2016 America & Italia: The Return and The Revision

         So here we have two new entries into the violent, speedy, insane octagon of supercars. The Ford GT (the return of an American Icon) and the Ferrari 488GTB (the next-coming of the 458). Both are impressive looking from bodywork to stats.

The 2016 GT abandons the retro looks of its predecessor and gives us a futuristic version of a classic American icon. The body looks like something out of a transformers movie, while sticking to that classic GT layout. Its newest feature is a 600+HP Ecoboost V6 mated to a 7 speed transmission, which means twin turbo’s and “epic for a supercar” efficiency.

The 2016 488 GTB does the same thing in sticking to the formula from its predecessors (355, 360, 430, and 458) but it gives us a new take on it. The “entry level” Ferrari, should be replacing the 458 in the coming year and according to the stats, it should be able to fill the shoes of the 458. It retains the 458s angles and integrates a curvier exterior. It also features a turbo-charged engine but it comes in V8 packaging with a reported 660 HP.

Well there’s the factual stuff, here’s the opinions.

Tell me something…doesn’t the 488 remind you of a 458 with curves. The 458 is like that freshman girl, in high school, who had no type of shape but there was some form of attraction. Meanwhile the 488 is that same girl but during senior year. She’s now filled out and instead of being attracted to her…you want to be her boyfriend along with half of the high school. One thing that always bugged me about the 458 was the sharp angles and the lack of curves. I will admit I love Lamborghini’s (which are primarily sharp angles) but for me Ferrari’s with exception to the Enzo and the LaFerrari, married curves and aerodynamics to create benchmark performers. The 488 will most likely follow the footsteps of the 458 as being the car to beat and even though the engine has shrunk from a 4.5L V8 to a reported 3.8 Turbo V8, it has enough prancing horses to keep it a contender.

                                                                                                               Credit to thetruthaboutcars.com

Now for the GT. Love the looks but Ecoboost V6 in conjunction with the Ferrari killing, Le-Mans winning, legendary GT, is like not giving Marshawn Lynch the ball on the 1 yard line. What and who did this? You had one job and you did it wrong…or were you right? Maybe the move to a Twin Turbo V6, opens up more possibilities. I mean where could they go from here….SVT GT-R? Shelby GT-40? Think about it, the engine is going to save a lot of weight, the turbo’s are going to push the power to make it a competitor and quite frankly, the engine has a near V8-ish exhaust note. It is more advanced than its older brother and it makes sense. Nowadays, we have four cylinder engines cranking out more ponies than your Grandpas Caddy Deville. So why not save weight, add some fancy stuff, go really…really fast and then be able to get gas and an ice cream cone, while that Lambo owner back there has to wait for roadside assistance. This is Ford basically saying “We can beat you at your own game and get better gas mileage!”

This is all I know, there is a new era of supercars coming. These two have picked a perfect time to enter into the most innovative segment of the auto-industry. I honestly can’t wait for these two to go head to head and even though the GT has downsized its engine, I will go out on a limb and say this…I think the GT will assert its dominance over the supercar segment but in order for it to do so, it needs to surpass the mighty 488 GTB and if the 458 was any indication of Ferrari’s superiority…the GT is going to have its hands full.