There are certain model name near and dear to Ferrari’s heart. You can tell this by how often (or sparingly) the company uses them. A case can be made that one of the most important names in Maranello’s portfolio is Gran Turismo Omologato, or more popularly known by its acronym, GTO. To date, Ferrari has only used the GTO name three times, most recently in 2011 with the 599 GTO, which joined the 250 GTO and the 288 GTO as the only Prancing Horse models with this nomenclature. Prepare yourselves though, because we could be seeing a fourth GTO model on the horizon.

While there’s no confirmation yet on Ferrari’s plans, Autocar reported that Maranello is preparing a hardcore version of its 488 super car and the name that’s being considered is 488 GTO. It would certainly make sense to bring back the GTO name for such a model, distinguish with Ferrari's “more power, less weight” credo. That usually translates to the car being faster and more powerful than its standard guise. There’s no official word yet on how much power the 488 GTO is slated to pack, but the goal it seems is to get it up to north of 700 horsepower, giving at least 40 extra ponies to work with compared to the 488 GTB. At the very least, the expected power goals will put the 488 GTO well above the Lamborghini Huracán 640-4 Performante and a cartwheel away from the 710-horsepower McLaren 720S.

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Smart move to bring back the GTO name

To be fair, Ferrari has used a number of nomenclatures to distinguish some of its models from others of its kind. In the past few years alone, we’ve seen names like the Stradale, Scuderia, and Speciale all get used on hardcore versions of the company’s past supercars. You can make a case though that the GTO name is elevated above all these other names for the simple reason that Ferrari rarely uses it, and when it does, it’s usually on a car that turns into a legacy collector’s piece down the road.

The 599 GTO is fast approaching that territory and we all know how sought after the 250 GTO and 288 GTO are today among deep-pocketed collectors. In fact, a 1963 Ferrari GTO sold for $52 million back in 2013, earning the designation of being the most expensive car in the world.

Beyond the esteemed status afforded to models wearing the “GTO” name, a 488 GTO also has the potential to be a can’t-miss supercar like all of its GTO predecessors. The expectation is that the car will not only reach for 700 horsepower, it will also come with a stripped-out cockpit and thinner glass to keep its weight down. Likewise, a beefed up suspension and brake package could also be included to further emphasize its “hardcore performance” attributes. And if all those aren’t enough, Ferrari is reportedly setting a goal of getting the 488 GTO to cut its 0-to-60-mph time to 2.7 seconds, thus making it 0.3 seconds quicker than the standard 488 GTB.

Should this report come to fruition (and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t) expect the Ferrari 488 GTO to turn plenty of heads when it makes its debut. As to when that’s going to be, well, that’s another question entirely. But if it does happen, a safe estimate would be sometime in 2018, possibly as early as the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.

Read our full review on the Ferrari 599 GTO here.