Ferrari F8 Tributo In-depth Review: Why It’s not Perfect

The Germans know how to make cars. So do the Japanese, the Americans, and the British. Only the Italians know how to Build Great Cars. Cars that are considered art on wheels, that’ll look good parked in the museum while also being a maniac at the track. Launched at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the Ferrari F8 Tributo is precisely that and more.

See, when it comes to Ferraris, almost each and every one of them is a masterpiece. Well, not the F80 of course, but you get the point. So what makes the F8 so special? It’s not the most good-looking or the fastest. It’s the twin-turbo V8 sitting behind the driver’s seat sending 700 horsepower to the rear wheels. 

‘Tributo’ means tribute. Ferrari is paying tribute to itself here—typical Ferrari move. The Ferrari F8 Tributo is the last mid-engined V8 Ferrari with no hybrid or electric motors. It was the direct successor to the Ferrari 488 Pista and shares the same powertrain as the 488 Pista. 

We’ll get to that in a bit, but first, let’s take a step back and look at Ferrari’s rich racing history.

Ferrari

Ferrari’s racing legacy is unmatched, forged on the world’s most iconic circuits. Since its first victory in 1947, Ferrari has dominated motorsport, particularly Formula One, where it holds the most records. Enzo Ferrari built road cars solely to fund racing, and that passion continues today. 

From Le Mans triumphs in the 1960s to recent endurance racing comebacks, Ferrari blends performance and prestige like no other. Its Scuderia has bred legendary drivers—Schumacher, Lauda, and Ascari—and continues to push boundaries. 

Every Ferrari road car, including the F8 Tributo, echoes this unrelenting pursuit of racing excellence.

Silhouette

Silhouette means the flowing profile with grace and drama, and that’s what’s happening on the exterior of the F8 Tributo. Everything is functional and is there for the very reason to make it go fast. Starting from the front, the first noticeable thing is the S-duct or S-vent—a vent drilled into the frunk for more downforce. 

Two more minimal but sharp-looking vents are there just above the headlights. The central vents are inside the front bumper. The doors and the roof of the F8 Tributo have been taken from the Ferrari 488. That brings us to the side profile of this mean machine. 

You get to choose between 20” forged or carbon fibre wheels. Yes, like you’d get in a Koenigsegg. There are vents in the rear fender as well, which feed air into the massive intercooler. At the back, we have central twin exhausts which can be upgraded to titanium exhausts. 

Too bad it won’t make much of a difference, as the twin turbos muffle the sound. There is a massive carbon fibre diffuser for better aero. It’s functional, alright! The engine is visible under a Ferrari F40-inspired “lightweight Lexan rear screen with three louvres.” It’s plastic, but Ferrari can’t say that.

There is a spoiler, or spoiler lip, whatever you want to call it. It’s a fixed, body-integrated wing that wraps around the quad tail-lights. 

Cush Cabin

Open the door and you’ll see carbon fibre all under the door cards and the kickplate. Spectacular entry, we must say. Inside, almost everything can be made into carbon fibre. You wouldnt expect a 700 hp race-bred car to have these comfortable seats. 

To remind you that you’re in a racecar, there is an optional six-point harness. The dash consists of premium leather and carbon fibre trims. Fighter jet-inspired AC vents look amazing. There’s an optional petite display for the passenger, where they can see your speed, revs, and the G-forces. 

The driver cluster consists of a central analogue RPM meter between two minimal displays. The display works as the instrument cluster for the driver, showing available range, performance metrics, NAV, and CarPlay settings. 

Since Ferraris are inspired by their racecars, all the major controls and settings are on the steering wheel. Settings like the turn signal indicators, the Manettino switch, wiper controls, the Engine Start/Stop button, and High beams and suspension settings. 

Thank God they are physical buttons and not awful heptic buttons like the SF90. You also have a glove box. Didn’t expect that tbh. What makes this interior complete are the shift lights on the steering wheel. The Ferrari F8 Tributo interior is nothing short of magnificent. 

Despite trying to find flaws, we were unsuccessful, and that’s saying something.

The Most Powerful V8 Ferrari Ever Built

Here comes the best part, the powertrain, ‘Motore’ as they like to call it in Italy. The Ferrari F8 Tributo is powered by a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged Flat Plane V8 making upwards of 720 hp and 770 Nm of torque. 0–100 km/h comes in just 2.9 seconds, with a top speed of 340 km/h. 

The engine is placed just behind the driver’s seat, meaning it’s a mid-engine car. The Last Mid-Engine Ferrari, to be precise. That’s why the name “Tributo.” This isn’t a regular Ferrari V8. It’s the same iconic engine that debuted in the 488 Pista. It won several awards, including:

1. International Engine & Powertrain of the Year Award for four consecutive years (2016–2019)
2. Claimed Performance Engine of the Year, Best engine above 650 PS, and Best engine in the 3–4 L class during that period.
3. In 2018, it was honoured as the “Best Engine of the Last 20 Years” at the awards ceremony.

No other Ferrari engine in history has achieved four consecutive overall wins, marking this as arguably the most decorated V8 ever. 

Thanks to F1-derived titanium rods, forged crank and flywheel, Inconel exhausts, and challenge-sourced rev sensors, the power delivery is hyper-responsive. The transmission? Ferrari promoted it as:

“7‑Speed Dual‑Clutch F1 Gearbox with ultra‑fast shift logic, integrated with F1‑Trac, E‑Diff3 and Side Slip Control systems.”

Tecnologia

Ferrari offers the Front Suspension Lift as an optional feature on the Ferrari F8 Tributo. This innovative addition lifts the front end by about 40 mm, making it ideal for crossing speed bumps and driveways smoothly. 

The Manettino dial on the steering wheel has five drive modes:

1. Wet Mode
2. Sport Mode
3. Race Mode
4. Traction Off
5. ESC Off

There is no normal mode. The Sport Mode is the normal mode. How thoughtful of Ferrari. That doesn’t mean it’s a weekend car. It’s a properly drivable car with sufficient tech, no ground clearance issues, and unexpected comfort. 

Built on a lightweight aluminium chassis, the Ferrari F8 Tributo has an ideal weight distribution. The car features E-Diff3, F1-Trac, Side Slip Control 6.1, and Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer Plus, all integrated through the Manettino dial. 

Aerodynamic elements, such as the S-Duct and blown rear spoiler, increase downforce by 15%, enhancing performance and handling.

That’s all for today. Thanks for reading till the end. Let us know if you have any questions regarding the Ferrari F8 Tributo in the comments below. Keep following the Arabwheels Blog for more content like this. 

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