While some suggested Ferrari might give us a first glance at its upcoming SUV, it turns out that the other rumor - the one that said Ferrari was set to show off a successor to the 488 GTB - stood true. Meet the 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo, an evolution of the 488 GTB with noticeably better performance and plenty of additional enhancements.

The 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo

Ferrari calls the F8 Tributo “a celebration of excellence,” explaining that its new eight-cylinder model “represents the highest expression of the company’s classic two-seater Berlinetta.” Its formula is not that different to the car it replaces, but Ferrari says it’s literally better in every single way. In fact, its performance numbers are very similar to what the spiced up 488 Pista is capable of achieving.

That means that it has exactly as much power and torque as the Pista. Ferrari claims its new Berlinetta sprints to 100 km/h or 62 mph in 2.9 seconds (the Pista does it in 2.85 seconds) and its top speed is 340 km/h or 211 mph.

It is marginally slower to sprint compared to the Pista because it weighs 50 kg or 110 pounds more. However, at 1,330 kg or 2,930 pounds, it is some 40 kg or 90 pounds lighter than the 488 GTB it replaces.

Its track-honed aero includes an S-duct in the front that is said to increase downforce by 15 percent over the 488 GTB. The car also features the latest generation of Side Slip Angle Control (version 6.1, to be precise) - this system allows drivers to tune how violently the car slides, thus tweaking it to their level of experience (and braveness).

The look of the F8 Tributo is, again, an evolution of the 488 Pista. It features slimmer full-LED headlights that are shaped in a way that channels air into the nearby brake cooling ducts. The rest of the shape is quite familiar if you know the 488, but moving to the rear, we spot the new dual light clusters (the 488 had one per side, and the F8 has two), a classic Ferrari design trait.

The F8 Tributo is apparently “a bridge to a new design language,” but to us, it still looks like an evolution of the 488.

The louvered Lexan engine cover is a direct nod to the brutal yet iconic Ferrari F40, the last car signed off by company founder Enzo Ferrari and a real milestone in the company’s history. The engine cover itself is flanked by vents on either side, and it all looks distinctly racecar-esque.

For the first time, Ferrari is offering a seven-inch touchscreen that allows the passenger to access various functions and see all kinds of information - Ferrari already offers this feature in its top tier models.

Ferrari will unveil the 2020 F8 Tributo at the 2019 Geneva motor show where we will try to elbow our way through the crowd to get you live shots from the reveal.

2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo drivetrain specifications

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB.

Read our full review on the 2016 Ferrari 488 Spider.

Read our full review on the 2018 Ferrari 488 Pista.

Read our full review on the 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista Spider.