Buyacar Buying Guide: Ferrari 488 GTB
A low-mileage 488 can be a Ferrari bargain, and Buyacar can help you find one
PORSCHE’S 911 MIGHT BE THE Bestknown recipient of constant evolutionary improvement, but Ferrari’s mid-engined V8 line is equally worthy of recognition. Ever since the much-maligned 348 of the 1989-95, Maranello has tirelessly tweaked and evolved its core model into one of the world’s best supercars.
The F8 Tributo has recently taken over that mantle from its 488 predecessor, but the 488 was a perfect example of this evolutionary path, being a careful reworking of the 458 that had come before. Meeting the needs of both emissions regulations and customers seeking ever greater performance, Ferrari took the step of turbocharging the 458’s follow-up, while also carefully tweaking the car’s electronics to make it more useable than ever.
What the 488 undoubtedly lost in aural appeal (it had the misfortune of following the 458 Speciale with its shrieking naturally aspirated motor) it gained in usability, with a miraculous ability to smother bumps with its Bumpy Road mode, and an even more mind-bending ability to let a distinctly non-heroic driver carve fourth-gear drifts on track thanks to the latest iteration of Side Slip Control.
The 488 GTB was, as you’d hope, rather beautiful too, and was joined first by a Spider and then by a more track-focused variant, the Pista, but even in basic form it secured fourth place in 2015’s evo Car of the year test – one better than its F8 successor managed in 2020.
The relentless pace of development means that as some gravitate towards the newer F8, the 488’s position in the used market begins to shift, too. Ferrari caters for buyers of older models with long warranties, comprehensive service plans and more besides, but for further peace of mind and ease of transaction there’s also the option to buy through Buyacar, with its HPI checks, 14-day money-back guarantee and preferred delivery dates.
What did we find? A 2017 488 Spider in Rosso Dino – another step in the spectrum towards orange from the Tv-friendly Rosso Scuderia – with a subtle charcoal leather and Alcantara cabin, contrasting yellow brake calipers and tasteful silverpainted wheels. Having covered only 295 miles since 2017 it’s effectively new, but at £190,095 including a £300 contribution, or £2716 per month, it undercuts a brand-new zero-options F8 Spider by a good £35,000. You’re not losing out much in terms of the way it drives either. Put a private registration on there and few will be any the wiser…