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Ferrari 488 GTO possibly revealed in new spy shots

As every new Ferrari debut approaches, enthusiasts worldwide can't wait to pore over each and every photo, video and spec sheet. That's why these new spy photos have us so excited. It looks like the engineers at Maranello are cooking up a new variant of the 488 GTB. We're not exactly sure what it may be, but our Italian spy photographer believes this might be a new high-performance variant that could be called the GTO. The past few generations of Ferrari's mid-engine V8 sports cars have gotten a late-life performance kick that results in a hot new model. See: 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale. These new models ditch nearly every creature comfort in the pursuit of speed and power. Engines are cranked up, suspension geometry is reworked, and the bodywork is adjusted for aerodynamic efficiency. While we can't see what's changed under the skin, these prototypes do appear to have slightly different bodywork than the standard 488 GTB. The most notable changes are to the front end and rear fenders. The front intakes appear to be the same size and shape, but the splitter hanging out front looks like it's been reworked. Around to the side, the large air intakes just behind the doors look larger than before. This all leads credence to this being the 488 GTO – especially given the turbo connection between the original 288 GTO and the 488. Still, this could be something milder, although that's less likely. There's been rumors for a while that Ferrari have been working on a less expensive mid-engine car that will be called the Dino. We've seen other test mules running around that some claim were powered by the Ferrari-built twin-turbo V6 in the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Either way, a new Ferrari is always something to look forward to. Related Video:

Ferrari stock falls after new CEO calls Marchionne's goals ‘aspirational’

MILAN — Ferrari's new boss sought to reassure investors that he would execute midterm targets set by his predecessor, Sergio Marchionne, but the stock has fallen by 12.5 percent since Wednesday after he described the goals to 2022 as "aspirational." Louis Camilleri was appointed chief executive of the Italian supercar maker on July 21, succeeding Marchionne, who fell seriously ill and later died after suffering complications following surgery. The sudden change jolted investors who had expected Marchionne, who nearly tripled Ferrari's value since taking it public in 2015, to stay on as CEO and chairman until 2021. It also left Camilleri, 63, to finish scripting a midterm strategy that will be presented in September and is meant to show how the company plans to achieve financial targets unveiled earlier this year, notably a goal to double core earnings to 2 billion euros ($2.33 billion) by 2022. In a post-results conference call with analysts, Camilleri said he and Marchionne, with whom he had interacted for years, shared the same ambitions for the company. The tobacco veteran, chairman and former CEO of Philip Morris International has served on the Ferrari board since 2015, while Marchionne in turn sat on the board of PMI. Asked about how he planned to deliver on the targets set by his predecessor, Camilleri said he would provide details during capital market days to be held on Sept. 17-18 at the company's headquarters in Maranello, Italy. "They are aspirational targets. At the capital markets day, we will tell you how we plan to get there," he said. "We will also have to disclose potential risks to that, but also significant opportunities that we see going forward." Ferrari's Milan-listed shares fell after the comments, and its shares on the New York Stock Exchange fell from a Wednesday high of $134.77 to $117.99 on Thursday morning. Tough act to follow At Ferrari, Camilleri has a tough act to follow. Marchionne orchestrated Ferrari's spinoff from parent Fiat Chrysler, positioned it as a luxury icon rather than a car manufacturer, and managed to do what few thought possible: sail through a self-imposed cap of 7,000 vehicles per year without sacrificing pricing power and exclusive appeal. When its share price hit a record high of 129.90 euros in June, the company that sold just under 8,400 vehicles last year was worth around 24 billion euros, almost as much as Fiat Chrysler, which shipped 4.7 million cars.

2016 Ferrari 488 Spider First Drive | Pure, uncut spectacle

The majority of the cars that have rolled out of the gates at Maranello can be described as varying degrees of spectacular. Still, until you settle in behind the wheel, you wonder if a real Ferrari can live up to the hype. The first thing I took note of in the Ferrari 488 Spider was the immense and nearly instantaneous acceleration into questionable speeds. It should have been obvious from the start, but the rate that this car builds speeds still managed to surprise me, like the cold wind on a January morning. You've checked the weather on your phone and you know it's going to be cold, but you still wince with that first sharp breeze on your cheek. It's a totally different sensation than something like the Dodge Viper. The Viper requires deliberate effort for everything. Getting in and out is a pain in the ass. The clutch is long and heavy and the pedal box is tiny. The hefty steering requires some strength, especially at low speeds. The shifter wholly mechanical thing that requires a little more motivation than you would expect. It's not easy and it's not trying to be, just so you're not tempted to underestimate it. By comparison, the Ferrari is cake. The doors open wide allowing easy access, made even easier with the retractable hardtop stowed away. The cabin, while completely covered in black leather, is open enough to not feel claustrophobic. The steering is light but doesn't feel loose and the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission can be left in automatic to make things easier. In sport mode, the exhaust is relatively subdued, allowing you to actually enjoy the stereo should you choose to. But goose the gas and a wave of panic and exhilaration momentarily wash away any other thoughts. The 488 Spider packs a mid-mounted 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 making 661 horsepower and 561 lb-ft of torque. It's not quite the screamer of past Ferrari V8s, but what it lacks in aural excitement it makes up for in brute force. The old 4.5-liter V8 in the Ferrari 458 was powerful, but most of that power was at the top of the rev range. On the other hand, the 488 feels strong in any gear at any RPM. Boost is limited in lower gears, changing the power band in an effort to dull the turbo lag somer. While there isn't a big kick when boost comes on, it doesn't feel quite like a naturally-aspirated engine either. Once you're in boost, complaints seem to fall by the wayside.