The spiritual successor to the 488 GTB, the all-new Ferrari F8 Tributo has been officially launched in the UAE. Being the sole distributor for all things Ferrari, Al Tayer Motors took the wraps off of the F8 at the posh Bulgari Yacht Club in Dubai. As the next most important model in the brand's line-up, the new F8 Tributo incorporates several aerodynamic, cosmetic, and performance improvements over its predecessor.
One of the most observable aspects of the F8 Tributo is its many aerodynamically-optimised exterior design elements. The tapering front end of the F8 gets a drastically modified bumper with protruding lower extensions, plus a splitter that juts out from the sides of the bumper. There's an array of specialised air curtains and vents to smooth out air flow, and along with those sophisticated LED headlamps, that infamous Ferrari grin now looks more like a sly smirk - but who's complaining. The sides don't seem to have been changed much, as there are enough hints from its GTB past life. Ferrari's effort into organising and segregating different channels of airflow as it moves throughout the F8 is admirable.
Cases in point are the side curtains near the door sills, sculpted wing mirrors and doors, and the scalloped air tunnels that are nestled inside the bulging rear haunches. The roof also aids in channelling the air straight towards the rear wing of the F8 Tributo. Meanwhile, there are so many cuts, creases, and vents at the back that only someone with a PhD in aerodynamics could explain what's really going on here. There are also a set of eye-catching LED taillights, large twin-exhausts, and a thorough air diffuser setup under the rear bumper.
The F8 Tributo won't be what it's without its highly-acclaimed eight-cylinder powerplant. This F154 engine is the most powerful V8 ever to be put in a road-going Ferrari. With its almost lag-free twin-turbochargers in action, this 3.9-litre motor dishes out a biblical 710 hp at 8,000 rpm and 770 Nm of torque at 3,250 rpm. Even more astonishing is this mill's specific power output figure of 183 hp per litre - far greater than any Prancing Horse's heart before it. Couple this to the F8 Tributo's reworked 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and you can go from naught to 100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds, 200 km/h is breached in a mere 7.8 seconds, and full throttle, you'll be blitzing by speed cameras at 340 km/h (that's 310 feet/second). If you think all this power and performance has made the F8 Tributo undrivable, you'd be wrong. As long as you don't commit a cardinal error and go full silly, the F8's new traction control system, computer-monitored stability programme, and the new Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer will prevent you from going overboard.
Step inside the Ferrari F8 Tributo's cabin, and the brand-new F1-style flat-bottom steering wheel will surely steal your attention. It now gets LED rev indicators along with massive carbon-fibre paddles, and stitched leather trim along the sides. There's stitched leather all throughout the interior, and when combined with the carbon-fibre bits and high quality instruments, makes for a memorable and awe-inspiring interior space. Conveniences and equipments abound, Ferrari has packed the F8 Tributo to the gills. The new beast from Maranello comes with adaptive LED headlights, carbon ceramic brakes, adaptive dampers, launch control, dual-zone climate control, and a 7-inch touchscreen multimedia system. Other toys of the F8 Tributo include multiple airbags, an electronic sports differential, plus something called a side-slip angle control (SSC), which basically allows you to drift the F8 Tributo. Fantastic!
