Skip to main content

Speculatively sexy: Cavalino Design renders the Ferrari 488 GTB Speciale

Ferrari 488 GTB Speciale rendering
Cavalino Design/The Automobilist
Any time a new Ferrari is released, our insatiable minds wander to the potential of the range-topping Speciale.

Last week, with the unveiling of the bedroom poster known as the Ferrari 488 GTB, we were halfway there. Now, Cavalino Design has gotten us a bit closer with the speculative rendering of the 488 GTB Speciale.

Recommended Videos

Based off the sculpted styling of the 488 (which itself is an evolution of the 458), the digital imagining wears a tweaked front fascia with added venting and the iconic Speciale stripe. Aggressive side skirts and a rear lip spoiler adorn the car’s rear, as do the quad exhaust setup and modified diffuser out back.

Other additions include painted wheels and color-matched brake calipers.

If you missed the 488’s unveiling last week, let’s catch you up on the important figures. Despite its numerical moniker, the GTB is powered by a 3.9-liter V8 that houses two twin-scroll turbos. Total output is a whopping 660 horsepower and 560 pound-feet, which bests the outgoing 458 Speciale by 63 hp and 162 torques.

That massive power grants a 3.0-second sprint to 60 mph, while 0 to 124 mph takes just 8.3 seconds. Hardcore Ferrari fans will be interested to know that the GTB lapped the automaker’s private Fiorano test track in just 1:23, only 3.0 seconds slower than LaFerrari and 1.9-seconds quicker than the famed Enzo.

The additional twin-turbo thrust obviously deserves a lot of credit for this, but the 488’s bodywork reportedly creates 50 percent more downforce than the 458 as well.

As for the Speciale? If and when it comes to fruition, it will undoubtedly be even more impressive.

The 488 GTB makes its in-the-metal debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Volkswagen’s affordable ID.2 EV remains on track
vw id2 volkswagen affordable ev 1

It’s no secret that Volkswagen has been facing a huge slump in sales in Europe and China, forcing it to close plants in Germany.

But unlike other European automakers who have stuck to producing high-end electric vehicles (EVs), the German automaker keeps on reaffirming its commitment to bringing affordable EVs to market, including in the U.S.

Read more
Is a Jeep Cherokee replacement slated for 2025?
Jeep Cherokee

Jeep is remaining somewhat mysterious about the name of a new hybrid SUV slated to be part of the brand’s lineup in 2025.
Speaking at the Los Angeles Auto Show recently, Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa would only say that a new compact SUV with a hybrid powertrain was indeed on the way, according to Automotive News.
Filosa had already confirmed last spring that a new “mainstream” large SUV would soon be launched by Jeep, adding that we "could probably guess what it will be called." His comments had sparked speculation that the Cherokee brand name would be back.
While the brand name has existed since 1974, the Cherokee Nation in the U.S. had officially asked Jeep to stop using its name in 2021.
Early last year, Jeep quietly discontinued the model, which was one of its most iconic SUVs of the past 50 years.
The reason? Besides slumping sales, Jeep at the time cited the confluence of market dynamics, consumer preferences, and strategic brand realignment.
The Cherokee was viewed as a classic four-door SUV, known both for its reliability and its ability to suit both off-road and urban environments.
But with time, “consumer preferences have significantly shifted towards larger SUVs equipped with the latest technology and enhanced safety features,” Jeep said at the time. “This trend is accompanied by an increasing demand for environmentally friendly vehicles, steering the market towards hybrid and electric models.”
While no one knows for sure what the new SUV hybrid will be called, Jeep's parent company, Stellantis, is certainly doing everything it can to steer all its brands in the hybrid and electric direction.

Stellantis recently launched a new platform called STLA Frame that’s made for full-size trucks and SUVs. The platform is designed to deliver a driving range of up to 690 miles for extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) and 500 miles for battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

Read more
These EVs come with the best free charging deals
Electrify America charging stations

EV charging is getting more accessible and faster, but it's still not quite as convenient as filling up at a gas station. For some, however, paying a substantially lower cost would make the waiting worth it, and many EV manufacturers make the cost cuts even more enticing by bundling in discounted or free charging at one of the larger charging networks.

This has been a practice for some time now -- and Tesla actually kicked it off with free Supercharger access. The concept is basically that when you buy your EV, you'll get a free subscription or free access to a network like Electrify America or EVgo. Essentially, this means that you can fast charge your electric vehicle at a DC fast charging station at no cost.

Read more