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Ferrari 488 Challenge Racecar Spied, Previews Future Road-Legal 488 Special

Sure, the Ferrari 488 already has two racing incarnations, the "entry-level" GT3 and the top-tier GT3, but, for the Prancing Horse's road car-derived racecar recipe to be complete, the 488 Challenge needs to join the circuit party.
Ferrari 488 Challenge racecar spied 5 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Ferrari 488 Challenge racecar spiedFerrari 488 Challenge racecar spiedFerrari 488 Challenge racecar spiedFerrari 488 Challenge racecar spied
Well, we are now looking at what is probably the test mule of the Ferrari 488 Challenge - this incarnation of the racecar is destined for Maranello's one-make series.

The mule once again showed up on Italy's Monza track, but things have changed since its previous Monza appearance back in the Summer (you can find this in the second video below). To be more precise, even before we get to see the thing going round the corner, the exhaust seems louder.

More importantly, the aerodynamic elements seem to have taken a more complex shape. In fact, the adventure we have here could be a test session for the front area aero setup, as the rear of the racecar doesn't seem to have been gifted with any dedicated bits yet - we're talking about the apron and the diffuser, as the generously sized wing obviously doesn't fit this description.

As any proper racecar testing episode should the stunt we have here delivers plenty of glowing brake moments (Halloween treats, anybody?).

One of the best bits about the 488 Challenge is that the racecar should bring us a road-legal followup. You know, the next machine to join the 360 Challenge Stradale, the 430 Scuderia and the 458 Speciale.

And while the Speciale's 605 hp 4,497cc V8 still holds the world record for the greatest naturally aspirated specific output, the twin-turbo nature of the 488 GTB means the Italian engineers will have an easier task convincing the engine to deliver extra ponies.

And while neither the spied 2018 Lamborghini Huracan Superleggera nor the also-spied 2018 McLaren P14 are direct competitors for the said street-legal Fezza, we'll probably get to see the three being thrown at each other in various tests. Nevertheless, while the said Sant'Agata Bolognese and Woking supercar are scheduled to debut next year, it's still too early to talk about the timetable for the introduction of the Ferrari special. Meanwhile, here's a spy clip of the 488 special.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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