In the past few weeks, more details have been leaked surrounding Ferrari’s hardcore 488 Special Sport Series – or what some have called the 488 GTO. Official CARB documents from earlier in the month officially revealed the rare Prancing Horse’s identity, and now new images show the entire front portion of the vehicle.
The lone image was uploaded on Instagram by user FerrariPhotoPage by way of VerssonSpotting. The caption reads, "Just received the first real picture of the 488 Sport Special Series from @VerssonSpotting. What do we think?" The image shows the front portion of the new Ferrari uncovered, complete with a unique grille – which will reportedly increase aerodynamic efficiency by up to 20 percent – two centrally located white stripes, as well as new 20-inch wheels.
Rumor has it that the hardcore Ferrari could come with upwards of 700 horsepower (521 kilowatts) when released, which would make the 488’s updated 3.9-liter engine not only the most powerful Ferrari V8 the company has ever produced, but also lighter by about 10 percent. Spy shots have captured Ferrari developing its hardcore 488 variant as early as August 2016, and along with more power, we should see a significant drop in weight, too.
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Already dealers have reportedly begun lining up buyers for the track-focused 488, but we likely won’t see the final product in full for a few months to come. The most ideal location for a full debut will come at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Given that CEO Sergio Marchionne has stated all of the firm's vehicles will feature some sort of electrification after 2019, this could be one of the last naturally aspirated Ferraris ever built.
Source: Instagram / FerrariPhotoPage
