F8 Tributo—A powerful tribute to the mid-engine V8 Ferrari legacy

It’s the fastest and most powerful mid-engined V8 Ferrari ever. And it’s now in the Philippines. 

Motostrada, the official and exclusive dealer of Ferrari in the Philippines, has officially launched the Ferrari F8 Tributo in the country. 

“From outstanding performance, speed, and excellence, the racing legacy of Ferrari has brought a unique and exclusive experience to car enthusiasts in our country. Today, we at Motostrada have unveiled the illustrious Italian company’s latest and fastest sports car to-date — the Ferrari F8 Tributo,” Wellington Soong, Motostrada Chairman Emeritus said. 

The F8 Tributo is the new mid-engined sports car that represents the highest expression of the Prancing Horse’s classic two-seater berlinetta. It is a car with unique characteristics and, as its name implies, is an homage to the most powerful V8 in Ferrari history. 

The F8 Tributo sets the segment benchmark for performance, driving pleasure and ease of handling. It makes the exhilarating performance of the best 8-cylinder in the world accessible to all drivers, with unprecedented handling and superior ride comfort. 

With a massive 720ps and a record specific power output of 185ps/l, it is the most powerful V8 ever to be mounted in a non-special series Ferrari. The F8 Tributo accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds (0-200 km/h in 7.8 seconds) and hits a top speed of 340 km//h.  

The turbo V8 has already been used in other models in the range with various power output levels, winning “Best Engine” in the International Engine of the Year awards three years running in 2016, 2017 and 2018 (in 2018 with more than double the points of its closest competitor). Also in 2018, it was awarded the title of the best engine of the last two decades. 

The F8 Tributo delivers its 720ps without the slightest hint of turbo lag and produces an evocative soundtrack. Instantaneous power is matched by exceptional handling thanks to state-of-the-art aerodynamics derived from Ferrari’s F1 experience. 

The F8 Tributo replaces the 488 GTB and is the model with the highest performance matched by the greatest driver involvement. There are significant improvements aimed at providing even better control on the limit along with greater onboard comfort. 

The F8 Tributo punches out 50ps more than the 488 GTB, is 40kg lighter and also benefits from a 10% improvement in aerodynamic efficiency along with the latest version of the Side Slip Angle Control. 

Ferrari made its debut in the mid-engine V8 segment in 1975 with the 308 GTB, a revolutionary car that became a source of inspiration for subsequent models.

The same mid-engine V8 architecture was also adopted for Ferrari’s first supercars, not least the 1984 GTO and 1987 F40, which have achieved iconic status. 

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The F8 Tributo’s 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 unleashes 720ps at 8,000 rpm and 770Nm of torque at 3,250 rpm. It is mated to Ferrari’s F1-derived 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Instantaneously accessible power is matched by exceptional handling thanks to advanced vehicle dynamics solutions. These include a new version of the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer (FDE+) which can be activated in the manettino’s RACE position for the first time, a move designed to make performance on the limit easier to reach and control for an even greater number of drivers. The result is that, with the same level of driving skill, drivers will see an improvement in their ability to hold the car on the limit, making them more confident in lengthy oversteer maneuvers. The F8 Tributo cuts the lap time at Fiorano by a full half-second — from 1:23.00 to 1:22.50.

As their starting point the powertrain department used the 488 Pista’s engine, which already has 50% more specific components than the 488 GTB. The challenge was two-fold: maintain the performance levels achieved with the 488 Pista while delivering performance and sound that also complies with new, stricter emissions and noise regulations. 

The exhaust layout has been extensively modified across the board from the turbos to the tail pipes to produce a sound absolutely unique to this particular car. The result is an engine soundtrack that is exhilarating in both intensity and quality. 

The F8 Tributo is 10% more aerodynamically efficient than the 488 GTB thanks exclusively to an increase in downforce without increasing drag coefficient. 

The front of the car is dominated by the S-Duct, an innovation aerodynamic solution adapted from Ferrari’s F1 experience and already used on the 488 Pista. It has been redesigned together with the F8’s new front end design and accounts for 15% of the increase in overall downforce compared to the 488 GTB. 

New, more compact, horizontal LED headlights allowed Ferrari’s aerodynamicists to incorporate new brake cooling intakes in combination with those on the outside of the bumper, improving air flow and avoiding the need to increase the brakes to cope with the higher speeds reached by the car.  

The signature element at the rear of the car is the blown spoiler. Originally patented for the 488 GTB, it was radically modified to produce a much more extreme version for the 488 Pista. The challenge facing the aerodynamics in the development of the F8 Tributo was improving rear downforce without increasing drag or interfering with the harmonious forms of this area of the car. The underbody is of pivotal importance too, because it can generate high levels of downforce very efficiently. 

The front diffusers are responsible for 15% of the overall increase in downforce. New vortex generators at the center of the underbody have been optimised too and account for 25% of the increase in downforce. The active rear diffuser has a double kink line, which generates a double suction peak near ground level and accounts for 20% of the improvement in extraction and downforce generation capacity compared to the previous model. True F1 aerodynamics technology at work. 

Aesthetically, the F8 Tributo is a bridge to a new exterior design language. The car’s flanks are dominated by the muscular forms of the front and rear wheel arches which give the impression that the bodywork has been tightly moulded around the beautiful 20-inch alloy wheels (with 245/305-sized front and rear tires). The shape of the side air intakes for the intercooler has been redesigned too, highlighting one of the most important stylistic motifs from Ferrari mid-engined V8 history, which auspiciously began with the “torpedo tube” intakes of the seminal 308 GTB/GTS.  

The new rear screen celebrates Ferrari’s legendary V8 engine. Made from ultralight Lexan, it has been restyled to incorporate three louvres at it center and showcase the engine, bringing a modern twist to the most distinctive design element from Ferrari’s most famous V8-engined car, the F40. The louvres also help extract hot air from the engine compartment, in line with Ferrari’s focus on functional design.

The rear spoiler is large and wraps around the taillights, visually lowering the car’s center of gravity and allowing a return to the classic twin taillights, another signature of the early 8-cylinder berlinettas like the very first in the legendary series, the 308 GTB.

The cockpit retains the classic, driver-oriented look typical of Ferrari’s mid-rear-engined berlinettas. New round air vents are set in beautifully sculpted aluminum surrounds (also available in optional carbon-fiber). The dash now incorporates an aluminum sail panel supporting the central satellite and continuing into the dash itself. And to create a sense of visual lightness, a sliver of seemingly floating carbon fiber divides the upper and lower parts. This section also incorporates the optional 7” touchscreen passenger-side display which provides an extra sporting touch. The dash is completed by the classic instrument cluster with its central rev-counter and the new-generation steering wheel.