4.3-litre V8 by 30bhp to 483bhp, so 0-62mph takes just 3.8 seconds. It also features ceramic brakes for superb stopping power, and was the first Ferrari to use a twin-clutch gearbox when it was first launched in 2008.

One of the difficulties with folding metal hard-tops is to create a sleek design with the roof up or down, but the Ferrari California has achieved just that. The swoopy exterior design won't be to everyone's taste, but certainly turns heads. Nice touches include the stacked exhaust pipes and circular rear lights. The interior manages to combine technology and old-school luxury at the same time. 

Leave the Ferrari California in comfort mode and the engine is muted and the suspension supple, but on the right road this is still a true Ferrari. Mid-life updates have cut 30kg from the weight and boosted power by 30bhp, so the 483bhp 4.3-litre V8 provides impressive acceleration. Turn the wheel-mounted Manettino switch to Sport, and the exhaust barks into life, the gear changes are sharper and the whole car feels more alert. The twin-clutch gearbox is a highlight too, with smooth auto shifts and super-fast changes when you use the paddles. A Handling Speciale package can also be ordered, which adds stiffer suspension and a faster steering rack. 

Modern Ferraris are now beautifully made and a far cry from the temperamental older models - and there have been no major issues reported with the California. Multiple airbags are fitted as standard, and in the event of an accident roll over hoops are deployed immediately to protect passengers. The standard-fit carbon-ceramic brakes provide enormous stopping power and resist fade even when worked hard.

The rear seats really are too small for regular use, although they do have Isofix child seat anchors. See them as extra luggage space though, and the California starts to make more sense. The two-piece roof folds into the boot in 14 seconds, and that still leaves 240 litres of space (there's 360 litres with the roof up), which is enough for a pair of weekend bags. The rear seats also fold down, which allows you to pass longer objects down the length of the cabin. 

  

Ferrari offers a stop-start system as an option on the California, which around 10 to 15 per cent of buyers go for. It drops CO2 emissions from 299g/km to 270g/km and fuel consumption improves from 21.6mpg to 23.8mpg. As with all new Ferraris the California comes with four years of servicing included and is covered by a seven-year warranty.

Ferrari 458 Spider

 

We drive the new 458 Spider. It looks set to become Ferrari's best-selling model and it's easy to see why.

Ferrari was aiming to deliver a convertible version of the 458 Italia with no compromises and from what we’ve experienced, it’s mission accomplished. Handling is as sharp as ever, straight-line speed is blistering and with no roof between you and the howling 4.5-litre V8 it feels even more pure than the hard-top. If you can ignore the £25,000 premium over the coupe – and many spending £170,000 on a car can – then we can’t think of a single reason why you wouldn’t want the Spider.

The Ferrari 458 Spider is set to be the Italian supercar maker’s best-selling model, expected to account for a third of worldwide sales. With expectations that high it can’t afford to disappoint.

And first impressions are good - designed around a fully retractable aluminium hard top the Spider looks just as good as the 458 Italia coupe with the roof up. About the only negative is the roof mechanism robs it of the Coupe’s wonderful see-through engine cover. But with sharp buttresses and a delicately designed rear end, it’s a stunning thing.

But it’s the attractions of open-air motoring that really make this Ferrari such a tantalising prospect and the Spider doesn’t take long to transform. The roof flips backwards – just like the ultra-rare 575M Superamerica – in just 14 seconds, slotting underneath a panel that rises up ahead of the engine cover. 

Once stowed the clever mechanism hides in the bulge ahead of the engine and doesn’t compromise aerodynamics or performance. In fact the buttresses are designed to channel air towards the grilles in the downward sloping engine cover. Not only that, the two-piece aluminium roof is 25kg lighter than a traditional fabric hood while the clever packaging provides enough space for a luggage bench behind the seats.

The Spider comes with an electric wind deflector – effectively a glass screen that rises up between the buttresses – and it’s very effective at reducing buffeting. On the open road wind roar is well isolated from the cabin. But there are some noises you want to hear and with the roof down the soundtrack delivered by the 458’s sensational 562bhp 4.5-litre V8 engine can be savoured with even more passion than in the coupe. 

In fact such is the importance that Ferrari attaches to this aural treat that it has retuned the triple exhausts to maximise the fabulous bark. And it makes a terrific noise – a hard-edged howl that can’t fail to put a smile on your face. The good part is that if the weather isn’t so sunny, you can drop the glass screen when the roof is in place, allowing the engine noise to still enter the cabin.  

Yet purists will argue that taking the roof off reduces rigidity and increases weight, diminishing its capabilities. The 458 Spider is 50kg heavier thanks to chassis strengthening – but the V8 is so devastatingly powerful, the increase barely registers. The Spider hurtles from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds, just a tenth slower than the Italia, while few people will be disappointed by the top speed dropping from 202mph to 198mph. 

A far more important question to answer is whether the Spider has retained the pin-sharp handling the Italia is famed for. And without a doubt, it has. The steering has the same sharp steering reactions as the coupe and the whole car changes direction with the same enthusiasm, darting into corners and gripping hard. Only over very broken surfaces is there the hint of some wobble through the windscreen pillars. 

The sensational dual clutch gearbox delivers seamless upshifts and a glorious blip on the downshifts; the ceramic brakes provide incredible stopping power, while with the steering wheel-mounted manettino switched into its raciest setting race mode, the Ferrari can be balanced beautifully with the throttle on the exit of corners. 

The constant stream of feedback through the controls means delicate steering adjustments help you place the car precisely in the corners. Yet for all the scintillating performance and tactile handling, the Spider’s composed ride means it’s a capable cruiser, too. 

It’s also efficient. Ferrari’s HELE High Emotion Low Emission stop start system is available as a £980 option in the UK and drops CO2 emissions from 307g/km to 275g/km – given the performance on offer, that’s impressive.  There’s no doubt the 458 Spider is an astonishingly capable and involving supercar. 

Priced at £198,856 it commands a considerable £25,675 premium over the coupe, but it’s certainly worth it. Ferrari predicts the UK will be one of the Spider’s biggest markets, with 60 per cent of buyers opting for the drop-top over the Italia. After driving it’s easy to see why. 

Key specs

* Price: £198,856

* Engine: 4.5-litre V8 

* Power: 562bhp

* Torque: 540Nm 

* 0-62mph: 3.4 seconds   

* Top speed: 198mph

* Equipment: Ceramic brakes, dual clutch gearbox, leather, fully electric roof, Xenon lights, multifunction wheel, launch control, adjustable dampers, electric wind deflector

Ferrari 458 Italia

 

The Ferrari 458 Italia delivers awesome performance, razor-sharp handling and jaw-dropping looks.

 

When the Ferrari 458 was unveiled in 2009 as a replacement for the Ferrari 430, it quickly became the benchmark for the supercar world.

A rival to the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Porsche 911 and McLaren 650S, the mid-engined Ferrari 458 Italia is available in two body styles - a coupe, and a Spider convertible. Both have eyewatering levels of performance thanks to the 4.5-litre V8 in the coupe, and the 4.4-litre V8 in the Spider.

In terms of looks, the Ferrari 458 ticks all the supercar boxes thanks to a gorgeous, aerodynamically influenced body capable of turning heads at 1,000 paces. Inside, the high quality cabin is focused on the business of driving with a Formula 1 influenced steering wheelcarrying all the major controls.

The 458 doesn't disappoint behind the wheel either. The Ferrari seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox shifts in the blink of an eye, while the standard ceramic brakes deliver massive stopping power.

Top it off with searing performance, hugely engaging handling and some old-school Ferrari magic, and the 458 is simply sensational. If the standard car doesn't provide enough thrills, Ferrari also makes a more hardcore 458 Speciale version that takes the visceral excitement to another level.

The Ferrari 458 Italia comes at a premium almost as sobering as its 0-62mph time of 3.4 seconds. It starts at around £179,000 and that's before you've even looked at the options list.

The Ferrari 458 is a seriously good-looking car and it's safe to say that there are few cars out that which deliver more head-turning appeal.

Designed by the iconic Italian styling house Pininfarina, the Ferrari 458 looks like everything a supercar should be. The body combines advanced technological features such as active aerodynamic and cooling elements with the traditional looks you'd associate with a supercar - an aggressive nose, slender headlights, taught profile and a stunning rear end.

Step inside the 458, and the cabin provides everything you'd expect from a modern Ferrari. It's exotic, performance orientated and most of all, well-built - a far cry from some Ferraris of old.

You don't need to be Fernando Alonso or Kimi Raikkonen to enjoy driving the Ferrari 458, as the Manettino dial on the steering wheel allows the throttle, gearshift, stability control and dampers to be tailored to the driver's ability level.

Generally speaking though, driving the Ferrari 458 is a sensory experience like no other.The engine note from the V8 is fantastic, the acceleration is beyond words and the controls transmit massive amounts of feedback. What's more, the steering is sharp and precise and there is a huge amount of grip, too.

Overall, the Ferrari 458 remains fast and packed with character both on the road and the track.

The Ferrari 458 is well-engineered  and packed withFormula 1 inspired technology. What's more, it's exceptionally well built, and UK buyers also benefit from a four-year warranty.

In addition to the driver and passenger airbags, Ferrari also fits the 458 with side airbags and the stability control system helps it feel well planted in all weather conditions.

The Ferrari 458 is proof of how much supercars have moved on over the years, as it's surprisingly easy to get on with in the real world.

The adaptive dampers mean the 458 has a reasonably compliant ride, while the supportive and comfortable seats mean its great for long journeys.

As it's strictly a 2+2, the Ferrari 458 isn't exactly the first degree in practicality butthat's not what you buy one for, is it?

Ferrari aims to make life easier thanks to a small but deep boot in the nose, as well as a useful luggage shelf behind the seats.

There is also an extensive options list for the 458, and most customers specify several thousand pounds worth of bespoke trim and detailing. Ferrari also sells personalised luggage kits, if that's your thing. 

The Ferrari 458 Italia may be many things, but with its starting price of around £178,000, cheap isn't one of them.

It also won't be too kind on the wallet as a result of high running costs. The 4.5-litre coupe emits 275g/km of CO2 and returns 20.6mpg, while the 4.4-litre unit which powers the Spider and the Speciale manages 23.9mpg. If you drive the 458 as Ferrari intended, you’ll be lucky to see double figures.

Ferrari has done its bit for the environment, however, by offering its HELE (High Emotion Low Emission) stop-start system as an option.

As part of the price, Ferrari includes its Genuine Maintenance programme that covers all standard items. With 12,500-mile intervals, there's no mileage restriction and the deal is transferable when the car is sold.

Ferrari 488 GTB

The new engine is turbocharged because it’s smaller, leaner and more efficient this way. And, inevitably, more powerful. By a lot.

The unit, still with a flat-plane crankshaft, now displaces only 3.9 litres, rather than the 4.5 litres of its natural breathing predecessor, but its two IHI turbos, each with dual scrolls and many, many friction-reducing parts (I’ve seen the diagrams), spool up exceptionally quickly. When boosting, they make 661bhp, although now between 6200rpm to 8000rpm rather than the 9000rpm of the 488’s predecessor.

What really makes this engine a Ferrari engine, we’re told (yes, yes, we’ll see), is that the torque is artificially reduced at lower revs in lower gears. Only in seventh is full torque – 561lb ft – available, at 3000rpm.

It’d be faster if Ferrari let it all loose, all the time. But it would also sound a bit crummy, say its engineers. Unleash the full gamut of pounds-feet in every gear and the noise would be a constant burp rather than a Maranello-spec yelp.

The steering rack is from the 458 Speciale, so a bit quicker than the regular 458 Italia’s. Ditto the adjustable dampers and the tyre sizes. Brakes are exactly the same as LaFerrari’s and the 488 GTB has a new generation of the Speciale’s Side Slip Control called, imaginatively, SSC2.

SSC2 not only acts via the electronically controlled limited slip differential like SSC1 did but now also softens or firms the dampers subtly to give you an even more carefully metered dose of opposite lock should you want to look like a hero and are bold enough to keep the throttle pinned in a 661bhp supercar.

This is about to sound ridiculous, but keeping a 488 GTB’s throttle pinned is not a particularly frightening thing to do. Yes, this is a car with 34bhp more than a McLaren F1, which has an engine in its middle and which, when you turn stability control off, hands control of whether you continue forwards, sideways, or fall off backwards entirely over to you.

But on the experience we had at Maranello, all too briefly on Ferrari’s Fiorano test track and then in more depth out on Modenese hillside hairpins, the 488 GTB is among the most docile-handling mid-engined cars I’ve driven.

It has an astonishingly forgiving chassis, with hardly a hint of understeer early in a corner, and extremely fast but communicative steering, and when it breaks traction, which it does gladly, it adopts a hopelessly easily controlled attitude and then regains grip cleanly and communicatively.

In part this is, I’ve no doubt, because Ferrari’s chassis engineers are among the best in the business. But I have also begun to wonder if it’s because the engine is turbocharged.

But maybe, just maybe, a touch of lag and a healthy wedge of torque is actually more effective and easier. Maybe the on-throttle spool and the off-throttle hang softens the edges of the oversteer’s entry and exit. Certainly the slug of soft torque seems to make it easier to break away in the first instance.

Either way, if having an engine like this means getting a chassis like this, it’s a sacrifice I’m prepared to make. Sacrifice? I’m afraid so, for the greater good. A moment’s reflection, dear reader, and grief.

Yes, the new Ferrari engine is a Ferrari engine, but not quite as we know it. It still sounds extremely good. It still responds very well. And, Lord knows, it delivers. But it is just a wee bit less tingly and exciting than those that have come before it.

If you like your engine in your car’s middle, the closest alternative that will still give you that instant hit, that breathtaking response, is Lamborghini’s Huracan. It’s fortunate, then, that the 488 GTB’s compensations are so intense elsewhere.

There are other improvements beyond the chassis, too. To my eyes the 488 is less pretty than a 458 but you cannot argue with the genuine downforce developed both front and rear (graphs, my friends, graphs).

This is the first series-production Ferrari to have active aerodynamics, via a rear diffuser that will sometimes stall itself, lessening downforce but also drag. The gearbox software has been revised so that the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, a thing of wonder before, is even more wonderful now. Those LaFerrari brakes are phenomenal and, it would seem, all but unburstable on this acquaintance.

Should mention – because these things do matter - that the cabin is more habitable, with more storage cubbies, there is keyless start (though nowhere obvious to stow the fob) and the prices are only moderately increased.

Price £183,974; Engine V8, 3902cc, twin-turbocharged, petrol; Power 661bhp at 6200-8000rpm; Torque 561lb ft at 3000rpm; Gearbox seven-speed dual-clutch automatic; Kerb weight 1475kg; Top speed 205mph; 0-62mph 3.0sec; Economy 24.8mpg (combined); CO2/tax band 260g/km, 37%.