PROVENANCE
Current Owner (acquired new via Ron Tonkin Ferrari)

Ferrari’s initial mid-engine production offering, the Dino 206, set it on a trajectory to offer models with engines behind the driver, a layout that endures to this day. The desirable architecture offers dynamic advantages over the company’s front-engine GT cars, and while mid-engine models have often been the most affordable Ferraris, they have also been the most dynamic. Ferrari’s most exclusive models such as the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari have all been mid-engine, each further proving the advantages of the design.

Building on years of steady development, for the 2015 model year, Ferrari debuted the 488, itself an evolution of the wildly successful 458 Italia that had been sold since 2010. Featuring an aluminum frame clothed in aluminum body panels, the 488 utilized advanced aerodynamic technologies such as a blown rear spoiler, underbody vortex generators, and a large rear diffuser, all working together to increase downforce by 50% compared to the 458.

Powering the 488 was Ferrari’s first production turbocharged engine for a modern-era, mid-engine car, and it was fitted to a new seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle. This 3.9-liter V-8 utilized dual ball bearing, twin-scroll turbochargers to achieve 661 bhp, or 164 hp per liter, a record for a Ferrari automobile. The 488 was available in both coupe and spider body styles and sold very well before being replaced by the F8 Tributo in 2019.

In 2017, to commemorate its 70th anniversary as a manufacturer, Ferrari drew from its considerable heritage and created a limited run of each of its production models in liveries reminiscent of significant Ferraris of the past. The example offered here, a 2018 488 GTB 70th Anniversary Edition, dubbed “The Heartthrob,” was designed to commemorate the magnificent 1954 500 Mondial, chassis 0438MD, which was owned in period by Dominican playboy Porfirio Rubirosa, and later raced by Phil Hill and owned by John von Neumann. The results are striking, and feature a custom shade of blue recalling the original Mondial’s hue. The interior is trimmed in black with blue stitching and red highlights, and the seats are covered in red competition-style fabric. This stunning 488 is further accentuated by an adjustable front light system and front axle lift. The accompanying window sticker shows the spider was delivered new via Ron Tonkin Ferrari in Portland, Oregon, and notes an MSRP of $373,456, of which $42,776 is accounted for by the 70th Anniversary package, and $66,899 for additional special features.

When catalogued, this one-off, highly collectible 488 GTB had been driven less than 100 miles. Offered with original books and accessories, this Ferrari is ready to thrill its lucky new owner with incredible performance, style, and exclusivity that can only be offered by a modern classic of such undeniable pedigree.