A more capable version of the Ferrari 488 GTB has long been rumored to be in development. Dubbed the 488 GTO, leaked specs suggest that it could potentially be the fastest road car in the Italian automaker's history.
Ferrari has not officially confirmed the 488 GTO. However, details for the upcoming sports car were recently leaked by Ferrari Photo Page. The leaked images, which reveal some of the technical specifications of the 488 GTO, are said to be from a private viewing event.
According to the leaked slides, the 488 GTO's engine will be equipped with Ferrari's most powerful V8 engine yet—capable of delivering at least 700 horsepower. It is based on the engine used by the 488 Challenge race car and is supposedly 10 percent lighter than the 3.9-liter V8 engine of the 488 GTB.
The 488 GTO will also be significantly lightweight due to the predominant use of carbon fiber. The material is used for the hood, front and rear bumpers and the rear spoiler. The sports car also comes with 20-inch carbon fiber wheels that are said to be 40 percent lighter than the standard alloy rims. The wheels will be wrapped in Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires. Meanwhile, the stripped-out interior reportedly has aluminum floor panels and no glovebox.
Futhermore, components such as large air intakes, an active rear spoiler and a GTE-inspired rear diffuser will translate to 20 percent more aerodynamic efficiency than 488 GTB.
The leaked slides also suggested that the 488 GTO would be faster than the LaFerrari hyper car. However, it was not explained how the former could potentially beat the latter. To note, the LaFerrari has a top speed of 217 miles per hour (mph) and a 0 to 60 mph time of 2.4 seconds. It also has a lap time of 1:19.70 at the Fiorano test track — making it the fastest road-legal Ferrari.
The Ferrari 488 GTO is rumored to make its official debut at the Geneva International Motor Show this March.
