The Ferrari F8 Tributo is the latest (and probably last) V8 mid-engine offering from Ferrari and what a sendoff! The name Tributo is no doubt a reference to all of the previous iconic V8 Ferrari’s in the bloodline including the 308, 328, 348, 355, 360, 430, 458 and 488. This new Ferrari F8 is the most powerful of all producing an astonishing 710bhp from the 3.9 litre twin turbo engine and if you’re so inclined, it will propel you from standstill to 62mph in only 2.9 seconds! That’s Hypercar quick and all made possible by the seven speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox which now seems to have completely eliminated any time-lapse between gear changes.
Our first Ferrari was a 360 Spider – a brilliant car and I remember thinking at the time when the F430 came out “why would I want a 430 for a few extra horsepower when we’ve got a perfectly good 360, it can’t possibly be any better” But then I drove the F430 and it felt totally different to the 360, more “planted” for starters and it was apparent that we just had to get one, much to my annoyance.
And that’s what Ferrari does brilliantly – with every new model you are convinced that’s as good as it can possibly get, until they launch the next model. And we’re not talking minor cosmetic upgrades here, Ferrari somehow manage to introduce a proper step change with each new model which is an extraordinary achievement.
So is this Ferrari F8 the absolute last in the line of the V8 internal combustion engine Ferrari’s? Quite possibly as all the talk is of future V6 and hybrid options. In any event we’ve no reason to doubt these future variations so long as Ferrari continues to improve each model as they’ve always done, but I’d certainly recommend making the most of the V8’s while you can as they’re undoubtedly an endangered species.
