- Based on 488 GT3 and 488 GTE
- Will only be seen during Ferrari track days and Competizioni GT events
Remember the Ferrari FXX and the 599XX Evo? These were Italian thoroughbreds that Ferrari sold to the customers but never allowed them to take them home since these weren’t road legal. The Prancing Horse got them to the track days and took them back after the owner drove it on the track. Now there’s a new one. Called the 488 GT Modificata, the track-only race car will be seen in action on the Ferrari-organised track days and Ferrari Club Competizioni GT events.
Based on two potent iterations of the 488 – the GT3 and GTE – the Modificata has some focused hardware in it derived from Ferrari race cars. And since it is no longer limited to the regulation of FIA, things have been dialled up to eleven. Power output from the twin-turbo V8 is rated close to 700bhp thanks to high-performance mapping. The gearbox ratio has been reworked and the clutch is now made up of carbon fibre.
Ferrari has capitalised on their experience from the WEC outing where the 488 GT3 bagged laurels including drivers', teams' and manufacturers' titles in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Petit Le Mans. The Modificata has also been tested on the notorious Nordschleife where the aerodynamics was worked upon. Now the aluminium roof and carbon fibre bodywork contribute to a downforce of over 1000kg at 230kmph. Meanwhile, the GTE’s suspension has been used to make the Modificata driver-friendly. Braking is taken care of by Brembo, with ABS borrowed from the 488 GT3 Evo.
Lastly, like all Ferraris, the 488 GT Modificata offers its customers a wide range of customisation options for both the exterior and interior. Since it’s produced in a very limited series, it will initially only be for drivers who have recently participated in Competizioni GT with Ferrari or Club Competizioni GT. The first outing of the Modificata is expected in 2021 with five track days planned in the calendar year across global race tracks that include Virginia International Raceway, Monza, Watkins Glen, Suzuka, Nurburgring, as well as the Finali Mondiali.