EVSTIG TALKS FERRARI 488 GTB HIRE

Line up 100 people from your local high street and ask them to name a Supercar, any Supercar, their favourite Supercar. I can guarantee that the majority will pluck the name ‘Ferrari’ out. No matter if you’re into cars or not, there’s no denying the Ferrari heritage is up there with the greatest. We are pleased to have welcomed our Ferrari 488 GTB into the fleet recently, and of course...it’s red! Rosso Corsa to be precise but that’s me getting excited. 

Enzo Ferrari, the legend who created the Ferrari brand and built it to what it is today, started out building race cars. He had a passion for petrol, and winning! He only started building road cars so he could sell them to friends, to keep his racing team afloat. It’s one of the best things he’s ever done. EV Hire’s Ferrari fleet will grow, but to start with, it’s only right we kick things off with their mid-engined V8 powered Supercar. The Ferrari 488 GTB is the successor to the 458 Italia. A pioneering Ferrari in so many ways. Sporting a double clutch gearbox, drivers were now able to get closer to the Formula 1 experience and flash up and down the gears like Sebastien Vettel. The Ferrari 458 Italia looked stunning too, and the 488 GTB was a revised celebration of the success of these cars...but with a twist. Ferrari downsized their engine, and stuck twin turbo’s onto the end producing nearly 700bhp!! We’re going to get into how this car drives, but first let’s discuss why you’d want to get behind the wheel of our Ferrari 488 GTB hire. 

Our Ferrari 488 GTB Hire combines a traditional Ferrari colour, with quite a new engine, and sound! Become one of the fastest people on the road with ample power & torque at your disposal. It’s not intimidating though, it encourages the driver to push on and unleash the car to it’s full potential. The Ferrari badge is iconic not only in motorsport, but Maranello, Italy is home to some of the greatest road cars ever built. Ferrari have possibly the largest following of fans, and Ferrari keep on giving when it comes to their products. The whole brand is an experience. Sat behind the steering wheel with the famous prancing horse in full display ready for action. Driving a Ferrari is an emotional experience, and to many, a lifetime goal or dream! Being the EV Stig, I’ve been lucky enough to drive a lot of Ferrari’s, and experience first hand the passion that goes into their cars at Maranello in Italy. A small, industrial town in Northern Italy, sounded by stunning scenery and twisty roads, it’s the perfect setting for Ferrari test drivers to build the best road cars possible. And with their own private test track, Fiorano, they also have the capabilities to build the ultimate race car. Combining race & Road helps them produce these machines that truly are memories you keep forever. Let’s get into the drive, and why the next time you’re thinking of hiring a Supercar, it needs to be a Ferrari. 

The Ferrari 488 GTB is the latest and greatest when it comes to mid-engined V8’s. 660bhp, 760nm of torque and 0-60mph in 3 seconds flat. But in the right conditions, I reckon that’ll drop below 3 seconds. It’s one of the most precise supercars on the market today. From the lightening fast gearbox, to the electric steering rack. If you want to drive quick, this is the car for the job! Having said that, both the gearbox and steering also allow for a surprisingly easy drive into city centres. One of my favourite parts about the Ferrari 488 GTB is the engine (of course). But let me explain why, and hopefully those that are unsure of the turbo movement will hopefully get a little bit more excited about the future in supercars. Turbo charged cars of old have been notorious for turbo lag, that period of time where you floor the car, but the downsized engine running low power struggles to power the car up to the point where the turbos become functionable. The delay in turbo spool is a lifetime when you’re needing that power, and then all of a sudden, you’re kicked up the backside into a different time zone. Well, Ferrari being Ferrari have eradicated Turbo-Lag. Don’t ask me how, but do ask my why. It’s inefficient, unenjoyable and outdated. Yes, it provides character, but does a Ferrari need anymore character? No. Does it need unrivalled performance and an experience to the driver like no other? Yes. Therefore, the magicians at Ferrari have built a stunning twin turbo V8 that feels like a naturally aspirated car. Instant power, at any RPM. That’s a huge achievement! Whilst I’m getting overly excited about this from Ferrari, and most people might not necessarily care...it’s the hard work and passion that goes into the Ferrari to produce the ultimate driving experience that doesn’t go unnoticed. So once you’ve been for a blast in our Ferrari 488 GTB, I’ll be there waiting to collect the keys just to see the look on your face. Because the Ferrari gives you a smile that’s hard to wipe off. 

I even feel like the Ferrari passion is wearing off on me, head back to our EV Hire blog section and read some of my other reports on our fleet and let me know what you think?! Have I gone Ferrari mad just because I’m re-visiting some of my memories driving these wonderful stallions. I look forward to hearing what you think! 

Until next week...

EV STIG