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Ferrari 488 GTE and GT3
The prancing horse’s new 458 replacements

Ferrari’s Finali Mondiali — also known as the final event on the calendar for the Ferrari Challenge racing series and a celebration for all things related to the Italian marque — was recently held at Mugello circuit, and the 2015 edition boasted several noteworthy unveilings. Among them was the presentation of new racing versions of the 488 GTB in the form of GT3 and GTE racers, both of which will replace the current 458-based cars at the start of the 2016 motorsport season, with the latter designed for the World Endurance Championship.

While details and tech specs on the new speedsters are sketchy at best, the most notable change comes in the form of new turbocharged engines — twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V8s that will likely reduce the power produced by the road-legal versions, in keeping with racing regulations, and feature have the usual seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox replaced with a sequential unit. The GTE will be run principally at Le Mans and its associated championships, replacing the outgoing and very accomplished Ferrari 458 Italia GT2. The GT3 class, meanwhile, is a step below and will run in the Blancpain Endurance Series, Pirelli World Challenge and similar events.