Say hello to the Ferrari SP38, the latest one-off to come from the marque’s Special Projects division. Based on the 488 GTB, it will be delivered to its lucky owner at Villa d’Este on May 26.
It remains to be seen if any mechanical changes are found beneath the new skin. If not, the SP38 features the same twin-turbo 3.9-liter V8 engine as the 488 GTB delivering 661 hp. We would not be surprised if the engine has been upgraded to Pista-spec and produces the same 710 hp as the track-focused 488.
from FerrariChat:
This is a special project car based on a 488. Built by the factory for a female Ferrarista and major Ferrari collector based in Switzerland.
The car will be presented to the public at the upcoming Villa d'Este Concours this coming weekend 26/27 May 2018 at Cernobbio (Lake Como), Italy.
Gnil:No more need for the huge side intakes
Exactly my thoughts. Press release says:
"On the side, the defining air scoop of the 488 GTB is completely concealed where the sheet metal folds in on itself from the low beltline on the door and into the rear wheelarch and three-quarter light."
Make the side intakes of the 488 look even more ugly than before.
We're at the point where you can be the fastest or just sound like you're the fastest.
The secret of life is to admire without desiring.
Rossi:Gnil:No more need for the huge side intakes
Exactly my thoughts. Press release says:"On the side, the defining air scoop of the 488 GTB is completely concealed where the sheet metal folds in on itself from the low beltline on the door and into the rear wheelarch and three-quarter light."
Make the side intakes of the 488 look even more ugly than before.
Exactly ..... and proves that they are mainly a visual appendice . Probably there so they can integrate them nicely for the next model
964 Carrera 4 -- 997.2 C2S , -20mm -- 991 GT3 RS
Design-wise, the SP38 goes Porsche's way...a technical design but almost too perfect and...boring.
Also, I can't help it but the car reminds me a little bit of a more "compact" version of the Ford GT.
The front is almost Lamborghini-like and the rear is too busy.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)
RC:Design-wise, the SP38 goes Porsche's way...a technical design but almost too perfect and...boring.
Also, I can't help it but the car reminds me a little bit of a more "compact" version of the Ford GT.
The front is almost Lamborghini-like and the rear is too busy.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)
Well, I think they just lacked the vision and creativity to try to remove them. Then they saw the 720s and realised there was another way to do it, and incorporated it into this special car. In Dutch we have a saying: "beter goed gejat dan slecht bedacht", meaning so much as "it is better to steal a good idea than to come up with a bad one yourself"...
Porsche, separates Le Mans from Le Boys
May 24, 2018 10:13:25 AM
May 24, 2018 10:34:13 AM
Ferrari is a very generous brand giving away money to their most loyal clients with the limited editions they launch but I feel they're laughing at their clients when they're commisioning these one-offs. The client is paying 1-2-3 mio and the final design isn't anything state of the art nor bespoke, it's just a Frankenstein with parts -or ideas- from other cars. I think there are only 1 or 2 one-offs from Ferrai that I really like, the rest I wouldn't buy them not even at ~100k€.
This one in particular looks like a Lambo in the front. Its side view is Lotus. And the back has a resemblance to the F50. At least this time they're using new headlights.
May 24, 2018 12:37:08 PM
May 24, 2018 12:43:48 PM
May 24, 2018 1:10:28 PM
I've never really fancied the looks of any Ferrari mid-engined since the times of 308/328/288 and Berlinetta Boxer. Front-engined Ferrari are much nicer.
Simplicity is best not over-design.
Best looking mid-engined cars of recent times: Carrera GT, 918 Spyder and McLaren 570GT. McLaren P1 is also a very impressive in real life making a strong visual impact without resorting to Lamborghini's elaborate styling excesses.
"Porsche....and Nothing else matters"
May 24, 2018 7:44:13 PM
alexalex88:Ferrari is a very generous brand giving away money to their most loyal clients with the limited editions they launch but I feel they're laughing at their clients when they're commisioning these one-offs. The client is paying 1-2-3 mio and the final design isn't anything state of the art nor bespoke, it's just a Frankenstein with parts -or ideas- from other cars. I think there are only 1 or 2 one-offs from Ferrai that I really like, the rest I wouldn't buy them not even at ~100k€.
This one in particular looks like a Lambo in the front. Its side view is Lotus. And the back has a resemblance to the F50. At least this time they're using new headlights.
These cars are generally for those that have everything so the money whilst not being "nothing" is certainly a small part of their net worth. The guy who commissioned this really does everything including a Ferrari F1 car. All that matters is if he likes it. Personally, I think they are vanity projects. There are a number of special projects in the pipeline of those who are not quite in this league but want to jump higher up the totem pole to guarantee the La Ferrari replacement allocation etc.
I think something to keep in mind is that Glickenhaus did P4/5 for less than some of the SP, and that included the cost of an Enzo!
So yeah, you can probably do a heck of a lot better if you commission them to do something for you than Ferrari directly, but it might not technically be an official Ferrari.
May 24, 2018 8:24:07 PM
May 24, 2018 11:46:38 PM
crayphile:alexalex88:Ferrari is a very generous brand giving away money to their most loyal clients with the limited editions they launch but I feel they're laughing at their clients when they're commisioning these one-offs. The client is paying 1-2-3 mio and the final design isn't anything state of the art nor bespoke, it's just a Frankenstein with parts -or ideas- from other cars. I think there are only 1 or 2 one-offs from Ferrai that I really like, the rest I wouldn't buy them not even at ~100k€.
This one in particular looks like a Lambo in the front. Its side view is Lotus. And the back has a resemblance to the F50. At least this time they're using new headlights.
These cars are generally for those that have everything so the money whilst not being "nothing" is certainly a small part of their net worth. The guy who commissioned this really does everything including a Ferrari F1 car. All that matters is if he likes it. Personally, I think they are vanity projects. There are a number of special projects in the pipeline of those who are not quite in this league but want to jump higher up the totem pole to guarantee the La Ferrari replacement allocation etc.
Sure, the important thing is that the owner likes it and of course these kind of products are reserved for those with deep pockets who already have literally whatever they want and/or those who are willing to move up within Ferrari's food chain.
What I'm saying is that Ferrari, when asking millions for such one-offs, should offer more and not recycle pieces-lines-parts from other cars -some of them from the current line up.
May 25, 2018 12:01:50 AM
The problem might be a combination of "we don't have to" and regulations. Since Ferrari a legitimate manufacturers of 'high' volume, they are no doubt bound by certain regulations. For example, at what point do they have to crash test? Can they create a new engine without spending tons of time and money on emissions testing? If you sell a car to a customer, I'm sure the same rules apply to their car as anyone else's.
From what I understand, when you do one of these cars you still get the exact same underlying car since it's all been tested and certified. That's probably the main reason.
May 25, 2018 8:12:18 AM
Indeed it has to do with r&d, cost savings and regulations (e.g. develope a new platform is well into the tens/hundreds of millions, right?).
But then again, if I'm paying millions I'd expect them not to use the same chasis, engine, brakes, mirrors, headlights, etc. from a 250k product. Is not up to me whether Ferrari has to deal with bureaucracy, regulations or whatever. However, as crayphile noted, the important thing here is that the client is happy with the final result.
I applaud Ferrari's policy with their limited runs though. But this one-off program is simply a way to milk (laughing at) their customers.
May 26, 2018 10:34:45 AM
alexalex88:Indeed it has to do with r&d, cost savings and regulations (e.g. develope a new platform is well into the tens/hundreds of millions, right?).
But then again, if I'm paying millions I'd expect them not to use the same chasis, engine, brakes, mirrors, headlights, etc. from a 250k product. Is not up to me whether Ferrari has to deal with bureaucracy, regulations or whatever. However, as crayphile noted, the important thing here is that the client is happy with the final result.
I applaud Ferrari's policy with their limited runs though. But this one-off program is simply a way to milk (laughing at) their customers.
I actually think it is great that Ferrari offers to create your own one and only "dreamcar". I don't see it as a rip-off, on the contrary.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)