Watch Ferrari 488 Hybrid Test Mule Come Out to Play at Night

The barely disguised car is believed to be a test mule Ferrari 488, used to test the future hybrid powertrain developed by the Prancing Horse.

The car seen in the video published by Youtube user DrGumoLunatic wears white wrappings at the rear and front, but is virtually naked otherwise. Unfortunately, the video, shot probably with a smartphone camera, and the fact that it’s the middle of the night pretty much do the job of camouflaging the naked parts.

The prototype has been seen testing before, as the car is in development ever since last year. The model seen here clearly belongs to the 488 family, and knowing Ferrari’s plans to launch electrified cars by 2022 leaves one with enough room to joggle with the idea of a hybrid system being tested on the 488.

There’s no info yet on the powertrain combo the hybrid will be packing under its hood, nor what exactly this first hybrid car will be. This tech is hoped to be used as a reanimation tool for the Dino nameplate produced from 1968 to 1976. Should such a revival happen, the Dino hybrid will take its place as the entry-level model for the Ferrari lineup.

Back to the test mule, the regular 488 is powered by a 4.0-liter V8 that develops 670 hp in the GTB and 720 in the Pista. But when it announced plans to have at least 60 percent of its lineup electrified by 2022, Ferrari said it is working on a hybrid V6, so it's a possibility such an engine hides under the hood of the test mule.

There’s no hope of getting official info on the new hybrid Ferrari this year, so we’re only left with videos such as the ones below for now. Enjoy.