2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo First Test, With Full Numbers: Land-Based Missile

Similarly, under hard-driving or instrumented-testing conditions, you should be overwhelmed by a Ferrari’s awesomeness. And while the F8 Tributo we tested delivers cheek-rippling off-the-line numbers, we were merely whelmed by many other performance measures when compared to other vehicles of its ilk.

On paper, it looks ready enough: The 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 churns out 711 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque through a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission. With a curb weight of 3,398 pounds, that translates to a weight-to-power ratio of a stunning 4.8 lb/hp.

With a 0-60 mph time of 2.9 seconds, a 0-100 time of 5.8 seconds, and a quarter-mile time of 10.5 seconds at 139.3 mph, the F8 Tributo is seriously quick.

And although we rarely test at the half-mile, we did for this year’s World’s Greatest Drag Race, where the race-winning Ferrari F8 posted a formidable 16.2 seconds at 169.4 mph. (Actually, it was 16.16 seconds. We needed the second decimal because the second-place Porsche 911 Turbo S crossed the finish line in 16.19 seconds, or trailing by 5.7 feet.) So far so good, right?

As for the figure eight (or, appropriately, F8), the Tributo completes the task in 22.8 seconds at 0.93 average g. How hard does it accelerate in the wee gap between the two circles? Quick enough to upshift from second to third to fourth gear, then back down to second under braking.

That’s his way of saying the F8 Tributo is a bit of a handful. Other drivers felt leery about pushing the limits; our road test editor Chris Walton called it “spooky.” And Walton doesn’t spook easily.

There’s also the matter of how the F8 Tributo accomplishes these test results. While its numbers are impressive, the staff was underwhelmed by its wooden brake-pedal feel, looming corner-exit oversteer, and super-quick steering ratio combined with too-light steering feel. We were also bummed by the lack of a thrilling engine or exhaust note; it sounded a bit restrained, especially compared to the Huracán’s window-shattering shriek.

Whereas the 488 GTB that won BDC back in 2017 felt connected to our hearts and minds, Walton concluded this test and described the 2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo at speed as “intermittent thrills and chills followed by clenched teeth and relief.”

Some people want that sort of driving dynamic from their high-priced exotic car ($277,480 base price, with $108,808 in options, as tested). Heck, some folks prefer it. But after the wonderment with which we beheld the 488 GTB, we feel the new F8 Tributo is a bit of a step backward for Ferrari.

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