Ferrari 488 GTB Named Motor Trend’s “Best Driver’s Car”

Motor Trend has selected the Ferrari 488 GTB supercar as its “Best Driver’s Car” of 2017.

The magazine’s editors, who rated a dozen contenders following a series of test drives, described the 488 as “one of the purest distillations of driving enjoyment ever created." Performance was bolstered by the “incredible” integration of the car’s engine, transmission and chassis systems, the judges note.

Powered by a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the Ferrari 488 generates 661 hp and 561 lb-ft of torque. The 3,400-lb car can rocket from zero to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and travel a quarter-mile in 10.6 seconds. A complete stop from 60 mph can be achieved in 94 ft.

Aerodynamics is optimized via an electronically controlled drag-reduction system in the rear diffuser and a Formula 1–inspired blown diffuser in the rear. Other goodies include a second-generation slip-control dynamics system with adaptive dampers and electronically controlled limited-slip differential.

Ferrari also won MT’s Best Driver’s Car award, which is now in its ninth year, in 2011 for the 458 Italia. The other vehicles evaluated this year were the:

• Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
• Aston Martin DB11
• Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (1LE)
• Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Z07
• Lexus LC 500
• Mazda Miata RF
• McLaren 570GT
• Mercedes-AMG GT R
• Nissan GT-R NISMO
• Porsche 718
• Porsche 911 Turbo S

MT editors drove the vehicles at three venues in California. Instrument performance testing and limit handling/hot-lap evaluation were conducted at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, respectively. Real-world testing was performed on an unspecified canyon road.