2016
Ferrari 488 GT3 and 488 GTE Race Cars
Ferrari hosted its 2015
edition of Finali Mondiali at Mugello circuit in Italy with the unveiling of
new versions of its track-monsters, the 2016 Ferrari 488 GT3 and 488 GTE race
cars.
Finali Mondiali is the
closing round of the Ferrari Challenge series – the one-make series where
drivers fight it out for various coveted championships on equal Ferrari
machinery. The Indian business, Gautam Singhania, finished second to eventual
champion Jacques Duyver last weekend in only the second full-season of his
professional career at the Ferrari Challenge Europe competition.
Present in the event
were Ferrari Chairman Sergio Marchionne, Enzo Ferrari’s son Piero and
Scuderia’s F1 superstar Sebastian Vettel. Ferrari takes this event as the
celebration of its famed history and thus unveiled two of the newest iterations
of its latest 488 GTB model along with the new F12TdF.
The 2016 488 GT3 and
GTE race cars will replace the popular 458 racers around the world from next
season, the 488 GTE will contest the fiercely competitive World Endurance
Championship.
In the road-going
version of the 488 GTB, the 3.9-litre engine produces a peak output of 660 hp at
8,000 rpm and 560 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm. By comparison, the 458’s
naturally-aspirated 4.5-litre V8 generates 597 hp at 9,000 rpm but just 398
lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm as found in the 458 Speciale.
The principal changes
over the accomplished race version of 458 Italia are the new turbocharged
engines 488 GT3 and GTE will be powered with. At Le Mans and other sportscar
championships across the globe, the outgoing Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 has won top
honours and ever since the inception of the World Endurance Championship it has
taken victories in every class. The turbocharged 488 GTE will have a big
challenge ahead to follow the footsteps of the 458 GT2 Italia.
Meanwhile, the GT3
class racecar will be running in the Blancpain Endurance Series, Pirelli World
Challenge whilst competing in other series pertaining to GT3 regulations in
Europe and championships in Asia. The Ferrari 488 GT3 racer will be up against
stiff competition from Nissan GT-R, Mercedes-AMG GT, Aston Martin V12 Vantage,
Audi R8, Porsche 911, Bentley Continental GT, Lamborghini Huracán and McLaren
650S.
Source : motorsport.com
