Ferrari unveiled its F8 Tributo at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, and got featured in every rating list as one of the hottest cars at the show. It has now arrived in India, ready to test the roads. Read on for our exclusive report for our readers.
By Somnath Chatterjee
New Delhi
December 2020
Ferrari’s latest V8 mid-engined super car recently landed in India and it has been worth the wait. The F8 Tributo replaces the 488 GTB and embodies the past and the present in terms of the technology and the design. The V8 mid-engined berlinetta has always been a Ferrari staple and forms the bulk of its sales globally right from the iconic F355 to the 458 Italia and recently, the 488 GTB. The 488 GTB was in-fact one of the best-sellers for Ferrari in India and in similar vein, we hear that the F8 Tributo has already racked up a few orders in no time.
The F8 Tributo though represents a bigger leap forward with performance numbers eclipsing hyper-cars of the previous era. The supposedly ‘junior’ Ferrari supercar does 0 to 100 kmph in 2.9 seconds and will go up-to 340 kmph. That is courtesy the award winning 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 honed and fettled to squeeze out more horsepower and torque. The F8 Tributo makes 710 bhp and 770Nm. As a sense of perspective that is way more than the 651 bhp Enzo hyper-car of the noughties and similar to the limited-edition Pista lightweight special.
However beyond the rather impressive spec sheet lies an avalanche of technology that has been lovingly sprinkled by the boffins at Maranello. There is the latest Side Slip Control system plus the fact that it is 10% more aerodynamically efficient than the 488 GTB with increased down-force. The slippery shape is more streamlined over the 488 and it is lighter too while the design actually edges closer to the LaFerrari in terms of design. Being styled in-house at the Ferrari Styling Centre, the F8 Tributo looks stunning but everything is tied to the relentless pursuit of saving weight and increasing its aerodynamic coefficient. It is a more complex shape with its numerous curves and slashes plus not to mention new details like the ‘S-duct’; however it all works in the end in being a proper knee-trembler of a shape.
Inside there is a similar ethos being applied with a smaller steering wheel from the 488 and has a new lay-out for the steering controls. The design of the cockpit is akin to an F1 car with the driver being the center of attention. There is a lot of aluminum and carbon fibre scattered all over the cabin while there are all of the luxuries that one expects from a GT super car. Of course you can spec a lot of optional extras which cost more than an entry-level luxury sedan!
However this being Ferrari, such eccentricities can be forgiven as after all at INR4.02 crore, it is actually the easiest way into Ferrari ownership (Portofino aside). This is also a use-able super car being billed as an everyday proposition thus there is also an emphasis on comfort and practicality with actual storage to put things and just about enough ground clearance to tackle our infamous road infrastructure (though a nose-lift feature is compulsory for our roads). Overall when it comes to the first impressions, the F8 Tributo is more than a worthy successor to the 488GTB and perhaps the most desirable V8 mid-engined super car right now! We can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this!
