Ferrari F8 Tributo Touches Down in SA
Just three and a half short months after Ferrari unveiled it at the Geneva Motor Show, the Ferrari F8 Tributo has made its South African debut to members of media at a local press gathering at their Fourways showroom in Johannesburg. The successor to the 488 GTB, and quite literally translating to ‘(F)errari V(8) Tribute’, the F8 Tributo pays homage to the exceptional V8 engine that has called mid-engine Ferraris its home for the last several decades – particularly this turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 that was named the best engine of the last 20 years at the international engine of the year awards last year.
Based on an advancement of the platform that underpinned the 488 GTB, Ferrari has taken race-developed technologies from both Formula and its own 488 Stradale race cars and implemented them here to create their most potent road-focused V8 Berlinetta yet. Less weight, more power, more performance – that’s the end result of all the changes. But of course, it takes a vast amount of engineering to make that possible.
How does the Ferrari F8 Tributo perform?
With further use of carbon fiber, Ferrari has shaved 40 kg from the dry weight of the 488, with the F8 Tributo weighing a mere 1,330 kg (kerb weight 1,435 kg). The twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 engine has been tweaked and advanced, with revised cooling and intake systems allowing outputs to climb by 50 PS to 720 PS (530 kW) @ 7,000 rpm and 770 Nm of torque @ 3,250 rpm. Drive reaches the rear axle through Ferrari’s latest incarnation of their F1 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, with an electronic differential dubbed E-Diff3 aiding power management.
Aerodynamics have been revised too, with a 10% increase in aerodynamic efficiency due to improvements in underbody layout, functional airflow through cooling vents, and a form follows function design that sees every crease and vent play an active role in the F8 Tributo’s aerodynamics.
The result of all the advancements is mega. 0-100 km/h takes 2.9 seconds (0.1 seconds quicker than the 488 GTB), 0-200 km/h just 7.8 seconds (0.5 seconds quicker than a 488 GTB), and the F8 Tributo will max out at 340 km/h. It’s half a second quicker around Ferrari’s Fiorano test track with a lap time of 1 minute 22.5 seconds, which may be a full second slower than the track-focused 488 Pista, but the F8 is engineered with road use in mind.
Ferrari F8 Tributo Design
The design of the F8 Tributo is more than an advancement of the 488 GTB, however, as Ferrari’s in-house design team has taken influence from some of the greatest Ferrari models of their illustrious history. The quad-taillight design, for example, harks back to the Ferrari 308 GTB and Ferrari F40, while the slatted glass engine cover is a direct reference to the original turbocharged V8 Ferrari, the F40.
The design changes carry through to the interior as well, where the F8 Tributo boasts one of the simplest designs in recent Ferrari history. Sitting behind the wheel, it’s better off for it, as the lack of clutter gives the F8 a sense of purpose. The steering wheel has been reduced in diameter by 30mm, and the inclusion of the latest iteration of Ferrari’s Side Slip Angle Control (SSC 6.1) combines to reduce steering inputs by 30% when handling the F8 over the limit (read when performing long smoky drifts).
How much does the Ferrari F8 Tributo Cost?
Deliveries of the first allocation of right-hand drive units – this display unit is the same left-hand drive show car that broke cover at the Geneva Motor Show in March to unveil the F8 – are expected towards the end of 2020 in South Africa, but order books are open. Just how much are you looking at, though? Well, at current exchange rates, the F8 Tributo carries a base price of R5.5-million, while this particular show car is fitted with more than €80,000 – or just short of R1.3-million.
Scuderia South Africa saving the cheetah
Scuderia South Africa, the local importer of Ferrari into South Africa, has taken the opportunity brought by displaying the F8 Tributo in SA to announce their commitment to one of Africa’s own speedsters, the cheetah. The cheetah is the fastest animal on land in the world, capable of a 0-100 km/h sprint of under 3 seconds, but unfortunately, the cheetah isn’t capable of outrunning extinction, which is a fast-approaching reality as numbers dwindle.
In support of cheetah conservation, Scuderia South Africa has teamed up with the Anne Van Dyk Cheetah Centre near Hartbeespoort in the North West province, adopting a rescued cheetah that has been named Tributo. Scuderia SA hopes that through this adoption, they’ll be able to inspire their current group of clients, many of whom are high up in corporate companies, to contribute towards the conservation of the cheetah.
While the F8 Tributo show car will tour the country, making appearances at both the Durban and Cape Town showrooms, Tributo the cheetah will remain at the Anne Van Dyk Cheetah Centre where she’ll be visited by the Ferrari family, and where she can contribute towards the revival of the South African cheetah population.
