The popularity of an aftermarket tuning program largely revolves around what kind of engine upgrades these tuning kits have. Like it or not, but a car’s engine is the biggest reason why these tuners exist. But as important as engine upgrades are, they’re not the be-all-end-all of a program. Some tuners like Prior Design and Misha Designs built their respective businesses on the shoulders of arguably the most overlooked aspect of an aftermarket program: the body kit.

If the engine upgrade program is considered the heart of every tuning kit, the visual manifestation of it is the body kit. That’s an important aspect that these two tuners recently displayed in full effect with their respective kits for the McLaren 570S and the Ferrari 488 GTB. Neither of the two programs come with engine enhancements even though both Prior Design and Misha Designs have experience in that field. But there is a rationale for taking the approach these two tuners did, especially for cars like the 570S and 488 GTB, both of which have no shortage of power in their own right. When some customers prefer to keep their supercars with its stock power figures, it's the body kits that get their attention. And for what they’re worth, literally and figuratively, Prior Design and Misha Design’s respective kits for the McLaren 570S and 488 GTB are as good as customers are going to get from two tuners who know their way around these exotics. All we really need to do to be convinced of their capabilities is to look at the final products.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Misha Designs has the Ferrari 488 GTB in full battle mode

There’s something to be said for a supercar that already looks fast even if it’s not moving. In a lot of ways, that’s what Misha Designs was able to accomplish with its new body kit for the Ferrari 488 GTB. That’s saying a lot considering that the 488 GTB is already a design handful on its own. But like everything else, good can always be better and that’s what Misha Designs is offering with its massive aero kit for Ferrari supercar.

The front section of the 488 GTB is noticeably different off the bat. That’s largely due to the new front bumper that the German tuner designed. Not only does it create a more radical aesthetic to the 488 GTB, but it also makes way for an equally prominent new front splitter. The small slits on opposite ends of the bumper add to the aggressive tone of the kit and while we’re at it, check out that new hood. It’s a far departure from the stock hood of the Ferrari, particularly the presence of that cut-out section in the middle that adds to the dynamic sporting gravitas of the supercar. Move to the sides and you’ll notice that the side skirts get their own vertical fins and the side intakes just above the fins get their own covers.

As prominent a role as the kit plays in the front and sides of the car, the rear section is really where Misha Designs really went all-out with three unique components: the spoiler, bumper, and diffuser. The spoiler itself is unique in that there are actually two of them installed in an upward sweeping fashion and separated by a thin, horizontal brake light. Just below the spoiler is an overhauled bumper and below that is a massive diffuser that gives the section that super aggressive look to it.

The last pieces of Misha’s kit for the 488 GTB involves a Satin Supercandy Silver body finish and a new set of 20-inch wheels.

Prior Design’s McLaren 570S kit is all sorts of aggressive in its own right

Misha Design’s body kit for the Ferrari 488 GTB is a good example of why exterior upgrade programs are just as important as engine kits in the grand scheme of things. Even without the latter, people are unlikely to notice anything different with the car, but with a body kit like that’s installed into the car makes a world of difference to the naked eye. That blueprint is also in full effect when you take a look at what Prior Design did to the McLaren 570S.

To be fair, the 570S has a unique quality to itself that’s similar to the Ferrari 488 GTB. From every conceivable angle, you know that this is a true performance car. That’s a big testament to the design skills of the folks over at Woking. The challenge for Prior Design was to build on what McLaren did and to its credit, it did just that with a body kit that can give Misha Design’s kit for the Ferrari 488 GTB a serious run for its money.

The initial reaction upon seeing the McLaren 570 S sporting Prior Design’s program is the similarities it bears with the McLaren 570S Sprint, the track-focused version of the supercar. The use of orange as trim colors to the predominantly white body is almost identical to how McLaren presented the 570S Sprint last year. Where Prior Design departs from the 570S Sprint is the body kit it developed for the supercar. Up front, the tuner opted for a different front splitter than either the standard 570S or the 570S Sprint, designing it with cutouts in each corner as opposed to the “J-shaped” fins on the Sprint version. The fenders are also noticeably different now with the presence of new vents that are flanked by the hood. Move your gaze north of the windshield and you’ll see the roof-mounted air scoop that’s there for aerodynamic purposes. Of the sides of the car are new bigger side sills that also have the vertical fins like the ones Misha Design created for the 488 GTB. The only difference is the location of these fins on the McLaren – just behind the front wheels – compared to the Ferrari's placement in front of the rear wheels.

Take a stroll to the back-end of the 570S and just like Misha Design’s take on the 488 GTB, the McLaren 570S gets plenty of aerodynamic improvements that are hiding behind a dramatic overhaul to the car’s aesthetics. There’s a fixed rear wing that’s as prominent as anything Prior Design installed into the car. There are also new fenders in this area of the 570S with its own outlets sitting just behind the wheels. And of course, how can anybody miss the sight of that diffuser, which can rival what the Ferrari 488 GTB received. The sweeping changes on the 570S is evident from any angle, but for the most part, we still see elements of the supercar that McLaren designed in it. That’s a credit to Prior Design and the recognition that goes behind developing an aerodynamic kit that serves its purpose and functions without taking too much away from the car that already exists.

The absence of any power upgrades is besides the point

Understandably, neither Misha Designs nor Prior Design has power upgrades to supplement the aero kits it’s offering for both the Ferrari 488 GTB and the McLaren 570S. Whether that’s by design or it’s a sign of things to come is irrelevant at this point. What matters is that both kits provide the kind of aerodynamic upgrades that can appeal to owners of both supercars. Besides, it’s not like either of the two supercars are starved for engine upgrades.

The 488 GTB, for example, is powered by a 3.9-liter biturbo V-8 engine that produces 660 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque. That’s good enough to break 60 mph from a standstill position in just three seconds before peaking at a top speed of 205 mph.

Meanwhile, the McLaren 570S is not as potent, but it’s still a handful, thanks in large part to a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine that pumps out 562 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Those figures allow it to go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 204 mph.

Even without any engine upgrades from Misha Designs and Prior Design, both the 488 GTB and the 570S are likely to get improved performance numbers anyway because of the aero kits that make it possible for both supercars to run smoother, especially at high speeds.

See, that’s the neat trick that these aerodynamic body kits have to offer. It may not manifest itself in dyno runs, but the benefits of getting improving their driving and handling capabilities cannot be measured by sheer numbers alone.

So if you’re an owner of either of these two cars, don’t feel slighted that neither of the two tuners have engine upgrade programs to offer. Sure, it’s cool to get more power because power is power, but at the end of the day, aerodynamic body kits are just as important additions to a supercar. And if for nothing else, you only need to take a look how the Ferrari 488 GTB and the McLaren 570S wear the kits they were given.