A month ago, tuning programs for the Ferrari 488 GTB were hard to come by. Now, there are three options to choose from. A lot has happened in that time, hasn’t it? Shortly after Alpha-N Performance and xXx Performance revealed their aftermarket kits for the new Ferrari, German tuner Wheelsandmore has followed with its own kit, dubbed the “Settecento-Trenta”.

For those who don’t know, “settecento-trenta” is Italian for “730”. That’s important because that’s the amount of horsepower Wheelsandmore is promising for the 488 GTB->ke5071 with its program for the supercar.->ke177 Naming its kits is nothing new for Wheelsandmore so the Settecento-Trenta program certainly fits the bill of what the tuner’s plans for the 488 are.

In typical Wheelsandmore fashion, the German tuner is also offering a new set of wheels as part of the program. There are no exterior or interior upgrades to speak of, but I’ve come to expect that out of the tuning firm. The good thing is that between the new wheels and the engine upgrade, Wheelsandmore isn’t charging anything more than $10,000 out of it. That’s a good deal for what customers stand to get with the program.

Continue reading to learn more about the Ferrari 488 GTB Settecento-Trenta by Wheelsandmore.

Exterior

Exterior changes are limited, as is the case for a lot of the tuner’s recent programs. There are no aero kits to speak of, nor are there cosmetic improvements other than the customary racing stripe that runs the length of the car. In this case, the black stripe is located right smack in the middle of the car, running all the way from the center of the hood all the way to the central brake light at the back. That said, the polished grey and black two-tone rendering does look pretty good on the 488 GTB.

The lack of any cosmetic changes to the body of the car is at least offset by a new set of wheels to replace the stock versions. For this particular program, Wheelsandmore opted for a set of its new F.I.W.E. ultra lightweight forged wheels. The wheels are finished in matte black to complement the body paint of the 488 GTB. The front set measures 9.0 x 21 inches and are shod in 245/30/21 ultra-high performance tires from Hankook while the rear set measures 12.5 x 21 inches and are shod in 345/25/21 tires, also from Hankook.

Interior

Like most of Wheelsandmore’s programs, the interior of the 488 GTB was left alone. By that I mean, the German tuner really didn’t do anything to it. So if customers are at least expecting the customary velour floor mats with the tuner’s logo embroidered on them, then they better prepare themselves to be disappointed. The cabin of the 488 GTB remains standard so don’t get those hopes up.

Drivetrain

The Ferrari 488 GTB is powered by a 3.9-liter turbocharged V-8 engine that packs a whopping 660 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque. That may seem like it’s enough for some, but not for Wheelsandmore, which prepared two performance programs for Maranello's newest bad boy. The first stage kit is comprised of an ECU upgrade and new air filters. These additions help pull out an extra 60 horsepower to give the 488 GTB 720 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque to play with.

Then there's the Stage II performance kit, which brings the total output up to 730 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. In addition to the ECU upgrade, it's also made up of an F1-sourced air filter and an exhaust valve control that helps keep unnecessary elements out of the engine. Likewise, Wheelsandmore is also preparing a new manifold kit exclusively for the 488 GTB to help the supercar achieve more power than the advertised 730 ponies. Consider this the Stage III kit, which will be announced at a later date.

The German tuner didn’t say how the performance update will affect the 488 GTB’s performance numbers. With the standard model capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in three seconds to go with a top speed of 205 mph, it’s not out of the imagination to think that the Settecento-Trenta program can help the 488 cover the same ground in the high two-seconds with top speed possibly exceeding 210 mph.

Prices

Pricing for the Stage I performance kit is at € 2,941, which would be about $3,105 based on current exchange rates. Meanwhile, the Stage II kit is priced at €7,897. That would be about $8,340 based on current exchange rates.

Competition

Ferrari 488 GTB by Alpha-N Performance

Tuning programs for the Ferrari 488 GTB are slowly growing in numbers. In the past month alone, we’ve seen two other aftermarket shops present their respective programs for the newest Ferrari on the block. Alpha-N Performance kicked things off by presenting a kit for the 488 GTB that follows the same “purely performance” strategy as Wheelsandmore.

The Alpha-N program has no exterior or interior upgrades. It doesn’t even offer new wheels, which gives the advantage to the Wheelsandmore kit. But, what Alpha-N does have, is a performance kit that can produce more output than Wheelsandmore’s own program. Alpha-N also used a self-developed technology - the EVOX performance ECU upgrade - to bring out 790 horsepower and 635 pound-feet of torque out of the 488’s 3.9-liter turbocharged V-8 engine. That’s more than what Wheelsandmore’s Stage II kit is offering, although the latter does have that manifold kit it’s got under development. No one knows how much output that’s going to add to the 735 ponies from the firm’s Stage II kit, but don’t be surprised if it breaks 800 horsepower.

Either way, Alpha-N’s kit for the 488 GTB is as impressive as Wheelsandmores. It would’ve been nice to have some wheel options though.

Read more about the Ferrari 488 GTB by Alpha-N Performance here.

Ferrari 488 GTB by xXx Performance

If we’re ranking these new programs for the Ferrari 488 GTB, it’s hard not to put xXx Performance’s kit on top for the time being. Not only does it come with an aerodynamic kit, it also has new wheel options and more importantly, a comprehensive engine modification program that can bring the car’s output to as high as 1,000 horsepower and 922 pound-feet of torque. That’s head and shoulders higher than anything Alpha-N performance and Wheelsandmore can offer.

xXx Performance’s stage 1 kit can already produce 750 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque, higher than Wheelsandmore’s Stage 2 kit and just a shade below what Alpha-N has on offer. The tuner also has a Stage 2 kit that sees the car’s output of all the way up to 850 horsepower and 686 pound-feet of torque. And did I mention what the Stage 3 kit can do?

If customers are looking for more power out of their 488 GTBs, it’s clear that xXx Performance is the clear choice.

Read our full review on the Ferrari 488 GTB by xXx Performance here.

Conclusion

There's always something extra special about a Wheelsandmore program. Whether it's the tuner's predisposition to steer clear from making any cosmetic updates, or it's love for wheels and engine upgrades, customers always know what they're getting out of the German tuner. The "Settecento-Trenta" program for the 488 GTB is another example of that and judging by the car's presentation and the promise of performance numbers in the 735-horsepower range, I'd say that Wheelsandmore has once again lived up to its billing.

Now if only that manifold kit was already available. Who knows how many more extra horses that thing can squeeze out of the 488 GTB. Hopefully, an answer to that question is revealed sooner than later.