MARKET PRICE: $279,950
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It took a car from what felt like another dimension of outright pace and purposefulness to depose Maranello’s excellent 488 GTB from its glorious former perch in this class. Even now there are some at Autocar HQ who prefer the more bombastic character, more dramatic-sounding turbo V8 engine and more indulgent limit handling manners of Ferrari’s take on the supercar concept than McLaren’s quicker but more single-minded one.
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The 488 was a giant leap forward for its maker when it emerged in 2015: a mid-engined purist’s feast that switched from atmospheric engine aspiration to twin-turbocharging, and exploded class norms for performance while seeming to sacrifice so little on sonic V8 charisma or handling delicacy. On testing road surfaces, the car’s super-quick steering and firm suspension can make it highly strung. But on the circuit it’s nothing short of sensational.
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