It was the Italian car manufacturer that unleashed a celebration of its history called the F8 Tributo some time ago. The word tributo means tribute in Italian, and so this model pays tribute to the roots and spirit of traditional Italian motoring.
Strength to spare
The Ferrari F8 Tributo was unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show as the successor to the 488 GTB. At the heart of this fierce Italian is a supercharged 3.9-litre fork eight-cylinder engine, where the car manufacturer’s engineers have taken the essentials from the 488 Pista.
Simply put, you could say that the engine has been slightly modified and particulate filters have been added to the exhaust, but the modifications are a bit more complex. The car manufacturer had to comply with strict emission limits and noise standards for this model.
But don’t worry, this engine still has spark. The limiter kicks in at 8,000 rpm, which is a respectable figure even for an atmospheric engine, let alone a supercharged one. And although the turbo engine has a “naturally” muffled sound, it is noisy to the core.
Also new on this model is a modified air intake to the engine, which is routed from the rear. Ferrari has given the engine the intake from the Challenge racing version, so it’s accompanied by the typical roar of rushing air.
The car manufacturer likes to say this model is one of the best sounding ones it has ever put on the road. And we like to believe so. But what kind of engine would it be with a decent sound, but without proper power?
The Ferrari F8 Tributo doesn’t slack off on this front either. Engineers tuned the powertrain to a brutal 720 horsepower with 770 Nm of torque! That can give the car a proper workout. It accelerates to 60 in 2.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of up to 340 km/h!
If we may venture to judge from our own experience, even a smaller herd under the rear hood would have sufficed. Taming this bucking horse requires the steady hand of an experienced driver and a very clear road.
Perfect aerodynamics
With supercars, it’s never just about technique, although that obviously plays one of the most important roles. But that would be nothing without the perfect aerodynamics and the overall setup of the car, which Ferrari has really worked on a lot in the case of this model.
The curb weight of the car is just 1,435 kilograms, a reduction of 40 kilograms compared to the 488 GTB. The shapes of the car may resemble the aforementioned predecessor, but they are newly processed and interestingly, they were worked on directly by the car manufacturer’s designers, not an external studio Pininfarina.
The emphasis on aerodynamics was of course paramount. For example, compared to the 488 GTB, the F8 Tributo has 15% more downforce, there are special louvres above the engine to deflect excess heat away from the superb V8, and the specially designed narrow headlights have vents to cool the front brakes.
It wouldn’t be a supersport without a proper rear spoiler, which in this case provides sufficient downforce and rear axle clearance.
The interior is an absolute classic with a touch of modern technology. Emphasis was placed on the combination of premium materials and ensuring that the driver has a perfect connection with the car.
This corresponds to the shape and positioning of the seats, but also in this model a completely new and even smaller steering wheel, but all the controls remain on it, as is usual with Ferrari.
The most important things a driver might need while driving can be found under the new touchscreen. And the passenger can also find their display, where they can monitor all the driving data, right before their eyes.
The Ferrari F8 Tributo is not only a worthy continuation of the tradition of the “small” eight-cylinder models, but also an absolutely stunning masterpiece in terms of performance, engineering, design, quality and luxury.
