Ferrari transformed the 458 into the 488 by changing its appearance, but most importantly, letting the naturally aspirated lump go, in favor of a turbocharged unit.
But does applying the turbo recipe to the supercar actually make it faster than the highly-desirable 458 Speciale? Evo tried answering that question by taking both exotics on a fast lap around the Anglesey circuit, and in the hands of a professional racing driver, a clear winner emerged.
Before checking out the video, let’s take another look at the specs of the two machines – the 488 GTB utilizes a 3.9-liter turbocharged engine, which pushes out 669 PS (660 HP) and 760 Nm (560 lb-ft) of torque to the rear wheels. Going from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes just 3 seconds, and flat out, it will do 330 km/h (205 mph).
At the other end, the Ferrari 458 Speciale makes do with a naturally aspirated 4.5-liter V8 powertrain, developing 605 PS (597 HP) and 540 Nm (398 lb-ft) of torque. Despite being less powerful than the newer supercar, it needs 3 seconds flat to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph), before topping out at 325 km/h (202 mph).
This would be a good time to place your bet.