Luxury and Exotic Car Reviews

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Bradley Iger – January 24, 2026

Review: 2026 Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider

As forced induction and electrification continue democratize horsepower throughout the automotive industry, luxury automakers have faced a growing challenge: how do you make an exotic machine feel special at a point in time when even mainstream vehicles offer jaw-dropping performance? Ferrari, to its notable credit, has answered this question in part by staying at the forefront of the latest technologies, as evidenced by cutting-edge entries like the SF90 and F80 – both of which utilize performance-tuned hybrid systems in conjunction with turbocharged engines and sophisticated all-wheel-drive setups. While those two mid-engine monsters offer truly stunning capability, there’s also a growing contingent of performance enthusiasts who yearn for the simpler days of long, curvaceous hoods, rear-wheel drive propulsion, and the banshee wail of a high-winding 12-cylinder engine at full chat. And that’s precisely where the 12Cilindri Spider stakes its claim. As the successor to the 812 Superfast, the 12Cilindri leverages clever active aerodynamics, advanced traction and stability control systems, and a trick four-wheel-steering system that manages the movement of each wheel independently to enhance cornering response, but it’s ultimately an homage to Ferrari’s storied V12 heritage. Aside from the no-nonsense name (which literally translates to “12 Cylinders”), the 12Cilindri’s exterior styling clearly takes some inspiration from the 365 GTB Daytona of the late 1960s. And rather than saddling its latest GT flagship with the complexities of bulky batteries, electric motors, turbochargers, and AWD, Ferrari has instead chosen to focus on the fundamentals that have made GT cars like the Daytona such enduring icons: elegant design, a finely honed chassis, and a truly spectacular naturally aspirated powerplant. It’s a 6.5-liter dry-sump V12 that produces 819 horsepower and revs to a searing 9,500 rpm. Ferrari only cites a deliberately ambiguous dry weight of 3,571 pounds for the Spider, which carries about 130 pounds of extra mass as compared to its coupe counterpart. But at a time when an alarming number of new performance cars are saddled with curb weights that start with a five, the potentially sub-4,000-pound 12Cilindri Spider feels lithe and unencumbered by countermeasures expressly designed to combat the laws of physics. Although its primary mission is to enable drivers to carve their way through picturesque locales at a lively pace without compromising comfort, the 12Cilindri has a notably more sports-car-like persona than the Aston Martin Vanquish – its closest rival – thanks in part to the Ferrari’s incredibly rigid chassis, dual-clutch gearbox, and earnestly performance-tuned suspension. While the eight-speed DCT occasionally takes a beat to get things going from a dead stop, and the hunkered-down stance makes the nose-lift feature a necessity when negotiating steep driveway aprons, the 12Cilindri Spider still manages to retain an admirable level of civility around town and out on the highway. Outfitted with a killer Burmester audio system, a retractable hard top that opens in just 14 seconds at speeds up to 28 mph, and sport seats that feature heating, ventilation, and adjustable bolstering as well as multiple massage routines, the 12Cilindri Spider can be a posh, effortless cruiser when called upon to do so. The only glaring deficiency in this regard comes from Ferrari’s HMI implementation, which utilizes frustratingly difficult-to-use capacitive surfaces on the steering wheel and the instrument panel to control features like adaptive cruise control and mirror adjustments, along with the various functions that are accessed via the 15.6-inch digital gauge cluster. While the infotainment system looks sharp and is quick to respond to inputs, Apple CarPlay conked out on more than one occasion during the few days I spent with the car. Nitpicks aside, one feature that definitely works as intended is the steering-wheel-mounted Manettino switch, which allows you to toggle between the available drive modes. Sport is the default, a naming decision which helps set ride quality expectations, but you can also press this switch like a button to enable Bumpy Road mode, which relaxes the adaptive dampers beyond their standard tuning for more compliance on rough pavement. Out in the canyons, I found myself more interested in the additional drama provided by Race mode. In contrast to convention, Ferrari chose to leave the steering, throttle mapping, and brake-by-wire settings the same in the Sport and Race modes for the sake of predictable response, instead heightening the driving experience when set to the latter by easing the electronic assists, ramping up the programming for the gearbox and the electronically-controlled rear differential, and – importantly – opening up the exhaust valves. While it’s still a little bit quieter than I’d prefer, even with the top down, the noise that this V12 makes while working its way past 9k is a soundtrack to your sweetest dreams. It took some conscious effort to stop myself from short-shifting the first few times I laid into the throttle with the gearbox in manual mode. The revs just seem to build endlessly. It’s also a decidedly different experience than what’s offered in the latest Vanquish. The Aston also features a 12-cylinder atomic bomb under its hood, but the crucial difference here is that the Vanquish’s lofty power figures are owed in part to turbocharging. This gives the Aston a substantial advantage in peak torque (738 lb-ft versus the 12Cilindri’s 500 pound-feet), but it also relegates its redline to a relatively pedestrian 7,000 rpm. The upshot is that not only does the 12Cilindri deliver a much more emotive soundtrack when you drop the hammer, it also feels significantly more buttoned down when called upon to hustle through a technical section of road. Its quick steering rack takes a moment to acclimate to, but it soon becomes apparent that the chassis, brakes, and powertrain have no problem keeping pace. <- Gallery -> The Manettino switch also has dedicated settings for partially or completely disabling the traction and stability control systems if you’re feeling brave (or prefer to do your grand touring sideways), but the intervention is so seamless when these systems are enabled that they rarely distract from the proceedings. While the Vanquish twists and shimmies as the powertrain and the electronics have a debate over the fastest way forward, the 12Cilindri just feels more planted and easier to trust when really hauling the mail. In an era when quadruple-digit horsepower has somehow become readily achievable for production cars, the Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider is a reminder that character and emotion aren’t attributes that can be easily quantified on a spec sheet. There will be a time – probably in the foreseeable future – where folks will gaze into the open clamshell hood of a 12Cilindri and say, "Man, they don’t make ’em like this anymore." Like it or not, the days of the unassisted Ferrari V12 are almost certainly coming to a close. With that in mind, well-heeled traditionalists would be wise to savor the moment. View All Ferrari 12Cilindris For Sale Images: Bradley Iger

2023 ferrari 296 gtb assetto fiorano.jpg

By Gabriel Vega – October 02, 2023

2023 Ferrari 296 GTB Assetto Fiorano Review: Electrified ...

Ferrari's V6 era kicks off with an 818-HP first act.

By Gabriel Vega – January 18, 2023

2023 Ferrari Roma Review: A Truly Elegant Athlete

Image with size : 2023 Ferrari Roma Review: A Truly Elegant Athlete Unveiled at the tail end of 2019, the Ferrari Roma looked less like it rolled off a production line and more like it stepped out of a time machine. With its sleek, 60s-inspired styling, this grand tourer looks like nothing else on sale today. Whereas most Ferraris released over the last decade dazzle with their flamboyance, the Roma stuns with its sheer elegance. It's the type of car you almost don't need to drive to enjoy. It's pure eye candy. Of course, the Roma doesn't deliver flash without some fire. A front-mid-mounded twin-turbocharged V8 lives under its long hood, making a stout 612 horsepower, allowing for a run to 60 mph of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of over 200 mph. It may present like a tame GT, but those are flat-out supercar figures. The main question then, as I began my time with the 2023 Ferrari Roma, was simple: it may look like a GT, but is it? A blast up an empty canyon road reveals that while its stylish lines may belong on a James Bond film set, the Roma is far from just a plush mile-munching machine. It's comfortable and almost subtle in daily traffic, but as the speed picks up, it reveals its properly athletic nature. Exterior Styling In Ferrari's words, the Roma represents "la nuova dolce vita," meaning "the new sweet life." It's a play on the 1960 Italian film "la dolce vita," which sees a journalist exploring the glitz and glamour of late 50s Rome over seven nights and its many dark sides. It perfectly encapsulates the era of opulence that inspired Roma's styling and name. However, it's easy to spot this GT's source of inspiration, even without knowing its movie connection. There's not a hard crease or sharp edge anywhere on this car. Its sleek lines drape over its bodywork rather than cut through it. Ferrari cites cars like the 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso and 250 GT 2+2 as sources of inspiration, but the 275 GTB and 250 Europa GT also come to mind. The Best Luxury and Exotic Cars We Reviewed in 2022 It may represent a new take on a bygone era, but the Roma is still a modern car, so it has to conform to current crash and safety standards, limiting how far its designers could go in pursuit of its classic aesthetic. Its radar sensor nestled within its lower front grille is an excellent example of a blemish that detracts from its sleek vibe, but rewards with sought-after tech like adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist. In the rear, quad tail lights and exhaust tips pay homage to its 60s forbearers but do so in a surprisingly subtle way. The only modern supercar-esque touch on the Roma's exterior is its sizable carbon-fiber rear diffuser and active rear spoiler. Although to keep this subtle aero element low-key, engineers hid it just above the trunk lid. 20-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels live on all four corners and offer yet another distinctly modern touch. Performance/Handling Sat just above the Portofino M but below the Ferrari F8 Tributo, the Roma is technically the brand's "entry-level" fixed-roof coupe, if we can even call a $311,647 2+2 that. It counts on a 612-hp and 561 lb-ft of torque version of the carmaker's ubiquitous 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8, which outputs all of its power to the rear wheels. It does so through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission that debuted in the SF90 Stradale, albeit tuned slightly differently. Around town, the Roma is surprisingly subtle. With peak torque starting at 3000 rpm, it doesn't need to rev high for quick blasts of acceleration. In automatic mode, its DCT often elects to stay in top gear, despite added demands from the gas pedal. We have the Roma's variable boost management system to thank for this, as it limits torque as you click up through the gears. Once this GT steadily cruises in its seventh or eighth gear, the system allows it to develop full torque, reducing the need for lower gears when overtaking. Lag from its pair of twin-scroll turbochargers is almost non-existent, thanks mainly to their smaller turbines. These allow them to spool up quicker, resulting in a V8 that's plenty responsive at speed. Around town, however, the Roma's power delivery is surprisingly smooth, and with its DCT's daily-driving friendly tuning, it moves through its gears as imperceptible as a luxury land yacht. It may be at home during long highway runs in top gear, but the Roma is more than up to daily driving duties. Switch out of comfort and into either sport or race mode, and the Roma sheds its aura of calm elegance, serving up a quick reminder of its supercar-like performance figures. Its DCT transforms, ripping shifts almost instantaneously, all while delivering a stern kick to your back. Its V8 becomes eager to rev, even in automatic mode, topping out at 7,500 rpm. However, you'll want to click into manual mode to experience the Roma at its most responsive. Like all modern cars of this caliber, the Roma is outrageously quick, pushing the boundaries of what's explorable on public roads. Hit some bends, and the optional magneride suspension system dials out body roll well and keeps the Roma planted. It's a dual-mode system with the marque's well-known "bumpy road" mode for imperfect surfaces. However, to further aid this GT's stability, the Italian carmaker included its latest Side Slip Control 6.0 system controlled by a five-position manettino on its steering wheel. The result is a sports car that never steps out. Regardless of how hard you push, the modes lend a helping hand in keeping the Roma shiny side up. 2023 McLaren Artura First Drive Review: A New Era Of Performance Ferrari claims a 3,461-lb curb weight figure, but you'd be hard-pressed to tell in the bends. With sticky Michelin tires and its front-mid engine layout pushing its center of mass inward, the Roma's front end is properly agile. It's eager to turn in and rewarding to hustle up a back road. Despite being advertised as a GT, I can't confidently claim you'd be quicker up a canyon road in an F8 Tributo, the Roma is a proper athlete in its own right. Its electric power steering is far from talkative but outrageously precise. What the system gives up in terms of feel, it makes up for in weighting and directness. Around town in comfort mode, however, it's still light enough for effortless maneuvers but weighs up nicely in Sport and Race when needed. Like all modern Ferraris, the Roma gets carbon-ceramic brakes as standard. They're 390 mm in the front and 360 mm in the rear, identical to those found in the Portofino M and slightly smaller than the 398 mm fronts and identical rears that stop the F8 Tributo. Although they don't provide as much feedback as McLaren's mechanical system, pedal travel is short, with firm resistance. They're challenging to modulate around town, with a bit of a light-switch attitude, but behave almost perfectly on a canyon run. A common criticism the 488 GTB received when it debuted following the sublime 458 Italia surrounded its exhaust note. Even the F8 Tributo I tested in 2021 was surprisingly subtle, despite wearing flashy blue paint. The Roma is a different story. Its exhaust delivers proper throaty V8 noises without many of the whooshy turbo sounds associated with modern supercars. Although it's still a bit quiet from the driver's seat, the Roma puts on quite the show for onlookers as you drive by. Interior/Tech The 2023 Ferrari Roma's stylishness continues in its spacious cabin. It makes a clear departure from the exterior's 60s-inspired styling, but it's tastefully modern. There's plenty of headroom, enough for someone taller than six feet, with plenty of width to remain comfortable on longer drives. A prominent center console divides the driver and passenger cells creating a clear separation, marked in my tester's case by a thin line of Rosso Ferrari-colored leather. A pair of optional Daytona-style front and rear seats offer plenty of adjustability for the sides, thighs, leg support, and lumbar. It's straightforward to dial in an ideal driving position, making it easy to settle in for longer stints behind the wheel. Ergonomics aside, the interior's centerpiece is its cluster of screens. My tester included three, a 16-in digital instrument cluster, an 8.4-in vertical infotainment screen in the center, and a separate 8.4-in passenger display. The cabin features few physical buttons, swapping them for capacitive touch surfaces with a relatively high learning curve. For example, to start the Roma, you don't get a bright red switch somewhere in the cabin. Instead, it's a haptic feedback surface on the wheel that only lights up when the key is nearby. The same goes for the infotainment controls, which vanish until summoned. While this is a welcomed touch to avoid accidental presses during spirited drives, the system is laggy and cumbersome at best. Sometimes the buttons are slow to appear, and they downright refuse to work in other cases. Plug in your iPhone and the Roma greets you with its over $4,000 optional Apple Car Play system. Android Auto connectivity is not yet available from Ferrari. However, as the system boots up your phone, it pushes your tachometer and other menu screens, taking up most of the 16-in clusters screen real estate. Switching back to it requires a few swipes of the not-so-responsive touch surfaces, which sometimes makes the whole experience a bit frustrating. Its center infotainment screen is better, but not great. It also lacks a bit of responsiveness and tends to lag occasionally. This main display controls vital functions such as seat adjustments, navigation, phone connectivity, and HVAC settings, making it sometimes tough to operate. Thankfully the passenger display to the right of the center console is spectacular. It's responsive, bright, and offers elegant graphics. Pricing The 2023 Ferrari Roma starts at $243,358. However, my tester and its optional extras, such as its carbon fiber elements, sport exhaust, and magneride suspension, comes in at $311,647. At this price point, its direct competitor is the $220,000 Aston Martin DB11 and the $274,000 Bentley Continental GT Speed. Given how deep these three contenders dip into the six-figure range, value hardly separates them. Instead, it'll come down to aesthetics, performance, and luxurious features. Having driven all three, the Aston Martin is stylish in a modern context, while the Bentley is more plus luxurious than anything else. This leaves the Roma as the most athletic of the bunch and the closest to a proper supercar. Closing Thoughts The Ferrari Roma is cuck full of surprises. Judging by its exterior styling, it comes across as a stylish 60s-inspired cruiser. Perfect for a highway run or a daily commute with all of the creature comforts we've all come to expect from modern cars. However, that's only half the story. On a back road, the Roma seemingly sheds its grand tourer skin and turns into a proper supercar fighter. With its agility, composure, and outrageous power, it's far from tame. It's not perfect, of course. Some of its tech will need significant revisions, especially since a $311,647 GT likely has a buyer that's spent more than a few decades in the workforce to be able to afford it. If I had to guess, future revisions are bound to work out these kinks. As an overall package, however, the Roma questions why you'd need a mid-engined supercar. It plays both roles beautifully. And if I'm honest, its performance is far from its most impressive trait. I'd be content just staring at it for a while. View All Ferrari Romas For Sale

By Gabriel Vega – June 23, 2022

Ferrari F8 Tributo Review: Pushing Street Limits

Intro Thanks to turbocharging and clever hybrid systems, speed isn't enough to make a great poster car anymore. Instead, the vehicles that stand out now are those that manage to pull on the driver's heartstrings. Whether it be because of their sharp looks or intoxicating sound, these six-figure machines have to offer more than ever while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of what road-doing performance vehicles can do. Enter this week's tester, the Ferrari F8 Tributo, the latest in a long line of V8-powered machines wearing the prancing horse. Thanks to its aero-focused design, top-notch performance, and rewarding driving experience, the F8 is a car that wakes up all of your senses. However, one of the most exciting aspects of this supercar is not how it behaves at full throttle but instead how it invites its driver to rack up miles. " width="680"> View F8 Tributos For Sale Ferrari F8 Tributo Design One look at the Ferrari F8 Tributo immediately reveals how its designers focused on aerodynamics. Out of all the cars the Italian carmaker has debuted over the past decade, the F8 is easily one of the most angular, littered with intakes, vents, and clever aero throughout. Take the front end, for example, which borrows from the 488 Pista with its clever S-Duct that begins as a small opening in the front bumper but cuts through the hood, allowing the air to flow over the car more easily. While this system is impressive from an engineering perspective, Ferrari incorporated it in a way that it's almost hidden in plain sight, blending in nicely with the car's overall design. The longer you stare at the F8, the more little ducts and intakes you'll notice, such as those positioned cleverly above the headlights. The result of these tweaks is a 10 percent more aerodynamically efficient car than the 488 GTB it replaced, delivering more downforce without an increased drag coefficient. However, the F8's most significant design achievement is that it manages to take all of these functional elements and execute them in a way that gives the car a very aggressive look, visually separating itself from the models that preceded it. ALSO READ: Lamborghini Huracan EVO RWD Spyder Review: Proper Supercar Theatrics The rear is perhaps the greatest example of this, ditching the dual tail lights of old in exchange for a set of smaller quad lamps tucked neatly beneath the rear spoiler. The positioning of the lights gives the rear of the F8 greater depth, almost inviting passersby to look closely to take in all of its intricate details. As with the front, there's plenty of clever 488 Pista-inspired aero here as well. While historically, most cars wearing the prancing horse leave the factory wearing a red coat of paint, my tester did not. Instead, it's finished in Blu Corsa, a very vibrant shade of blue that helps accentuate the car's body lines while reflecting a ton of light, resulting in a very bright finish. Throw in the optional set of 20-inch wheels, and my tester is likely one of the best-specced F8's I've ever seen. Combined with all of the design improvements and aero elements, you're left with a car that is not only impressive but genuinely beautiful. Ferrari F8 Tributo Performance / Drive Powering the Ferrari F8 Tributo is yet another gift from the 488 Pista. It's a 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 pushing out 710 horsepower and 568 pounds of torque. Thanks to its sub-3,200-lb curb weight, the F8 hits 62 mph in 2.9 seconds before continuing to a top speed of 211 mph. While these stats are undoubtedly hypercar quick, they don't tell the F8's full story because what's perhaps most impressive about this mid-engined Ferrari is how it delivers that performance. Put your foot down anywhere in the rev range, and the F8 Tributo rockets forward. Regardless if you're at a stoplight or doing triple-digit speeds, the twin-turbo V8 always has more to give, seemingly never running out of steam. There's virtually no turbo lag despite peak torque coming in at 3,250 rpm. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sending all of that power to the rear wheels is equally fast and incredibly responsive. With immediate upshifts and crispy downshifts, the F8's transmission and engine are perfectly matched to take full use of the available power. Thanks to a massive set of standard carbon-ceramic brakes, the F8 can not only slow down from its mind-boggling runs but can do so repeatedly, with no noticeable fade regardless of how hard it is pushed over multiple hours of driving. Turn into a corner, and the F8's steering rewards you with excellent feedback along with a very agile front end with endless amounts of grip. This is the type of car you can throw into a corner ten mph too fast, and it will still somehow manage to cling on for dear life. Admittedly, we've got all of those aforementioned aero bits to thank for that. However, aside from sheer handling performance, the F8 delivers an incredibly composed drive. It was virtually impossible to get the F8 to misbehave during multiple runs through the canyons. All of its stability and traction systems are nicely tuned to keep you from hurdling into the side of a mountain, despite really pushing the kind of speeds a normal road can handle. Once things slow down a bit, and the F8 is tasked with navigating a crowded city such as Los Angeles, it reveals another side of its personality. That's because, thanks to its magnetic dampers, its suspension is quite comfortable, soaking up even significant imperfections on the road. Despite my tester's lack of a front lift system, it wasn't an issue, clearing driveways even if with just a penny's width of space to spare. The secret sauce behind the F8's comfort is its Bumpy Road mode, which softens up the suspension, regardless of what driving mode you're in. Ferrari F8 Tributo Interior The Ferrari F8 Tributo's interior looks like nothing else on the market. With all of its infotainment and driver-assist controls aimed squarely at the person behind the wheel, they're not only easy to operate but quickly accessible. The star of the show is undoubtedly the steering wheels, which houses more buttons than an airliner's cockpit. Aside from the big red start button, the wheel houses your indicators, drive modes, suspension modes, and windshield wiper settings. While the onslaught of buttons is intimidating at first glance, their purpose becomes clear as there's more room for the F8's excellent large fixed paddles. On the entertainment side, the F8 may just house the smallest infotainment screen I've ever seen. However, thanks to optional Apple CarPlay connectivity, there's no shortage of features. While its size is a drawback, the fact that it's neatly integrated into the dash is a major plus, eliminating the need for an additional screen on the dashboard. Overall, the F8's interior design is sleek and incredibly well put together, with enough leather and contrasting stitching to go around. ALSO READ: Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge Road Trip: 1000 Miles In A Billionaire’s $500,000 Daily Driver My tester came equipped with the F8's flagship chairs, the Daytona carbon-backed sport seats. Since these are the most aggressive options, they're far from the most comfortable available. However, given that they're inside a 710-hp supercar, they're perfectly matched for their intended purpose. There's tons of lateral support, keeping the driver in position nicely without squeezing too much. The interior offers surprisingly good sound insulation on the highway, nicely complementing the aforementioned magnetic suspension. The result is that the F8 is just a lovely place to be. This is the type of vehicle its owners will want to put miles on. Ferrari F8 Tributo Pricing The Ferrari F8 Tributo is a premium product that delivers a premium experience, and its price tag certainly reflects that. Despite a base price of just under $277,000, optional extras such as the stunning paint, optional wheels, carbon fiber trim, and Apple CarPlay, amongst others, quickly push that figure well past $350,000. However, the F8 is a car that delivers on virtually every front, providing outstanding performance while simultaneously tugging on the driver's heartstrings as a proper supercar should. While competitors offer similar performance for similar money, what the F8 nails is delivering a $350,000 experience. Final Thoughts Whether it pulls you in with its angular looks or impressive power stats, there's plenty to love about the Ferrari F8 Tributo. The term "daily driver supercar" gets thrown around quite a lot these days. However, the F8 is a true embodiment of that. While its twin-turbo powerhouse of an engine delivers enough speed to scare seasoned drivers, its suspension and interior are comfortable enough to tackle even the worst city streets. As a result, the F8 is a car that makes driving accessible, regardless of speed, inviting its driver to spend more time behind the wheel. Thanks to its endless charm and capabilities, the F8 stands as a proper V8 Ferrari that draws on its heritage while embracing modern tech in the search of insane performance. Sell My Ferrari F8 Tributo: Get a Cash Offer See All Ferrari F8 Tributos For Sale

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